Police Aircraft over Manchester at night?

[AlphaWhiskyRomeo]

Just wondering if anyone knows about the movements of a small twin a/c which regularly seems to fly over South Manchester from midnight onwards.

I am assuming it is the GMP aircraft based at MAN, an Islander I think??

If it is, what does it do because it never seems to stay over a particular spot, like their Helicopter does over an incident.

Is it just general surveillance, as it seems to fly reasonably high.


Cheers in advance.

[Fried_Chicken]

Probably not much help but a Google search produced

http://www.gmp.police.uk/spages/specialist_units_air

Also one of possible interest is

http://www.west-midlands.police.uk/AirOps/index.asp

Fried Chicken

[AlphaWhiskyRomeo]

Ta.

I've seen the GMP site before.

Just interested what they achieve by flying over the city at night, if not pursuing a particular case. The a/c isn't low enough to make people stop doing what they are doing, whereas the chopper is.

[Oshkosh George]

Just interested what they achieve by flying over the city at night, if not pursuing a particular case

If they left it until a particular case came up before getting airborne,then they would almost certainly be too late,don't you think?

[AlphaWhiskyRomeo]

Not much slower than the chopper actually.

They launch that thing pretty quick way down 24R.

[chiglet]

And keep it up for "hours on end" missus
watp,iktch

[jayteeto]

Staying over an incident low level for a long time in an aeroplane opposed to a heli has a wonderful technicolour effect on the passengers. Ask anyone who looks at a screen in the back of a nimrod (vomit comet). If you go higher you can do gentle manoeuvres and still keep the camera on target. Having both machines givesflexibility and the aeroplane is cheaper to run by a long way. The helicopter is better in bad weather and jobs that require a low level static camera. Why at night?? Bad people tend to come out in the dark!!

[superspotter]

The link to the GMP website states that the Islander can operate up to 30.000 feet?? A pressurised Islander?? regards clive.

[No_Speed_Restriction]

[Why at night?? Bad people tend to come out in the dark!!]



Is that because they're all "Mad for it"?

[monkeyboy]

Re: Police Aircraft over Manchester at night?

Not wanting to sound like an 'enemy of the state' supporter, but I've heard the words "intelligence, anti-terrorism & MI5" mentioned with regards to the Islander.

I live in the centre of town of have often watched it "trawling" backwards and forwards in a grid-like fashion at all times of the day and night.

The Truth is out there.............sorry, couldn't resist!

[BOAC]

Re: Police Aircraft over Manchester at night?

This subject has been 'done to death' on PPrune over and over again, in relation to Islander/Defender over London and Portsmouth I believe.

Unfortunately the 'search' function is not working in the new forum at the moment but when it returns I expect a search for Islander or Defender will produce similar repsonses to the above, and the comment "what do you THINK it is doing..........."?

There are, rightly, some aspects of police/survey/intelligence etc work that we the oiks will never know, and you can let your imagination run riot!

When we get 'search' back I'll have a look and this thread will probably close then since I know AWR will not get the answers here he/she may be seeking.

[Full Emergency]

Re: Police Aircraft over Manchester at night?

Originally Posted by AlphaWhiskyRomeo

They launch that thing pretty quick way down 24R.

They got blue lights on top of it then ????

[BOAC]

Re: Police Aircraft over Manchester at night?

Just watch your taxi speed at MAN....

[Deadside]

Re: Police Aircraft over Manchester at night?

The Islander/Defender (know one seems to know what it is, heard both being used on Manchester Freqs Before), Is mainly used for surveillance and reconisense.. I.e listening into phone calls etc etc, where as the Helicopter based at Manchester Barton, is often used for urgent tasks such as video support of an incident or co-ordination of ground forces when a incident maybe in place and is requested by the 'bobby’s on the beat''.

[Golf Charlie Charlie]

Re: Police Aircraft over Manchester at night?

Originally Posted by Deadside

The Islander/Defender (know one seems to know what it is, heard both being used on Manchester Freqs Before), Is mainly used for surveillance and reconisense.. I.e listening into phone calls etc etc, where as the Helicopter based at Manchester Barton, is often used for urgent tasks such as video support of an incident or co-ordination of ground forces when a incident maybe in place and is requested by the 'bobby’s on the beat''.

I thought that could be done just as easily via ground facilities, eg. GCHQ, NSA Menwith Hill etc.....

[the_flying_cop]

Re: Police Aircraft over Manchester at night?

"The Islander/Defender (know one seems to know what it is, heard both being used on Manchester Freqs Before), Is mainly used for surveillance and reconisense.. I.e listening into phone calls etc etc, where as the Helicopter based at Manchester Barton....."


hmmmmm its defo a defender. See link earlier on this thread. A defender is a stretched islander

[BOAC]

Re: Police Aircraft over Manchester at night?

Now that search is back (and how!!) here is a thread to ogle