Unlit Chinooks over Co. Durham last night
 

I had a quiet evening in with the wife last night interrupted by a couple of very low-level Chinooks and something smaller (Puma?) thundering south over my place out in the sticks to the east of Durham. About an hour or so later in the pitch dark and quite murky wx the Chinooks headed back but weren't displaying any lights at all. No navs, anti-colls, nothing. I could see EJ 737 traffic in the distance heading into NCL so thought it a bit odd to be running without any lights on. The wife suspected VIP ops but I'm not so sure.

Any ideas chaps?

Could it be that it might have been something as un-conspiracy theory generating as pre-deployment NVG training? Used to see them flying around a fair bit with no lights on in the Hampshire area.

Of course it may have been 'them' doing some cloak and dagger type stuff, like checking on the security at one of the RAF's secret underground airbases.

Ooops, that a black Omega for me then.

Probably just forgot, happens all the time.

.....nothing unusual in this part of the world, situated as we are in the vicinity of both SHF bases.

On a few occasions have popped out into the garden to see if I can actually eyeball the darkened Chinny's and Merlins as they transit overhead.

Usually the answer is no, especially on a dark moonless night.

Train as much as you like chaps, if it means you keep safer when over less friendly territory.

If Volvo fitted the lights they wouldn't have to worry about remembering to switch them on.

ISTR that the last A/C in the flight should have lights on, the rest don't so as to avoid distracting the following A/C. Not very nice if you think that the Police A/C could be working at 300'-500' at night in that area.

I am sure the mil pilots will be keeping a good lookout. Can't remember the last time an unlit helo in the NE had a mid air. Can you?

Y_G

Plenty of vertical separation then :}.

That would explain why the police helo is at higher levels. Would likes on the trailer make any difference? Could make matters worse as the other aircraft may focus on the trailer and not see the ones ahead.

They would have had lights of some description on....just ones you couldn't see!!;)

you wont find a police chopper anywhere near 500' at night, unless its about to crash anyhow

TFC