Low Flying in UK
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Low Flying in UK
If possible can anyone shed some light on the rules and regulations for flying military jets at low level in UK airspace!
The reason i am asking,is that on tuesday my wife and i were having a relaxed and pleasant trip through the Dorset countryside,(about 10 miles north of Dorchester),when the front windscreen was "filled" with an F15 from Lakenheath!!......The a/c could not have been flying at more than a 1000ft and seemed to be exiting a nearby valley after which it sped off at low level in a westerley direction!
As there are specific Low Fly areas within the UK,which are clearly defined,what rules do pilots have for flying low level,"outside"of these designated areas? I know in East Anglia there are specific routes for fast jets to and from the East coast ranges etc,but to see an F15 low level in Dorset was something unusual to see....at least for me!
The reason i am asking,is that on tuesday my wife and i were having a relaxed and pleasant trip through the Dorset countryside,(about 10 miles north of Dorchester),when the front windscreen was "filled" with an F15 from Lakenheath!!......The a/c could not have been flying at more than a 1000ft and seemed to be exiting a nearby valley after which it sped off at low level in a westerley direction!
As there are specific Low Fly areas within the UK,which are clearly defined,what rules do pilots have for flying low level,"outside"of these designated areas? I know in East Anglia there are specific routes for fast jets to and from the East coast ranges etc,but to see an F15 low level in Dorset was something unusual to see....at least for me!
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In that most of your last sentance is incorrect in almost everything it says 
most of the first para is therefore meaningless 
I should work on 250' being legal in most of the UK 
NoD
most of the first para is therefore meaningless
The a/c could not have been flying at more than a 1000ft
NoD
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
If possible can anyone shed some light on the rules and regulations for flying military jets at low level in UK airspace!
The reason i am asking,is that on tuesday my wife and i were having a relaxed and pleasant trip through the Dorset countryside,(about 10 miles north of Dorchester),when the front windscreen was "filled" with an F15 from Lakenheath!!......The a/c could not have been flying at more than a 1000ft
The reason i am asking,is that on tuesday my wife and i were having a relaxed and pleasant trip through the Dorset countryside,(about 10 miles north of Dorchester),when the front windscreen was "filled" with an F15 from Lakenheath!!......The a/c could not have been flying at more than a 1000ft
As there are specific Low Fly areas within the UK,which are clearly defined,what rules do pilots have for flying low level,"outside"of thesedesignated areas?
Areas where this is not permitted are in the vicinity of military or civilian airfield control zones or active danger areas unless prior approval has been obtain.
Significant centres of population should also be avoided.
A significant centre of population is typically a city, town or village and demoted by the presence of a church. By definition, a hamlet does not have to be avoided as it does not have a church. That said, crews will generally avoid overflying habitation at low level if they see it.
I know in East Anglia there are specific routes for fast jets to and from the East coast ranges etc,but to see an F15 low level in Dorset was something unusual to see....at least for me!
Finally, with the exceptions mentioned, the whole of the UK is designated for low flying. Low flying areas are an administrative device so that aircraft can be 'in' a particular area at a given time. It is not improbable that they operate in two areas at the same time (ie on the border between two).
After the long answer, he was low but not that low. From what you say, he was in a low flying area.
Now 'my' odd sighting was a pair of F15 clearly sight seeing in an area usually devoid of UK military. They were flying along the white cliffs of Dover and well below us as we descended on the A2.
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Is this a veiled complaint or fishing exercise?
1000ft aint low. A civvy flying device can fly as close as 501 ft of any person , vessel, vehicle or structure. As for military, I don't care about the rules... Let them fly low, there is a war on you know
1000ft aint low. A civvy flying device can fly as close as 501 ft of any person , vessel, vehicle or structure. As for military, I don't care about the rules... Let them fly low, there is a war on you know
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"when the front windscreen was "filled" with an F15 from Lakenheath!!."
That must have been one of those new giant F-1515's. Even an Airbus A380 wouldn't "fill the windscreen".
I suspect you meant 100 feet not 1000. And how did you know it was from Lakenheath?
That must have been one of those new giant F-1515's. Even an Airbus A380 wouldn't "fill the windscreen".
I suspect you meant 100 feet not 1000. And how did you know it was from Lakenheath?
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That must have been one of those new giant F-1515's. Even an Airbus A380 wouldn't "fill the windscreen".
Go as low as you like near me, just leave the ridge tiles on...
Was camping in the Lake District last year (under great duress from wife and kids) and watched a sucession of low flying a/c over Kendal. Was particularly impressed with the C130 guys who were far lower than the Hawks and some of the Tonkas, even given the large airframe intimidation factor....
MS
It isn't unusual and stop whinging! What you witnessed was perfectly legal.
Ministry of Defence | About Defence | What we do | Air Safety and Aviation | LowFlying | LFAs | Low Flying Area 02
If you feel that you need to make a complaint whinge to the following. They will put you straight!
Ministry of Defence | About Defence | What we do | Air Safety and Aviation | LowFlying | How do I complain about military low flying activity?
TJ
Ministry of Defence | About Defence | What we do | Air Safety and Aviation | LowFlying | LFAs | Low Flying Area 02
If you feel that you need to make a complaint whinge to the following. They will put you straight!
Ministry of Defence | About Defence | What we do | Air Safety and Aviation | LowFlying | How do I complain about military low flying activity?
TJ
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UFO?
It might have been a UFO made to look like a giant F15?
Reminds me of various calls to Stations to complain about low flying, often late night early morning on nights when everything is tucked up in the hangar and aircrew are conducting eyelid exams.
Reminds me of various calls to Stations to complain about low flying, often late night early morning on nights when everything is tucked up in the hangar and aircrew are conducting eyelid exams.
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Chinooker, coming from Ruislip, its probably an "event" for you to see a military aircraft "low". If you live in the sticks its practically an everyday occurence.
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Blimey,....what seemed to be a simple "question" seems to have aggrivated some of the "wasps" on this forum!!
Guys,with regard to my post,i was just curious that's all...I AM NOT an officianado of the UK low fly system nor do i spend my spare time clambering up the sides of Welsh mountains!,(prefering instead a hot sunny beach in Barbados),..all i am is someone that has worked in aviaton for the last 40 years and have a keen interest in military aircraft.
As Gainsey rightly says,i live in Ruislip,Middx,so i unfortunately don,t get to see too much in the way of fighters etc,especially at low level as in this instance.
Having been a regular visitor to Dorset over the years,all i have ever seen at low level over land has been helos of one sort or another,so to see an F15 low down was something different....for me at least!!.
With regard to my observations with regard to it,s height,i do live more or less directly under the approach to runway 25 at Northolt,(and have done for the past 27 years),so i tend to know roughly what an a/c at around a 1000ft looks like!.......As for "filling the windscreen" well that was meant to be a bit a bit of a "tongue in cheek" comment,nothing more!,although when you are driving down a B road surrounded by nothing more than hedgerows and fields and an F15 suddenley appears in front of you,it does tend to concentrate the mind somewhat!!
With regard to it being from Lakenheath....Well the big black LN on the fin gave it away....even my eyesight isn't that bad!!
Pontius Navigator....many thanks for your post,you seem to be the only one on here who understood my post.....As for your comments regarding "flow lanes",that must be what i have seen....I have relatives who live in Murrow,Camebridgeshire and thinking about it,the jets i have seen there do all go in the same direction.
TEEJ....Sorry to dissapoint you....I WASN'T COMPLAINING/WHINGEING or MOANING IN ANY WAY!!.....If it wasn't for the fact that the missus was with me,i would have probably parked up somewhere and waited to see if anything else was about!.......The fact that i don't intentionally spend my spare time chasing fighters at low level DOES NOT mean i am against this sort of thing or the aircrew that do it!!
Guys,with regard to my post,i was just curious that's all...I AM NOT an officianado of the UK low fly system nor do i spend my spare time clambering up the sides of Welsh mountains!,(prefering instead a hot sunny beach in Barbados),..all i am is someone that has worked in aviaton for the last 40 years and have a keen interest in military aircraft.
As Gainsey rightly says,i live in Ruislip,Middx,so i unfortunately don,t get to see too much in the way of fighters etc,especially at low level as in this instance.
Having been a regular visitor to Dorset over the years,all i have ever seen at low level over land has been helos of one sort or another,so to see an F15 low down was something different....for me at least!!.
With regard to my observations with regard to it,s height,i do live more or less directly under the approach to runway 25 at Northolt,(and have done for the past 27 years),so i tend to know roughly what an a/c at around a 1000ft looks like!.......As for "filling the windscreen" well that was meant to be a bit a bit of a "tongue in cheek" comment,nothing more!,although when you are driving down a B road surrounded by nothing more than hedgerows and fields and an F15 suddenley appears in front of you,it does tend to concentrate the mind somewhat!!
With regard to it being from Lakenheath....Well the big black LN on the fin gave it away....even my eyesight isn't that bad!!
Pontius Navigator....many thanks for your post,you seem to be the only one on here who understood my post.....As for your comments regarding "flow lanes",that must be what i have seen....I have relatives who live in Murrow,Camebridgeshire and thinking about it,the jets i have seen there do all go in the same direction.
TEEJ....Sorry to dissapoint you....I WASN'T COMPLAINING/WHINGEING or MOANING IN ANY WAY!!.....If it wasn't for the fact that the missus was with me,i would have probably parked up somewhere and waited to see if anything else was about!.......The fact that i don't intentionally spend my spare time chasing fighters at low level DOES NOT mean i am against this sort of thing or the aircrew that do it!!
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Not a very convincing backtrack, Chinooker
! LN on its tail at 1000ft? I defy you, unless you have got the triple magnifying windscreen available from SpecSavers and the F-15 was standing still!
Stick to spotting, there's a good chap!
FW
! LN on its tail at 1000ft? I defy you, unless you have got the triple magnifying windscreen available from SpecSavers and the F-15 was standing still!Stick to spotting, there's a good chap!
FW
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CHINOOKER just think, some of the arrogant tossers that replied may one day be in charge of an aircraft with a lethal capability. Does not say much for the psychometrics in the RAF does it? thank goodness they are either in the very small minority or just pretending to have superior knowledge.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Scruggs Wonderbus?
When did ISS die? I was on 7 course. I know my daughter did it recently.
When did ISS die? I was on 7 course
. I know my daughter did it recently.
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CBA_caption - I was of course referring to the fast pointy things but to answer your question how about VC10, Tristar, C17, Dominie, Tucano, Tutor. in the normal sense no more lethal than any civilian hardware. (I think!)
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Some of the arrogant attitudes to low-flying complaints on here are really quite disturbing. Having a bit of sympathy for folk (and indeed animals) who are shocked and disturbed by low-flying military aircraft is not difficult, is it? I am not arguing about whether it is necessary or not - but is it too difficult for you to imagine how some folk might be disturbed and irritated by it? Especially as the majority of the public were opposed to TELIC?