Heli vs Jet

[787-1]

I was driving through Ambleside on the way to Keswick yesterday. I noticed (what looked like) an AS350 longlining - looks like they were moving stone to repair paths on the hills.
On the way back from Keswick around 4:30 the heli lifted off from his loading site minus the line.

In the distance I notice a jet heading towards the landing site, it then makes a sharp turn but still comes within what must have been 500ft or so of the heli which is still transitioning.

Doubt the pilot of the jet would have seen the helicopter as its a similar colour to that of the hills behind. So my question is - do these military jets have some form of radar or are they flying visual ?

[Fun Police]

wouldn't they "see" the helicopter if it had its transponder on?

[Ian Corrigible]

Maybe a couple of mil aircrew PPRuNers settling an argument (http://www.pprune.org/military-aviation/559668-jets-v-helis.html) once and for all... :E

I/C

[normalbloke]

I used to be an air observer inspecting fuel mains for about 5 years in England. We always had an active transponder with a dedicated pipeline squawk, high visibility paintwork/rotor marking and pulsed landing lights. We have had several near misses ( including filed Airproxes). We used the current (1999>2005) notification system to let the military know where and when. The 'interactions' still occurred. We had TCAS fitted to the 206 which was a massive aid, especially across the low level corridors heading into the ranges etc.
I believe there was a fatal between 2 fast jets and a pipeline aircraft somewhere 'oop north before my time.

[givdrvr]

OP does not clarify if the military jet was tactical or transport, nor its vintage. Current production tactical intercept aircraft would likely be equipped with one a family of all-weather multimode radar systems designed for air superiority fighters. These X band pulse-Doppler radar systems are designed for both air-air and air-ground missions; they are able to look up at high-flying targets and down at low-flying targets without being confused by ground clutter. The systems can detect and track aircraft and small high-speed targets at distances beyond visual range down to close range, and at altitudes down to treetop level. The radar feeds target information into the aircraft's central computer for effective weapons delivery. For close-in dogfights, the radar automatically acquires enemy aircraft and projects this information onto the cockpit head-up display. If this was a transport category a/c it may be equipped with a version of TCAS that provides resolution advisories in responce to interrogations of the intruder VFR aircraft's Mode C equipped transponder.

[Peter-RB]

Up near Lancaster about 2002/3 I think it was a Jet-R line inspecting heli was whacked by a Tornado sadly killing two jet R Occupants with wreckage falling near to and adjacent to the M6 near to the Carnforth exit/entry. the Tornado A/c went on to land at Warton.

A few months later a CAA safety meet was scheduled to be held at Southport where there was a representative of the RAF to answer question about low level flying and Could GA A/c and Light Helis be seen by the low flying RAF aircraft, the answer was "yes we always see smaller A/c and Helis"..... it seemed quite a few of the attendees were quite amused by this comment and the downing of the Jet R was quite a topic of conversation at that meeting.

A few month later whilst flying a heli over the Airton/Malham area north of Skipton Yorkshire, I was about 1200ft a/gl and heading back to EGNH, I picked up a small white light looking like it was coming towards me, so I switched on my landing lights and held my alt about 15/ 20 seconds later I was sandwiched 1 high / 1 low between a pair of camouflage Tornadoes One Raf, and one Luftwaffe .. a bit of a shock to see the Iron Cross over Malham however I did get a cheery wave from the back seat of the German who was the low boy , I turned around as quick as I could to watch them go, but they were almost out of site already,.. I often wondered though if they had seen me or was it my application of Landing light that would have highlighted me..?

Peter R-B

[787-1]

Thanks guys - useful info.
The aircraft was a modern fighter - Typhoon.

The chap who was killed up here whilst inspecting the pipelines was my next door neighbour. They were in a 206 I believe - the fighter pilot didn't even see them. Thought he had hit a bird and carried on - only when he landed did he find out what actually happened.

[normalbloke]

As a slight thread drift, can anybody point me to the AAIB report of the above collision if possible?

[787-1]

I have the report somewhere - will try and hunt it out for you.

This is all I can find online:
Two killed as RAF jet hits helicopter - UK - News - The Independent (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/two-killed-as-raf-jet-hits-helicopter-1493486.html)

[garyscott]

ZG754 and G-BHYW (ZG_754_and_G-BHYW)

June 23rd, 1993

[normalbloke]

Thank you gents, I was pretty sure it was before my time in the air.