VOR42 over Gatwick [Archive]

egkk189

5th Mar 2016, 02:14

Any ideas what this is? It's flown over/near me a couple of times in the early hours.

Flightradar - VOR 24 repeatedly flying over gatwick (http://www.flightradar24.com/VOR42/9006b63)

My complete guess is some sort of calibration of approach radar or ILS.

SpringHeeledJack

5th Mar 2016, 06:51

Any ideas what this is? It's flown over/near me a couple of times in the early hours.

Flightradar - VOR 24 repeatedly flying over gatwick (http://www.flightradar24.com/VOR42/9006b63)

My complete guess is some sort of calibration of approach radar or ILS.

You are correct, it belongs to Flight Calibration Services and was operating when LGW was closed to traffic. The ATC bods would've generated a few white hairs had it been during normal ops :)

SHJ

HEATHROW DIRECTOR

5th Mar 2016, 06:53

Probably a calibrator. Earlier in the day it was heading south at high level.

egkk189

5th Mar 2016, 06:55

Thanks SPJ.

I guess the registration G-DGPS should have been a clue as well, but it was early in the morning.

I did see one arrival while it was bimbling around, but it had moved well out the way by then.

HEATHROW DIRECTOR

5th Mar 2016, 08:56

<<The ATC bods would've generated a few white hairs had it been during normal ops >>

I think not. We used to do opposite direction ILS calibrations at Heathrow years ago. Now that did produce white hairs!

vespasia

6th Mar 2016, 05:06

it belongs to Flight Calibration Services and was operating when LGW was closed to traffic

It does belong to FCL, but LGW doesn't close for traffic while calibration is carried out.....