Interesting aircraft - what have you seen on your computer today?
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Surrey
Posts: 2,206
It's reported elsewhere (I believe it is not permitted to post a link) that B-1B will not cross the Atlantic if AAR is required and if the wave height is too great to allow a fair chance of survival in the event of ditching. Is that remotely conceivable?
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: There and here
Posts: 2,537
Whilst I don't doubt it, that policy would restrict them in many scenarios, especially that for which they're intended (apart from scaring people sitting in their gardens due to being a tad loud). I suppose that if they had the wings at full extension it might provide a platform to aquaplane and float for long enough to allow egress from the cockpit into a raft. Maybe they can route over Greenland/Iceland and down to minimise the over-water stretches. Pacific hops would also be a bit challenging for them.
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: UK
Posts: 45
Dyess to Fairford direct is well within the un-refuelled range of a B-1B, so why would they need AAR over the Atlantic? In addition, if the aircraft can't continue to fly, the crew is more likely to eject than to ditch, surely?
Gnome de PPRuNe
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Too close to Croydon for comfort
Age: 58
Posts: 10,089
Familiar howling whistle passing overhead while I was enjoying my brekkers in the pub this morning proved, as expected, to be a Challenger out of Biggin (hidden in the clag); unexpectedly it was Pakistani-registered. Looks like it's landing at Keflavik.
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Berkshire
Posts: 134
Sunday 13:40 BST Ah ! sunshine again that rain seemed a novelty ! Such a lovely whine - four engines ... Reg. 12-5769 United States DB flags:military Type: C30J Lockheed HC-130J Hercules Type Desc.:L4T Squawk: 5212
23,000 feet over north Bracknell E > W .. brilliant. TFC.
Encore ! 13.49 nine minutes later .. Amazing another one same place north Bracknell - just over , slightly more , south track 259 as opposed to 275 above : At 24,000 feet
Reg. 09-5709 United States DB flags: military Type:C30J Lockheed HC-130J Hercules Type Desc.:L4T Squawk: 5206
23,000 feet over north Bracknell E > W .. brilliant. TFC.
Encore ! 13.49 nine minutes later .. Amazing another one same place north Bracknell - just over , slightly more , south track 259 as opposed to 275 above : At 24,000 feet
Reg. 09-5709 United States DB flags: military Type:C30J Lockheed HC-130J Hercules Type Desc.:L4T Squawk: 5206
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Dorset UK
Age: 68
Posts: 1,473
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: There and here
Posts: 2,537
Wasn't it the other 747-8 that lived at BOH to replace the wonderful 747SP that lived there for years ? They flew for the ex-Qatari Emir and his daughter (?) if I'm correct. If so the 747-8 was gifted to the Turkish Govt after being unsold for some years due to the tiny market for VIP 747's
The 'HBJ' 747 has also been for sale (I believe) for the last several years and that too has been a busted flush so far. I think that it lives in Doha these days.

Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: There and here
Posts: 2,537
I've just looked it up, there were 3! I saw the other two at Lufthansa Technik over the last few years getting fitted out and they were in Qatar Airways colours, with 'HBJ' in that snazzy private scheme.
Gnome de PPRuNe
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Too close to Croydon for comfort
Age: 58
Posts: 10,089
Been changing trains at Clapham for nearly 50 years now and have hardly ever noted a Battersea movement while awaiting my Portsmouth line trains, despite the frequency being nearly once a fortnight in the last few years. This morning four movements in not much more than five mins... Bell Mega Ranger out, AW139 in, A109 in and almost straight out again... RAF Atlas over the top just as I boarded and a USAF C-12 westbound over London at the same time.