BBMF Low Flying Complaint

[B Fraser]

My garden party was rudely interrupted yesterday by the appearance of the Lancaster and two other aircraft which passed the Quantock hills on a northerly heading. The intrusion caused all conversation to stop and my guests to point at the aircraft, uttering words such as "wow" and "look at that". The children were forced to leave the swimming pool and run over to the gap in the hedge to get a decent view. One little chap was heard to shout "that's really cool". I appreciate that such aircraft need to be flown as a national memorial however could you please fly lower and closer to my property. I expect my guests to say "bloody hell" whenever you put in an appearance.

Excellent work chaps, keep it up :D

[chevvron]

Some people have all the luck.
Late one afternoon at Fairoaks, I was about to close down AFIS when the phone rang.
Lady in Byfleet saying there had been an aircraft aerobatting over her house for about 20 min. I could see a Spitfire doing that and Heathrow had told me about it doing a display at Brooklands. The second I said it was a Spitfire, the lady said 'ooh is that what it is? That's all right then'!

[NutLoose]

Didn't you mutter something to the guests about arranging the BBMF to do a flypast for your party and them being slightly off the planned track ;)

Being near an airport Chevron we get a lot of aircraft noise complaints, I was walking through Loughborough one day and Concorde flew over relatively low and making an enormous racket like only Concorde did..... Everyone looked to the skies and went ohhhhhhhh Concorde, not one noise comment.

[B Fraser]

I may have glanced at my watch and mentioned that they were 30 seconds early. ;)

My neighbours were furious. They were out and missed it entirely.

[dead_pan]

I know - said Lancaster roared over my house yesterday lunchtime. I was furious - couldn't get the damned front door open quick enough to go and see. And the crew didnt have the common decency to do a second pass! I am just about to pen a letter of complaint to the Chief of the Air Staff and my MP.

[B Fraser]

Someone at Coningsby must have had a word. The Lancaster and Dakota have just flown past slightly to the east of my house and the Spitfire and Hurricane just slightly to the west. It was jolly nice of them to come back and do it properly this time, just after lunch too.

Apology accepted. :D

[ACW599]

It's such a shame that the nav kit in BBMF aircraft doesn't seem to be quite good enough to allow them to find N52°43’42” W002°59’48”. There again, no modern fast jet has ever managed to find it either. :E

[BEagle]

I recall the occasion when Concorde was due to do some crew training at Brize....

There were many complaints afterwards - because 'they' had cancelled the visit due to worries about noise complaints. As a result, 'they' received complaints from people who'd travelled from far and wide to see Concorde and had been disappointed when the session had been cancelled at short notice!

I also received a 'negative noise complaint' from the mayor of Cartoontown. One of her constituents had complained that one of our little flying club aircraft had flown over his house (at 1000ft agl) and he wanted the matter brought to her attention. Which it was - she basically told him to FOIFP and wrote to me to say how much she enjoyed seeing our little black aeroplanes pottering about overhead - so would I please ignore anything I heard from him in future!

[pulse1]

During the Bournemouth Airshow, the BBMF came right over my house while I was entertaining guests in the garden. I tried to convince my guests. one of whom had been in the RAF, that I had arranged it for their benefit

[It's Not Working]

My walk last weekend was rudely interrupted by a C47 (DC3 if you prefer) flying overhead. Despite waving furiously as though I were 50 years younger its wingtips did not deviate an inch. Being ignored so comprehensively suggested my wife was at the controls.

[treadigraph]

Was in the back garden of a pub in Arundel one afternoon last week. Repeated interruptions by the Spitfires from Goodwood really made/ruined* my afternoon.

*Which do you think... ?

[MadsDad]

So, it's about 1 p.m. today and I'm sat in front of my computer then, suddenly, there's a LOT of engine noise. So I dive out of the front door and look up and there's a Lancaster straight above me (I say about 250 but more likely 500 ft.). With a DC3 just off to the right. (And a couple of fighters a bit off to the north. I did wonder where the Hurricane and Spitfire were)

It's just that yesterday we (Madsmum and I) were round at a mates for a barbie and, during the afternoon, there was lots of engine noise which turned out to be a DC3 and a Hurricane. Magic, we thought (we couldn't see them that well because of trees). Then 1/2 hour later I scared my wife to death by suddenly standing up in front of her, pointing over her head, and shouting 'Lancaster' at her. Because we now had the full BBMF heading towards us.

Some weekends turn out better than others.

[chevvron]

My walk last weekend was rudely interrupted by a C47 (DC3 if you prefer) flying overhead. Despite waving furiously as though I were 50 years younger its wingtips did not deviate an inch. Being ignored so comprehensively suggested my wife was at the controls.

Not widely known but the BBMF Dakota was nearly written off whilst with its previous owners at Farnborough; an undercarriage collapse when lined up before takeoff caused one of those wingtips to make contact with the runway thus 'bending' the wing and badly wrinkling the skin. The prop also contacted the ground, breaking away from the engine and bounced up to hit the fuselage right in the middle of the forward escape hatch.
All fixed by the marvellous engineers in Base Workshops at Farnborough though!:D

[Wander00]

Just been at Duxford watching people part with £2750 to fly in the two seat Spitfires - lots of Merlin noise, 4 Tiger Moths and two Rapides operating as well. However, stopped at Husbands Bosworth yesterday to watch things - Gliding Centre's 65th Anniversary, and someone flying a "display" in the Beech 18 was IMHO way below legal minimums, especially across the public highway (and not on the approach). If things had gone wrong could have been a nasty

[rolling20]

A few years ago now, I was lucky enough to be in the circuit at my local airport, when the BBMF called up to transit the zone. I was asked to orbit and came out of the turn to see them about a mile ahead and passing slightly above me. I tried in vain to pursue them for a closer view. It was however a magnificent sight!

[Union Jack]

Having just about got over the disappointment, whilst sitting in the MCC Committee Room as a a guest of the President ten days ago, along with more Admirals, Generals, and Air Marshals than you could poke a stick at, and seeing the Royal Navy being comprehensively outplayed by both the Army and the Royal Air Force, I was looking forward to a fairly day uneventful today, with the highlight being a guest at an alfresco lunch in my corner of darkest Somerset.

But, oh no, it wasn't uneventful at all - firstly, an appearance from Fighter Command as the English Riviera Express went up the Avon Valley past the house, steam hauled by 34052 Lord Dowding with ten beautiful cream and carmine carriages at about 0830, and then, only five minutes after arriving at Farleigh Hungerford for lunch, Bomber Command struck with the wonderful sound of four Merlins in concert as PA474 swept straight and low overhead en route to the Weston super Mud Air Festival! Just wonderful, with lots of heart-warming spontaneous applause, followed by a thoroughly enjoyable lunch, and the day isn't over yet, since Fighter Command in the shape of Lord Dowding is due to make a second appearance in less than an hour on the way back to Bristol.

A very happy Jack

[blind pew]

Driving along eastwoodbury lane which happened to be the western end of the old runway at Rochford aerodrome ..now sarfend le smoke..in our 67 Bristol V8 with open sunroof and saw the spit and hurricane just airborne..wacked them into low level 360 and formed on the Lanc's wing tips. Crossed overhead below 50ft..made her indoors day (And subsequently mine) as her dad had flown in the latter.
Nearly as good was mooring outside the display line at sarfend air show where the participants turned low level away from the crowds on the cliffs. F111 with reheat made my liver wobble.

[B Fraser]

Mr Jack sir,

You may have the opportunity to travel behind Lord Dowding when she spends a few months on the superb West Somerset Railway this autumn. She may appear as her alter ego "Braunton" but even the BBMF Lanc changes her spots every now and again. With any luck, I'll be doing the shovelling.

[Lyneham Lad]

Bomber Command struck with the wonderful sound of four Merlins in concert as PA474 swept straight and low overhead en route to the Weston super Mud Air Festival!

Ah, I wondered where she was going when she came directly over my house yesterday noon-time - luckily I was handily placed to dash out into the garden for maximum (if brief) enjoyment. :)

[BATCO]

Ah, I wondered where she was going when she came directly over my house yesterday noon-time - luckily I was handily placed to dash out into the garden for maximum (if brief) enjoyment. :)

Fortunately I was already outside (between Taunton and Bridgwater) chasing in some flashing on the balcony. The chasing in had to wait for a minute or two until they had passed (including the Dak closing off the flypast).

[Treble one]

....that in my location (Just to the NW of Cambridge) I have over the years seen the BBMF transiting to/from CBY and indeed on rare occasions the Reds transiting too (usually in Enid and Gypo formations). I occasionally get LL traffic from Marham and rarely Lakenheath too.

But the most frustrating thing of all, as you can imagine, is that I reside in a 'gap' of airspace between controlled military and civilian airspace to the West, South and East, which means the chaps from Duxford often pop around to hone their warbird display skills mainly right over my house. I have had numerous Spitfires disturbing the Cambridgeshire tranquillity over the years I'm afraid!

I'm letting this go in the interests of public safety at airshows of course, you understand.

[BEagle]

If the Lanc and Dak were flying near Bridgewater, perhaps the bonkers Rees-Mogg, Minister for the 18th Century, saw them and thought that they were new aircraft ideal for the RAF of today?

Perhaps not though - he's probably never heard of aeroplanes.

[RetiredBA/BY]

BBMF had a Spitfire and Hurricane at WW a couple of weeks ago.

On departure they did a circuit of the airfield and a flyover, by no means a low one, glorious sight and sound.

I was in ops. A few minutes later when a telephoned noise complaint came in. ( Handled with great courtesy by the ops. staff)

Beggars belief.

[andytug]

Looking forward to the Southport airshow in a couple of weeks when most stuff will exit over or near our house up the North end, however the best one had to be two years ago when as a tribute to the guy that ran Tarleton Air Cadet force for many years but had sadly passed away a week or so before, the BBMF Lancaster overflew his house.
I usually go out to the flood banking on the Ribble Estuary and get flown over.... When the Canadian Lancaster was over that meant ten Merlins overhead, a wonderful noise.

[JonnyT1978]

....that in my location (Just to the NW of Cambridge) I have over the years seen the BBMF transiting to/from CBY and indeed on rare occasions the Reds transiting too (usually in Enid and Gypo formations). I occasionally get LL traffic from Marham and rarely Lakenheath too.

But the most frustrating thing of all, as you can imagine, is that I reside in a 'gap' of airspace between controlled military and civilian airspace to the West, South and East, which means the chaps from Duxford often pop around to hone their warbird display skills mainly right over my house. I have had numerous Spitfires disturbing the Cambridgeshire tranquillity over the years I'm afraid!

I'm letting this go in the interests of public safety at airshows of course, you understand.
I live very close to RAF Wyton and suffer similar hardships in the summer months...

[andytug]

We stayed at a caravan site near Coningsby a couple of years ago, and were able to watch both Spitfire and Hurricane practising their displays above us, just sat outside with a brew early morning. Although the usual alarm clock was 2x Typhoons taking off dead on 0800.....

[KING6024]

I was at an event at West Huntspill in Somerset yesterday when the BBMF including Dakota flew over in close formation with Dakota leading the Lancaster,nice and low and exactly over our heads,they made an excellent afternoon even better.En route to Weston Super Mare I believe,they returned later but not in formation.

[pulse1]

they made an excellent afternoon even better.

They can also make an awful afternoon better. A few years ago I was driving back from the airfield having had really bad news about our engine. I heard the unmistakable sound of multiple Merlins and stopped the car. Two Lancasters flew right over me and I immediately couldn't help but feel a bit better.

[Wander00]

One of our number of 88 Entry who had a reunion as part of the Cranwellian weekend was a former OCBBMF We could live with him having flown "the bomber" but there were a few jealous glances when he disclosed he also flew the Spitfire and Hurricane. Mind you there was also a former CAA pilot who was responsible for monitoring Concorde operations, so he had to be qualified on type.....

[Tengah Type]

BEagle #8

It was not always as you said in your post. What turned out to be the last time Brize was booked for Concorde crew training the timing of the training session was notified to the local publlc.
In that two hour period Brize Ops received about 50 noise complaints about Concorde "nearly hitting my roof" etc. The aircraft was actually u/s and raised on jacks at Heathrow, so the session was cancelled.
Two hours of shear fun in Ops trying to explain politely to irate locals that Concorde was not there and being called a liar. I am sure a lot of them complained so that they would be invited to a PR day at Brize, complete with an hour or so flight to Lands End and back. In fact one or two told me they did it for the free drinks and the flight.

[Cazalet33]

I have a complaint against the BBMF. Bastards that they are.

They haven't flown low level anywhere near Chateau Caz, ever. Bastards.

There was one time when they flew the Lanc with wingtip singletons in escort, but that was at about 1,500' and was half a dozen miles away. Bastards.

My local MP is a socialist cnut who is neither of use nor ornament, so to whom should I complain?

BBMF? Low flying bastards who don't know where to go. Bastards.

I have a large barn. Mebbe I should do that thing of painting a sign to attract passing pilots:

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.gmforum.com-vbulletin/640x405/piss_off_biggles_jpeg_1655a1740d064ec9e469c921cbc128b560170a bb.jpg

[treadigraph]

I wouldn't paint "Biggles" on yer barn roof as I believe some perceive him to be a bigoted racist or some such PC nonsense these days. Worrals might be more acceptable...

[Stitchbitch]

I was going to raise a noise complaint about the Lancaster when my ANR failed. It was okay in the end because I fixed it when we got back home. :E

[Treble one]

I live very close to RAF Wyton and suffer similar hardships in the summer months...

I feel your pain.... :-)

[roving]

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.gmforum.com-vbulletin/770x678/screen_shot_2018_06_27_at_15_59_54_1322f5123e4a78365955fffa8 2c98b2202ab18a5.png

for those anxious to miss the fly past on 10 July, this is the route to avoid ;)

[GeeRam]

Hmmm........not the normal trooping route then......BBMF split for Hendon or Runnymeade I suppose?
Surprised to see Heathrow......but pleased as I'll get to see a bit of it. Will have to check with my HATC contact for more exact route info nearer the time.

[Jayviator]

Years ago I remember coming home from school and the Lancaster (I can't remember if there was a Spitfire and Hurricane) well it happened to be my birthday and mum decided to have a joke, telling me it was a special birthday treat just for me! Next year near my birthday I saw them again but by then I had sussed out that my birthday is close to the Battle of Britain day so It would make sense to see the BBMF flying around near that date. (I still like to think the first time was a special birthday treat though!)

[andytug]

Last year on one of the Southport airshow days the band I play for were providing the music for a wedding at a posh golf club near Preston, the BBMF overflew the reception (fortunately in between pieces so everyone had a good chance to look!), the bride and groom were made up!

[RubiC Cube]

Living on a hill in Lincolnshire with a big White House next door at the top, we are blessed with regular flypasts by BBMF, both planned and impromptu. Two garden parties in the village normally get a flypast every year, tomorrow is the Dakota at 1347, last year they even managed the Reds. Who do I complain to nowadays?