Aircraft flying "with its stairs down" in the Guildford area?
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Aircraft flying "with its stairs down" in the Guildford area?
Just heard a slightly garbled second hand report that someone has seen an aircraft in the Guildford area in the last hour flying an orbit "with its stairs down". Due to some language issues I'm not clear on the exact facts but it sounds like it might be a small jet of the type that has its own steps.
Can anyone confirm? Does anyone know anything?
Can anyone confirm? Does anyone know anything?
Join Date: Aug 2007
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I would suggest that as it`s Farnborough Practice week somebody has seen some of the unusual aircraft that are around at the moment.
Although I have to sday that at the moment I am sitting indoors looking at the rain and watching the Red Arrows practise!!
tristar 500
Although I have to sday that at the moment I am sitting indoors looking at the rain and watching the Red Arrows practise!!
tristar 500
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Not sure about a small jet with its stairs down - theyre normally part of the door on these types (cant think of an exception to this although there may be the odd one or two), and for sure you would notice an open door (not to mention why the hell you would be flying orbits in a jet, low enough to see airstairs).
Perhaps this was a light twin although even there the setup is normally as that for a small jet. Maybe a door left open for a photographer, but who knows really - we can but speculate unless we were on board or an informed observer. Open door photography may of course raise some issues with the limitations within the POH in these types.
SE types with stairs I can only think of Malibu, TBM 700, PC12 and Caravan - anyone able to add to the list?
Perhaps this was a light twin although even there the setup is normally as that for a small jet. Maybe a door left open for a photographer, but who knows really - we can but speculate unless we were on board or an informed observer. Open door photography may of course raise some issues with the limitations within the POH in these types.
SE types with stairs I can only think of Malibu, TBM 700, PC12 and Caravan - anyone able to add to the list?
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My wife also saw it, she was on the phone to me at the time, which I why I looked on here.
She described it as having a pipe hanging from it, but shes not very technical. This was about 6 miles from Guildford, heading in Guildford direction. Not sure what size/type it was, she seems to think a normal sized passenger jet.
She described it as having a pipe hanging from it, but shes not very technical. This was about 6 miles from Guildford, heading in Guildford direction. Not sure what size/type it was, she seems to think a normal sized passenger jet.
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Sounds like the A330 tanker with the boom down. Have you all been following the lengths Boeing have gone to ensure that that the deal between Airbus and the US Military goes sour? Typical Yank. It was OK when all the world bought Boeing but introduce a non-American supplier - whoa!! Farnborough next week could be interesting.
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Camera rigs on the stairs of lears stay inside the aircraft. The door can't be opened, or left opened in flight.
I've flown Lears with external equipment on board, and it's generally always attached to the lower fuselage or on hardpoints or pylons beneath the wings.
Slower equipment such as Navajos have experienced open doors with the stairs down before, and in a few cases, with crewmembers attached. This sounds like a boom as others have reported, though. Not quite as sensational.
I've flown Lears with external equipment on board, and it's generally always attached to the lower fuselage or on hardpoints or pylons beneath the wings.
Slower equipment such as Navajos have experienced open doors with the stairs down before, and in a few cases, with crewmembers attached. This sounds like a boom as others have reported, though. Not quite as sensational.
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Airbus
I saw that too. I was going down the A3 this afternoon. It was flying a low altitude circuit several times. It was definately a refuelling boom at the rear.Looked great.Also an AH64D Longbow heading toward Farnborough shortly afterwards.
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Re fueling Boom?
Sounds like the KC330 (Correct me if I'm wrong)
It did its validation with the boom down then lifted it for landing.
But it didn't arrive at farnborough untill oneish.
Somone confirm the validation was at that time?
Cheers
AeroMad
Sounds like the KC330 (Correct me if I'm wrong)
It did its validation with the boom down then lifted it for landing.
But it didn't arrive at farnborough untill oneish.
Somone confirm the validation was at that time?
Cheers
AeroMad
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Its all part of the new Ryanair speedy boarding process. A/c simply does a touch and go, whilst 1 bus drives alongside the forward airstairs boarding pax, and at the rear pax disembark down a set of diesel-powered steps onto a 2nd bus.
