Curious - UK police ops
Moderator
Thread Starter
Curious - UK police ops
This morning I was quietly catching up on my sleep at my desk, when my nap was rudely interrupted by a police helicopter (Bo105 I think) hovering outside the window. On observation the aircraft was hovering at about 300ft agl and he stayed in the vicinity for about 10 minutes.
What I find curious is that there was no visible police ground presence, there's been no accident of any sort in that spot that I'm aware of, and presumably Thames Valley police wouldn't be disturbing the Monday morning repose of law-abiding citizens (or electing not to comply with rule 5) without good reason.
So, purely out of idle curiosity, what sort of police operation would this probably be?
G
What I find curious is that there was no visible police ground presence, there's been no accident of any sort in that spot that I'm aware of, and presumably Thames Valley police wouldn't be disturbing the Monday morning repose of law-abiding citizens (or electing not to comply with rule 5) without good reason.
So, purely out of idle curiosity, what sort of police operation would this probably be?
G
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gaithersburg, MD
Posts: 622
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You probably didn't see the police outside your house because they were close against the exterior. You see, the secret lab in your basement that you've been using for experiments has finally caught the attention of your neighbors! They were just about to charge in, when the tactical officer in charge was told to stand down. Better check your rear view mirror... they are watching... always watching! 
Difficult to comment specifically as I'm not from Chiltern ASU, but we often do searches of - [mostly] rural areas for, say, missing persons. This would involve a widespread search without ground patrols being called unless we found something of note. Could be all sorts of reasons though......
Police operating levels aren't limited to Rule 5 as CAP 612 allows considerably lower where justified.
Unlikely to be a Bo105 as Chiltern use an EC135 with [I think] an AS355 as backup.
Police operating levels aren't limited to Rule 5 as CAP 612 allows considerably lower where justified.
Unlikely to be a Bo105 as Chiltern use an EC135 with [I think] an AS355 as backup.
Definately not a BO105, no police use it. A/c being phased out soon after 2006 anyway 'cos it is beginning to struggle against EASA regs.
I spoke to the unit that was flying that day, and they reported that they got a tip off that you were sleeping on the job. This was in contravention of article 6a of the working time directive that states anyone found sleeping on night shift are to be awakened by a memorable event.
You are warned that next time you do it, the a/c will hover even closer
I spoke to the unit that was flying that day, and they reported that they got a tip off that you were sleeping on the job. This was in contravention of article 6a of the working time directive that states anyone found sleeping on night shift are to be awakened by a memorable event.
You are warned that next time you do it, the a/c will hover even closer
Moderator
Thread Starter
Thanks for the correction on the type, I'm sure you're right - for me to recognise a flying machine it needs to be (a) small and fixed wing, or (b) military, or (c) have the type painted in large letters down the side.
I'm aware that rule 5 doesn't apply to police ops, but I assume that no pilot, even if permitted, would break it without good reason - so my curiosity was about what the reason might be. And I couldn't see any particular reason for police to be discrete on the ground when the Helo was making enough noise to wake up half of Oxfordshire and several dozen people had come out of their offices and homes to see what was going on.
But you're probably right RDR, they'll catch me eventually - there are certainly some very odd things in the corners of our cellar.
G
I'm aware that rule 5 doesn't apply to police ops, but I assume that no pilot, even if permitted, would break it without good reason - so my curiosity was about what the reason might be. And I couldn't see any particular reason for police to be discrete on the ground when the Helo was making enough noise to wake up half of Oxfordshire and several dozen people had come out of their offices and homes to see what was going on.
But you're probably right RDR, they'll catch me eventually - there are certainly some very odd things in the corners of our cellar.
G
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: UK
Age: 71
Posts: 1,364
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
At 300 ft there would be no doubt if it was a POLICE helicopter - you should be able to read that off the side of it.
Chances are, if it was a police job, they were looking somewhere else than in your vicinity - it is often the case that you get a better view by displacing yourself away from the thing you are trying to look at
Chances are, if it was a police job, they were looking somewhere else than in your vicinity - it is often the case that you get a better view by displacing yourself away from the thing you are trying to look at
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: UK.
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Police ops in Bo105
Ref 'Definately not a BO105, no police use it'
It probably doesn't count but i'm pretty sure the Norfolk police helicopter is a Bo105. I don't know what it would be doing outside YOUR window though!!
It probably doesn't count but i'm pretty sure the Norfolk police helicopter is a Bo105. I don't know what it would be doing outside YOUR window though!!
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If it was a Bolkow then Norfolk ASU were a wee bit off there ground. Unless of course a pilot was abusing some newbie police observers
. Chilterns currently use two 135's, the days of the Twin Squirrels (TVPA and CPOL) are alas long gone
.
. Chilterns currently use two 135's, the days of the Twin Squirrels (TVPA and CPOL) are alas long gone .
To add to the confusion, the BO105 is also used by British Transport Police and the contract includes Chiltern.
If it was red, green and white and driven by a woolly chap who was singing it may have been the Veritair BO105 out of Cardiff on a railway job.
Do you have a railway [train set in loft does not count]?
If it was normal colours [blue/yellow] the plot thickens.
If it was red, green and white and driven by a woolly chap who was singing it may have been the Veritair BO105 out of Cardiff on a railway job.
Do you have a railway [train set in loft does not count]?
If it was normal colours [blue/yellow] the plot thickens.
Moderator
Thread Starter
Blue and yellow, "Police" painted on the side, nearest railway line is about 5 miles away.
And I wouldn't get hung up about Bolkows, as I said my spotting skills are pretty poor where rotaries are concerned.
And the office in question is about halfway between the Welsh and Norfolk borders, so I'd have thought seeing an aircraft from either was pretty unlikely.
G
And I wouldn't get hung up about Bolkows, as I said my spotting skills are pretty poor where rotaries are concerned.
And the office in question is about halfway between the Welsh and Norfolk borders, so I'd have thought seeing an aircraft from either was pretty unlikely.
G
Senis Semper Fidelis
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Lancashire U K
Posts: 1,288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Genghis,
They could possible have been looking for a drop off point for that guy dressed in scarlet from way up north,
and I dont mean North were I am,
I mean Really Up North
They could possible have been looking for a drop off point for that guy dressed in scarlet from way up north,
and I dont mean North were I am,
I mean Really Up North
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Ask the voices!
Posts: 435
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
G'day EESDL it is indeed me, returned from the wilderness.
How's things been down here?
I have been doing a bit of this and a bit of that. A little bit of work for your full-time employer, but now have a full-time proper job.
PPHeli:- The Sussex Explorer has been AOG since last Tuesday!!! (BO105 arrived Monday just gone!)
Damn MD, buy Bell that's what I say.
"Some days I am the pigeon, some days the statue!"
How's things been down here?
I have been doing a bit of this and a bit of that. A little bit of work for your full-time employer, but now have a full-time proper job.
PPHeli:- The Sussex Explorer has been AOG since last Tuesday!!! (BO105 arrived Monday just gone!)
Damn MD, buy Bell that's what I say.
"Some days I am the pigeon, some days the statue!"
I guess this post should go under the heading of that old North Country saying ….
‘There’s nowt so queer as folk…’
With Sussex grounded for over a week that must be seriously affecting their overall availability…. [it took nearly a week to get the spare aircraft from Vertitair] and of course the Explorer remains unavailable… Presumably the manufacturers well documented cash-flow problems might have some bearing on failing to get spares instantly…but in the end that does not matter greatly.
Just two months ago the whole fleet was grounded [for a week or more I am told] for the replacement of the rotor head attachment pins, and a subsequent high profile inspection requirement on many units.
By my reckoning just those 14 days AOG [and of course it grows daily even if the unit itself is finally operational] trashes any comparison with the availability figures coming back from EC135 units. They appear to be returning 97-98% even with the significant trouble they had with the FADAC failures until this summer and an assumed AOG or two. The sole A109 operator failed to rise to TCs 98% challenge a while back so we must guess that Dyfed are not in that league either.
Still, at a time when the manufacturers must be a bit low at the continued failure of those Dutch Explorers to meet their delivery schedule [two in place by December 2003], all is not gloomy.
MDHI can shortly announce the sale of another 900 into the UK police market as soon as the Home Office cash is assured for the Cambridgeshire bid.
Cambridge Police announced the selection of the currently keenly priced Explorer last week [although I guess the bid decision must have been a couple of months ago].
It does not seem to matter that Cambridgeshire is part of an otherwise wholly EC135 equipped East Anglian consortium and that means that pilots will not be easily interoperable… more engineering skills will need to be added to the pool at Aeromega or whoever gets the new contract in April [at what additional cost for each?].
And clearly before choosing the Explorer above all others because it was ‘Cheap as chips’ in the current exchange rate situation they must have investigated thoroughly the availability profile, capability [SPIFR in VMC being available but still not IMC], range and fuel burn issues before coming to their decision. How can you go IFR if you do not have sufficient fuel for the diversions?
That leaves aside how the exchange rate will actually be handling in two or three years when they have to actually pay out for it [and all those difficult to get spares]. Cheap as chips?
Surely? They would look into all that wouldn’t they….?
Please tell me they would ….. PLEASE!
‘There’s nowt so queer as folk…’
With Sussex grounded for over a week that must be seriously affecting their overall availability…. [it took nearly a week to get the spare aircraft from Vertitair] and of course the Explorer remains unavailable… Presumably the manufacturers well documented cash-flow problems might have some bearing on failing to get spares instantly…but in the end that does not matter greatly.
Just two months ago the whole fleet was grounded [for a week or more I am told] for the replacement of the rotor head attachment pins, and a subsequent high profile inspection requirement on many units.
By my reckoning just those 14 days AOG [and of course it grows daily even if the unit itself is finally operational] trashes any comparison with the availability figures coming back from EC135 units. They appear to be returning 97-98% even with the significant trouble they had with the FADAC failures until this summer and an assumed AOG or two. The sole A109 operator failed to rise to TCs 98% challenge a while back so we must guess that Dyfed are not in that league either.
Still, at a time when the manufacturers must be a bit low at the continued failure of those Dutch Explorers to meet their delivery schedule [two in place by December 2003], all is not gloomy.
MDHI can shortly announce the sale of another 900 into the UK police market as soon as the Home Office cash is assured for the Cambridgeshire bid.
Cambridge Police announced the selection of the currently keenly priced Explorer last week [although I guess the bid decision must have been a couple of months ago].
It does not seem to matter that Cambridgeshire is part of an otherwise wholly EC135 equipped East Anglian consortium and that means that pilots will not be easily interoperable… more engineering skills will need to be added to the pool at Aeromega or whoever gets the new contract in April [at what additional cost for each?].
And clearly before choosing the Explorer above all others because it was ‘Cheap as chips’ in the current exchange rate situation they must have investigated thoroughly the availability profile, capability [SPIFR in VMC being available but still not IMC], range and fuel burn issues before coming to their decision. How can you go IFR if you do not have sufficient fuel for the diversions?
That leaves aside how the exchange rate will actually be handling in two or three years when they have to actually pay out for it [and all those difficult to get spares]. Cheap as chips?
Surely? They would look into all that wouldn’t they….?
Please tell me they would ….. PLEASE!