On the move again today: https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=ae587c
Went to one of our supported sites this afternoon in Middlesbrough. Getting back in the car when I heard this go over. Great call sign. 62 years old (the plane, not me)
Sent through the ether by diddling with radio waves
On the move again today: https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=ae587c
B52 in the air! https://www.flightradar24.com/SPICY41/2d786f21
^^^ Oh, must pay more attention at the back!
Last edited by hogthrob; 15th September 2022 at 09:10.
Spotted one of these, perhaps even this particular example, a few days ago whilst out walking. It was high up and seemed to be in some kind of irregular holding pattern over the Cotswolds area. Even at a considerable distance both the sound and the shape were very distinctive. A truly mesmerising (and potentially awesome) spectacle.
eta: Just found this recent news item - https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/...ergency-alert/
https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=adfeb3
JB on his way over?
Looks like it. He is coming a bit early as it is a long queue and he needs to collect his yellow wristband.
Edit : picture in FR24 is different than AF1, so looks like it isn’t
It is this;
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_E-4
Last edited by noTAGlove; 17th September 2022 at 18:58.
No callsign on this one: https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=adfdf8
...but it landed at the right time, see: https://factba.se/biden/calendar, ie landing at 17h00 EST 22h00 BST.
Last edited by PickleB; 17th September 2022 at 22:04.
All flights landing in LHR are being routed away from Central London as shown on FR24.
Now being routed south over Greenwich, Lewisham and Wandsworth, before hanging a right and then a left into LHR
TARTN15 (Flightradar24) must be getting dizzy by now!
ZZ334 is an Airbus A330 MRTT tanker that the RAF call the Voyager. It looks as though they spent the afternoon over East Anglia:
Quite why, I do not know. They frequently refuel aircraft in that area but generally over the North Sea. They may have been actively engaged in refuelling or simply on standby to top up a VIP flight (I suppose). Maybe someone else spotted another aircraft in a similar pattern earlier today?
It doesn't seem to have refuelled AF1 returning to the US: https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=adfdf8 (and that would be unusual in any case).
Been following TARTN15 on Flightradar24 as it’s been rumbling over me all day. Must be so boring for the crew.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Last edited by andymonkey; 19th September 2022 at 18:35.
KRH645 on FR24.
Is that Lizzie Truss on her way to New York for meetings at UN?
With that Sparrowhawk callsign...quite probably: https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=407a3f
I have been able to find a couple of flights today from their callsign but it would help (in the absence of a direct link) to know the ICAO identification for the aircraft in question. In this case it is 407A3F. Thanks...
This is in my opinion a bizarre example of cheaping out. Why? Because (a) an increasing number of UK military aircraft only have flying boom refuelling receptacles (all aircraft that might realistically benefit from in flight refuelling) and (b) the MRTT was explicitly designed to have flying boom capability.
I reminds me of the non-sensical choice decision to delete the canon from British Typhoons. A decision which was reversed later, at additional cost of course.
I disagree, given that when the Voyagers were ordered we had no aircraft that needed flying boom refuelling. Our E-3s were fitted for probe and drogue and it is only a limited fleet of aircraft (RC-135, P-8 and E-7) that do need flying boom.
Realistically only the E-7 and RC-135 likely to actually need the added endurance. Given the close links with the USAF and their support with Mildenhall-based tankers it doesn’t make much impact.
Agreed, probe and drogue also has the benefit of being able to refuel more than one aircraft at a time and there is redundancy in the event of failure.
It should be noted that the US Navy also use P&D over boom. (Largely for reasons of aircraft size) the same can be said for the majority of NATO countries that offer refuelling, the US are the outlier.
P&D vs flying boom.
Can anyone pass comment on the differences (advantages/drawbacks) between the two systems from a user/operator perspective?
(Over and above those noted by Sinnlover.)
This bugger just went over my house at 1000'!
I'm used to commercial traffic flying over into BHX, but this sounded different, so I had time to grab my camera. Just.
Southampton to Wellesbourne! Wellesbourne isn't a long runway, I don't think - it's more used to Cessna 152s!
That the the risk of being a boring s0d (yes I know I am one)
Boom has the following benefits:
Quicker fuel transfer so better for larger aircraft.
Less pressure on the receiver pilot as the boom operator ‘flies’ the boom in to the receiving aircraft when it is formation, so it’s more of a team effort. - still bl00dy difficult though
The boom is further away from the wake turbulence (as it’s under the centreline) created by wing tips meaning holding formation is easier. - Still bl00dy difficult though.
There are far more qualified person than me on here that will be able to add real time experience. The above info comes from talking to a former fast jet jock who did an exchange tour in the US.
Last edited by Sinnlover; 20th September 2022 at 17:54.
The Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300 has a takeoff distance of 978 m (at max weight etc). Wellesbourne EGBW offers a runway length of 917 m. The landing will have been easier needing around 674 m, but they'll have to make sure that they're not fully loaded for takeoff.
Stopping off to catch tonight's production of All's Well on the way home perhaps.
Thanks for that. It's an aspect of military aviation I've not previously given much thought to. (I even managed to stay awake right to the end :-)
See also...flying boom versus the probe-and-drogue system.
Something shown as a drone/ UAV out of the Sculthorpe Training Area: https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=000001.
On landing the icon changed to that of a helicopter and it got a callsign of XCEDM. That seems unlikely to be its registration...see www.jetphotos.com/registration/XC-EDM.
Fascinating, thank you for that description.
In particular, your explanation makes sense about pilot induced oscillations. There are a number of videos on the Internet of this happening and now I can see why. It must be very tempting (and seemingly intuitive) to follow the drogue.
What was your aircraft? I was not aware that any UK aircraft had both systems fitted (or at last had both maintained).
Wiki tells me that the E-3D was modified by "the addition of a refuelling probe next to the existing boom AAR receptacle".
Its replacement (due in 2003) is the Wedgetail AEW Mk1. I don't suppose that they've added a refuelling probe to the MOD's spec, have they?
Ron Eisele on twitter:
"22 September 1950. The first crossing of the Atlantic in a jet fighter, a Republic EF-84E Thunderjet, was made by David C. Schilling from RAF Manston in England to Maine in the United States, using probe-and-drogue flight refuelling."
https://twitter.com/ron_eisele/statu...44939275857920
Anyone live near Southend airport? What are the noise levels like?
Oil-spll rehearsals today: https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao...,400ca9,406b1b
Not sure if it's a coincidence but G-UKCS is also in the air: https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=407009
According to this https://www.islandecho.co.uk/multi-a...isle-of-wight/ the coastguard is to be involved.
I haven't seen the 727 yet, they were using a 737 today.
See: https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=4069e7
Edit: There is another (G-OSRB) but that isn't showing up today.
Last edited by PickleB; 28th September 2022 at 16:59.
At least one of those aircraft is back again today: https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=4078d7,400a84
Not on the UK side of the Dover Strait, but surely this is unusual territory for TF-SIF: https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=4cc468?
A couple of Qataris had a lot of fun today: https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=43c960,43c963