Recce Tornado 'forces Glaswegians to duck'

[Ian Corrigible]

Tall people, these Scots... :E

From Scottish Evening Times (http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/hi/news/5042241.html)

Jet scare: RAF 'sorry'
August 12th

The RAF has apologised after a fighter jet "buzzed" Glasgow city centre. The Tornado was on a reconnaissance mission in connection with a flypast planned for Sunday to commemorate the 60th anniversary of VJ day. Yesterday morning, it flew low and fast over the city centre, causing pedestrians to duck. RAF spokesman Michael Mulford said today: "We are very concerned to learn that some people may have been disturbed by this."

I/C

[Navaleye]

Yesterday morning, it flew low and fast over the city centre, causing pedestrians to duck.

...and drop their cans of Tennants Super.

[northernmonkey]

Or destract them from thier Herion and Irn Bru :D

[althenick]

Haw yooz!

Geeza brek innat wullye. Ah work in Bothwell street an' hurd nuthin - not a scoobie. But tell that mad mentol basturt wi' the ayroplayne he's a bluddy Sherman anyway. :O

Navaleye - Yer paterrz like toothpaste - it's came fay a tube :p

[Taffer]

Thanks for the stereotyping, you sassenachs! Buckfast is actually the drink of choice amongst the city's alcoholic beverage connoisseurs, not Tennent's Super.

Looking forward to the commemorations on Sunday though - at least the public know what to expect now!

[Onan the Clumsy]

it flew low and fast over the city centre Well if I was flying low over Glasgow, I'd make bloody sure it was fast as well.




not that I want to enforce a steroetype or anything

[Training Risky]

I'm surprised the pilot didn't get a brick through the canopy or get hassled by a string-vest attired tramp on his way thru the city....!:}

[18greens]

...and did he get away with his wheels intact???

[WorkingHard]

OK - I'll ask the question as I don't fly fast pointy things. If the flight was for a reconnaissance mission for a fly past why was it low and fast? Unless the flypast is to be conducted the same way (pointless I would think), surely such reconnaissance would be done in accordance with the ply past agreed procedures otherwise what is to be gained from the mission?

[bad livin']

Oh dear...how predictable...well done Althenick for coming back there. The Dear Green Place, home to a good number of members of the service who retain the nuclear deterrent, was glad to see some crabs in the overhead.

[gingles]

That's quite funny as i was rudely awoken by this, however in my sleepy state was very confused as to why a fag chariot was roaming glasgow. Wasn't that loud anyway, almost sounded as if it was idling along.

[althenick]

Right - Back out of the dialect now....

To those that have some pre-concieved ideas about Glasgow...

Have a look at this (http://www.glasgowsurvival.co.uk/) Its a sort of more honest website than the official Glasgow variant. I'm sure you'll get a few laughs, But take a look at the Giro culture page - very interesting.

[WorkingHard]

Deliverance - since when has asking a simple and polite question been construed as "having a go"? Is your concience at fault here?
the report said "low and fast" which we all know is just one persons perception which may be wrong. If your answer is that the fly past is to be conducted low and fast then say so and dont get on your high horse at someone asking why.

[Griz]

WorkingHard

Must concur with Deliverance, for a supposedly innocent question from someone who purports to being on a noble quest for knowledge, you have a confrontational way of posing questions. Or are you simply guilty of ultracrepidarianism? :8

[WorkingHard]

Whatever your views on how the question was posed, no answer as yet. Yes I do have issues with some fast jet operations, make no secret of it, but some respondents do seem to see conflict where there is none. Since Deliverance and Griz do not list occupations one must hope they can't make command decisions if such mis-reading is the norm. I asked a simple question and did not wish to get confrontational, but I can do so to unwarranted attacks.

[Bob Viking]

As someone has already pointed out, fast jets fly fast since they are not really designed to do otherwise. Modern recce pods can handle high or low speed so it really doesn't matter how fast they fly.
As for a jet flying low and fast over a major city and within the TMA of a busy international airport, I doubt very much that he was flouting any rules.
I have heard many accounts of jets flying at "50 feet" when in reality they were much higher. I'm afraid it's a fact that many casual observers deem jets to be much lower than they actually are, since they are noisy b*ggers!
Finally, you are welcome to your own opinion but I can assure you, military pilots are bound by an enormous set of rules with dire consequences if they transgress at any stage. We brief in enormous detail and take a great deal of care in avoiding disruption or danger to the general populous.
Hope I've answered your question. If not I'm happy to clarify any points.
BV

[WorkingHard]

Thank you Bob, all I asked for in the first place. I already said the casual observer (or even a professional one really) cannot judge height and speed, and not for one minute did I suggest ANY rules were being flouted, but I was just interested in the way the recce would be done if it was different to the planned fly past. Once again thanks for the clarification.
WH

[bad livin']

Nice to see the F3 4 ship in diamond at low level over the city today, around 1400 or so.