Skywatch - hazard?????

[Final 3 Greens]

Did anyone see the TV news coverage of the 'Skywatch' scheme in the Milton Keynes area.

Apparently there is a group of private microlight pilots who are such aces that they have time to monitor the ground for activities such as people building unauthorised bonfires and then to report this by radio to the police for investigation.

Does anyone else view this as being a bad thing generally? I would prefer all private pilots to focus on flying the plane, seeing and avoiding, navigating and communicating on aviation matters.

I thought that this was a well meaning but potentially fatally misguided scheme and the police should know better than to take part in this.

[niknak]

I am sure that the police are eternally grateful for such useless tittle tattle, no doubt they are so highly trained that they can give precise and accurate detail that would lead to prosecution whilst also flying within the privilages of their licences.

I am all for any pilot reporting their suspicions of a serious incident or accident and letting the law follow it up, but these tossers are worse than traffic wardens.:rolleyes::ugh:

[flybymike]

I expect these microlight pilots have such an inflated idea of self importance as "police observer" aircraft, that they actually wear pretend police uniforms and epaulettes..:rolleyes:

[Solar]

If these "skywatchers" are reporting things like bonfires imagine the PR that the NIMBYS will get from it never mind the abuse the ordinary pilot will get when somebody is prosecuted after any light aircraft has passed overhead.
When any aircraft passes overhead my house I usually bring out the handheld Icom but now maybe it will be the handheld and the shotgun!!!!!

[FlyerFoto]

Seems typical - let's look out for something we CAN prosecute people for and leave the real, possibly dangerous, criminals alone to get on with things.....

[Captain Smithy]

Can't help but think people are being a little harsh here. I have read about Skywatch before, I think it's a great idea, after all here is a group of people who are merely wanting to help out in life. Surely that isn't a bad thing? There again the Fluffy Liberal and Outraged Tory types may complain about "eye in the sky" and "Big Brother" etc. etc. etc. and the "extra carbon emissions" (sic) from the aircraft :rolleyes:

I can understand F3G's original point though about concentrating on the flying. This I can't help but wonder about. There again if someone else is in the aircraft doing the spotting, perhaps that would be more sensible, and certainly safer.

A good idea, though, in my opinion.

P.S. Solar... you mention that "When any aircraft passes overhead my house I usually bring out the handheld Icom but now maybe it will be the handheld and the shotgun"... I fear you may be a NIMBY yourself? :=

Smithy

[airborne_artist]

Their web site (http://www.skywatch.org.uk/skywatch/home/)

[Small Rodent Driver]

I expect these microlight pilots have such an inflated idea of self importance as "police observer" aircraft, that they actually wear pretend police uniforms and epaulettes..

Why should they wish to wear pretend police uniforms when perfectly good anoraks appear to be available?;)

[Contacttower]

Actually sounds like quite a good organisation.


fatally misguided scheme and the police should know better than to take part in this.


How could his be fatally misguided? Some may question the pilot's motives (self importance and all that) but this surely can't do much harm.

[Floppy Link]

niknak.
As Smithy said, a tad harsh. These ...tossers... were ...called by Aberdeen Coastguard to help locate an angler who had fallen into a small loch 5nm south of Elgin and was trapped in the water up to his neck.

The angler was located and the decision taken by Coastguard to breach the loch edge to lower the water level in order to rescue him. The Sky Watch aircraft was asked to stay on scene to monitor the flood water as it flowed toward Elgin heading north, in case of danger to people, property or livestock.

The angler was eventually released and taken to Inverness by the Helimed helicopter where his condition was later reported as satisfactory.

It's not all about tossers reporting bonfires. These people have saved lives on more than one occasion and I for one am quite happy for them to assist. (How many PPLs give up because their post-PPL flying has no meaning or purpose?)

[Small Rodent Driver]

It is not neccesary to belong to a group / body to save lives or indeed to report incidents such as those recently quoted.

You are say pottering along in your aircraft (whether it be GA or Microlight or whatever) and you spot some poor unfortunate clinging to the hull of their upturned dinghy. What do you do? Do you fly idly along and ignore them or even pretend you havent seen them?

No..of course you dont. You do what we all would and report the incident to the nearest ATSU as indeed a great many of us have done on occasion.

I just dont see the need to be a member of some pseudo organisation in order to safeguard the lives of others. However, I am aware that some people do feel the need to belong to something. Not quite sure why though:hmm:

[Solar]

Hi Capn Smithy
I've been called a lot of things in my day but that is definitely a first.
I think that skywatch is a great idea when used for serious matters but not as suggested reporting bonfires unless they constituted danger.
The point I tried to make was that if the word gets out that pilots are reporting such things then most if not all will be tarred with the same "tout" brush which where I come from is not a life enhancing prospect.
PS I usually bring out the handheld to ask the pilot/s if they would like to drop in for a cuppa and that includes yourself.

[InTgreen]

It could be a good thing.... It could be a very bad thing. The reason is that it depends on the individual pilot.. I have spoken to some senior members of the organisation before. As long as they have a close relationship with the local Rescue services - AND listen out on 121.5 to remain clear of the area when the Sea King/ Helimed turn up, it COULD be an asset. Unfortunatly, human nature when the adrenalin gets going is to help as much as possible.. Therein lies the problem. In trying to do what they honestly believe is the right thing, they could well get in the way. Depending on your area of Ops, dangerously. Deconfliction between fixed wing aircraft searching an area, and a military rotary wing asset, who believes they are being protected by a TDA, also searching the ground is a definate issue that will be difficult to iron out.

T Green

[Final 3 Greens]

How could his be fatally misguided?

If they lose SA due to their observing task and have a middair or some other fatal outcome.

BTW I was referring specifically to the Milton Keynes exercise, not Skywatch in general, link below gives more info

http://www.mk-news.co.uk/mknews-news/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=139931

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

May I ask you chaps with the Icoms;

a. how do you know which frequency to select?

b. aren't you exceeding the privileges of your RTF licence?

[EGCA]

Just going of at a slight tangent, I watched one of those police programmes recently on the BBC, featuring in that episode the Humberside police. What struck me was the resources they were using to solve relatively minor crimes. The police helicopter spotted two youngsters break into a parked home delivery van and steal "a parcel" from the front seat.

They tracked the youngsters to a house on a rough housing estate, and eventually the ground-based police (in quantity) entered the house, recovered the parcel, it contained a pair of ladies boots. The thirteen or fourteen year- old was taken in, given a warning and sent home. As a policeman interviewed said, the lad will be out thieving tomorrow, and the next day, and implied that the police actions were somewhat futile.

I fully accept that the police should seek to stop or solve crime at any opportunity, but I wonder what the cost was of using the force helicopter to solve that particular crime?

Surely there has to be proportionality, and expensive assets such as air support used to solve the more dangerous incidents, like the high-speed car thefts, or other major incidents?

I guess this does not really help you with your "Skywatch" discussion, but on the subject of microlights wandering around in urban areas, earlier this year my wife and myself witnessed a quite frightening incident from our back garden where a microlight flew across the approach to a local military base that has intensive helio activity just as two helicopters were making an approach in formation, and both had to take serious evasive action to avoid a mid-air. This was just inside the edge of the circle on the charts denoting the area of intense activity, but if he was a local, he should have known about the low-level military traffic patterns in the area. The microlight appeared to "pop-up" from very low level right infront of the two military helios.

So, I'm not convinced about "amateurs" ( in the context of air-ground observation for crime) getting involved looking for problems on the ground. Leave it to the professionals, and concentrate on looking what is happening around you in your immediate airspace please!

EGCA

[gpn01]

There is a risk PR wise that there could be a backlash, if promoted badly, against GA if it's perceived as being a spy in the sky. The converse is all the good potential 'pilot spots lost child' type stories.

Difficult call really....would you prefer to be watched by occasional microlight pilots or by permanent UAV surveillance ?

[flybymike]

No one disputes the usefulness of skywatch for search and rescue purposes or similar emergencies. But "when I were a lad" telling tales was frowned upon usually leaving one with a clip round the ear whilst those complained about went scot free. Using aircraft for snooping purposes is symptomatic of this big brother reporting mentality we have all become indoctrinated in. Whether it be shopping your neighbours or friends to the Inland Revenue, social services or whoever purely on the basis of self opinion often tempered by jealousy or envy, and these days usually encouraged and assisted by the use of specially promulgated "telling tales " phone numbers.

[clearfinalsno1]

Niknak
You may have heard of another volunteer organisation (http://www.rnli.org.uk/). I don't think they or the Skywatchers are, to quote you :
tossers
but your less than erudite comments would suggest that you might just be.

CFN1

[Contacttower]

This is, I admit, not really an accurate comparasion but the Civil Air Patrol in America uses mostly 'amateurs' and is a now a huge organisation that helps with everything from obversation of drug running and illegal immigrants to shifting aid to natural disasters. I think the danger of situational awareness loss and the other risks like 'poor GA image' are rather remote and sound more like eye ball rolling and even dare I say it anti-microlight feeling on the part of posters.

OK in reality maybe they won't be much use...but I don't see why people seem to have a problem with them.

[Small Rodent Driver]

dare I say it anti-microlight feeling on the part of posters.

Anti microlight. Certainly not.

Anti anorak. Perhaps.:hmm:

[EvilKitty]

Why does being a member of SkyWatch (or CAP or the RNLI) make someone an "anorak"?

[Small Rodent Driver]

Come on. Use your powers of observation.

Edited to say:

Just noticed the ref to RNLI and CAP (CAP. who are they?)

Skywatch can hardly be compared to the RNLI who are a thoroughly professional and entirely creditable organisation to whom many a mariner / airman and a great number of ordinary folk owe their lives.

[LH2]

I think it's a great idea, after all here is a group of people who are merely wanting to help out in life.

Where I come from those are called squealers, and get dealt with in a variety of ways :ooh:

You want to help out in life you join the ambulance / fire service, the army, or even the real police if need be.

[Captain Smithy]

Solar said...

"Hi Capn Smithy
I've been called a lot of things in my day but that is definitely a first.
I think that skywatch is a great idea when used for serious matters but not as suggested reporting bonfires unless they constituted danger.
The point I tried to make was that if the word gets out that pilots are reporting such things then most if not all will be tarred with the same "tout" brush which where I come from is not a life enhancing prospect.
PS I usually bring out the handheld to ask the pilot/s if they would like to drop in for a cuppa and that includes yourself."

Ah, I see, I apologise for my judgment, glad to clear that up my friend. ;)

Thanks for the offer, I may pop in sometime if I'm over your way! You can too if you're ever out by Edinburgh ;)

Smithy

[znww5]

I live in Molten Kones so inevitably I missed this story. But hang on, snitching on illegal bonfires - that would be at night wouldn't it? And microlights are not permitted to fly at night, so how are they going to do that?

I sort of assumed that each aircraft would carry a pilot and an observer, I can't see single crew operations being particularly safe over a built up area.

I support the idea if i) it is done safely (ie dual crew) and ii) it is for some important 'life saving' function - but chasing bonfires? Seems a disproportionate use of resources.

[Small Rodent Driver]

I sort of assumed that each aircraft would carry a pilot and an observer, I can't see single crew operations being particularly safe over a built up area.

Cant fly over a built up area in a microlight:=

Come to think of it, cant fly over a built up area in me permit aircraft either. Bugga.:)

[charliegolf]

I would prefer all private pilots to focus on flying the plane, seeing and avoiding, navigating and communicating on aviation matters.


Must be a barrel of laughs flying with you. I like to chat and even look out at the ground from time to time. Don't you?

As for bonfires built by ferral kids whose parents should should be controlling them- that happens in the day; and reporting it isn't squealing.

They're 'dealt with'. Very mature.

CG

[clearfinalsno1]

Local BBC News videos on Skywatch

Skywatch Northeast - 24 Oct 07 (http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7060000/newsid_7060100/7060186.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm&news=1)

Skywatch Thames Valley - 23 Oct 07 (http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7050000/newsid_7058300/7058325.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm&nol_storyid=7058325&news=1)

[EGCA]

Small Rodent driver:

Are you sure about microlights not flying over built-up areas? They do here, with regularity, north-south and vice-versa, which puts them potentially in conflict with the heavily used east-west helicopter approach to our local military base.

EGCA

[pembroke]

I also saw the item on the news and a classic requirement of a microlight permit is " no flight over built up areas" ie no 1000' or land clear rules. As most of this flying will be over large urban areas, I question its legality

[LH2]

As for bonfires built by ferral kids whose parents should should be controlling them- that happens in the day; and reporting it isn't squealing.


Of course it's always someone else's kids, some other parent who is at fault, and of course those kids need to be controlled (while our own are educated I presume?).

"Reporting" a member of your community is for the unprincipled and weak of character. Dellusional individuals who think they are somehow better than the rest. Unfortunately that seems to have become a bit of a staple in some of the increasingly individualist societes in northern Europe.

I for one I'm happy to live in a place where people still deal with each other face to face. OTOH, bonfires are seen as an excellent opportunity to share baked potatoes and a bit of conversation, and we are far more likely to take the neighbours 'feral' (one 'r' suffices) kids out flying than report them to the police.

Having said all that, this is not to criticise that "Skywatch" group whose real activities I ignore. It's the idea that it's somehow Ok for people to be ratting on each other that I find repulsive.

Rant over for now (slow day here)

[Humaround]

Most of you are missing the point about Skywatch - it isn't PILOTS who fly along with their eyes on the ground, the PAX does that - either a Skywatch volunteer, or your regular passenger if he/she wants to. Anyone can volunteer, you simply agree to keep a look out at pre-arranged times - Skywatch give some basic guidance, none of which has much to do with spoiling kids' fun.

[Solar]

Capn Smithy
I assume you have figured out that I am from the NW of Ireland, if ever over this way drop me a PM and we'll have that cuppa/beer whatever.
GBZ
My location is such that I can use several fequencies without fear of interference then switch to an agreed freq.
I would never abuse my RT privlige perish the thought.

[shortstripper]

Ive been a member of Skywatch for about a year now, and I'd prefer not to be called a tosser.

I joined as I thought having a good observational type a/c on a private strip in an area with a lot of coastline would place me in an ideal position to help if called upon. So far I've heard very little from the area co-ordinator. To be fair they did have an excercise earlier in the summer, but F&M had just been announced and I was too busy making tyre and footbaths to go flying. I'd been led to believe that Skywatch is used to take over when a search has been downgraded or deemed too expensive, if of dubious nature (possible false info). For example, over the years in this area their have been numurous cases of elderly folk "missing" having gone walking on the beach. The SAR may have a look, but usually these people turn up and it's a false alarm. That's where Skywatch are ideal. You'd don't hear about these low priority cases as just a casual observer so why would you be watching out? (or rather why would you be inclinded to report every time you see some old fella walking the beach miles from anywhere?). If Skywatch are asked by the police to keep an eye out for such a person, you are fore-warned, so DO look. I certainly don't fly around "looking" for things to report! Anyway, like I said, I've heard nothing since I joined, so it's either very quiet on the Super Hero front or I'm not deemed worthy :\

SS

[Final 3 Greens]

Shortstripper

As the OP let me make it clear that the context was the use of microlights in the MK area as a police tactic to counter anti social behaviour.

Seems to me that we should all be grateful to people such as you who are performing a valuable service out of the goodness of your hearts. :ok:

[J.A.F.O.]

no minimum hours requirement for pilots because attitude is more important than total flight time

I must alert my local constabulary; I believe that they require 1500 hours P1 and provide two trained observers. This is clearly a waste of tax payers money and any PPL could carry out a search in both an effective and safe manner without all of that other nonsense.

Sorry, I just don't quite get it. If you're out and about and spot something (and I mean something worthwhile, not a bonfire) then you let someone know. If a dedicated search is required then that's a job for someone who has been trained to do it. Or am I missing something?

[micromalc]

a quick funny and true story
many years ago i flew microlights, hence micromalc, i now fly a super cub and cap10c, anyway, a friend of mine was flying around oxfordshire, looked down and saw a car towing a microlight, he recognised it as being mine and knew i was in london working, so he followed car to a farm. Then flew home,

rang me, i rang police, we met at said farm and the guy was nicked for taking property without permissiom..i got my plane back happy ending

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

I must alert my local constabulary; I believe that they require 1500 hours P1 and provide two trained observers. This is clearly a waste of tax payers money and any PPL could carry out a search in both an effective and safe manner without all of that other nonsense.

That may be an attempt to avoid an action replay of piling a perfectly good publicly owned aeroplane into the scenery, so stigmatising that aeroplane that its manufacturer goes out of business. I think the phrase "hire or reward" has some relevance as well.

[J.A.F.O.]

I think the phrase "hire or reward" has some relevance as well.


I don't think so, that would be relevant to the type of licence and not the number of hours deemed to be a minimum requirement for this type of work by the people who carry it out every day.

[shortstripper]

I must alert my local constabulary; I believe that they require 1500 hours P1 and provide two trained observers. This is clearly a waste of tax payers money and any PPL could carry out a search in both an effective and safe manner without all of that other nonsense.

Sorry, I just don't quite get it. If you're out and about and spot something (and I mean something worthwhile, not a bonfire) then you let someone know. If a dedicated search is required then that's a job for someone who has been trained to do it. Or am I missing something?

Cor Blimey! Get off your Hobby Horse J.A.F.O :rolleyes:

Yes you are missing something. There comes a point when an official search is called off due to financial or operational reasons. The person (or whatever) may still be missing and may still have an outside chance of survival. The authorities don't always wish to make it known to everybody that there "might" be a life out there to save for fear of endangering too many "do gooders" However, a "known" amatuer group with well advised (and often trained) pilots to step in if they can to carry on the search for a while can't be a bad thing? There are also things that you wouldn't dream of calling out the authorities to find, such as missing livestock, pets or stolen trucks ect. Nobody is asked to fly beyond their capabilities and are in fact discouraged from flying too low or placing themselves in danger. If you have a PPL you should be capable of restraint and be responsible for your own safety. I'm not aware of any Skywatch pilot having crashed or causing a nuisance during official searches or whatever. Yes we would all report something obvious if we saw it ... but we're unlikely to be looking out for anything in particular THAT IS THE POINT! I've been flying for 20 years and apart from a caravan on fire, have never seen anything remotely worth reporting. However, I've seen the occasional thing that has made me wonder (and I don't mean criminal or vandal) but not reported as they were probably nothing ..... but what if I'd known different because I'd been asked to look? I'm no snitch, and as far as looking for criminal activity? well that leaves me cold. But if I were asked to look out for kids that have been known to break onto a certain bit of railway track or something then I'm more than willing to help.

SS

[J.A.F.O.]

Some fair points, Shortstripper but, there again, you haven't yet been called upon to assist. Have you?

I do not believe that a search would be called off while they may still have an outside chance of survival.

Do the authorities look for missing livestock? YEP.
Do they look for stolen trucks? YEP.

There are several extremely well-trained volunteer groups who assist with searches and rescues. I just don't know what the base level of training is for the Skywatch pilots, that's why I'm asking the questions; no hobby horses or axes to grind. I'm just curious.

I do suspect that there are those who will, like Neighbourhood Watch, take it too far and try to be part-time police officers for what they see as their patch.

The whole idea seems quite admirable I just have reservations about the level of training and the types of work that they believe they're looking out for.

I might not even baulk at the idea of an involvement I'd just like more of an idea of what they think their role is.

[shortstripper]

No I haven't been called to assist ... and be honest I'm beginning to doubt that I will? Ho hum :rolleyes:

I do not believe that a search would be called off while they
Quote:
may still have an outside chance of survival


Well they do! As an example (not in the UK I grant you) what about Steve Fossett? They called off the official search but stated that he could still be alive. It's the same here, the public purse will only pay for a finite amount of money to search. After a "sensible" period the search will be downgraded. This is often before "all hope" is lost, but after "all probabability" is reached.

The base level for Skywatch pilots is basically just a PPL, but 250 hours is called for before you "might" be called upon to help. Before that, you can just observe and report. They have a pretty good guide to SAR techniques and do hold excercises to test your skills (or not). Not great training I'll admit, but like I said, as a PPL, you "should" be able to self regulate.

As far as the original post goes ... It's funny how we are happy to accuse the press of poor reporting when it comes to aviation accidents ect, but are happy to go along with them when they suggest pilot ineptitude, big brotherism or whatever backs up our own beliefs. Do you really think that Skywatch and the police would advocate microlight pilots breaching the ANO by flying low level over housing estates to pick up on the odd petty criminal? C'mon, get real!

SS

[Kit d'Rection KG]

I really thought better of Ken Wallis than this.

[Final 3 Greens]

Short Stripper

You wrote...As far as the original post goes ... It's funny how we are happy to accuse the press of poor reporting when it comes to aviation accidents ect, but are happy to go along with them when they suggest pilot ineptitude, big brotherism or whatever backs up our own beliefs. Do you really think that Skywatch and the police would advocate microlight pilots breaching the ANO by flying low level over housing estates to pick up on the odd petty criminal? C'mon, get real!

I never said or implied the above, please read my post, here it is for your convenience...

Did anyone see the TV news coverage of the 'Skywatch' scheme in the Milton Keynes area.

Apparently there is a group of private microlight pilots who are such aces that they have time to monitor the ground for activities such as people building unauthorised bonfires and then to report this by radio to the police for investigation.

Does anyone else view this as being a bad thing generally? I would prefer all private pilots to focus on flying the plane, seeing and avoiding, navigating and communicating on aviation matters.

I thought that this was a well meaning but potentially fatally misguided scheme and the police should know better than to take part in this.

I think you owe me an apology for your comment or should at least delete it.

[Dave Gittins]

There is a pretty big gulf between the Civil Air Patrol in the USA and these guys flying microlights around MK (yes I know Skywatch goes much further than that but am looking at the narrow point that started this thread).

I fly with a CAP member in Colorado and their role (and I believe that the C182s they fly are actually owned by the CAP but flown by amateur volunteers) are such things as looking for lost hikers in the vast rugged, mountainous areas of Colorado, searching for Steve Fosset etc.

I think the realarive sizes of the countries means that there ctivities are more necessary and essential in the vast spaces of the USA. There may well be suitable applications in Scotland, Wales, the Lakes and around the coast though.

If anybody suggested they go look for illegal bonfires in the suburbs of Denver I think the'd be given a black eye.

Maybe with the amount of wickedness afoot there is more room for Skywatch and for it's members to carry out appropriate tasks ... but snitching on bonfires, please.

[Contacttower]

but snitching on bonfires, please.


I think that was just an example or poor PR on the part of the pilot and policeman that gave the interview. They cited bonfire night as an example of the sorts of things they looked out for....had they chosen a much better example to tell the camera about then this entire thread wouldn't have taken the line that it has.

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

J.A.F.O.. Sorry, I thought it was a proposal for the Constabulary to have someone fly their aircraft around on a PPL. I clearly misread the task as aerial work. Such rare generosity.

[shortstripper]

Sorry F3G's,

It wasn't your post I meant to pick on, but rather the way the thread developed. You were a little to blame with the sliightly condescending way you described "a group of private microlight pilots who are such aces that they have time to monitor the ground for activities such as people building unauthorised bonfires", but to be fair you didn't mention low level flying over housing estates ... that came later. I can see the point you make, but to be honest I just think that the press will report such things in whatever way they see fit. They can easily make Skywatch look a really useful tool, but if the mood takes, they can easily make them look like a bunch of busybodies snooping on us and reporting back to big brother. I just think we should all know better and take such reports at face value, be they in favour or against.

SS

[J.A.F.O.]

GBZ

Sorry, my sarcasm often fails to hit the mark. I was just wondering why pilots with very little specific training and no minimum hours requirement just the right attitude thought they were able to carry out the task that the professionals require 1500 hours for.

[papa oscar]

There are several extremely well-trained volunteer groups who assist with searches and rescues. I just don't know what the base level of training is for the Skywatch pilots, that's why I'm asking the questions; no hobby horses or axes to grind. I'm just curious.
Skywatch provide a written example of how to carry out search patterns.
The information is written by Tony Cowen who is in one of the BBC videos posted above.
Tony was the Chief Pilot for the Cleveland Police Air Support Section with previous experience during his time in the military so has all the knowledge and experience to ensure people who engage in Skywatch have the relevant information and knowledge to carry out the operations safely.
Skywatch carry out a number of training exercises to help those who wish to offer their time and aircraft, to carry out their observations in-line with agreed local procedures as well as complying with the ANO.

[clearfinalsno1]

This is the longer length (9 min) version of a news item video I posted earlier. Click the link and when the video window opens, click on the bar about three fifths along. The Skywatch article starts at 19mins 10secs into the programme.

Skywatch video item - BBC InsideOut North October 22nd 2007 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/england/realmedia/insideout/northeast/insideout?size=16x9&bgc=C0C0C0&nbram=1&bbram=1&nbwm=1&bbwm=1)

A bit dissappointing - especially when the reporter makes a big deal about flying over his old house. IMHO Skywatch could have used their 9 mins of fame to promote what they aim to do better.