twin-prop circling over london

[AndoniP]

hi all, sorry if this seems like a daft post, i'm new-ish to this forum.

walking through the city of london today (past the bank of england) a twin-propeller plane circled overhead a few times. I didn't think this was the area for holding the aircraft on approach to city airport. this was around 1245.

anyone have any more information? just curious really.

[treadigraph]

There was a Piper Seneca circling central Croydon for a while around 1200 or so, low level probably 1000', perhaps a little less, and I could see him orbiting in the Mitcham direction a few minutes later. Quite a steep bank...

Looked like a rear door (or possibly part thereof) on the left hand side may have been removed, so presumably filming?

[AndoniP]

thanks. i thought that would be the sensible reason.

as an aside is there a place that notifies the public or other pilots of anything like this? i assume that they stopped flights into city airport for the duration?

[ATCO Two]

All flights undertaking commercial aerial activity in the London and London City Control Zones are required to operate under a Non Standard Flight authorisation. Pilots will notify their intention to operate such flights to London Terminal Control. Approval will then be granted subject to flight priority, other aerial activity, the likely amount of disruption caused and controller workload issues. The London City Control Zone is Class D airspace which allows visual separation to be applied between flights, therefore flights into London City would not be stopped. Non Standard Flights are usually low priority and they would therefore be asked to leave the area if they were likely to affect scheduled IFR flights. Higher category flights such as the police and the air ambulance helicopters may well disrupt scheduled IFR flights, depending on where they were operating in relation to Heathrow or London City airports.

[AndoniP]

also just done a google search, yes the plane i saw was similar to the seneca as well.

[hellsbrink]

Could it be that they are updating something like Google Earth?

[silverelise]

Years ago, the company which provided air-based traffic reports to some London radio stations (Virgin amongst others) operated a Seneca out of Stapleford. Don't know whether the service still exists, but it may have been a "flying eye" ?

[One9iner]

I live in South London and read this post yesterday. Later on I returned home, relaxing having a cup of tea, reading the news on the web and then suddenly heard what sounded like a turbo prop flying lower than normal straight over my flat.

Quickly grabbed the bino's and ran to the lounge window... was quite excited to watch what I thought was the discussed above plane, but then as I watched it fly north, over central London, it began turning East.

Then the penny dropped LCY on Easterlies. It was a normal arrival of (I think) a fokker. Definately lower than normal though!

Tail between legs, went and boiled the kettle again!

[stapleford1]

Stapleford Flight Centre operate Pleasure Flights over London in the Seneca, also photographic flights.

[angels]

I assumed the flying eye was still going.

See it taking a pootle up the Blackwall Tunnel approach and the Blackheath environs on many occasions.

[HZ123]

If it's seen when vis is good might it not be the MOD Islander from Northolt?

[treadigraph]

Not this one, HZ123, definitely a Seneca! (Or an Islander flying upside down...!!!)

[ATCO Two]

The Flying Eye has not operated for at least 5 years to my knowledge.

[angels]

Thanks ATCO 2.

Then WTF is it? I see it most days and it nearly always follows the same route, IE south down the Blackwall Tunnel Approach, over Blackheath, circles Lewisham and then heads off towards the Dartford Crossing.

Sometimes if traffic is grim, say in Sidcup, it will circle that area. It's always low (1500 feet or so).

Whatever it is, it follows the traffic hotspots.

[ATCO Two]

It is almost certainly Stapleford 05P -a Piper Seneca that does regular pleasure trips out of Stapleford around the London City Control Zone.

[angels]

Well there we go.

Thanks very much for that.

[thesnapper]

Islander

Hi Guys

Im new to the forum and also a non pilot. Over the last two years a twin prop grey aircraft has been flying very orgnised patters over my home area..Having looked through my powerful binos and checked on net im pretty sure that its an islander. Stupid question but why would a plane fly for 5 hours at a time going over the same area in very tight flight paths..My freinds did not believe me but they have all seen it. Ive also seen it in with another plane..it flies at around 5000 feet sometimes days at a time...im guessing mapping or surveying...oh and it also flies at night!! .

[Traffic is...]

Probably doing secret things...
Or just out for a jolly. Who knows?

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

thesnapper..... Such things do happen but it is best not to discuss them on a public forum.

[Geezers of Nazareth]

TheSnapper:
I'm new to the forum and also a non pilot. Over the last two years a twin prop grey aircraft has been flying very orgnised patters over my home area..Having looked through my powerful binos and checked on net im pretty sure that its an islander. Stupid question but why would a plane fly for 5 hours at a time going over the same area in very tight flight paths..My freinds did not believe me but they have all seen it. Ive also seen it in with another plane..it flies at around 5000 feet sometimes days at a time...im guessing mapping or surveying...oh and it also flies at night!! .

As you say, you're new here.

The 'Mods' have a friend with a grey Islander, and they often get him to fly around the area where new members live, checking to see that thay're who they say there are, make sure they're not watering their garden or washing their car during a drought, or forgetting to switch-off the landing light.
Have you noticed any 'strange cars' parked outside or nearby - they're involved as well.

If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. Remember, the truth is out there.