Flying under bridges...

[mary meagher]

Who can forget the highpoint of the London Olympic Games, namely, the "Queen's Flight" with HM aboard, accompanied by Commander Bond, flying under Tower Bridge, which must imply that TWO helicopters flew under Tower Bridge...

Has this been discussed in a previous thread? Did HM need special VFR clearance? what time of day did it take place?

Have any of you chaps ever flown under a bridge? I know of two light aircraft that flew early one morning under the M40 bridge near Stokenchurch...but don't know of any helicopters being that naughty....

no name, etc. etc etc.

[206Fan]

I believe this is the previous thread!

http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/486953-helicopter-flying-through-tower-bridge.html

[Dennis Kenyon]

Thinking back to my Royal Air Force training days at number 209 AFS, RAF Weston Zoyland in Somerset ... I know of one pilot who flew a Mk1V Meteor Jet under the Clifton Suspension Bridge.

The year was 1954 and the day the Bristol Chief test pilot, Bill Pegg was obliged to force land a Britannia on the mud flats following the failure of all four engines.

A bit later an RAAF pilot attempted the same trick in a Mk5 Vampire but sadly got it all wrong and flew into the side of the gorge.

And of course the Dallas man, the late Larry Hagman ... (his double no doubt) flew a Hughes 500 under the bridge in the film Deadly Pursuit.

[SASless]

Odd the City of Portland, Oregon does not maintain the same paint standard for the undersides of some of their bridges.:oh:

[Gordy]

the City of Portland, Oregon does not maintain the same paint standard for the undersides of some of their bridges.

Neither does the Golden Gate or Richmond/San Rafael bridges......Although mine were legal.

There is no rule in the US preventing it....you are just under 91.13 Careless and Reckless and avoiding damage to persons or property on the ground. I actually flew under the Golden Gate on live TV when I flew for NBC there...

[ShyTorque]

Not too unusual for military helicopters. In my day the book limits were 6 / 3 / 2. That was the closest we could fly in metres above / alongside / below the aircraft. The limits were really designed for crossing under wires because a) our job required us to fly "VFR" in really bad weather and b) Air Control orders sometimes didn't allow us above 150 ft agl, to give us some separation from the many fast jets who were cleared to 250 ft agl. If we couldn't go over or around we went under.

We were supposed to go under such obstacles at hover taxy speeds though. Once, a long time ago, having recce'd and crossed under going one way, I did it again the other way at cruise speed and scared the life out of my poor crewman. It was more than a bit silly in retrospect and did promise him I would never do it again - and I didn't. And good to his word, he didn't thump me, either. :O

[MightyGem]

Flew with 5 other Lynx through an underpass on an autobahn in Germany while on exercise once.

[Hummingfrog]

Not unusual for SAR helicopters.

Severn Bridge
Pembroke Bridge
Kessock bridge

Usually looking for bridge jumpers - biggest fear was some workshy youth deciding to drop a brick over the edge of the bridge while we were in range:ugh:

HF

[Ascend Charlie]

I have flown under Sydney Harbour Bridge, as has our Oz adventurer Dick Smith, and countless military machines.

[SilsoeSid]

This sort of thing MG ?
;)

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g11/silsoesid/lynxbridge2.jpg~original

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g11/silsoesid/Lynxbridge.jpg~original

[Al-bert]

As well as HF's Severn and Cleddau, both Menai Bridges and both Tay Bridges plus both Forth Bridges - always fancied the 'diamond' on the Forth rail bridge but never did :hmm:

[mickjoebill]

Filming, flew under the Golden Gate and Bay bridges and also the Bolte bridge in Melbourne (when it was closed to traffic and pedestrians)

It is a less dramatic a shot than you would think, probably because the viewpoint mimics a boat!

Mickjoebill

[Arm out the window]

The space under the big four legged flagpole on Parliament House in Canberra has always looked like an inviting spot to charge through at high speed, no doubt followed by a trip to the nearest CASA office to hand your licence back.

If I'm remembering right, I think a 5 SQN Iroquois might have external loaded parts of that structure into place?

[Ascend Charlie]

One of our (late) family friends was a pilot named Chris Braund (of the famous stammer) who bought two P-51 Mustangs for 50 Pounds each in the early 60s. He would fly them to air shows and do flour bombing displays and beatups.

The story, probably much modified with retelling, was that he wanted to overfly Sydney Airport, but the Air Tragic Controllers told him to do an orbit at the Harbour Bridge.

So he did - a vertical orbit, passing under the bridge. "They-they-they d-d-didn't say it had to be h-h-h-horizontal!":eek::8

[John Eacott]

Filming, flew under the Golden Gate and Bay bridges and also the Bolte bridge in Melbourne (when it was closed to traffic and pedestrians)

I've been under the Bolte many times (I managed the first ever many eons ago, plus a landing on the bridge prior to it opening) and also under the Westgate, but we certainly weren't concerned about closing it to traffic. Why would you have had that requirement put upon you, especially since pedestrians aren't allowed anyway?!

AC's efforts under the coat-hanger have faded into the mists of time these days since the harbour-master some years ago declared that he would close the harbour to shipping if aircraft were allowed to fly under the bridge.

Blooming numpty.

[902Jon]

In the early '90's I was flying on a contract for Dollar at Kyle of Lochalsh for the BUTEC. The week before I got there, I was told that an entire French Helicopter Club, who were touring the UK, had flown under the brand new Skye bridge (before it had been officially opened). A total of about 8 or 9 helis', a mix of R22, R44, B206 & H500.

I was invited to copy this by my passengers, but I declined on the grounds that it was more than my job was worth 😇

[John R81]

The difficulty for non-exempt aircraft in the UK is surely the 500 ft rule. You need a tall bridge with a big span.

[bast0n]

Newcastle - the bridge that looks like the one in Sidney (sic) went under it lots of times in WX 5 and then whizzed around the close by office blocks to wave to the lovely Newcastle'ers. Excuse - landing on the dockside at HMS Calliope and unfortunate wind direction - all lies..........! Happy days and no complaints.;)

[ShyTorque]

Here's a scenario. You are flying along under VFR and encounter deteriorating weather. You decide to land in a field adjacent to a bridge (legal because you are exempt the 500 foot rule).

The conditions rapidly improve. You lift to the hover and hover taxy under the bridge. You can't ground taxy because the surface of the field is too soft. You cannot go back the way you landed for any one of a number of reasons

Having done so, you take off again, from the other side and continue on your way.

Have you actually broken the law? :8

[John R81]

In CAA land (JAA land?) no rule broken in those circumstances, is my view.

Rule 5(3)(a)(ii) applies as your manoeuvre is a normal part of take-off. The additional space restrictions contained in Rule 5(3)(i) are not relevant as Rule 5(3)(i) applies to cushion manoeuvres on a licensed airfield or CAA approved site which are not connected with take-off or landing.

[MightyGem]

This sort of thing MG ?
No. It was more of a tunnel through an embankment type of thing. Somewhere near Soest if I recall correctly, but it was back in the 80s. I was an Umpire cab. The ones in front got through OK, so I followed them.

[TorqueOfTheDevil]

both Forth Bridges - always fancied the 'diamond' on the Forth rail bridge but never did http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/yeees.gif

Apparently a rescue helicopter once did a horizontal 8 around the two Forth Bridges as part of a role demo at South Queensferry...I always found it hard to believe as surely one of the spectators would have filmed it and made it public...

[kersmash]

Stunt Downtown Los Angeles / Alfa Romeo on Vimeo

[Stuart Hughes]

There was a route around Soest in the seventies that took us into a valley under pylons and autobahn etc which we used for Gazelle PNG training at night! Great flying once you got use to it!:eek:

[mickjoebill]

Why would you have had that requirement put upon you, especially since pedestrians aren't allowed anyway?!

The Bolte was closed to traffic at the time for a F1 event which we were shooting so we had free reign.
Otherwise I assume permission would be needed to fly under when it is open?

Yes no peds on the bridge!





Mickjoebill

[John Eacott]

Otherwise I assume permission would be needed to fly under when it is open?

Not with the general filming permission that we have/had :cool:

[500 Fan]

This is still possibly the most hardcore piece of "Bridge Flying" you are ever likely to see. It still makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up when I watch this. Bravery and skill combined.

Deadly Encounter - YouTube (http://youtu.be/0RX0Uep0fM0?t=46m14s)

500 Fan.

[Whirlybird]

Some years ago, flying in Russia with an instructor, I flew along a river and under several bridges. We had a radalt which made things a lot easier. It's illegal there too, so I'm sworn to secrecy as to type, area, year etc...though after all this time it probably doesn't matter much to anyone. Whatever...it was fun....

[ShyTorque]

The worrying ones are when you realise you flew under wires without seeing them.

The really, really worrying ones are when you're in the process of flying over wires and see more just above you.

[Dennis Kenyon]

.... any guys on here who have a recurring dream where they have to lift off into a myriad of crossing wires. You clear the lower ones only to see other now above you! ETC. Any dream interpreters on here ?

[ShyTorque]

Yes, me. I've known other pilots say the same. I think it's every helicopter pilot's nightmare.

In mine I'm flying along an urban street and unable to climb above the rooftops because of the wires above me. :rolleyes: :eek:

And of course, you just know there's probably a CAA inspector lurking on the corner.

Strangely enough, this first happened after..... :uhoh:

[Ascend Charlie]

It's apparently very common amongst pilots - I often dream it, as does my brother (helicopters and jets up to Airbus size) wriggling down narrow streets/valleys with wires above.

Also one of being inside a busy control zone without a clearance - do I sneak out of it again and request a clearance, or declare my position and keep going? I never find out, the awkwardness always wakes me up.

[SilsoeSid]

In mine I'm flying along an urban street and unable to climb above the rooftops because of the wires above me. :rolleyes::eek:

Yep, I've had that one :ooh:

[Al-bert]

Dream of the urban street plus wires many times too!
I once actually flew under wires both ways in 'The Province' without seeing them or the pylons - 'things' were too hot to land and we'd not enough fuel to pull up! :ooh:

[mary meagher]

My childhood nightmare used to be watching a giant wave engulfing Atlantic City...

Then I grew up and started flying a Piper Supercub, pulling up gliders....
the nightmare is still Pacific Avenue in Atlantic City, and I am flying below all those electricity wires, no way up, no way out. How weird is that?

[obnoxio f*ckwit]

It's apparently very common amongst pilots - I often dream it, as does my brother (helicopters and jets up to Airbus size) wriggling down narrow streets/valleys with wires above.

Also one of being inside a busy control zone without a clearance - do I sneak out of it again and request a clearance, or declare my position and keep going? I never find out, the awkwardness always wakes me up.

Yep, both of those as well. At least I know now I'm not going mad.

Or maybe we all are...

[Dennis Kenyon]

... and just to add another titbit. I join the post where, I've flown into an airport without an R/T clearance. I usually air taxi sneakily clear on the basis I'm below any radar. Does that make me a naughty boy? DRK

[Ascend Charlie]

Well, I was going to say "You are not the Messiah"..... but you nearly are!:D

[MightyGem]

who have a recurring dream where they have to lift off into a myriad of crossing wires.
Yes, that and being under trees as well. :sad: