Fireworks
 

What's it like flying over the UK on Guy Fawkes night? (or any other country where whole nation is setting off fireworks at pretty much the same time?)

Was on radar a couple of years ago when pilots kept asking what on earth was going on. Thought then that it must be a great sight on a clear night.

Any pictures to share?

Cheers

VL

Depending on cloud cover I would imagine it could be quite spectacular, although I often wonder whether they ever pose a danger close to airports.

Was at a display this evening (organised event) and we were about 10 miles out to the east of LGW and A/C approaching every 5 minutes and was thinking what the passengers would see and pilots.

Was over the UK on November 3 and noticed the fireworks as well. Forgive me for asking, what´s Guy Fawkes night all about?

If you get a good night it is spectacular, the best I've ever seen though was a few years ago flying into LHR at the highpoint of Diwali. Half of London seemed to be a never ending carpet of fireworks, a fantastic sight which I will never forget.

I was passing high over Calcutta on a lovely clear night and asked ATC what all the flashes all over the city were- it was quite stunning. It was Diwali again. Seemed to be no colours, just brilliant white flashes everywhere.

Wondering- Guy Fawkes was an alleged plotter trying to blow up Parliament and the King in 15xx(?). Caught and burnt at the stake for his sins along with his gang (well, they were Catholics after all). It helped drive Britain Protestant, and we celebrate his burning with rockets and fireworks- I don't think people understand why- it's just an excuse to make life miserable for all animals for a week.

It's about some chaps who nearly blew up the government 400 years ago. HOWEVER these days nobody is quite sure if we celebrate this because they got caught or because they nearly succeeded!

Guy Fawkes was actually hung, drawn and quartered as a punishment (the actual process is pretty barbaric, look it up on google!), the tradition of burning a 'Guy' on a bonfire being symbolic of what he tried to achieve. However, although this is traditionally celebrated on the anniversary of the foiled plot (Nov 5th), it's become much like Christmas now and fireworks often start in mid November!

With regards to the initial post, I remember clearly flying into Heathrow 2 years ago. We were landing on 27R but our approach took us from the Ockham hold over the approach end of the runway before we were turned right overhead North London to commence our approach. It was a fantastically clear night and the view from the flight deck was incredible, flashes all over the capital. Even as we came in over Hounslow we could see rockets shooting into the air, but before people start ranting about the safety of this I will add that they were some distance from us!

I was operating on a flight into LGW at around about 20:30 (or there abouts) and myself along with my colleagues and all the passengers were watching the fireworks on final approach - it really was a great sight to see.

Incidentally, last night, whilst driving home from LGW there appeared to be a massive bonfire right on the approach to 26L - would this not cause a hazard for approaching aircraft if fireworks were being used under the approach to 26L. The bonfire (and any fireworks) would have been no further than about a mile from the runway threshold.

Thanks for the replies - would love to see some pictures of fireworks from above.

As for safety, The Air Navigation Order (ANO) says that Firework displays within ten miles of an airport must be notified to and agreed with the CAA’s Airspace Utilisation Section, who are likely to limit the height of any display to below 250 feet.

Flew into Glasgow last night at about 6pm - so impressive that I felt moved to make a PA on (long) final! It looked like those shots you see of concert crowds with flashbulbs going off all over the place, but with an orange background. Some of the fireworks that we passed were definitely higher than 250 feet, and VERY spectacular from where we were, but they weren't on the final approach path.

Getoutofmygalley,

There was about five bonfires down the approach to 26L last night and one of them was a display that I was at and the planes were definetly very low (5,000 - 3,000) feet and they were on final approach and our fireworks looked like they were very near to the aircraft.

Many years ago (on a "Classic 747) flying over Kabul the co-pilot exclaimed "Ooh look - fireworks!". Captain glanced over to her side and said "Tracers, actually!".........

Wondering

Guy (Guido) Fawkes. Widely regarded in the UK as;

The only Man of Honest Intent ever to enter the Palace of Westminster (The Houses of Parliament)!

The rest being Nobles and Politicians.

Graet stuff on the web about this.

Also witnessed on a regular basis the 'fireworks' around Kabul.

Awful to see from air conditioned comfort, sipping tea, the dreadful things happening in the mountains just a few thousand feet away.

F88

The sight this year was nothing short of amazing!! Our police helicopter gets a personal display every night (and some days) for about two weeks. The people of liverpool just love us..... They must do, because everywhere we hover, they set off rockets to 'greet us'. On the friday night it resembled a second world war film with flak going off from Rhyl to Blackpool to Manchester. Why pay to see an organised display??? :ok:

Flew a SAR mission a fair few years ago on Bonfire night, trying to find some unfortunate old chappie in the dark. When the family was questioned about what he had been wearing it was black trousers, black hat and black coat. High probability find that one :rolleyes:

Back to the thread, the hardest thing was creeping around at low level in the smoke! From a couple of hundred feet you could see, from the lights of the fireworks etc, a fantastic 'inversion' effect causing the smoke from bonfires to be trapped in a layer.

The rest was pretty much routine, try and fly over the displays as high as possible and in the search area try and avoid overflight of anything that looked like a bonfire.

After the search, negative unfortunately, we took a long, slow flight home and watched the fireworks. Spectacular I have to say.

:ok:

UK rules on fireworks and the like with respect to aircraft and airports are here.

Just a shame that few of the people letting fireworks off in iffy places will know about it.

Fcuk Bonfie night............
 

try to be on 5 miles finals at 23.59 on 31st Dec!

All is quiet, dark - the old bird is on the slope, no probs, then;

as the clocks tick over to 00.01....




the world erupts!






It's a magical sight. Speak to rostering, believe me it will be worth it.



Sir Geoge Cayley