Low Flying Complaints

[jollygreenfunmachine]

I notice with some interest, in the latest edition of the RAF news, that the section of the RAF Police that deal/investigate low flying complaints are having a reunion meal in the near future. Anyone want the grid?!

[XXTSGR]

:} :} :} :e :e :e

Oi! Where did the smileys go????? :(

[QFIhawkman]

Yes, because they're really the enemy aren't they?

Grow up chap.

[Wader2]

QFIhawkman, agree. I have a very old copy of an investigation raised at the instigation of our local MP, now a very senior parliamentarian. I know some of the principal witnesses or their descendants (I did say it was an old report).

The report is extremely well written and reaches an apparently unquestionable conclusion that there was no question of indiscipline or unnecessary low flying. An airman doing the same investigation would have asked other questions!

A more recent investigation also found for the aircrew. Once we had the report we made sure the rules fitted the conclusions as there were obvious unasked questions.

Indeed the investigation team works hard to show that indisciplined low flying is a rarity.

[A2QFI]

Certainly there was "Out to Get them" attitude 30 years ago. I was subject of a series of low flying complaints and was taken round the relevant area under some form of 'arrest' while the case was investigated and witnesses were interviewed. One witness said that I had been flying at twice the height of some local trees and that my height was estimated as around 400ft (in an LFA). Not much credibity there. Another witness made a harmless non-committal statement and when I had the opportunity to question him, acting on some information that had come to hand, I asked him if he had been offered any threat or inducement to make his statement which by the way, was about 100 words and had taken 90 minutes to get.
"Oh yes, I was told that if I didn't tell them everything I knew I would be in trouble myself"! I finished up having a sit-down interview with the AOC, with coffee and biscuits, and as I was 37 and he was 54 we spent some time discussing our retirement plans! Very civil and very civilised.

[Ivor Fynn]

I have been investigated by RAF LF complaints cell more times than I care to remember 1 occasion I cocked up and the rest std complaints. On all occasions the RAF Police were thoroughly professional and if anything pro-aircrew, and willing to go the extra mile to get you out of the dwang. Utmost respect only need grid ref for a thank you flypast!!!

Ivor

:D :D :D

[Ali Barber]

I was interviewed many years back. Went along the lines of can you recall your sortie of 23 Apr (about 3 months prior)l answer: no. It was in the auth sheets for IWEX 68 - no. Callsign was lion 1-4 -no. It was in the Vale of Pickering at about 0900 - Now it's coming back!!!! I explained what we'd been doing and he said "ok- write this down: The sortie was fully briefed and authorised in accordance with the rules....."

Good bunch of guys if you were straight with them.

[ShyTorque]

I would also like to say what a great bunch of blokes they were in my time. But I can't. :*

[MarlboroLite]

I live in a Lincolnshire market town, that has RAF Wittering,Cottesmore and Conningsby close by.

I like it when i see fast jets on low level sorties, i can't believe the amount of people that bitch about it.
Personally i look upon it as taxpayers ££££ well spent on keeping one of the worlds best airforces in peak ready condition.:D

i've seen one guy get his mobile phone out and start calling directory enquiries for relevant numbers because 2 Tornado's at low level went by, and it put him off his golf swing:ugh:

Unfortunatly when your faced with people like these, there will always be complaints which is unfortunate.....but sadly true!!:*

[Dan Winterland]

They had a difficult job balancing PR with looking after the interests of the service. During three investigations,the only time I felt intimidated by them was when an expensive racehorse allegedly died due to my low flying. The complainer was a vociferous and regular complainer with the backing of her MP and they were under some pressure to get a result.

Luckily, it was disproved when the radar trace from the nearby airfield (from which I was getting a letdown) showed I was at FL60 at the time!

[jollygreenfunmachine]

Hawkman. I'll grow up when you get a sense of humour!

Jeez!

[Gainesy]

Racehorse owner down the road from me is a regular complainent about the "Army helicopters" frightening her nags. Funny old thing, they aren't frightened by the JetRanger that lands in her paddock quite frequently to ferry her to racecourses.:mad:

[Capt Pit Bull]

Well, my old mum has been complaining about low flying for years.

Not enough of it she says!

pb

[Wader2]

Ali Barber,

I used to be a middle man.

We would get the standard search request - was one of your ... flying near ... at ...

A search through the previous month's flypro would turn up 2 or 3 suspects. Quick look at the take-off time and distance to incident and that might reject one or all.

Bell to the sqn, check the sheets, wrong area and another would be struck out.

May be one crew still in the frame. Speak with crew, where were you and what were you doing. Invariably the crew would come up with an exact time and location that showed they were not the relevant crew.:}

Nil return submitted and end of story.

On one exercise there was a night air-miss. The miss was so close that a cabin window of an executive light aircraft was succed out. Through the loops and found one crew who said: "It wasn't us but we observed a GR1 that we were chasing fly very close to a stranger at . . . "

[hobbit1983]

Speaking as a civilian; I have a complaint about UK mil low flying…..
















There’s not enough of it around my house, and sometimes you don’t fly low enough! More please! :ok:

[SkyHawk-N]

This guy knew how to upset people by flying low, it was reported that he lost his wings for this one!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLPC-4Mj3N8

[WorkingHard]

Over open country side there should be no problem as long as the rules are adhered to. However when you have mil aircraft especially FJ regularly overflying known airfields then even the flying community will complain. I cannot comprehend the navigational requirements at those speeds low level but that is what you plan and train for so can any one tell us how it can happen and how you try to ensure you learn from complaints?

[ACW599]

Living as I do at SJ 328150, I don't believe the RAF has any fast jets at all. I'd only believe it if one or more passed SJ 328150 every day for a fortnight. Anyway, I bet none of them could find their way to SJ 328150 in the first place. The fact is that SJ 328150 is enormously difficult to find, and would tax the nav kit in any current RAF FJ. And helicopter.

No, SJ 328150 is absolutely impossible for any RAF aircraft to find. The last one I saw was the Valley weather-ship about ten years ago and he was about ten miles away.

Of course, if anyone wanted a challenge, it's in LFA9 and Shawbury LL is on 376.675. But SJ 328150 is incredibly demanding for modern nav kit. The UTM is 30U 500225 5842050 but that's completely impossible.

[Climebear]

Sorry ACW 599 - where did you say you lived again?

[ACW599]

>Sorry ACW 599 - where did you say you lived again?<

I live at SJ 328150. Or 30U 500225 5842050. Or N52 43.7 W002 59.74. But this location is utterly impossible to find from any military aircraft. I'd love to be able to put up a photograph on PPRruNe of a military aeroplane passing this location, but it will never happen.

[Climebear]

Your house looks nice ACW599 (oh for the joys of internet mapping).

Must take you forever to clear the snow off your drive though ;)

[ACW599]

>Your house looks nice ACW599 (oh for the joys of internet mapping).<

Oh, you mean the place at SJ 328150? Pity no-one's ever seen it from a military aircraft:-)

>Must take you forever to clear the snow off your drive though<
We certainly haven't been anywhere today, and the drive is like a skating rink. At this rate we'll be needing helicopter resupply. But there again, it's impossible to find. . .

Seriously, A10s, F4s, C130s and even the occasional Bucc were everyday events when we first moved here. We even saw occasional F15 two-ships until a few years ago. Presumably things changed somewhat when EGOS took over LFA9 as a DUA, but even so we now only see the odd Hawk at about FL50. 'Tain't the same at all. And I've never seen a Tonka anywhere near this place in twenty years.

[ralphmalph]

you may get a chicken leg visit in the near future...take a pic...we wont be here long!

[jayteeto]

Posted before, but fits the thread. I got a very aggressive call from low flying complaints cell, demanding why a Puma had been conducting high energy turns(?) at a farm near hexham, he had evidence on radar!! They had set up their ex-argie radar just outside Spadeadam, we were doing a 2 ship onto the range and my no2 was trying to break lock!! He didn't even realise that we knew he was there and were reacting as briefed. An embarrassed RAFP then told me there would be no further action.....

[exrotarybooty]

I was duty pilot for 3 Cdo Bde Air Sqn RM at Coypool near Plymouth when an irate lady rang to say that a helicopter was hovering over her stud farm on Dartmoor.

I assured her we had no-one flying at that time, and asked if she could see any letters or numbers on the side of the heli. Expecting her to come back with 'NAVY' or 'RAF Rescue' I was amazed when she said, "It has 'Jack Here' near the little back wheel."

(It really was 'Jack', from Culdrose! :ok: )

Now THAT's low flying!

ERB

[Gainesy]

That thing about the Snoops with the Argie radar always amused me. Did they only nab those whose RWR was TU?:)

TQ 234280 (big wires 1/2 mile West, running N-S)

[MightyGem]

Just incase anyone's not sure:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/MightyGem/map.jpg

[anotherthing]

Coed Way sounds like the place to be on that map!!

[ACW599]

>Coed Way sounds like the place to be on that map!!<

Coedway's a nice place but not half as nice as my place. It's just such a shame that no military aircraft will ever find it.

In fact, if a military aircraft reaches Crew Green, my name is not ACW599; you can call me Meier.

[MightyGem]

Jawohl, mein herr!!

[Glass Half Empty]

When ex - argie radar first deployed, a demo was being run with NE MP in attendance. One of the GR1 boys went past and at moment of lock and demonstration to high powered MP on the fact all aircraft could be tracked with speed/ height etc, said navigator elected to turn on jamming pod. Apparently all worked as advertised and raday display became a usless catherine wheel of spokes. Much embarassment all round at the demo. Very snotty phone call to sqn boss asking why his crew were jamming outside of Spadeadam.

Boss almost kept a straight face during the the said bol*ocking

[Mal Drop]

97 IOT Graduation. RAFC Cranwell. December 1986. 2 x F4. Hats (with chinstraps down and tightened for the occasion) bloody everywhere. Reviewing Officer (Pilkington as I recall) covered in bits of gravel. Crews met at ac with their hats.

Lovely day out.

That is all.

[Razor61]

Anyone care to fly down to Devon tomorrow (Wednesday) and fly low over the hill immediately west of the town of Tiverton? -as many times as you like-
I'll be up there all day and i need some company....anything will do, aslong as there is a steady flow.... (hercs, jets, helos)...
:bored:

[vecvechookattack]

Go on....we are all dying to know.....

why are you going to climb a hill....on your own...and spend all day at the top?

[vecvechookattack]

http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Limo/3518/foolhill.htm

Singalong everyone

Day after day, alone on a hill,
The man with the foolish grin is keeping perfectly still
But nobody wants to know him,
They can see he’s just a fool
And he never gives an answer.
But the fool on the hill sees the sun going down
And the eys in his head see the world spinning round.
Well on the way, head in a cloud,
The man of a thousand voices talking perfectly loud.
But nobody ever hears him
Or the sound he appearss to make
And he never seems to notice.
But the fool on the hill sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head see the world spinning round.
And nobody seems to like him,
They can tell what he wants to do
And he never shows his feelings.
But the fool on the hill sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head see the world spinning round.
He never listens to them,
He knows that they’re the fools
They don’t like him. The fool on the hill sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head see the world spinning round

[dakkg651]

To ACW599 henceforth to be known as Meier.

You have been visited by the mighty Griffin. Will that do?