C130 Out Of Northolt
 

Great to see this morning and afternoon 2 C130 taking off from northolt. Very impressive. Anyone have any information.

The one this afternoon was 'Ascot 5108', but it had an American pilot (which confused me when I first heard it). It didn't stay very long, maybe 15 minutes or so?
Last heard (by me) heading northwest from Northolt at low-level, almost certainly returning to Lyneham.

Chees for the information, many thanks.

she took of on 07 then into a left turn and headed just shy of nw, the morning flight also took the same heading both aircraft no more than 2000ft. Thought it was quite strange and interesting, not known this to happen in the past 2yrs...not every day you can see two c130 skimming your roof top whilst eating your breakfast and dinner oh, and on the outskirts of london...cheers RAF...same time tomorrow please...

It went to Leeming

EOSM 37


"ASCOT 5108 is a route callsign and would not be returning to Lyneham at low level. What altitude did he say he was at? "


Not strictly true.

If the ac went into Northolt as its first point of landing from a route trip then it could return to Lyneham with the same callsign (and at 'low-level' if required).

Just out of interest is it rare to see a C130 at Northolt now? When I lived in Southall I used to see them on final fairly regularly.

R.A.F. can't get the slots - NJE has them all, lol.

Route Aircraft do not return to Lyneham at low level.

is that a fact. What if it were quicker to go back to DL, having offloaded freight, pax etc, OAT rather than GAT?

Do you really know the definition of low level? It's below 2000ft AGL.

There is no reason why a route callsign could not depart at low level at all.

A departure from Northolt via a VFR route or corridor was also standard practice - no reason it would change now.

Northolt to Leeming via airways would probably be a very scenic route so VFR or military radar is the preferred option.

Does that clear it up? :8

He went back to DL vfr on a Romeo departure.

Just for the record, Ascot 5108 also passed over NCL airspace @ FL075 early evening, inbound Leeming from the North.