Whilst there's talk about UFO's
Discussion
On my way home last night, i noticed an object in the sky through the front windscreen, it only just caught my eye.
It was pretty low and extremely difficult to make out, it took a while to work out what it was, a plane!!
I wasn't aware they where allowed to fly without the flashing lights on, obviously in warzones they do but, this was 3miles from Brize Norton and there was alot of other air traffic around.
It was an RAF plane but, can they do that? i would have thought it was a little on the risky side? I guess they can pick it up on radar but even so...
It was pretty low and extremely difficult to make out, it took a while to work out what it was, a plane!!
I wasn't aware they where allowed to fly without the flashing lights on, obviously in warzones they do but, this was 3miles from Brize Norton and there was alot of other air traffic around.
It was an RAF plane but, can they do that? i would have thought it was a little on the risky side? I guess they can pick it up on radar but even so...
Operating tactical low-level at night on night-vision goggles they'll fly with just the nav lights on. Strobes are a bit of a give-away and a tad bright when viewed through said NVGs. The only other people they're likely to come up against will be on NVGs also, so visible to each other.
speedtwelve said:
Operating tactical low-level at night on night-vision goggles they'll fly with just the nav lights on. Strobes are a bit of a give-away and a tad bright when viewed through said NVGs. The only other people they're likely to come up against will be on NVGs also, so visible to each other.
Ahh, so they can actually see other Military aircraft then "lit" up by nv?I know they fly into places like Afganistan with no lights on, i saw it on Ross Kemp innit
First time i have actually noticed one so i guess it works well
I remember when I was younger I went on a school trip in the welsh valleys. We stopped for a bite to eat at the top of a valley and heard jet engines, looked up in the sky, then down in the valley and there was a pair of tornadoes about 20 feet below us screaming along. We all got a wave from the crew of the nearest one and it felt like you could reach out and touch them. When you're 14 that's about the most incredible thing. Although I did think they'd burst my eardrums...
Ahh, the memories. I don't think there's many areas they're allowed to fly that low anymore though sadly, I have it on authority that they do a lot of their low level training in Canada instead now?
I remember the scariest thing I ever saw though was in Devon, with a Hercules making a sharp turn practically standing on it's wing about 100 feet over the house - it really didn't look like it should have been able to do that
Ahh, the memories. I don't think there's many areas they're allowed to fly that low anymore though sadly, I have it on authority that they do a lot of their low level training in Canada instead now?
I remember the scariest thing I ever saw though was in Devon, with a Hercules making a sharp turn practically standing on it's wing about 100 feet over the house - it really didn't look like it should have been able to do that
I think that as well, how can they do that, i know there is obviously still air going over the wings but it just seems wrong! I think the plane i was on coming out of the seychelles pulled a similar stunt, i was sure we where going down...
This was just over the A361 to Lechlade, so it was a surprise! I've seen 2 euro fighters fly very low over the M5 as well which i didnt think they where allowed to do!
This was just over the A361 to Lechlade, so it was a surprise! I've seen 2 euro fighters fly very low over the M5 as well which i didnt think they where allowed to do!
I guess it just depends on getting clearance rather than an absolute no?
As for turning on the wing (not sure of the correct term) - I guess it is just altering the control surface that's in effect to the rudder maybe? I can't imagine the wings are what's doing the lifting as unless my memory is really fuzzy lift would be at 90 degrees to the surface of the wing (hence it's lift) and therefore acting sideways....
No doubt someone with more practical knowledge will be along shortly with a concise and correct answer
It was the size of the herc that got me though - I mean you expect to see a tornado or something moving fast pull something like that, but this was a bloody big plane moving pretty slowly... I'd have loved to see the faces of any passengers aboard
As for turning on the wing (not sure of the correct term) - I guess it is just altering the control surface that's in effect to the rudder maybe? I can't imagine the wings are what's doing the lifting as unless my memory is really fuzzy lift would be at 90 degrees to the surface of the wing (hence it's lift) and therefore acting sideways....
No doubt someone with more practical knowledge will be along shortly with a concise and correct answer
It was the size of the herc that got me though - I mean you expect to see a tornado or something moving fast pull something like that, but this was a bloody big plane moving pretty slowly... I'd have loved to see the faces of any passengers aboard
Edited by dwilkie on Thursday 8th January 09:34
dwilkie said:
As for turning on the wing (not sure of the correct term) - I guess it is just altering the control surface that's in effect to the rudder maybe? I can't imagine the wings are what's doing the lifting as unless my memory is really fuzzy lift would be at 90 degrees to the surface of the wing (hence it's lift) and therefore acting sideways....
The more bank that is applied then the greater the lift vector has to be to maintain level flight. In effect: more bank, pull harder, more 'g', more turn rate. You are correct in that 90 degrees of bank will not give any direct lift contribution to counteract aircraft weight. The way round this, for short periods, is to trade a little bit of the aircraft's velocity vector for 'lift' in a very steep turn by selecting a higher nose attitude in the turn.Ahh, so nowhere even close then... Clearly I've been slacking because I used to be able to identify most things pretty quick when I was younger. It does look a little like a C17 though. Honest 
SpeedTwelve, thanks for the explanation! It never ceases to amaze me the range of knowledge you can harness on this forum about practically anything
SpeedTwelve, thanks for the explanation! It never ceases to amaze me the range of knowledge you can harness on this forum about practically anything
I worked at the national fire training college for 3 months a good few years ago, and it was regularly used by the Harriers for extremely low level target practise. There is a concrete ship there called Sir Henry, which is used to train fire crews of ships, and that was the target they practised on.
The first time I heard them was on early one morning whilst I was still asleep. The dorm rooms that we stayed in had aluminium framed windows, and when the harrier came over the noise was so loud that the windows were rattling, and I seriously thought that I'd woken up during an earth quake and that the roar was the building collapsing. Not the best way to be roused from your sleep. I don't mind admitting - I was terrified.
The next time I say them, I was outside and the height they would come in at (and speed) was incredible. I've never seen a lower one since, and the N York moors is a common area for low level training.
It was great watching them.
The first time I heard them was on early one morning whilst I was still asleep. The dorm rooms that we stayed in had aluminium framed windows, and when the harrier came over the noise was so loud that the windows were rattling, and I seriously thought that I'd woken up during an earth quake and that the roar was the building collapsing. Not the best way to be roused from your sleep. I don't mind admitting - I was terrified.
The next time I say them, I was outside and the height they would come in at (and speed) was incredible. I've never seen a lower one since, and the N York moors is a common area for low level training.
It was great watching them.
This was the sort of view we had of it pretty much, they flew by ever so close. And so fast too, they're reactions must be so sharp!
Not as good as the old buccaneers though, I'll always remember their flyby when I visited my old man on the Ark, they flew past BELOW the height of the deck. It was incredible!
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