Chinook night formation hover
Discussion
Well that was interesting, a selection of helicopters including at least 3 chinooks just spent 2 minutes hovering about 500 yards from my house, they were in tandem with some single rotor big helis, interestingly only one appeared to have been picked up on the mode-s receivers nearby, a chinook za670 with the callsign lifter1 (the website says the operator is 18/27 squadron?) it seems to have come from somewhere near blandford forum and them up past me near cambridge.
What would be the reason for such a large formation, it was at least 8 helicopters in total all flying at around 500' maybe lower in the dark and with no nav lights on most of them?
What would be the reason for such a large formation, it was at least 8 helicopters in total all flying at around 500' maybe lower in the dark and with no nav lights on most of them?
Training! I'm sure CrossflowKid will be able to provide more details but from your description it sounds like a troop insertion/extraction sortie to me.
The Chinook fleet is based at RAF Odiham in Hampshire - both 18 and 27 Sqn's are there. As for the "large single rotor" aircraft you mention, I suspect they would have been Merlins from RAF Benson (28 or 78 Sqn) in Oxfordshire, or possibly Pumas (28AC or 230 Sqn) also based at Benson.
The Chinook fleet is based at RAF Odiham in Hampshire - both 18 and 27 Sqn's are there. As for the "large single rotor" aircraft you mention, I suspect they would have been Merlins from RAF Benson (28 or 78 Sqn) in Oxfordshire, or possibly Pumas (28AC or 230 Sqn) also based at Benson.
Boatbuoy said:
CrossflowKid will be able to provide more details but from your description it sounds like a troop insertion/extraction sortie to me
'Aven't you heard? Gave that up a couple of years ago now.But yeah, night tac formation training.
Probably trying to get back in the swing of things having spent the last eleven years flying mutual support pairs across the desert between predetermined points using GPS.
No nav lights is common. As long as the formation as a whole is visible.
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 18th March 11:44
Crossflow Kid said:
'Aven't you heard? Gave that up a couple of years ago now.
Yep, I was aware, but to my knowledge you were still the most relevant person to provide an accurate answer. My answer was based on my experiences as a passenger.Edited by Boatbuoy on Tuesday 18th March 13:38
Silent1 said:
interestingly only one appeared to have been picked up on the mode-s receivers nearby, a chinook za670 with the callsign lifter1
From stuff posted on the missing 777 thread that's normal. It seems only the formation leader squawks and as ATC know it's a formation they just increase the clearances around it. tuffer said:
Crossflow Kid said:
Fraid not. Should it? I'm worried now.
No, not sure what your connection with the rotary fleet was but he is an ex Regt colleague of mine who is now a Loady on Merlins.
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