4 engine into EMA today around 16:30

[staplefordheli]

Anyone know if an Airbus 340 or Boeing 747 landed today at EMA around 16:30, puzzled as large 4 engine jet flew over Oakham heading NW towards EMA today about 1620 but at only around 5- 7,000 feet I would guess, clearly 4 engine but direct above so didn't see markings. Nothing on radar track or on EMA arrivals when I got in 5 mins later other than over Manchester at 30,000 ft. Didn't seem to be climbing. Unusual as the approach isn't normally over Oakham itself and anything out of Stansted is normally much higher being nearly 80 miles south of us
Just intrigued
thanks

[Speedbird1T]

Checking FR24, GXLEC BA A380 BA269 flew over Oakham heading NW at 1616z at around FL250, this may have been your a/c? Nothing else obvious seen.

Jim

[staplefordheli]

Thanks Jim, Yeh I picked that up over Manchester on the tracking site a few mins later unless for some reason it had dropped very low over us. I know height cant be easily judged from the ground but this was well under 10,000 ft and certainly not up at FL250 There was very little if any sound lag off the 4 engines which were not making much noise as though on moderate power and it was flying fairly slow so didn't seem to be attempting a climb out and it had come from the Peterborough direction.
As it was directly above, got no side on view of markings but the profile did look like a 380 especially as it flew away looking at the pronnounced wing dihedral from the back. Underside was all white unless there was one on test for RR at Derby Dont know
as I say, odd as since we lost Cottesmore and the visiting Galaxys and Sentrys, rarely see anything close up other than the odd PPL flyers around here these days, just high level over flights. The wife was with me outside and also commented it was odd to see such a large A/C at that height
thanks anyway
Nige

update just checked on flight aware data and BA269 was over us although not direct at our location 52.6705° N, 0.7333° W a few mins earlier before the one we saw but at fl290 and climbing so wasn't that one for sure. You wouldn't be able to clearly see the engines or tail end view even a 380 surely above FL290

[Burnie5204]

Could it possibly have been one of the AN-124s that come in for cargo operations every so often?

[Doors to Automatic]

Are you sure it wasn't the A380? I saw it over Leicester climbing through 19,000 feet recently and it looked a lot lower. The perspective and the unusual aircraft type made me double-take and pull out my phone to check what it was on FR24. At first glance it looked like a BAe 146 at 5000 feet!

[staplefordheli]

Thanks guys. maybe it was the An124 although the wings looked to have a pronounced Dihedral

The A 380 came over, but it was well over 20,000 feet according to the radar plot and also on different track, this was on a direct line to the EMA approach
I know it is big but it wouldn't be clearly visible at 29,000 feet and there was little lag off the engine noise which even at 10,000 there would be
Thanks anyhow, dont get much these days to see over the England smallest county now there are no A10s, Tonkas, and Harriers

[TCAS_Alert]

RAF BAe 146 ZE700 was operating in the area from 15:30-17:30, 4000-9000ft, as 'Northolt 12' (from my FR24 receiver).

Could this have been your bird?

Cheers
Noel

[captain_flynn]

I think I saw mention that a Volga Dnepr IL76 flew in to EMA recently, not sure what day though.

[TCAS_Alert]

I think I saw mention that a Volga Dnepr IL76 flew in to EMA recently, not sure what day though.

Came in yesterday, based for the winter from what I've heard.

[captain_flynn]

Interesting info, TCAS_Alert! Thank you. I might try to get up there to see that sometime over the winter as I haven't seen an IL76 for over 10yrs.