Aircraft Doing Circuits at Heathrow

[HeathrowAirport]

At about 01:00z or near that time period for the last 2 nights at least i have heard a Prop aircraft going into Heathrow. 5 minutes later. I hear it again and then another 5 i hear it again.

Last Nite and the day before. I can see this probable as Heathrow runs Night Qouta at that time and not much or sometimes not any traffic around.

But what's with this a/c?

It then went onto what seems the ILS 27L and then comes off it and attempts it again and then comes back around onto the ILS, as if the ILS is not working properly.

I heard there was some ILS Fluctuations on 27L but not sure.

[the_stranger]

Probably ILS calibration flights.. You have to do them once in a while, better to do them when it is quiet, like around 1 'clock at night...

[SpringHeeledJack]

Probably ILS calibration flights.. You have to do them once in a while, better to do them when it is quiet, like around 1 'clock at night...

I concur with 'the_stranger', most likely a calibration flight. They are often done with Beech KingAir/QueenAirs in Europe, so maybe this one is of a similar size and type.

On this subject, one has noticed, through a bout of insomnia, that there seems to be an aircraft, a guess at an Airbus A319/20/21 doing circuits somewhere between 01.00 and 02.00hrs into LHR. My thinking is that it would be a training flight/test flight of either BA or BMI. Any ideas ?


Regards


SHJ

[Gonzo]

SHJ,

I don't think what you're hearing can be anything to do with LHR. Training flights are banned by the airport authority, and I've seen one test flight in ten years.

And besides, no airline would waste LHR night quota allocation on training.

[SpringHeeledJack]

Gonzo, I realise that you are close to the ground, so to say, and that being the case could you check the records please ? As it would appear that I'm wrong in my assumption, could it have been several re-positioning flights ? Spacing was in the region of between 5 and 10 mins.


Regards


SHJ

[VAFFPAX]

I can confirm that there was definitely one or more prop-a/c landing/taking off at LHR at around 2am on September 1. My ears are not that bad yet to mishear tinnitus for a prop a/c.

I was waiting for my lift home after my bus from LTN to LHR (the EI 184 ex-DUB diversion) outside T1, so it's near 27L...

:-)

S.

[DILLIGAFF]

There used to be a nightly mail flight that landed about one or two in the morning. Came from EDI if I remember correctly, operated by a BMI A320.Not sure if it still operates.
D

[Tha' what?]

It was indeed the calibrator. Did 27L early hours of Mon, 27R and a bit of 09L early Tue and finished 09L on Weds morning.

Edit, it was a BE20 King Air.

[macuser]

I think there was a King Air calibrating in Jersey earlier today

[Icare9]

There was a twin prop buzzing araound Chiswick/Acton about 2:30 am this morning..... having seen this thread earlier, presumably linked to this????

[ukdean]

I confirm as well this a beech aircraft call sign "calibrator".

[HeathrowAirport]

Hey Guys,

Thanks i gathered it was a Callibrator as it established at about 14.5DME 27L and then came around and then did it again and then it established and then came back within a minute going West-East direction and then came back to establish and then did that same thing again, Near the SE London Area.


I bet INT North had some fun at that time of the boring Heathrow Morning :P (Night Qouta) Not a bird in sight

[WHBM]

The calibration aircraft is normally this one :

Photos: Beech Super King Air B200 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

It seems to come in to Heathrow about once a month. It belongs to Cbham Flight Inspection Ltd, previously Flight Precision Ltd, hence the reg.

Cobham Flight Inspection - Europe's leading provider of flight inspection services.

[cheeseman]

Same aircraft was doing calibration at Guernsey on Tuesday afternoon. Flew numerous approaches on 09 while landing traffic was coming in on 27. Made for an interesting couple of hours at ATC.

[N707ZS]

They have three based at Durham Tees Valley airport and two or possibly three based in Germany.