Airliner/UAV airprox on final approach to LHR
 

According to today's MailOnline, happened on July 22nd this year:

Heathrow Airbus in near miss with drone that ghosted into Britain's biggest airport undetected by air traffic control | Daily Mail Online

A bit short on details (the Category A incident is listed in the index on the UKAB's website, but the report itself isn't yet up), but the coordinates suggest an aircraft on final approach to 09L with an altitude of 700ft quoted.

I wouldn't rely on the Daily Mail article too much.

It goes on to report a near miss between two British Midland B737s supposedly last Tuesday.

An airline which hasn't existed for over 2 years, in aircraft they haven't operated for 10 years.

As a GA pilot and model flier of many years I consider that DoubleBack has eloquently put into words my own thoughts and I endorse them.

Interesting that this forum posts have on the whole been vey supportive of the model flying hobby and that is maybe that many pilots are model flyers themselves.

While legally and to the uninitiated there may be no distinction between the toy copters, the UAVs and 'model flying' in practice there is a real distinction that hobbyists will understand.

I sincerely hope that the professional UAV situation and the totally different toy copter situation do not impinge on the model flyer who for many years have flown their craft with no adverse effects on the general public or the other users of the air.

Virtually all model fliers will belong to the BMFA which offers comprehensive guidelines and training programs in addition to public liability insurance.

Funfly and DoubleBack,


I agree very much with what you have said. My own aviation career started with model aircraft - balsa, tissue paper and elastic bands at first, then diesel powered control line and free flight models. AND, finally the real thing!


I do hope our legislators keep this in due proportion.

Story now BBC and CAA cited: BBC News - Heathrow plane in near miss with drone

and there name and address with ID with photo.

:)
I have this strange sensation that it actually seems more accurate than usual.

Didn't see this in this thread yet

ASN News » Airspace around Stockholm-Bromma briefly closed following drone sighting

On my drive home tonight I was very disappointed to see FNAC advertising drones for sale as Christmas presents 'from 99 €'. At that rate anyone with a hundred euros to burn can present a danger to local airfields and to several international airports all within 100 km of the advertising hoarding.

I'm sure French ATC can handle it. They'll just go on strike and everything will be fine.

Knowing how much you all like journalists....

Todays Guardian newspaper carries an article entitled "Attack of the Drones". It includes a review of four drones tested by the reviewer near his flat which he states is "in south-east London". The article includes a photo that appears to show him flying near houses. He reports that one drone "shot about 100ft into the air" and "crashed into the side of a distant house", landing in the back garden. He also admits to an earlier incident that involved him flying a drone "in the office" where it "smashed into my editors crotch" - apparently that incident prevented him flying it around at Glastonbury this year.

:ugh:

Thought I'd just post this
 

British Airways A320 identified as LHR drone near-miss aircraft British Airways A320 identified as LHR drone near-miss aircraft | Air Traffic Management | Air Traffic Management - ATM and CMS Industry online, the latest air traffic control industry, CAA, ANSP, SESAR and NEXTGEN news, events, supplier directory an

And the coordinates quoted by UKAB locate the event at between 1.5nm and 2.1nm from the 09L threshold, roughly astride the lane that links Drift Way in Colnbrook and Foundry Lane in Horton.

Haven't a bloody clue what the "T" word is. Can someone explain it?

Terrorism.terrorists :eek:

One person is taken in for questioning regarding drone on Bromma Flygplats (BMA/ESSB) in Sweden (article in Swedish):

Drönare stoppade flygtrafik över Stockholm - DN.SE

The airport was closed for about one hour.

The person questioned by police explained that s/he was collecting information for a company involved in a big motorway building project that is ongoing in Stockholm. Apparently they had no clue that drones are subject to legislation.

The explanation is to my knowledge neither confirmed nor denied.

Double Back, put most eloquently! It amazed me on an aero engineering degree course, how much of a struggle some students had grasping simple aerodynamic concepts that an eight year old with a rubber powered Sleek Streek would have learned after a few flights.

The current situation with multicopters is not that different to that of all the various small motorised vehicles which have been marketed in recent years (Mini Motos, Pit Bikes, GoPeds, Segways, engines for bicycles, etc.). Legislation already exists which covers their use on public roads with regard to licencing, insurance, MOTs & road tax, however the importers and retailers either hadn't made themselves aware of the rules, or chose to gloss over them to ensure they made a sale.

For drones sold by UK retailers, it would not be too much to insist that a sheet of paper was included in the top of the box which either summarised the relevant Air Navigation Orders, or directed the buyer to relevant CAA website (preferably a summary in layman's terms).

With regard to drones mail ordered from abroad, that is going to be more of a challenge to inform the buyers, although current publicity and a few test cases should filter through to would-be enthusiast's awareness.

Drone reportedly passed within 20 feet of the A320.

www.airproxboard.org.uk/docs/423/2014117.pdf

I have just read the report and something doesn't add up:
The report gives a time of 13:16.
A BA A320 landed at 13:13 (G-EUUR) and G-MIDY landed at 13:21.
Lufthansa D-AIPA landed at 13:19. The report says the aircraft was "blue and white" which would seem to indicate a BA aircraft, rather than the Lufthansa. G-MIDY passed the spot indicated on the map at approx 700' at 13:20.
Aircraft in between these times were a mix of B777, an Aeroflot A330 and a SAS B737.
I have seen buzzards around this area on a number of occasions.