What's flying over your house

[ken anderson.]

this afternoon,doing a flypast of north east NHS hospitals …. as a thank you.

ken anderson...ne...1....nhs dept.

[Devcon1]

Devon Air Ambulance on a recce/training flight.

Pin point accuracy.

[Devcon1]

[PatMc]

Grey, wet & miserable day here today. Having a cuppa in the living room around 11:00 am & spotted this Airbus A330-700 Beluga on the Newcastle airport flight path. It first completed 2 left hand circuits (going out over the north sea) finally landed from a right hand circuit. Managed a few pics of the landing approach, taken from the garden whilst standing in the rain.

 

Edited By PatMc on 16/12/2020 22:53:29

[Gary Manuel]

I saw that thing flying over Chester zoo a few years ago. I couldn't believe how slow it appeared to be flying. Almost like a bumble bee! How can such a big blob like that fly with tiny little wings like that?

It didn't have the silly grin on it's face back then, but I must admit that I do like it.

[Piers Bowlan]

I bet that thing is 'fun' landing in a crosswind (not). OK, who is going to be the first to model one? Mass build anybody ?!

[Denis Watkins]

You are right Piers, the Beluga has a strict flight regime whereby it does not make trips if

Crosswinds exceed 30 knots at the landing site.

 

Edited By Denis Watkins on 17/12/2020 08:01:34

[Maurice Dyer]

Living local to Bembridge and Sandown airports; mostly spam cans and the odd Tiger or Chipmonk.

But I get a free fly by two or three times in good flying days of one of the two seat spitfires that sell flips from Lee.

Maurice

[Matt Carlton]

I'm lucky that we're in a bit of a hotspot, so we get a fairly eclectic mix of F-15s from Lakenheath, F-35s and Typhoons from Marham, V-22s, C-130s and KC-135s from Mildenhall, well as some interesting GA stuff using the small airfield nearby.

Interestingly had an F-16 doing circuits overhead not long ago. Possibly USAF but more likely Belgian I suppose.

[John Privett]

Interesting, Pat! Any idea what it was doing at Newcastle?

[ken anderson.]

great photo's Pat..according to the airport web site and the local news it was up here for training purposes...may intend doing some sort of business in future ….

ken anderson...ne..1..Beluga dept.

[Jimbo565]

John

Airport had a statement out saying it was doing a training exercise.

[Jimbo565]

pipped at the post by the great Kendo

[ken anderson.]

sail before steam etc....JC.

ken anderson...ne..1..sail before steam dept.

[Jimbo565]

[Graham Davies 3]

Posted by Matt Carlton on 17/12/2020 09:12:58:

I'm lucky that we're in a bit of a hotspot, so we get a fairly eclectic mix of F-15s from Lakenheath, F-35s and Typhoons from Marham, V-22s, C-130s and KC-135s from Mildenhall, well as some interesting GA stuff using the small airfield nearby.

Interestingly had an F-16 doing circuits overhead not long ago. Possibly USAF but more likely Belgian I suppose.

Hi Matt,

Until March, I worked in Mildenhall and the flight line was visible from our office. The law of s0d dictated that as soon as an important phone call or meeting started, the F15s would put in an appearance and all audio communication ended! Another interesting thing; we had a projector suspended from the boardroom ceiling. When the Ospreys flew nearby, it would cause the image to blur. For ages I thought it was me...

Anyhow, our local Harvard has just given me a flypast near Sudbury!

Graham

[John Privett]

Thanks Ken & Jim for the info.

And Christmas greetings to you both, and to Pat, and others up in NE-land...

John P. - 'I've not been up to NE26 for quite a while!' dept.

[Jimbo565]

John

Nowts changed,kendo still can't spell my name right.

All the best

stay cool

jim

[Adrian Smith 1]

Well not quite over my house. I am lucky enough to live close to Bentwaters retired airbase and RAF Woodbridge (now has the Royal Engineers there) , where there are 1000's of hectares of Rendlesham forest to walk around.

I was rudely roused from my quiet country walk in solitude by the clatter of an attack helicopter (probably from Wattisham but I don't know) doing low flying practice over the woods and the old Woodbridge runway.

Livened up my day I can tell you!

 

Edited By Adrian Smith 1 on 13/01/2021 16:21:40

[Peter Miller]

Yes An Apache and that is from Wattisham

I have them over my house day and night.

They even use the steel box on our flying field as a"tank". That little white shape right unter the chopper

Edited By Peter Miller on 13/01/2021 18:11:06

[leccyflyer]

Had what I thought initially was a Spitfire flew over yesterday, but it didn't sound, or look, quite right. I'm guessing it was this replica which is up for sale.

[Peter Miller]

Just an interesting little story

Several years ago I bought a genuine Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flying suit in a local government surplus store for peanuts.

I sold it on Ebay at a profit. The buyer was someone building a reduced scale replica Spitfire.

[Rich Griff]

I don't think the 500ft rule applied to the Osprey pilot that flew down our valley about 2 years ago. He was low, I mean low, flying from Snowdon direction towards the TV mast, pylons and high voltage cables that cross the valley at that end.

I used to live on the coast many years ago and one Sunday afternoon saw the black sr71 is it, the very Fast high altitude reconasance aircraft. It flew down the valley over the bridge quite quietly, then opened the throttles leaving 2 black lines and roared of towards tywyn. From where I was standing he was well below the mountain top horizon, so was well under 500 ft.

The Mach loop is a cool place for a free air show.

[Colin Leighfield]

Adrian’s post brought back warm memories. My late wife’s family lived in Woodbridge and we spent many happy hours in the back garden, watching F16s and A10s on their way in and out of Bentwaters. Also I well remember fields of Bloodhound missiles pointing to the sky at Bawdsey. We were very sad when we heard that after so many years the USAF was moving out of Bentwaters and closing the base in 1993. They held an annual airshow and the final one was in October 1992, we were there with son James who was just four months old! The American aircrew were always standing by their planes in the public area and were happy to talk to you. I remember a conversation with an F111 pilot, I think that wasn’t long before they were withdrawn from service. Wonderful days, sadly missed.

[Adrian Smith 1]

Interesting to see your post, Colin. On this particular occasion I was walking also the northern boundary of the old Woodbridge runways. You can see the broken down control tower half way along. Much of the runway area is now overgrown with wild foliage. Sad really. The main runway at Bentwaters in largely intact though but partially covered by industrial units. The main guard house and barrier are still in use. There is a corner of the base area that is used for major film stunts that involve car chases and explosions. And of course there is the Cold War museum.