Strange air activity - Leeds/Bradford.

Unlikely as it may seem I have been working in the garden every morning this week. I have always noticed aircraft, nearly always airliners but sometimes heavy RAF transports, navigation trainers, Chinooks and fast jets. Each morning this week three fairly large aircraft have flown over at very high altitude, always with two in close formation and one following, always heading near enough due north. Sometimes a smaller, swept wing plane following. My aircraft recognition however is long out of date. Any ideas?

A couple of weeks ago while walking near Leeds/Bradford Airport I saw a strange aircraft taking off. Strange in appearance and behaviour. It was smaller than an airliner but larger than an executive jet and fairly bulky. It was all white with no visible markings. What attracted attention was the fact that it was almost completely silent. I did not hear it accelerate down the runway, it just appeared as it lifted off, making only a whisper. It then stayed very low whereas all other aircraft taking off here gain altitude very quickly. Any ideas?

Mike

 

Bit of lag from what you see to what is displayed - but used FR24 numerous times to identify aircraft seen beyond range or my aircraft knowledge ability.

Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map | Flightradar24

Have a go next time and see if it's listed.

Ross

 

Trux,

There is a big NATO exercise underway or being prepared in northern Norway, so any transport aircraft could be heading there. Not sure if the US is involved.

The RAF did use till March 2021 a small, commercial aircraft for ELINT. See: Raytheon Sentinel - Wikipedia

The USA has a number of small jets based at Gatwick, to support diplomatic missions and isn't Leeds-Bradford airport the nearest facility to RAF Menwith HIll? I'd wager it could be flying in extra staff for matters to the east.

 

Thank you all.

Transports with escort heading for Northern Norway (close to Finland) makes sense.

I wondered about the Menwith Hill connection. No commercial flights were due in or out at that time.

Wonderful what you can find on the internet when you know where to look.

Mike

 

Seen in the Leeds Bradford area. Could be the heavy transport Atlas C1 types on a cross country exercise.it might have been the Voyager air to air refuelling aircraft. Both types out of Brize Norton.

The RAF depend on the Voyager to keep the Typhoons on patrol when Russian aircraft are seen as nosy close to British airspace.

The mysterious white aircraft might have been the RAF's Beechcraft Shadow R1,an intelligence gatherer ex Waddington, it's a twin turboprop with high tail design similar to the old Victor V Bomber....not jet engined, hence the reduced decibels on take off.

As I see it the RAF in circumstances will use ex military airfields which have been converted to civils as RAF airfields have been closed down. A look at the old V bomber dispersal airfields shows that most of these military assets have been sold off or neglected. Scampton is due to close at the end of this year and it might result in the excellent V Bomber standard runway being torn up unless the international situation calls for a change of policy.

 

Thanks Harry,

The Atlas is seen regularly here, at low altitude. I guess they are on training flights since they circle for some time and make several passes over the runway without landing.

Air refuelling makes sense and could match the formation seen, two in close company refuelling and one waiting.

All very interesting. I will remember to take my binoculars out into the garden.

Nothing much changes. More than 60 years ago when I was a member of the Royal Observer Corp at Whitby we used to see a pair of Hunters racing out to sea to warn off Russian aircraft. The Navy used to stand by to watch for Russian trawlers gathering information on Fylingdales. (Oops. Dont tell anyone. I signed the Official Secrets Act in 1958. I could be locked in the Tower.)

Mike

 

During Covid the RAF did "touch & go" flights into Birmingham Airport and it was learnt that as long as they did not put the nose wheel down the airport could not charge them.

 

Not quite correct and the following statement from the link probably applies at many airports:
Flights Without Touchdown
For flights which do not land but involve use of ATC equipment, Navaids or lighting, the standard runway
and navigation charges will apply.
https://www.birminghamairport.co.uk/media/6267/fees-and-charges-2021.pdf

As the document shows, they charge for just about anything these days. However there may be arrangements for UK military aircraft that I'm not aware of.

 

Blutto,
Noted, all I recall was the press reporting and that the RAF needed to keep up their pilots flying hours. So a trip to BHX and presumably other civil airfields helped. Cannot now recall which RAF planes did this, Hercules I expect.
Yes BHX charge for anything, especially during Covid as they plunged into the "red".

David

 

The mystery planes are still active. Two again this morning about 10.30. I dont wear a watch when gardening. I did take my binoculars though. Almost certainly Voyagers. Well done Harry.

Mike

 

A Voyager just landed brize after circuits off the lincs/norfolk coast then down to sicily then back -7 hour+ trip another is in circuit to land ffrom bordeaux