Topic ID 771
Hi Did anyone get woken up by a very low-flying, presumably military aircraft at 3am ??? It must have been skimming my back garden in Bengeo. It gave me a fright! I am assuming they needed to get up to the G8 or failing that they're out to get Corporate Seats at Live8 !!!! I am making an assumption its military, but as far as I know Easyjet don't need to see the grass in my garden so closely at 3am!!!! [^]
Reply ID 8277
I saw the Red Arrows fly over the town a few days ago in the early evening.
Reply ID 8283
It's currently airshow season - Waddington this weekend for example, so you'll get a lot of practising. 3am is an odd time though. I wonder if it was meant to be where it was as they are supposed to avoid residential areas (not sure what definition they use) when low-flying, esp. at night.
Reply ID 8289
Sorry to pee on your fire, but it was probably a commercial plane flying in to Stansted, possibly flying lower than normal banking hard. As you will probabaly know Bengeo is on their flight path.
Reply ID 8291
quote:I didn't think planes were allowed to fly into Stanstead at that hour.
Originally posted by Victor Meldrew
Sorry to pee on your fire, but it was probably a commercial plane flying in to Stansted, possibly flying lower than normal banking hard. As you will probabaly know Bengeo is on their flight path.
Reply ID 8292
That's probably the most likely. You can often hear the noise they make as they lower their flaps - which may be the noise you heard (it sounds louder and more of a roaring sound than just a plane flying slowly overhead).
Reply ID 8294
It was a military plane. I saw it on my binoculars. I believe it was a Tornado. They often get scrambled from RAF Mildenhall if commercial or freight aircraft stray from their flight paths particularly those with close proximity to central london.
Reply ID 8295
Firstly, yes, it could have been a late arrival into either Stansted or Luton (more likely Luton given the wind direction yesterday evening). Secondly, Drama Queen is in a position to be well aquainted with the various different sounds that commercial aircraft make!
Reply ID 8296
quote:Just like they do not already have the second runway built. Have you never been delayed on the last Easy jet flight out of Spain?? I think the last time I was, the flight was supposed to get in to Stansted at 12.30ish and we were delayed for around 2 hours. That may expain it?
Originally posted by Ewoowarquote:I didn't think planes were allowed to fly into Stanstead at that hour.
Originally posted by Victor Meldrew
Sorry to pee on your fire, but it was probably a commercial plane flying in to Stansted, possibly flying lower than normal banking hard. As you will probabaly know Bengeo is on their flight path.
Reply ID 8298
quote:Yes, but the air defence Tornadoes (F3s) aren't the ones that low fly (or aren't meant to be the ones). I'm pretty sure they have different radar systems (the low flying ones have terrain following radar, the intercetors have radar more suited to watching aircraft). Also Mildenhall is/was a USAF base and there aren't any Tornadoes there (AFAIA). There are GR (bomber) variants at Marham, but the nearest F3s are based in Leeming. That's not say it isn't one from Marham or Leeming. If it was one from Marham though, I doubt it'd be on an interception misson. You can complain to the MOD about low flying military aircraft though and they have to investigate any complaints they get (my Dad used to have to do it, when he was on Tornadoes at Marham, for any complaints tracked to his squadron).
Originally posted by OldCross
It was a military plane. I saw it on my binoculars. I believe it was a Tornado. They often get scrambled from RAF Mildenhall if commercial or freight aircraft stray from their flight paths particularly those with close proximity to central london.
Reply ID 8299
Oh yeah, I also forgot about Coningsby which operates the OCU which currently uses F3s, and may closer than Leeming (as the plane flies).
Reply ID 8300
quote:What, were you doing with binoculars at 3.00am in the morning?????
Originally posted by OldCross
It was a military plane. I saw it on my binoculars. I believe it was a Tornado. They often get scrambled from RAF Mildenhall if commercial or freight aircraft stray from their flight paths particularly those with close proximity to central london.
Reply ID 8301
quote:Was wondering that too,He or she maybe a sleepless plane spotter with night vision bins. or else the tornado was flying so slow it allowed one to leap outa bed, find the bins, lock on to it, and identify it by its distintive light pattern! [:p]
Originally posted by Victor Meldrewquote:What, were you doing with binoculars at 3.00am in the morning?????
Originally posted by OldCross
It was a military plane. I saw it on my binoculars. I believe it was a Tornado. They often get scrambled from RAF Mildenhall if commercial or freight aircraft stray from their flight paths particularly those with close proximity to central london.
Reply ID 8396
Thanks Mr Steve Admin for defending my knowledge of military versus commercial flights. I am an ex Cabin Crew so fairly well versed in plane noises, load sheets and any manner of aeronautical bits and bobs.. At 3am commercial flights are not supposed to be flying in over us, but this was more than the "flaps coming down". I often watch older aircraft flying to shows, but again 3am is a strange time of day for "ordinary" activities. I am quite sure it was military and just wondered if anyone else had been given heart failure by the noise.. Now... to practice my trolley pushing !!![:D]
Reply ID 8399
quote:Well if you'd told us that in the first instance...[;)] Anyway, as I say, you can complain about it...I'd put money on the fact that they were where they shouldn't have been - at that height and time, esp. Unless you live right on the outskirts of Bengeo - but even then, they were probably a tad too close.
Originally posted by Drama Queen
Thanks Mr Steve Admin for defending my knowledge of military versus commercial flights. I am an ex Cabin Crew so fairly well versed in plane noises, load sheets and any manner of aeronautical bits and bobs.. At 3am commercial flights are not supposed to be flying in over us, but this was more than the "flaps coming down". I often watch older aircraft flying to shows, but again 3am is a strange time of day for "ordinary" activities. I am quite sure it was military and just wondered if anyone else had been given heart failure by the noise.. Now... to practice my trolley pushing !!![:D]
Reply ID 10899
quote:For what it's worth, there isn't a ban on night flights into Stansted, but a quota. At the moment there are about 30 night flights into Stansted, mainly cargo such as mail, perishable goods and medicines.
Originally posted by Ewoowar
I didn't think planes were allowed to fly into Stanstead at that hour.
Reply ID 10900
Do you know when the quota is set for review?
Reply ID 15136
Hi, I know this is a bit late but maybe I can shed a bit of light on the situation? Being an air cadet I have had several camps at bases which fly fast jets, and there are several things I have learnt. 1) The Tornado F3's do not do low flying, so it won't have been them because they go up higher in case a passenger airline goes off of radio contact, they do not generally fly low. 2) There are often altitude restrictions in built up areas for the Tornado GR1/GR4 series of aircraft, and also on the other fast jets the RAF use, because more often than not the aircraft go up with live ammunition, and should something go wrong they need to be able to get the aircraft on the ground in a relatively safe area. 3) Should the aircraft be on a training sortie, they would generally fly higher until they get to the ranges, so they would not generally fly too low over hertford at some stupid time of morning. I therefore think that this was just a civilian aircraft, possibly a learjet, simply because the learjet sounds the most military as you listen to it.
Reply ID 15139
I saw a Typhoon fly low over the town a few months ago, early evening as I recall.
Reply ID 15141
quote:Aren't they Learjets that fly into and out of Luton a lot?
I therefore think that this was just a civilian aircraft, possibly a learjet, simply because the learjet sounds the most military as you listen to it.
Reply ID 15143
Learjets and suchlike, yes.
Reply ID 15144
Yeh, they sound very military. I mean, occasionally you do get the odd fighter fly over hertford town, but it's not that often. It's just because we're on the flight path to stansted and luton, and they use the low altitude airways at times for navigational purposes.
Reply ID 15145
The Typhoon I saw was definitely below controlled airspace, less that 3000ft. Not a good place to be with VFR GAs around.
Reply ID 15146
Well it might have been doing an exercise, i dunno why else it would be below 3000 ft under normal circumstances. Might have been on an intercept with an aircraft going into finals at stansted? gliselope established at about 2300 for finals on landing.
Reply ID 15164
Aircraft of any type may fly below the base of controlled airspace (in this area the base is 2,500 ft) provided the pilot observes the low flying rules in the Air Navigation Order and their exceptions. Whilst it is good airmanship to fly according to agreed protocols, if you stay outside controlled airspace you can basically do what you like. That's why airlines fly inside controlled airspace. It's safer! Lots and lots of business jets like Learjets, Gulfstreams, Falcon jets and the like fly in to and out of Luton and Northolt and Stansted. Military aircraft also operate low level to and from Northolt and you may have seen one of those. Gonna go now I've let out all the secrets! :-)
Reply ID 15165
Oh BTW, there are no 'airways' in the London TMA Tornadoace! :-)
Reply ID 15211
The LearJet range has a military background, someof the older ones are proper jets rather than turbofan, but I imagine they are banned from Europe due to noise regulations.
Reply ID 15217
i dunno then, probably a learjet!
Reply ID 19391
Did anyone else see the Avro Lancaster that flew over Bengeo at about 19.30hrs last night. Must have been at about 800ft. Fantastic!
Reply ID 19393
Was there a Dakota out as well? Same sort of time over Stanstead Abbots - my view was obstructed and very brief but I don't think it was the Lancaster.
Reply ID 19396
can confirm the sighting of the Lancaster. My wife ( a German bless her) asked if it was a Spitfire.[:)].
Reply ID 19398
Sorry - on rereading my posting it's ambiguous. I wasn't querying the Lancaster sighting, but wondered if there was a Dakota too
Reply ID 19399
Saw the Lancaster, a great sight indeed! [:0] The last time I saw one of them was at County Day when I was a kid [^]
Reply ID 19402
I know it's heading off-topic, but there's a museum near Spilsby in Lincolnshire with a Lanc doing taxi runs on certain dates (it's not airworthy so can't take off). More details at http://www.lincsaviation.co.uk/ We went a few years ago and it's exhilirating listening to the Merlins start up.
Reply ID 19406
Just saw 3 flying across Hertford - looked Militaryish! One big one and two little ones - show's my knowledge of the flying creatures [:o)]
Reply ID 19407
Sounds like the Battle of Britain flight...a Lancaster, a Spitfire and a Hurricane. I love the sound of the engines too.
Reply ID 19409
quote:Wished I'd been at home to have seen it. Hopefully it was higher than 800ft though - needs to be at least 1500ft over a built up area - in theory it gives a bit of height in which to glide clear just in case.....
Did anyone else see the Avro Lancaster that flew over Bengeo at about 19.30hrs last night. Must have been at about 800ft. Fantastic!
Reply ID 19717
I saw the Lancaster fly over twice last week. What an amazing sight, and sound! The second time, it flew over with two smaller aircraft - either 2 Spitfires, or a Spitfire and a Hurricane - I couldn't tell from Bengeo as they were further south.
Reply ID 44394
Did anyone else see the low flying fighters go across the Hartham area just after midday? There were about four of them in formation. To my unknowledgable eye I think they were Tornados.
Reply ID 44395
quote:They came over County Hall and West Street heading towards the town.
Originally posted by Ray_by_the_Beane
Did anyone else see the low flying fighters go across the Hartham area just after midday? There were about four of them in formation. To my unknowledgable eye I think they were Tornados.
Reply ID 44401
I was camping with Cub Scouts at Colliers End - Saw them too.
Reply ID 44404
Jez_p I think I flew over your scout camp Sat evening in my paramotor
Reply ID 44407
Wandering off topic now but is this you? http://gallery2.wareanddistrictscouts.org.uk/p45110434.html
Reply ID 44410
That was...hope I didn't upset anyone (noise etc). I was checking a field out where we used fly from. By the way I was allways 500ft away from you.
Reply ID 44414
quote:Full marks to that man with the unknowledgeable eye... I rushed to the window yesterday and almost went through it to catch sight of the fighters. They were definitely Tornados.
Originally posted by Ray_by_the_Beane
Did anyone else see the low flying fighters go across the Hartham area just after midday? There were about four of them in formation. To my unknowledgable eye I think they were Tornados.
Reply ID 44415
Saw the Tornados whilst walking across Hartham yesterday. Flying quite slowly for Tornados with wings not fully swept back. Heard them before I saw them!!
Reply ID 44418
quote:No the Kids that were there are generally impressd by Tornados and Paramotors. The comments on the ground were along the lines of Wow - look at that.
Originally posted by And
That was...hope I didn't upset anyone (noise etc). I was checking a field out where we used fly from. By the way I was allways 500ft away from you.
Reply ID 44421
I've never seen a paramotor in real life - And, when are you next planning on flying by Hertford? Great photo too...
Reply ID 44437
Paramotoring is very weather dependant, ie need good stable low wind conditions. So it will depend when the weather is good and when I can make it. Flew from a field near Stevenage Sat.