Originally Posted by
chevvron
BBMF usually transit at a similar level 'cos EVERYBODY likes to see and hear them.
Well yes but - knowing the route of these guys would be useful rather than just the display Notams. Earlier this year they were displaying in North Wales near the coast and somewhere near Stoke. I was heading from Liverpool to Caernarfon and back.
Having checked the Notams I'd decided to route south and cut across the llangollen valley to minimise any chance of interfering ( it would have been 20nm south of their direct route between displays) - then wander back along the coast after a butty. Fine day but sct cloud ca 3500' - I was in a pa28 at 2700' talking to Hawarden - who have no radar at weekends.
They mentioned the BBMF were about, at 3000', transiting west east (which of course I knew) but gave no routing and I eased down to 2500ish which was about as far down as I wanted to go
- and of course the three pottered directly over my head at what felt like 300' separation - and I mean directly overhead - lancaster was directly in line with me.
sheesh - great view? - but obviously I'd rather it hadn't happened.
Thinking about what I could have done to avoid that -
a) realised that they might also have preferred the valley route
b) realised that they are also likely to be VFR so not particularly high given the cloudbase
c) phoned somebody? to get their route
d) any other options? (Display times don't help your planning as the display windows on the Notams are quite wide)
oh - and no brown trousers involved - it was over far too quickly for that!