Studefather,
Sounds like you got involved in a very rewarding visit and my personal opinion is that these "bi-lats" between GA and the Military flying communities are incredibly educating on both sides.
Low Flying in the UK has probably got a finite shelf-life but I'd wager we still maintain the most flexible and useful system in the whole of Europe and we should be pretty chuffed about that, IMHO! In terms of availability outside of dedicated range airspace it's much better than anything the USA provides within CONUS. The MoD are constantly reminding those who, quite fairly, complain of LL aircraft that it is a vital training element and it's important to understand that those who fly on these missions are not just looking out and 'admiring the view' or, in the case of fighter pukes themselves
. There's a deluge of tasks to complete in short-order and the aircrew mate that possesses 100% effective visual coverage to avoid other aircraft doesn't exist. Yep the Mil guys are trained to relentlessly maintain lookout where possible, but as a basic a-ship function aren't we all? TSR22's rather benign, and very genuine, question is a lot more than some aviators ask - good for you
I cannot understand why there's always a need for a torrent of abuse afterwards by some individuals.
LL flying should always have a purpose and a sound understanding of the regulations by someone with even the most basic airmanship skills is all that's needed....why does that warrant the Spanish Inquisition from a bunch of unknowns?!
