Telecopter

{{Short description|Television news helicopter}}

A telecopter is a helicopter used to gather footage for television stations. It is a portmanteau of television and helicopter.

The KTLA Telecopter was the world's first television news helicopter, which first went into operation in 1958{{cite web

| last = Joiner

| first = Stephen

| title = History of Flight: Zoom Shot

| quote = One day in L.A., a helicopter changed television news forever

| publisher = Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum

| date = April 30, 2009

| url = https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/zoom-shot-57396049/

| access-date = June 6, 2022}} and was invented by John D. Silva.{{Cite web|title=Collection: John D. Silva papers {{!}} Archival Collections|url=https://archives.lib.umd.edu/repositories/2/resources/1440|access-date=2020-08-17|website=archives.lib.umd.edu}} The on-board video and audio equipment communicated with a line of sight KTLA transmitter receiver on top of Mount Wilson. The first helicopter was leased to KTLA by National Helicopter Service and Engineering Company in Van Nuys.{{cite web

| title = Original press releases issued by KTLA regarding the creation of the "TELECOPTER"

| quote = Photos taken during its construction in Dick Hart's backyard in North Hollywood

| publisher = National Helicopter Service and Engineering Company

| year = 1958

| url = http://www.nationalhelicopter.com/telecopter.html

| access-date = 2012-02-25}} For several years, KTLA (channel 5) was the only TV station with a helicopter based TV camera crewed reporting platform.

The Telecopter was designed and introduced by KTLA chief engineer John D. Silva (1920-2012)."John D. Silva dies at 92; introduced news helicopter", Bob Pool, Los Angeles Times, December 7, 2012

Today, KTLA's news helicopter is known today as "Sky 5" and it is used during breaking news coverage.