What is/was this.......

[Rod Sloan]

Was just geeking at my iphone radar app earlier today and came across this

Callsign: KIWA026
Flightnr:
Reg:
Hex: 7CF906
Model:
Airline:
Lat: -34.12409
Lon: 150.66759
Altitude: 38450 feet (11720m)
Ground speed: 95 knots (176km/h / 109 mph)
Track: 257
Radar: NET2
Squawk:



So, what fly this high but so darned slow ??

Ta

[Noel White]

Rod, it's an Army Bell OH-58A Kiowa Helicopter A17-026 operating out of Holsworthy Base. A few of the Kiowas have been upgrade with full ADS-B equipment.

[Rod Sloan]

ah ok. Thanks Noel. I didn't realise choppers flew that high as a matter of course.

[AdamB]

Forgive my ignorance, but can a Kiowa, essentially a militarised Jetranger go that high? I have flown in a Jetranger up front & asked the pilot what was the service ceiling & was told "about 20'000 feet". Is the Kiowa that much better?

[Rod Sloan]

Not that you can believe everything on wikipedia. But I did see this. (bold my emphasis)

OH-58A

Data from U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947

General characteristics

Crew: 1 pilot, 2 pilots, or 1 pilot and 1 observer
Length: 32 ft 2 in (9.80 m)
Rotor diameter: 35 ft 4 in (10.77 m)
Height: 9 ft 7 in (2.92 m)
Empty weight: 1,583 lb (718 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 3,000 lb (1,360 kg)
Powerplant: 1× Allison T63-A-700 turboshaft, 317 shp (236 kW)
Fuselage length: 34 ft 4.5 in (10.48 m)

Performance

Maximum speed: 120 knots (222 km/h, 138 mph)
Cruise speed: 102 knots (188 km/h, 117 mph)
Range: 299 mi (481 km, 260 nmi)
Service ceiling: 19,000 ft (5,800 m)

[Noel White]

Just checked my SBS log, it would appear that this particular helicopter is having a wee bit of trouble displaying the correct altitude today.

Been operating in the Sydney area since late March and has never logged higher than 3700' before, yet today somehow it has added an extra digit.

[A McLaughlin]

1. - is a Kiowa pressurised?

2. - does a Kiowa have oxygen?

The answer to both of course is NO, so it's more likely an anomoly in the ADS-B.

[Brian Hoy]

I watched this on flightradar 24 as well and the altitude jumped around quite abit but the level appeared to around 8000.