Pilot and “Chopper 11” leave WPXI

Well, it’s not quite what you think it sounds like. In December, Ruben Campos – whose sky view photography has graced social media pages over the years – announced that he would be losing his position as Chopper 11 pilot at the end of 2020.

Turns out it wasn’t due to the quality of his work. It turns out that WPXI isn’t going to be using Chopper 11 for the time being. In fact, you might have noticed that WTAE is touting “the only news helicopter in town” recently.

Reddit readers have asked Campos what happened and he simply responds, “2020 happened”. Other readers assume that the station will start flying drones around as a replacement. Others bark that such technology can’t replace a pilot and a chopper.

WPXI didn’t own “N27M” (the chopper’s callsign). Nor did Cox Media Group. The helicopter actually belongs to Helicopters Inc. of Cahokia, Illinois. Here are side by side photos of the helicopter as “Chopper 11” and its previous incarnation for a station elsewhere. The flying machine has been in existence since 1997. It could be possible that the rent was raised.

If I had to guess, WPXI (and other broadcasters) haven’t billed so well throughout 2020 and rent on the chopper and the salary of its pilot were the obvious choices to cut. Chopper 11 left its hangar at the Allegheny County Airport (KAGC) this morning.

Campos is on the hunt for another helicopter to fly.

This story was written with limited information and use of hypotheses. Comments as to what really happened are encouraged and welcomed.