Chinooks regularly over London

[parabolica]

Started to noticed how often these + other military style aircraft fly east/west over where I live (just north of Richmond). Obviously they don't show up of flightradar - was just wondering if anyone knows what they're all about? Off work at the moment and I notice these guys doing round trips e/w then w/e maybe 3 times a week.

[kiethton]

Normally land right outside my office window once a week or so (not as often recently however)



The picture below is the Chinook landing at the HAC near Moorgate/Old Street

Edited by kiethton on Thursday 18th January 14:28

[yellowjack]

I'm not sure where they go at the London end of their trips, but the Chinook boys (and girls?), along with Apache and (up until Tuesday) Lynx pilots seem to follow the M3 up from RAF Odiham. The A303 splits from the M3 a few miles south from there which will take you most of the way to Middle Wallop too.

I regularly have Chinooks overflying my house. Less regularly pairs and individual Apaches, and the least frequent military helicopters overhead were Lynx/Wildcats (although still fairly regular). Bloomin' loud those Chinooks, too.

[parabolica]

It's the london-end of things that got me curious; they fly really low (maybe 1000-1500ft) which would suggest they are city bound opposed to flying on over to Essex or the like. That said with all the air traffic in London maybe that altitude is best for a city flyover; then they don't have to deal with LHR and City traffic.

Edited by parabolica on Thursday 18th January 14:21

[TTOBES]

I notice this (hard not to!) at least two or three times a week. You can certainly hear them coming and they make a terrible racket. The times I've gone to look it appears they don't have their nav lights on either.

[aeropilot]

parabolica said:

It's the london-end of things that got me curious; they fly really low (maybe 1000-1500ft) which would suggest they are city bound opposed to flying on over to Essex or the like. That said with all the air traffic in London maybe that altitude is best for a city flyover; then they don't have to deal with LHR and City traffic.

You'd be surprised how often we get Chinook's fly across the LHR corridor, usually, they hang around just off the LHR perimeter until cleared by HATC to shoot across the east end maintenance area at low level.

[JamesRF]

Often have Chinooks and Apaches flying over us in Essex in the direction of London.

[ecsrobin]

This is quite a regular thread on here:

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=11...

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=14...

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

I can’t seem to find the more recent one where I posted up the heli lanes chart but basically they’re either using landing sites within the city including Regent’s Park or transiting through from bagshot (RAF Odiham entrance to the lanes) through to east anglia (its the quickest way)

[QuadCamCapri]

Always seeing them up and down H10, along the A40 past RAF Northolt into London. Remember way back when it was all Iroquios & CH-53 'Jolly Green Giants' you definitely heard them coming, and of course the Northolt based Wessex & Whirlwinds.

[So]

kiethton said:

Normally land right outside my office window once a week or so (not as often recently however)



The picture below is the Chinook landing at the HAC near Moorgate/Old Street

Edited by kiethton on Thursday 18th January 14:28

They can obviously land on steep hills those Chins.

[Gameface]

JamesRF said:

Often have Chinooks and Apaches flying over us in Essex in the direction of London.

Always over Colchester. From Wattisham I assume.

[ecsrobin]

Gameface said:

JamesRF said:

Often have Chinooks and Apaches flying over us in Essex in the direction of London.

Always over Colchester. From Wattisham I assume.

Apache is based at Watisham, Chinooks Odiham & Benson.

[ReallyReallyGood]

So said:

They can obviously land on steep hills those Chins.

Playing rugby on that pitch must be interesting.

[lufbramatt]

We had one doing laps of Rochester airfield on Monday, not sure if they were visiting BAE systems or just on a jolly. Unusual to see them down this way.

[sidaorb]

Have the bloody things constantly overhead at home, guess I shouldn't have moved near to Benson. Lots of low level stuff and freight practice, the most freaky thing is watching them at night spot lighting and following a train heading towards Didcot.

[Total loss]

aeropilot said:

You'd be surprised how often we get Chinook's fly across the LHR corridor, usually, they hang around just off the LHR perimeter until cleared by HATC to shoot across the east end maintenance area at low level.

I was on one of those flights once in a Puma into Northolt, I mentioned it to a friend who worked in West Drayton ATC & he asked how I got on one THOSE flights, apparently a regular emergency of some sort practice flight.

[anonymous-user]

They go along the line of the Thames to Thurrock, then head north east, to the West of Basildon (Dunton), then I assume to Wattisham or Colchester.

Apaches follow the same route as well.

[Simpo Two]

Gameface said:

JamesRF said:

Often have Chinooks and Apaches flying over us in Essex in the direction of London.

Always over Colchester. From Wattisham I assume.

Colchester barracks probably has something to do with it.

[Deerfoot]

ecsrobin said:

Apache is based at Watisham, Chinooks Odiham & Benson.

There are also AH64 at Middle Wallop, they're the aircraft used for CTT (Conversion to Type) training. CTR (Conversion to Role) training is carried out once at Wattisham, either at 3AAC or 4AAC.

[Kenny6868]

They're obviously still at it.

I was standing on Tower Bridge on Thursday evening around 8:30 when 2 went over in formation. Followed the river westbound till they went out of sight.