Yeah, thats the one.

It could well be a couple of ATCOs and ATSAs from LTCC on a jolly with cameras ;)

There's a farm-strip called Vallance By-Ways literally on the airport boundary, to the North I believe. Maybe it was an aircraft going in there?

I think Vortex has it right, A similar event occurred at Stansted in the wee small hours this morning. Some stray ATCO's making a film I am told......

I saw it too, I even stopped watching Countdown to have a look.

I heard it was 'testing the ILS.'

That came from a despatcher. I'll see if I can find out a more definitive answer tonight, as I'm not sure that's what the A/C was doing or not. I initially thought it might have been an emergency, but Tower was quiet and ground movements continued as normal. Oh and it didn't land :ok:

Sounds like it could have indeed been an ILS Checker flight

I thought that at first, but it was the couple of orbits of the cargo sheds, and 130's/140's that seemed a bit odd. I have seen that white thing with big lights on it in strange places checking out landing aids (sorry, I'm no spotter and it had props on it and didn't look like a Spitfire), but this looked like a 2/4 seat single.

Errr, Litebulbs, Gatwick lies within an ATZ surrounded by Class D airspace.

Neither of these preclude any light a/c with a clearance from routing over the airfield. We're starting to get a bit paranoid if we're thinking a light a/c is a weapon of mass destruction aren't we? There are hundreds of them up there on a sunny day and, as mentioned, all entitled to transit Gatwick's airspace. Should they all be grounded?

Besides, if it really was going to be used for such purposes, I doubt they'd bother with the inconvenience of calling up air traffic first for a clearance and also there are far tastier targets just a few miles further north.

1 What was a dhl 757 doing in Gatwick today?
2 Why have both the ndb's been turned off?

With regards to the light a/c.
It was one or more controllers who decided to get up at silly o'clock and have a closer look at Gatwick than they would normally be able to.
It was held to the north of the field VFR until a gap in the inbounds, and then did a couple of orbits overhead.

Litebulbs, it was all perfectly legal, just not something you see during the day because it's too busy to allow. Hence the early start.

To the pilot who questioned where my sense of humour was, in response to my lack of reply to his 'witty' comments about said a/c.
It left the tower with Elvis at 0214, closely followed by my will to live.;)

The strange thing was that what litebulbs and I saw was the light a/c (I think a PA28) doing orbits and what looked like some pretty steep turns over the apron, not anywhere near the ILS beam at that range.

The a/c could have finished checking the ILS (which I assume would at some point involve flying an ILS approach at least in part) and the crew were maybe taking some pictures, or dare I say it, having some fun. It certainly looked like fun...

Ah ratatat you just beat me to it.

I'm glad that's what they were doing.

Its about time! I'll film it from Norfolk House next time if they let me know!

Ratatat
 

Hi Ratatat,

Can I ask what was said by the pilot on the ground that he thought to be funny about the airborne aircraft?

Mr Person.

Mr Person.
Just a remark about it misidentifying Redhill and if it was landing at some blokes strip (presumably Vallance).
Was too long into a long night shift to engage in banter so I just stated exactly what the light a/c was doing.
I think the pilot replied "where's your sense of humour? Could be wrong though. No big deal.
Ratatat.

Sounds like good fun to me.

I think you'll find that it was all pre-arranged with the tower. I believe they flew to all 5 major London Airports to film.

Very sorry. Of course, this thread was moved to this forum. Still, if you would like to inform me of what you would like me to post, I will gladly comply BOAC.

No probs. The 'boss' "gave" us the thread:)

Post as you wish, but we do not want to expand this to a 'conspiracy' thread. If you wish to pursue that line, I suggest Jet Blast would be better and I'm sure you'll get some takers there.

Sir

Absolutely. I have now wound down from a few days ago. You are completely right, as there are enough threads about security.

Apologies

Bulbs