Skies above Britain - bbc 2
Discussion
ecsrobin said:
Jonesy23 said:
Not sure the self-obsessed hipster is going to pay much attention to the drone rules, he'll get bored & just do what he wants. Really doesn't seem to understand what's involved.
I'm glad the other chap shot him down!! Eric Mc said:
Actually, sometimes I look up and am amazed by the number of aircraft I can see buzzing about.
Really? Unless you are at an airshow I doubt you would ever see more than three or four and that would be rare. I don't know how many thousands of square miles you can see but to say the skies are crowded really is not the case at all.I have counted at least eight on a few occasions. It depends on where you live.
And of course, they will be operating at very different heights and flying in different directions.
I'm in Farnborough so, naturally, you will get aircraft arriving and departing Farnborough. You will also get overflying light aircraft transiting through the Farnborough zone. We also have Odiham and Blackbushe not that far away so a fair amount of stuff heading to and from there.
The traffic in and out of Heathrow and Gatwick and some of the other southern airports (Stansted. Luton, Bournemouth, Southampton) also flies overhead Farnborough.
And finally, the high altitude stuff overflying the south of England to and from Northern/Southern UK and to and from the continent to North America can make the sky VERY packed on occasions. I've counted at least 8 fresh contrails on some mornings - and that's the high altitude stuff on its own.
And of course, they will be operating at very different heights and flying in different directions.
I'm in Farnborough so, naturally, you will get aircraft arriving and departing Farnborough. You will also get overflying light aircraft transiting through the Farnborough zone. We also have Odiham and Blackbushe not that far away so a fair amount of stuff heading to and from there.
The traffic in and out of Heathrow and Gatwick and some of the other southern airports (Stansted. Luton, Bournemouth, Southampton) also flies overhead Farnborough.
And finally, the high altitude stuff overflying the south of England to and from Northern/Southern UK and to and from the continent to North America can make the sky VERY packed on occasions. I've counted at least 8 fresh contrails on some mornings - and that's the high altitude stuff on its own.
Thankyou4calling said:
Eric Mc said:
Actually, sometimes I look up and am amazed by the number of aircraft I can see buzzing about.
Really? Unless you are at an airshow I doubt you would ever see more than three or four and that would be rare. I don't know how many thousands of square miles you can see but to say the skies are crowded really is not the case at all.As the recent series City in the sky proclaimed, at any time there are ore than 1m people in the air.
The sky above us at this very moment. There are plenty of places bereft of aeroplanes its true.
silverthorn2151 said:
Here in Chingford, or specifically when in one of the open spaces nearby one can regularly see more than 8 aircraft.
As the recent series City in the sky proclaimed, at any time there are ore than 1m people in the air.
The sky above us at this very moment. There are plenty of places bereft of aeroplanes its true.
The way the planes are represented there makes them the size of a city such as Milton Keynes!As the recent series City in the sky proclaimed, at any time there are ore than 1m people in the air.
The sky above us at this very moment. There are plenty of places bereft of aeroplanes its true.
The reality is that if they were shown actual size you wouldn't see them.
And if you can see eight planes in the entire sky at any one time (which would be rare) then it only goes to prove my point. The skies aren't crowded, far, far from it.
Eric Mc said:
I suppose some people define "crowded" in different ways.
A better way to explain the situation is to look at how busy ATC is.
If you listen in to Farnborough Information on any weekend day in Summer it is absolutely non-stop communication - and that is just the general aviation.
Eric's got it here, to someone stood on the ground it's not that congested, to someone sat in ATC they are probably maxed out and that's where the congestion lies. Having been inside NATS it's a huge place with lots of controllers but I'd say they are running close to capacity over a bank holiday weekend. A better way to explain the situation is to look at how busy ATC is.
If you listen in to Farnborough Information on any weekend day in Summer it is absolutely non-stop communication - and that is just the general aviation.
ecsrobin said:
Eric's got it here, to someone stood on the ground it's not that congested, to someone sat in ATC they are probably maxed out and that's where the congestion lies. Having been inside NATS it's a huge place with lots of controllers but I'd say they are running close to capacity over a bank holiday weekend.
I should imagine we'll be nudging 8000 flights a day this weekend. Timed well you could squeeze a few more in, at peak times it's pretty close to capacity. If we get some thunderstorm activity this weekend it will not be pleasant.Eric is right and if thankyou4calling can never see that much in the sky I suggest he look a little harder. I would suggest standing at Shoreham at 6:30-7:30 in the morning and looking SE. To your right you'll see the bucket and spade brigade heading down to Spain and the Balearics, over the top of you you'll have the French, Italian and some Swiss bound aircraft and to your left you'll have anything descending into Paris. If you cant count 8 I'd be very surprised. I've personally sat there and worked over the 15 that the skies programme said we work in just that small patch of sky which is vertically split at all times.
I would say congested because it points to the the underlying cause of our capacity issues which is a lack of Tarmac in the southeast. Routinely having 6 or more holds in use is not conducive to pushing more traffic.
djc206 said:
I should imagine we'll be nudging 8000 flights a day this weekend. Timed well you could squeeze a few more in, at peak times it's pretty close to capacity. If we get some thunderstorm activity this weekend it will not be pleasant.
Eric is right and if thankyou4calling can never see that much in the sky I suggest he look a little harder. I would suggest standing at Shoreham at 6:30-7:30 in the morning and looking SE. To your right you'll see the bucket and spade brigade heading down to Spain and the Balearics, over the top of you you'll have the French, Italian and some Swiss bound aircraft and to your left you'll have anything descending into Paris. If you cant count 8 I'd be very surprised. I've personally sat there and worked over the 15 that the skies programme said we work in just that small patch of sky which is vertically split at all times.
I would say congested because it points to the the underlying cause of our capacity issues which is a lack of Tarmac in the southeast. Routinely having 6 or more holds in use is not conducive to pushing more traffic.
I look at the skies and what do I see? Eric is right and if thankyou4calling can never see that much in the sky I suggest he look a little harder. I would suggest standing at Shoreham at 6:30-7:30 in the morning and looking SE. To your right you'll see the bucket and spade brigade heading down to Spain and the Balearics, over the top of you you'll have the French, Italian and some Swiss bound aircraft and to your left you'll have anything descending into Paris. If you cant count 8 I'd be very surprised. I've personally sat there and worked over the 15 that the skies programme said we work in just that small patch of sky which is vertically split at all times.
I would say congested because it points to the the underlying cause of our capacity issues which is a lack of Tarmac in the southeast. Routinely having 6 or more holds in use is not conducive to pushing more traffic.
Many a cloud looking back at me
I see the odd plane flying around
But if that's congested then look at the ground.
The skies are not congested!
Thankyou4calling said:
I look at the skies and what do I see?
Many a cloud looking back at me
I see the odd plane flying around
But if that's congested then look at the ground.
The skies are not congested!
Quite but planes can't stop, they're travelling at 6-8 times motorway speed and they need to be 3-5nm/1000ft apart unlike cars. They're also all going to a very limited number of places unlike cars and moving in an additional plane. It's not the same type of congestion but believe me the skies are congested.Many a cloud looking back at me
I see the odd plane flying around
But if that's congested then look at the ground.
The skies are not congested!
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