Aircraft General Discussion

[RMAParticipant @rma]

With clear skies, the sound of a 747 Cargo throttling back getting established onto the ILS to Stansted yesterday, made me go outside to look at it. Very reminiscent of the days when aircraft were a rare sight! Inbound from Moscow, so cargo would be? Very interesting.

Still amazed by the amount of passenger flights into our country…..utter madness!

[Nathan SharpeParticipant @nathansharpe19746]

Good evening all.

Looking at FR24 I think I'm seeing more cargo to Europe and less to the UK than in recent weeks. The traffic seems to be USA/Canada to Europe. Has anyone else noticed this? I'm discounting the usual postal/ courier services from DHL/UPS/FedEx etc.

Also a fairly large increase in "survey flights".

Yesterday I noted 3 Pa 28-140 "private" aircraft take off from St Athan and fly to Belfast George Best and return a few hours later. Why?

Today it was a Cessna Grand Caravan doing the same trip and again a "private" aircraft.

Also noted a couple of RAF flights out of Brize Norton doing calibration patterns off the east coast of Scotland. Are these normal?

One "odd" plane was callsign GUASA but with no track displayed.

Any thoughts from anyone?

Nathan.

Edited By Nathan Sharpe on 16/04/2020 22:37:22

[David TParticipant @davidt96864]

Posted by Nathan Sharpe on 16/04/2020 22:10:47:

Good evening all.

Looking at FR24 I think I'm seeing more cargo to Europe and less to the UK than in recent weeks. The traffic seems to be USA/Canada to Europe. Has anyone else noticed this? I'm discounting the usual postal/ courier services from DHL/UPS/FedEx etc.

Also a fairly large increase in "survey flights".

Yesterday I noted 3 Pa 28-140 "private" aircraft take off from St Athan and fly to Belfast George Best and return a few hours later. Why?

Today it was a Cessna Grand Caravan doing the same trip and again a "private" aircraft.

Also noted a couple of RAF flights out of Brize Norton doing calibration patterns off the east coast of Scotland. Are these normal?

One "odd" plane was callsign GUASA but with no track displayed.

Any thoughts from anyone?

Nathan.

Edited By Nathan Sharpe on 16/04/2020 22:37:22

I’ve noticed a lot of “survey flights” too, very curious.

Might the “calibration patterns” out of Brize be air-to-air refuelling ops?

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

Ive, just watched two helicopters cross on the same path and actually merge as one, a friend rang me last week for a chat I commented on how quiet the skys were, he said you must be joking Mildenhall airbase seems to have stepped up the number of flights, he lives in Tuddenham not far from the base.

Martin P

[RMAParticipant @rma]

Chinese 777 cargo flew into Stansted from China this morning. The heavies still arrive as normal, but it's a bit worrying that Wizz Air are starting passenger flights from Luton with Spain and Portugal on their destination list.

I did ask RVL about their survey flights and they said they were classified, but they did say they're taking advantage of the clear skies. The drone out of Lydd is busy as well.

[Anonymous]

I'm posting in the aircraft thread rather than 'What Did You Do Today' to avoid some smartypants pointing out that it's not model engineering.

Last Friday, much to everyone's surprise, the government announced that private flying could start again, provided 'social distancing' was mantained. In effect that means solo flying in private, but not club, aircraft. Like all clubs my local gliding club has been caught on the hop. We started flying again this weekend, private gliders only, flown solo and aerotow only. They've introduced a traffic light system, green, amber or red. Fortunately I'm in the green category, allowed to do what I like based on experience and currency. Since you can't fly with an instructor and maintain 2m distance a lot of rules and regulations have been temporarily binned. I actually last flew a glider in March, two days before the lockdown was imposed.

A number of aircraft airworthiness reviews have been on hold as I haven't been able to go to the club to do the required physical survey. Today I've done three surveys, including one of my gliders which we also rigged. Which was challenging while maintaining 2m separation. The next couple of days will be spent ploughing through paperwork for Airworthiness Review Certificate renewals. This is just the start. A lot of people have been unable to do the annual inspections due to lockdown. So I expect there is now going to be a flood of inspections and ARC renewals to do. I might even fit in some gliding and power flying! I've almost finished the regulator design for my traction engines, so I'd like to finish those too!

Andrew

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

It’s amazing how busy the world is if you have a look at the Flightradar24 app.

Mike

[PlasmaParticipant @plasma]

I have been asked to make a wind vane with a specific aircraft as the pointer.

Cut a silhouette out and wondered if anyone could identify it to make sure I'm.in the ball park.

Please let me know what you think It is.

[JAParticipant @ja]

Andrew

I am glad to hear someone is moving towards normality although it sounds very bureaucratic.

Go carefully, I wish you every success coming out of shut down and I hope we all follow.

JA

 

Plasma – F4 Phantom

Edited By JA on 17/05/2020 23:16:19

[JAParticipant @ja]

Plasma

The tailplane anhedral is the give away. The nose seems to have grown a chin.

JA

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

Phantom for me too.

Mike

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

Posted by JA on 17/05/2020 23:26:59:

Plasma

The tailplane anhedral is the give away. The nose seems to have grown a chin.

JA

Depends if he has created an American Phantom, they carried a chin under the radar, the 74 sqn F4J's and FGR2's didnt.

Andrew,

I wondered why the skys were busy this weekend, Shuttleworth were testing a radial engined biplane yesterday most likely the Gladiator but it was two far away to be sure.

Martin P

[Lee RogersParticipant @leerogers95060]

Posted by David T on 31/03/2020 19:29:32:

Posted by martin perman on 31/03/2020 17:25:31:

Posted by David T on 31/03/2020 14:09:35:

Did I just see an RAF Globemaster go into Southend airport??

Shortly followed by a second one

Edited By David T on 31/03/2020 14:32:21

Did they look like these **LINK**

Can't remember if it was the same day but one did several touch and goes at Luton. Caused quite a stir in the area. Mostly with people who had never seen a Victor with a Blue Steel half out of the bomb bay coming out of Radlet.

Martin P

Definitely a Globemaster, but it turns out it was doing touch-and-go’s, so I may have just seen the same one twice.

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

News today is that the Red Arrows are moving to Waddington when Scampton closes. They obviously like the A15 having been at Scampton (1983), Cranwell (1995), then Scampton again (2000) and now Waddington in 2022..

Martin C

[BufferParticipant @buffer]

Someone is drawing smiles over Bedfordshire at the moment.

[BufferParticipant @buffer]

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

Bloodt Aliens taking the pee knowing we are grounded😉

[Cornish JackParticipant @cornishjack]

Ref. Plasma's windvane 'Tomb', aircraft are, obviously ideal subjects.

I have just completed a similar item to give to our neighbours, who have been absolutely splendid in doing shopping for us. I asked the lady of the house whether she preferred a windvane or a desk version and she couldn't decide – so I did both. Ideally, if the windvane version prevails, the sub-base should be removed and the attachment made directly.

Today's Quiz question – What is the lady called?

rgds

Bill

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Plasma on 17/05/2020 23:15:03:

I have been asked to make a wind vane with a specific aircraft as the pointer.

Cut a silhouette out and wondered if anyone could identify it to make sure I'm.in the ball park.

Please let me know what you think It is.

Phantom?

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Cornish Jack on 20/05/2020 12:26:43:

Today's Quiz question – What is the lady called?

rgds

Bill

I wouldn't Have a clue? Mary ? 🤣

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

Victoria?

Mike

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

Or Vicky

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

Posted by Buffer on 20/05/2020 10:55:56:

Someone is drawing smiles over Bedfordshire at the moment.

Which part of Bedfordshire, knowing my luck over my way. not that Ive heard anything.

Martin P

[Anonymous]

Posted by Cornish Jack on 20/05/2020 12:26:43:

What is the lady called?

Must be transgender as it's a Victor.

Andrew

[BufferParticipant @buffer]

Martin

It was over Marston Moretain. I think it was spelling Tom. But I only saw TO

[Author]

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