USN Request - Remain clear of USS George Bush

[execExpress]

Nuclear-powered Nimitz class carrier USS George Bush is now moored in the Solent.

US Navy police have asked Hampshire Police to ring the local flying clubs to say US Navy requests all aircraft to remain clear 1000ft vertically and laterally.

As chairman of Lee Flying Association I got the call from Inspector Hockley (Portsmouth).I have passed the message along to our members and other organisations based at Lee-On-Solent.

I have also explained to the police, and the Queens Harbour Master (Portsmouth) that many non-locally based aircraft fly the Solent. For the USN to get the sort of airspace bubble they want they should try to get a NOTAM issued by the CAA.

Unless or until a NOTAM is issued my best understanding is that the USN would like 1000ft separation.

Please check NOTAMs in case the area is increased in size by NOTAM.

[Fuji Abound]

Many years ago I lined myself up for a deck landing (cant recall which of their fleet it was) obvioulsy executing the go around at a "suitable" height without actually infringing the low flying rule. It didnt seem to cause a problem then ;).

Has something changed we should know about?

Moreover I am not sure if you can have a movable NOTAM - as she gets underway - let me see you would have a NOTAM defined by its centre with a 1,000 feet radius the position of which would change from 0 knots to cruising speed and the NOTAM assumes she departs using the centre of the shipping lane. ;)

Dont know why but it reminds me of this one:

YouTube - ‪US Warship vs Lighthouse‬‏

I see they have managed to set up a much smaller exclusion zone for other vessels in the Solent but Lyneham were somewhat surprised to be called up as their standard diversion field - when erhm Lyneham was closed - I wonder how that bit of RT went?

[Final 3 Greens]

Anyone flying Airbus equipment may wish to stay very well clear :mad:

[IO540]

Yeah, especially if you have trouble locating the AI, as in here (http://www.bea.aero/fr/enquetes/vol.af.447/point.enquete.af447.27mai2011.en.pdf)

I do wonder what their rules of engagement really are. Think of the furore if they shot down a spamcan flying around the IOM. And everybody knows that the spamcan is not going to be monitoring 121.50...

[herman the crab]

Think of the furore if they shot down a spamcan flying around the IOM.

That would be a big exclusion zone... unless you mean the IOW (as in Isle of Wight)?!

:)

HTC

['Chuffer' Dandridge]

Think of the furore if they shot down a spamcan flying around the IOM.

I reckon the sticky stuff would really hit the fan then, especially as the IOM is over 235 miles North West of the IOW!!!!

If its that important to them, why not request and get a RA(T)? They got restricted airspace for Mr O'Barmy to fly in his helicopter to London..

If it's good enough for some dodgy sports comp in London 2012, i'm sure the USA could swing it with our leaders:{

[IO540]

Obviously, I meant the IOW.

My question is serious. I wonder what the rules are.

[martinprice]

I think you're extremely unlikely to get shot down in a spam can. Most likely post-landing tea and biscuits if you annoy them, or some unexpected formation flight with a USN helicopter if you're persistently annoying. If you're dumb enough to ignore that kind of warning sign then things may turn out really quite badly but you'd really have to work at it.

Don't know what the exact rules are. I know how a TFR bust works in the US (not from experience, I might add) but this is a bit more complex. If you really want to get yourself hurt by the US Navy, though, your best bet is to go into a pub in Portsmouth and start mouthing off. :E

[Crash one]

If you really want to get yourself hurt by the US Navy, though, your best bet is to go into a pub in Portsmouth and start mouthing off. http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/evil.gif

I'm afraid I recall quite the reverse happening in a bar in Hong Kong ~1960.
I believe it was started with the question, "What's it like in the second biggest Navy in the world?"--- "OK, what's it like in the second best?"

[Jan Olieslagers]

Discussing the rules may be nice as an intellectual passtime, but adds little to practical safety. Common sense should suffice for steering clear of any person/organisation marching (or sailing, in this case) in arms far from home.

Those who insist on having the rules are, in all likeliness, spending too much time at absolute sciences and not enough at the sheer pleasure of flight.

[J.A.F.O.]

extremely unlikely

That's likely enough for me.

[herman the crab]

Given the state of the world and recent events if you are perceived as a threat I doubt there would be little hesitation in stopping you getting close.

I can assure you that from a maritime point of view if you start getting close (and I was legitimately there) they WILL start tracking you with weapons. On this basis I think it is unlikely said weapons are not loaded and ready to be used. The decision to fire may not be a 'Command' decision either - a scared gunner who thinks he is about to be dive bombed may open fire first and ask questions later.

As an aside if you are stupid enough to buzz an American (or any country that is deemed to be at war) warship you deserve whatever you get.

HTC

[kevmusic]

Who the hell in their right mind is going to get below a thousand feet above an aircraft carrier anyway?

[trex450]

so how high out of the water is a carrier anyhow, should we avoid at 1000ft QNH or add a hundred feet or so to clear the top of it. It must be one of the most popular waypoints around for the novelty value. Wonder what they would do if you had an engine failure and opted to land on it instead of ditching in the Solent?

[pulse1]

I once overflew one of their carriers in the Solent and, as I passed overhead, I saw couple of bright flashes light up the cockpit around me. It took a little scary while to realise that my rear seat passenger was taking photographs and the flash was going off.:ooh:

[10W]

Q) EGTT/QRTCA/IV/BO/W/000/015/5046N00111W001
B) FROM: 11/05/28 11:44C) TO: 11/05/31 09:00 EST
E) RESTRICTED AREA (TEMPORARY) OWING TO A SITUATION AT STOKES BAY.
RESTRICTION OF FLYING REGULATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE UNDER ARTICLE 161
OF THE AIR NAVIGATION ORDER 2009 IN AREA BOUNDED BY A CIRCLE RADIUS
1NM CENTRED ON 504612N 0011042W. PILOTS ARE FORBIDDEN TO FLY WI THE DESIGNATED AREA WITHOUT PERMISSION OF CHIEF CONSTABLE OF HAMPSHIRE POLICE (EMERGENCY CONTROLLING AUTHORITY) TEL 0845 0454545 ASK FOR FORCE CONTROL ROOM INSPECTOR.
ATC UNITS CLOSE TO THE INCIDENT AREA ARE REQUESTED TO ADVISE ACFT ON THEIR FREQ OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS NOTAM. MIL ACFT SHOULD COMPLY WITH JSP 552 201.135.9
LOWER: SFC
UPPER: 1500FT AMSL

A 'situation' ? Or are they trying to stop trigger happy sailors from creating one ? :)

[Fuji Abound]

Turning final for 010 this morning. ;)

Thanks to Solent radar for your help!


http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz66/fujiflyer/IMG_1632.jpg

[IO540]

It sailed away this morning but I managed to get in just in time :)

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m74/peterh337/temp/carrier.jpg

The rest of the pics are here (http://www.zen74158.zen.co.uk/boat/) (original pics), after about 1300Z today.

[Dave Gittins]

Thanks very much for those. We were down in Stokes Bay by chance on Sunday (on the way for lunch at the Osborne View) and saw the flat top.

Had been wondering why there was so much ferry boat traffic into the dockyard over the weekend.

:ok:

[Morris542]

Some of those jets are so close to the side you get the impression that if someone leant on one it would just fall off the edge!

[IO540]

Had been wondering why there was so much ferry boat traffic into the dockyard over the weekend.Good business for the girls in Southampton. I'd imagine the local B&Q has run out of bulbs and red paint.

Might even bring some DNA diversity to the IOW, though on reflection that would take some doing :)

Some of those jets are so close to the side you get the impression that if someone leant on one it would just fall off the edge! If you zoom to 100% on some of the pics you can see the tied-down landing gear.

This was from 1600ft. I could have gone lower since by then the boat was outside the notamed circle ;)