Original 1966 BATCOPTER Ready to Fly Again in 2021

Making plans for Batman’s chopper to return to the tour circuit after a year lost to COVID…

One of the big things I missed last summer during the COVID lockdown was my annual pilgrimage to fly in the original Batcopter from the 1966 Batman movie and second two TV seasons.

Capt. Eugene Nock’s glorious flying machine — serial no. N3079G for those keeping score at home — has long been a staple at the annual State Fair Meadowlands in northern New Jersey, just across the river from New York, the real Gotham City. It’s also made similar appearances at air shows, festivals and comics conventions up and down the East Coast and out through the Midwest.

The Batcopter in flight with Nock at the controls.

At some places you could fly in it for a fee, at others you could just get an up-close gander. Either way, it’s one of the best ways to celebrate the legacy of a TV show that means so much to so many.

But the Batcopter was, of course, grounded last year since all those events were shut down. This year, things are poised to change, if the United States’ COVID crisis continues to wane.

Nock is working on a lineup of events once it’s confirmed that various shows will indeed occur. For example, the State Fair Meadowlands is scheduled for June 18-July 11 but tickets have not gone on sale. I’m hopeful it will take place and that the Batcopter will be there, though it’s still up in the air, shall we say.

As seen in the 1966 movie

(In the years leading up to 2020, the Batcopter visited a litany of locations, including Oshkosh, Wisconsin; Logansport, Indiana; Uniondale, New York; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Niagara Falls, Canada, and more.)

While things are in flux, we wait — and we’ll update you when there’s a solid schedule.

In any event, the Batcopter remains in fine fettle at its Florida base, according to the good captain.

“She’s airworthy, she’s up to speed on all her inspections and she’s ready to fly,” Nock said.

Batfingers crossed.

MORE

— I Rode in the Original BATCOPTER β€” and It Was Everything I Hoped. Click here.

— What It’s Like to Own the Original 1966 BATCOPTER. Click here.

Author: Dan Greenfield

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11 Comments

  1. I forget. Is there a reason for why it flies without the bat wings?

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    • …and why is the Bat head not on the windshield?

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    • Yeah. It’s not really safe for regular flight with passengers. For the movie they did it but had stunt flyers.

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      • Without the Bat-motif of head and wings, it just looks like an old red copter with the batlogo on the side tanks, to me anyway.

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  2. How is a 50+ year old helicopter still flying? Was the engine replaced?

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    • Yeah, all the hardware has been refurbished. I wouldn’t get in a helicopter with an almost 60-year-old engine.

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    • Delmo! My friend in IA told me you commented! We both recall many of your LoC in the back of DC Comics!

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      • Thanks Vincent! Nice to be remembered!

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        • Wow, this is like getting a personal reply from a celebrity.
          You just made my day!

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          • Glad I could do that for you!

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