Anyone see this...?

[Vitesse]

Hi All,

I'd be interested to know if anyone knows of / saw a low flying aircraft over the M5 between Wellington and Taunton yesterday (21st Nov).

It was a twin engined type and something like an HS748 in configuration and size (probably smaller), pale in colour and (I think) a black radome.

I was driving north. It crossed the motorway from L to R at an altitude of *unusually low* and turned hard to reverse it's course using bank angles of *far too much*. It certainly got my attention.

To be serious, the manoeuvre looked wrong (more like airshow flying) and as the aircraft completed it's turn pointed straight back at the road shook me up a bit. Happily it's wings levelled and off it went.

I would guess at something military but would like to know if anyone else saw this and what their impression was.

Thanks!

[its the bish]

sounds to me you were spooked by a jetstream from R.N.A.S. Culdrose,quite often seen over exmoor and the west somerset coast.
Usually v.low level & pulling some fair tight turns. I believe they are on nav training flights.

[Vitesse]

Thanks its the bish!

I think you are correct. The Jetstream fits the bill nicely.

You are also correct that it spooked me, in spite of having been into aviation for years (My Dad worked at Filton - Britannias, Concorde etc) and I did the Radio Control, Airshow, ATC and more recently Flight Sim stuff.

This was the second Aviation related thing I've seen that worried me. Without being flippant, it put me in mind of the Bud Holland B52 crash, in those seconds just before it all goes horribly wrong.

The first worrying thing I saw was a hot-air balloon launch from Tiverton earlier this year. Worrying as I watched the ground recede at a rate of knots. When we were a mile up and above the clouds it was magic. Pilot was ex-747.


Thanks again.

[its the bish]

Jetstream just flew over Dunster about 500ft, 2 mins ago!:ok:

[crackling jet]

i think its a low level high speed corridoor linking Wales to Somerset levels, some impressive sights observed, i myself was traveling down the M5 a couple of weeks ago when a C130J at no more than 500 feet travelling at high speed crossed the motorway and imediately went into a 75-80 degrees bank to the left and then reversed that to the right a few seconds later then disapeared through the trees/hills heading towards Street-glastonbury-Wells direction, i must admit i was startled by its appearence and manouvres over the motorway and i am used to seeing this, but it could be of concern to the non familiar,judging by the way some vehicles were wandering and swerving when it appeared overhead.

I am surprised someone has not tried to get these flights stopped, still the lads have to do it, thats why they are the best at what they do and it was nice to see, better than any air show routine.

Another good place to see this sort of thing, though not as close, is as you drop down over thew Mendips past the t.v going into Wells, you see allsorts ripping up and down the valley, U.S. as well as U.K. a/c

[Hartington]

I saw a Jetstream today at low level near home (a few miles from Yeovilton). We get C130s doing similar things.
I've got used to it!

[Vitesse]

Thanks All for the replies - I think that pretty well answers my question.

Sounds like Crackling Jet saw something similar to me. I agree on the point about the effect on motorway traffic.

Down here in South Devon we get the regular Thursday War exercises which can mean lots of military aircraft. The only ones I get to see properly are the leisurely Dominis. Everything else is usually too low and fast.


Cheers, Vitesse

[FAL]

Something was heading west at low level (about as low as allowed) at quite high speed just north of the A35 west of Dorchester, Dorset yesterday. I only caught the briefest glimpse but it had a plain red fin with no obvious fin flash. Looked bigger than a Jetream, something more like a standard Andover, not the high tail/rear ramp type(C.2?). Sound was unusual too. In the past, Boscombe Down-based A/C seen in the area. I guess it was a Jetstream then and I got a wrong impression from a too-brief sighting. See C-130s and Chinooks occasionally on same routing.