Another low flyer over Leicestershire

[richterscale10]

I was driving east along the M69 about 1930hrs last Friday and was VERY surprised to notice a light aircraft (possibly King Air sized) flying overhead very low.....in a north - south direction. I am no expert but it must have been at about 400ft........
I expected to hear some sort of tragedy on the radio but have heard nothing at all. I haven't noticed anything in that sort of path before and wonder if anyone could shed any light on it.......

[Squadgy]

The RAF operate King Airs out of Cranwell for navigation training. Perhaps it was one of theirs on a low level navex...

[navajo chieftain]

1930hrs, in the dark, at low level, on a Friday evening?
What is the RAF coming to?

[Daysleeper]

Coventry based aircraft? There are one or two twin cessnas about the same size as a king air based there on government jobs that are a bit lower than normal, though if it was proper dark by then how did you know it was 400'.

How far up the M69 were you?

[chiglet]

Eeerrm,
"Calibrator" fly B200 a/c....to check ILS and/or Radials. Typically 1200ft at 12 miles.......aka "Low on Approach" :ok:
watp,iktch

[richterscale10]

I wasn't far off the M1 actually - probably about a mile.

I dont know for sure that it was 400ft - but I have been flying for twenty years myself.......dunno if that counts for anything!

Oh well - all is OK anyway!

[ComJam]

Chiglet. Don't go blaming us! :D

[captain_flynn]

All I can guess is that it was the calibrator aircraft.. however I read in the paper that they are using planes to look for dead birds now, to prevent bird flu. Although I wouldn't expect them to be flying around in the dark.

[markflyer6580]

Although I wouldn't expect them to be flying around in the dark.

I wouldn't expect to see a dead bird flying at any time of day:}

[Dollond]

Coventry based aircraft? There are one or two twin cessnas about the same size as a king air based there on government jobs

Are these the :mad: that are taking aerial photos of our houses to see if we have built conservatories etc. so that they can change the house's council tax band.

:mad: :mad: I :mad: hate this labour government.

[atlantique]

The Environment Agency have ground mapping aircraft operated by ourselves at Air Atlantique, they tend to be operating at low level. Could be one of ours!! Must have been flying on the wrong pressure setting!

[Phileas Fogg]

Could it have been a Leicester Airport movement which is approx 4 miles from the reported sighting?

http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?client=public&X=465500&Y=301500&width=500&height=300&gride=462004.551453469&gridn=300424.297773463&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&pc=&zm=1&scale=25000

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

<<I dont know for sure that it was 400ft - but I have been flying for twenty years myself..>>

Counts for nothing I'm afraid. I have fielded a few phone calls at Heathrow from airline pilots reporting near misses over London when aircraft were well over 1000 ft apart.. Seriously, you almost certainly can't estimate heights of aircraft with any degree of accuracy from the ground.

[c_jephcott]

There is a B200 based at Leicester. G-PFFN I believe. And yes, it normally does fly its approachs quite low.

I only know this from often thinking that the plane is coming in quite low!