low circling twin tuboprop over portsmouth, hants

[spitfire747]

i live just outside portsmouth on the coat and every so often at any time of the day but most commonly after 11.00pm and around 03.00am there is a twin tubo-prop aeroplane flying around and around in circles for hours at a time, serving no real purpose.
I have tried to find out what the plane is, maybe Police but i wonder why it tends to circle for endless periods of time over my house and the surrounding area.. which is away from the city.
No one seems to know and it is to high to get the reg details

ANYBODY KNOW ???

Cheers Spitty

[eyeinthesky]

It's the Hants Police turbine Islander which is based at Lee on Solent. It was up my way at 0130 on Friday night for a while at about 800ft AGL.

[HZ123]

Interesting because I live near LHR and there often appears to be an Islander or similar flying at some height around and around hour after hour particularly at weekends. Are they one of the same and if so are they surveying using thermal imaging for a potential terrorist site. Though that hardly applies to Portsmouth or does it ?

[eyeinthesky]

I think the one over London is operated on behalf of one of the more secretive government agencies and ATC are not allowed to ask what it's doing. It does get a higher flight priority than scheduled flights, however, so it must be something they consider quite important.:suspect:

[HZ123]

Reckon you are right. I suppose the same could go for Portsmouth with the Naval Base and a number of military establishments within that area. Perhaps they are taking threats more seriously.

[newswatcher]

There was a similar aircraft circling about 3 miles NE of Basingstoke on Saturday evening, just before dark. Did about 6/7 circuits before moving on. There was also a "noisy" party with fireworks etc. These two events may be related.

[paulc]

Spitty,

the reg is G-SJCH - after Sir John Charles Hodinott a ex Chief Constable of Hampshire.

hope this is of use.

[freightdoggy dog]

NotSoFantastic, you live near Portsdown hill and don't reckon that there is anything interesting up there! Its not whats on the hill old boy, its what underneath and I am not saying anymore than that.;)

[newswatcher]

FDD, trouble with you is you've got a "bunker mentality"!:p

[freightdoggy dog]

Especially when I am playing a round of golf. Try getting your ball back when it goes down one of those bloody vent shafts.:mad:

[Harrier46]

Hello FDD, you must have a damn good swing to get the ball all the way from Mudeford to Portsmouth!
Regarding the a/c over LHR these flights used to be carried out by FR Dornier 228s, not sure if they still are. The Hants Police Islander pitches up just about everywhere (has been over twice today so far), as is usually the case however with the police most sorties concentrate on traffic duties and the M27 is like a magnet.

[spitfire747]

thanks for those answers, seems my thoughts were correct, still confused as to what they are looking for at 01.30 on a saturday morning while circling over Waterlooville area for over an hour....... unless we are all being kept in the dark by the Government as to the UKs Area 51 beneath Southern Hampshire.........
or perhaps they are spending £600 an hour to fly the twin to catch the 14 yr old who has knicked the push bike from outside the sweet shop again..

cheers all
spitty

[freightdoggy dog]

H46,Lived in Pompey for 20 years,still got mates that I play golf with there. So you see, I know whats under there as me old man was a sparky and worked on the contract to fit "it" out. PS HRH Randy Andy plays golf just over the hill at a Navy establishment, perhaps they were sent up to find his lost balls:p

[Speedbird252]

tell me about it guys, I live in Drayton and the thing is almost as good as counting sheep, count in seconds from when its in my overhead to when it comes overhead again and see if I can work out its bank angle - works everytime :zzz:

If youve got a scanner you can find out what its up to, it uses the callsign "Boxer 1"

Evening all:ok:

Speedy


:8

[spitfire747]

i did not know so many fellow aviators lived in the Portsmouth area !!! my dad was head of catering at ASWE "under the hill" many years ago and remember going there when i was a nipper.... no one really knows what a big setup there is under good ol portsdown hill !!

[HZ123]

I posted the issue on the ATC thread and someone answered with a similar theme. On the subject of Dorniers the Ministry of Ag & Fish or whatever it is known as used G-MAFF which operates out of SEN and indeed has underwing pods and a couple of other bits. It might be that over LHR as suggested.

[5milesbaby]

what's one of the biggest uses of Police Air Support? Be it helicopters or fixed wing the're out chasing criminals that normally try to escape in fast moving cars. Portsmouth has its fair share of areas with these undesirables, and the times are peak crime.

2 plus 2 really...

[spitfire747]

yes i guess you are right although never really here on local news or in the paper of this "high crime time".. a twin aeroplane chasing criminals around Portsmouth at 01.30 in the morning at 800ft AGL i am sure would be of interest to the majority of residents as it is a rarety, or used to be.

Also the portsmouth area has 6 very large council run housing estates, full of un-desirables, maybe they are just keeping them in-check

[Oscar Duece]

If it's in the northern harbour area, you can be sure they're keeping an eye on that Paulsgrove lot.
Had the missfortune to live there at one time (bought a council house a relative was living in (later sold for a 360 % profit)).
If it's over the loo, it's cathching more scum on the Leigh park estate.

But on a positive point. At least it's not a noisy egg beater and a s a coucil tax payer in the area £ 600 an hour for an islander isd better than £ 2k an hour for a egg beater.

Regarding egg beaters: I have offices near the town centre in Hedge End (Southampton). A few months back somewone held up the local HSBC branch (very brave as the local nick is only 200 yards away). Within minutes of it going off we had a police egg beater (Md 600, no tail rotor) I think. Circling the back gardens at about 100 ft.
Have never seen it before or since, and didn't even think Hampshire had one. Anyone know where it came from or why so quick..:hmm:

[VectorLine]

What's under Portsdown Hill then?

I live near the harbour and recently got a Government document through my door on 'what to do in the event of a radiation emergency'

[Zlin526]

Heard that the Do228 operated by FR is used for some very nifty surveillance work.......Packed out with sensors and other whizzo kit

"You aint seen me, Royt"

[spitfire747]

whats under there... good question, from what my dad remebers alot of it is "secret" need to know... but it is extensive from the amount of food he used to cook for workers, apparently extens under the hill and northwards into the country side, labs, test facilities etc..

i must also point out that not all people from these "council hell-holes" are un-desirables, a good friend of mine is working his butt off working in a crappy factory day and night to save for his ATPLs and he comes from Paulsgrove area ..

well going well off the point, i will be looking out next time the plane is around and seeing what is going down, someone mentioned a radio frequency, anyone know what frequency it is likely to be, Southampton ?

[freightdoggy dog]

As Notsofantastic states, look at the structures that haven't been built recently. Want to know how far it goes down and how wide, then take a walk from Havant along the ridge to Fareham.Stop and have a round of golf at Crookhorn and look at those wonderful unatural green metal trees. You might end up bunkered but only if you are royalty. Maybe ask the council why they have never bothered to use Paulsgrove chalk pit for domestic rubbish landfill. The answers are up above. The last time they had a major downsize in the Navy here was at the height of the Falklands peace march! Lots of history on this walk, Churchill ran D-Day ops from here, Palmeston built his forts and Bin Laden copied the caves. Just watch out for the sheep they might be armed!;)

[Shuperstar Loadie]

FDD i do hope that you haven't signed the official secrets act as if you have some men in non descript suits may turn up on your door step and want to ask you lots of questions and go through your bins!!!!

These low level flights are over most major cities and some MoD establishments.

Don't look up at the aircraft for too long coz they will take your photo and come knocking on your door!!!!

S.Loadie ex MiB.:cool:

[VectorLine]

Notso, spitfire and freighty....

Thanks for not clearing up what is not at Portsdown Hill for me ;)

I am none the wiser and certainly havent looked at the following website (http://www.portsdown-tunnels.org.uk/) .

Wont look at the new building work that isnt taking place the next time i dont drive over that way, and wont take a walk on the days off that I dont have.

confused and dazed

VL
:ok:

[pulse1]

I can see this hill from my office window I can tell you that there appear to be a few local men who are disappointed as well!:E

[Harrier46]

Oscar - can confirm the helicopter over Hedge End a few months back was the Dorset Police one, diverted to the incident as the Islander was unavailable. 100 feet up is about right, watched from my back garden.
Shuperstar Loadie - I think FDD knows all about men in nondescript suits (or is it nondescript men in suits, so confusing!)

[Speedbird252]

Spitty, if the Islander is over Pompey, tune into:

451.90
451.85

I can usualy listen in on these, and I think im right in that it uses "Boxer 1" as a callsign.

Im no anorak tho, but it sure as hell impresses the wife.

Speedy:ok:

[paulhn]

Hello
I live in Totton, only a short distance from Marchwood SMC. I have seen the Islander very regularly circling over the area recently, but with all the 'traffic' returning from the Gulf the previous answers would explain it.

[speedbird911]

I live in southsea and have seen the same aircraft (think its the same) right over my house during the day quite a few times in the summer. Have always been interested in knowing what its doing.
Anyone seen any fast jets over Portsmouth lately, havent seen one for a while....think the last time was 2 F-18's passing low right over southsea........and of course the red arrows on the sea front ages ago.

Speedbird911

:cool:

[HZ123]

Is this the same BN Islander that spent many an hour overhead LHR prior to G Bushs visit. There is a grey BN Islander resident at RAF Northolt which I am told is Army Air Corp.

[No comment]

The grey Islander certainly is AAC. Thats quite often circling overhead at weekends but usually only around Northolt itself.

[lamma]

I had a landing gear problem at Bembridge and had to go to the hangar for some repairs. I saw a military twin prop being worked on. Tis possible it was on some tests.

Hope this helps

[cortilla]

anyone have a link to a pickie of t'islander. Hang on there apears to be a black sedan pulling up on my drive. Is that men wearing black suits coming to my front door. please don't hit my i swear i never told a soul ouw that really hurt.................. please ignore all posts by this person. he has been admitted to the gotham hospital for the criminally insane.

[Evo]

The Portsmouth Islander lives at Lee-on-Solent I believe (if it's still open)


It was there when I flew from Lee yesterday :)

[Census boy]

Believe it's callsign is "Boxer one" but the ground PC plods call it "Boxer too" as when they need it the reply is too wet ,too windy etc etc. I'm sure you Hampshire taxpayers would like to know that the Police Support Unit costs nearly a million pound a year to run. So I don't know how much an hour that works out. Generally thet are a real pain to other users of Lee airfield and have stopped use of two out of three runways supposedly because of safety concerns............

[cumulus]

Census.

While Hampshire Air Support Unit may occasionally inconvenience other users at Lee, it must be noted that if it was not for them, the airfield would almost certainly be closed by now. (and quite possibly have ended up as a gravel pit).

[MuppetPax]

That plane is the bayne of my life - where I work I can see it out the office window all day, and where I live I hear it all night. Only respite appears to be between 3am and 9am.

That said, I wouldn't mind a day as a civilian observer to see what they get up to :ok:

[zalt]

No comment - while there are obviously many grey AAC Islanders, is the one at Northolt not crab operated (Station Flight)?

And whatever happened to a certain very plain clothed lodger at a "most secret" location in Surrey?

[stellair]

anyone noticed the Cessna (prob cardinal 177 or 210) at higher altitudes, doesn't follow standard photography patterns, always arrives from the North to fly at 2500 ish feet. Seems to transit at lowlevel, prob 600 - 1000 feet.

[zalt]

Notso Fantastic Crab = RAF (and has done since 1918) and there is an entire book about Surrey's "Most Secret Airfield" if you really care.

The 'Cessna' was, I recall, a Caravan II, paid for by the Met and registered in the name of a front company.

Er and it wasn't really kept that quiet in the end (if the front page of the Indie counts as publicity):

The Met's senior accountant was put in charge of a slush fund to pay its bills on the QT. Sadly he started pocketing cash and bought (and I'm not making this up!) a Scottish village. Eventually the Met twigged that the bills didn't match what they were paying and the guy was sent down for the fraud .