Sorry, had to actually do some work for once!
Dublinpilot, you are correct - still in rant mode I'm afraid.
turniphead - apologies for any offence caused and for being a little punchy.
D129 is marked as 24H - it genuinely is a 24/7 hazard.
The area is a military drop zone.
Three different types of drop occur there:
sport parachuting - static and accelerated freefall. This occurs during daylight hours seven days a week.
Standard Mil drops - squaddies being kicked out of a Herc. This occurs anytime night or day seven days a week.
Special forces Mil drops - HALO etc occuring anytime day or night, seven days a week.
Sure it's not illegal to fly through D129 but neither is sticking your fingers in a three phase socket!
I do believe somebody was prosecuted for infringing the area a few years ago - I seem to remember a £4,000 fine but not sure what other penalties were applied. I'll try and find out.
We can surmise a great deal about what might or might not have been happening in the cockpit but, will never know DP
It may be possible that the pilot called up the appropriate service (someone mentioned Brize Norton) and was told that the dangerous activity was not taking place at that time; perhaps told that the military base was closed. If that was the case, I would say the pilot was perfectly entitled to fly through the danger area.
I understand where you are coming from on this, however bear in mind it is marked as a 24 hour hazard.
I don't mean to criticise you. That is not my intention. I'm just saying that, on the assumption that D129 is not there to protect your site, and that you're not the nominated frequency to call up for info on D129, it's a little hard to know what precautions the pilot took before going through D129. To assume it gives you protection is a big assumption.
I make no assumption that D129 is there to protect the gliding operation.
This is not just about the gliders it's about the parachutists too.
Difficult as it may be to believe, it happens too frequently to be pure accident.
This is not a beef with power pilots - I fly them as well.
We also, occasionally, get gliders busting the zone too.
It is a beef with airmanship and I was a little shocked too see how close we were to having a nasty accident last w/e.
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Hi Whirls,
Not sure what duff info could have been given out.
Wasn\'t me near Newbury on Saturday. I had the NOTAM info.
Turned Basingstoke as 1st TP but tracked back up the western edge of Reading.
Got my trace to prove it!
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Hi Man-on-the-fence,
Not sure what you want the info for - not looking for a witch hunt just hoping that whoever busted D129 might read this and have a little think about it.
pm me if you still feel you want more info.