Interesting aircraft - what have you seen on your computer today?

[c52]

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?

[SpringHeeledJack]

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.

[roger4]

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?

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by roger4

In addition, if the aircraft can't continue to fly, the crew is more likely to eject than to ditch, surely?

Either way, they'll end up in the same place ...

[almost professional]

On a visit to Lakenheath the F15s were not flying because wind speed was over the safe limit for ejection, peacetime safety protocols in place…..

[treadigraph]

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.

[treadigraph]

I see there's an Indian Falcon 8X following it NW across the Atlantic, also out of Biggin via Luton - not sure when it landed at Luton.

[goldox]

Canadian Armed Forces Airbus Polaris heading west over Oxon just now.

[SpringHeeledJack]

A Romanian Fokker 100 went over North London descending into EMA. Nice to see them still flying passengers. A Qatari Emiri 747-8 BJ went over same into LHR at about the same time.

[Big Eric]

Still no sign of the B-1Bs arriving at Fairford but a National Airlines 747 brought in another load of equipment direct from Dyess AFB yesterday morning.

[TheFrenchConnection]

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

[SpringHeeledJack]

I was in central London watching the Marathon and those two Hercs were SO loud as to drown out conversations, although I was the only one to be looking skywards.

[Airbanda]

It went back out this afternoon to Toulon. Not clear what it was doing. Thought possibly rugger related but no obvious corresponding fixtures.

[DaveReidUK]

Recent frequent Carpatair destinations include Cherbourg and Trieste, as well as Toulon. Maybe a maritime connection ?

[dixi188]

Originally Posted by SpringHeeledJack

A Romanian Fokker 100 went over North London descending into EMA. Nice to see them still flying passengers. A Qatari Emiri 747-8 BJ went over same into LHR at about the same time.

Where does that Qatari 747 live these days? It used to be here at BOH.

[SpringHeeledJack]

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.

[dixi188]

Thanks for the info. I didn't realise there were two Qatari VIP 747-8s.
Dixi.

[SpringHeeledJack]

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.

[Trinity 09L]

I often look at the North Atlantic traffic, an inbound Big Horn DHC 8 and a L39c well north of Scotland
are these the same?

[treadigraph]

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.