Monarch A300 overhead...

[crazypilot]

Dear All,

OK - I know odd things happen every day in the world of aviation, but one quick question:

Why would a Monarch Airlines A300 be over-flying Southern Oxfordshire (Didcot) at no more than like 500 ft (heading North)? This happened a few minutes ago. Never seen an aircraft that low round here - Didcot is nowhere near a major airport - I could only guess it was flying into Brize Norton, but then it was even too low to be flying there since (sounded like a missile flying overhead...) that isn't exactly just down the road from here and it was low enough to be on a final approach to a runway for example.

Cheers

CP

[Luimneach]

Just checked IFPS / CFMU.
It would seem to be a ferry flight LGW-BZZ
Monarch A300-600
LGW Kenet SID Baset BZN EGVN
Max 10000 feet
Descent to 4100 feet at Baset
Down to 200 ft at beacon BZN
No reason (published) for it to be
barrelling along at 500 feet, though!!!
Unless they just wanted to and it B]would[/B]
give the military controllers a bit of practice/fun!! :D

[AVIACO]

Gosh, wish I'd seen that. It would have been a fairly nice sight to see an A300-600R at such a low altitude.

It would have been shaky standing underneath though, as those old P&W's can be helluva noisy when they want to be!!

[Engine overtemp]

I would agree that old P&W's can be noisy, however I think you will find that Monarchs A300 have new General Electric CF6's! :O

[Luimneach]

Yup, that is correct.
Exact engine type on the A300-603R are:
General Electric CF6-80C2A5

Courtesy of: http://www.flymonarch.com/cnt/aircraft/index.asp

[IndiaHotelSevenSeven]

Probably GPWS testing.

[AVIACO]

Hmmm.

What's the configuration like on MON's A300's? Do they have a business class / upgraded cabin, or is it all Y?

[Doug E Style]

According to the chart, the tallest bit of Didcot power station is 656 feet above local ground level so I doubt very much that this guy really was at only 500 feet. I often see VC10s, L1011s and C17s over Botley on the base turn for 26 at Brize and they do look pretty low but even there they'll be at about 2000ft amsl.

[longarm]

2 Are in all Economy (361 pax) 2 have been converted to 2 class (can't remember the seat numbers) with a premium cabin with individual entertainment systems. Mon operate many flights into Brize for the Air force.

[Dirty Mach]

flew right overhead my house! sadly I was at work and got a very vague report from my wife this morning. thanks for clearing it up for me!!!

[crazypilot]

Luimneach

Thanks for the information!

Yeah and they were definitely GE engines, far too quite (although still loud at that height) to be JT9ds

Cheers and have a happy New Year

CP

As to how high it was, well it looked about 2 feet long as you looked up at it, certainly lower than the RAF chaps who are turning base over Botley. Quite exciting really!

[smithoag]

Also saw the Airbus over Didcot(didn't she look impressive)...did look low but would also guess above 500ft,maybe 1000ft????
As she was clearing the Didcot overhead north-bound she did indeed bank left towards Brize Norton...
Does anyone have the registration,please???

[A330ETOPS]

G-OJMR was showing up on my AirNav Suite :P

[smithoag]

A330ETOPS,
many thanks for that mate:ok: