Number of aeroplanes aloft

[Simpo Two]

Had a look at Flightradar to see if I could find one that went overhead earlier, low and slow and looking like either a big glider or a stretched Ju52....

Anyway, I was amazed at how few aeroplanes were flying. Maybe 30 over the whole country.

Then I wondered when was the last time, before the virus, that there were so few a/c over GB. About 1914 perhaps?

[greygoose]

Probably the 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland with the big ash cloud causing massive disruption?

[aeropilot]

greygoose said:

Probably the 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland with the big ash cloud causing massive disruption?

[Simpo Two]

aeropilot said:

greygoose said:

Probably the 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland with the big ash cloud causing massive disruption?

Airliners I can understand, but did the ash cloud also stop all light aircraft, county hopping etc?

[aeropilot]

Simpo Two said:

aeropilot said:

greygoose said:

Probably the 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland with the big ash cloud causing massive disruption?

Airliners I can understand, but did the ash cloud also stop all light aircraft, county hopping etc?

Can't remember, but the ash cloud also stopped all jet cargo ops as well, which this hasn't.

[Flooble]

Simpo Two said:

Airliners I can understand, but did the ash cloud also stop all light aircraft, county hopping etc?

Nope, I remember it was possible to get transits through all sorts of airspace that was normally out of reach

[MarkwG]

My hazy recollection was that the limitations applied above a certain level, 10000ft perhaps, hence the odd bizjet scooting out low level from Farnborough too. The restriction didn't last anywhere near as long, of course.

[djc206]

Simpo Two said:

Had a look at Flightradar to see if I could find one that went overhead earlier, low and slow and looking like either a big glider or a stretched Ju52....

Anyway, I was amazed at how few aeroplanes were flying. Maybe 30 over the whole country.

Then I wondered when was the last time, before the virus, that there were so few a/c over GB. About 1914 perhaps?

Most nights. There’s normally a period in the depths of the night when there are only 1 or 2 aircraft in UK airspace particularly in winter but yeah at the same time of day probably not for a while. Before Wednesday there was very little GA, that’s picked up again now, I’ve noticed a few tiddlers passing over our house the last couple of days.

[STick220]

djc206 said:

Most nights. There’s normally a period in the depths of the night when there are only 1 or 2 aircraft in UK airspace particularly in winter but yeah at the same time of day probably not for a while. Before Wednesday there was very little GA, that’s picked up again now, I’ve noticed a few tiddlers passing over our house the last couple of days.

I’ve also noticed several light aircraft overhead again the last few days, it seemed to kick off on Saturday here.

[Simpo Two]

djc206 said:

Most nights. There’s normally a period in the depths of the night when there are only 1 or 2 aircraft in UK airspace particularly in winter...

That's surprising, I'd have thought freight and international/long haul flights would have been significant even then.

[djc206]

Simpo Two said:

That's surprising, I'd have thought freight and international/long haul flights would have been significant even then.

There are a few but there seems to be a bit of a lull before the heavies swarm in off the Atlantic, it can be eerily quiet sometimes. Unfortunately it’s always eerily quiet right now. Fingers crossed we all get to paint pretty pictures in the sky again soon.

[MarkwG]

Simpo Two said:

djc206 said:

Most nights. There’s normally a period in the depths of the night when there are only 1 or 2 aircraft in UK airspace particularly in winter...

That's surprising, I'd have thought freight and international/long haul flights would have been significant even then.

I started in the early '80s: lots of freight, small parcels & letters etc, including a regular flight to Glasgow for a well name red top, carrying the Scottish edition. Waves of King Airs, Cessna twins, Shorts sheds, up to Electra size. They flew all through the night, scattering to most of the outlying airfields in the UK & across Europe, & mostly on time critical contracts. They faded out into the '90s, with the advent of data transfer, easing of trade restrictions between here & the continent, all that became redundant.

[GliderRider]

If you could give a time and a location where you saw it, we could probably find out what this Ju52ish motorglider providing it had a transponder.

[Simpo Two]

GliderRider said:

If you could give a time and a location where you saw it, we could probably find out what this Ju52ish motorglider providing it had a transponder.

Essex/Suffolk border, but can't remember the exact time. Maybe 1.30-ish?

I looked about 20 mins later, but the only thing it might have been was an Embraer coming into Stansted which didn't look the same.

Edited by Simpo Two on Wednesday 20th May 09:57

[GliderRider]

Simpo Two said:

GliderRider said:

If you could give a time and a location where you saw it, we could probably find out what this Ju52ish motorglider providing it had a transponder.

Essex/Suffolk border, but can't remember the exact time. Maybe 1.30-ish?

I looked about 20 mins later, but the only thing it might have been was an Embraer coming into Stansted which didn't look the same.

Edited by Simpo Two on Wednesday 20th May 09:57

I hada look, but apart from the usual Spamcans (Pipers & Cessnas), A Cirrus SR22, A Gruppo Trail and a few other microlights, the only thing vaguely Ju52 in wing planform was a Chipmunk. The only clean Chipmunk plan view I could find appears to be wearing skis. The Chipmunk, G-BXDG took off from near Heveringham just before 2pm, flew down to Boyton, up to Lowestoft then a bit of wandering around. There was also a Jodel D119 in the area, but you would have probably seen the cranked wing on that.

Edited by GliderRider on Wednesday 20th May 11:23

[Simpo Two]

Thanks for the digging. The only view I got was from the side and some distance; by the time I'd got the camera out it has gone. Defo not the Chipmunk; Jodel maybe but I don't recall the big canopy. Jodel is the closest thanks to the fin.

Tried PMing you but you don't accept e-mails.