Very low heli yesterday, SE9 area

[CAPP0]

Just curious. Sitting in the car, all doors and windows closed, on the way home last night, in the A20 queue for Cliftons roundabout, SE9 (ish) when all sounds, including the radio, were drowned out by the sound of a helicopter. Opened the window and looked out, there was a large dark-coloured heli overhead, I would estimate less than 200ft up. I'm not the world's greatest altitude estimator, but going on the height of the houses (say 30ft, being generous?) this was no more than 4-5 times higher, that's all. It looked huge, which swayed me away from it being the Met, but that could have been skewed by the very low altitude. Also, it didn't appear to have the big bulb on the nose which the police aircraft have.

Densely residential area. Just curious what dispensation they have for very low flight? It was flying approximately west, albeit in a slight turn, pretty much straight up Abergeldie Road. I guess it could have been heading for Colfe's sports ground but might not have expected it to be so low when still half a mile or so out?

Can't find it on FR24 either. It was around 6pm, maybe 6.10pm.

Edited by CAPP0 on Friday 11th December 13:38

[Roo]

There's a lot of Chinook activity in the south east at the moment.

Had one fly over here, outskirts of Maidstone, on Wednesday lunchtime that was probably only 500 feet high.

[ecsrobin]

I used to book chinooks into colfes school every now and again so could have been that. Low flying for a helicopter is below 500ft although there are restrictions in built up areas unless making an approach or departure from a landing site.

So if it wasn't contrarotating maybe a puma?

[DrDeAtH]

Air Ambulance? They would be the only other heli to fly very low in densely populated areas....

[nick heppinstall]

Chinook very low over Sheffield couple of nights ago and a couple of nights before that on almost exactly the same track.

[Mr_B]

Chinook over Greenhithe near Bluewater yesterday that was much lower than is usual . I seem to get a lot of passing aircraft that skirt around London by using the M25 as a marker and staying just outside of it and passing directly overhead. Usually means a good few aircraft like Spitfires going to Biggin or just going south etc.

[LHRFlightman]

CAPP0 said:

Just curious. Sitting in the car, all doors and windows closed, on the way home last night, in the A20 queue for Cliftons roundabout, SE9 (ish) when all sounds, including the radio, were drowned out by the sound of a helicopter. Opened the window and looked out, there was a large dark-coloured heli overhead, I would estimate less than 200ft up. I'm not the world's greatest altitude estimator, but going on the height of the houses (say 30ft, being generous?) this was no more than 4-5 times higher, that's all. It looked huge, which swayed me away from it being the Met, but that could have been skewed by the very low altitude. Also, it didn't appear to have the big bulb on the nose which the police aircraft have.

Densely residential area. Just curious what dispensation they have for very low flight? It was flying approximately west, albeit in a slight turn, pretty much straight up Abergeldie Road. I guess it could have been heading for Colfe's sports ground but might not have expected it to be so low when still half a mile or so out?

Can't find it on FR24 either. It was around 6pm, maybe 6.10pm.

Edited by CAPP0 on Friday 11th December 13:38

OK from what I can see I;ve got the track starting around 1730 near Chertsey Rd in Twickenham. The flight tracked the River Thames, flew a couple of circuits over London Bridge, then a couple more of the Olympic Stadium. Then he tracked south, flew over Sutcliff Park and did indeed end up at Colfe's school. As he flew parallel to Abergeldie Road he was at 345ft. He flew pretty much the same route back, minus the laps of the stadium.

Hope that helps.

[CAPP0]

LHRFlightman said:

CAPP0 said:

Just curious. Sitting in the car, all doors and windows closed, on the way home last night, in the A20 queue for Cliftons roundabout, SE9 (ish) when all sounds, including the radio, were drowned out by the sound of a helicopter. Opened the window and looked out, there was a large dark-coloured heli overhead, I would estimate less than 200ft up. I'm not the world's greatest altitude estimator, but going on the height of the houses (say 30ft, being generous?) this was no more than 4-5 times higher, that's all. It looked huge, which swayed me away from it being the Met, but that could have been skewed by the very low altitude. Also, it didn't appear to have the big bulb on the nose which the police aircraft have.

Densely residential area. Just curious what dispensation they have for very low flight? It was flying approximately west, albeit in a slight turn, pretty much straight up Abergeldie Road. I guess it could have been heading for Colfe's sports ground but might not have expected it to be so low when still half a mile or so out?

Can't find it on FR24 either. It was around 6pm, maybe 6.10pm.

Edited by CAPP0 on Friday 11th December 13:38

OK from what I can see I;ve got the track starting around 1730 near Chertsey Rd in Twickenham. The flight tracked the River Thames, flew a couple of circuits over London Bridge, then a couple more of the Olympic Stadium. Then he tracked south, flew over Sutcliff Park and did indeed end up at Colfe's school. As he flew parallel to Abergeldie Road he was at 345ft. He flew pretty much the same route back, minus the laps of the stadium.

Hope that helps.

That's excellent, thank you! 345ft still very low over a built-up area though? Did you get that from FR24 or do you have other sources?

[Steve_D]

CAPP0 said:

....Did you get that from FR24 or do you have other sources?

Judging by his login name I'm guessing he had some rather more sophisticated kit to hand.

Steve

[ecsrobin]

LHRFlightman said:

OK from what I can see I;ve got the track starting around 1730 near Chertsey Rd in Twickenham. The flight tracked the River Thames, flew a couple of circuits over London Bridge, then a couple more of the Olympic Stadium. Then he tracked south, flew over Sutcliff Park and did indeed end up at Colfe's school. As he flew parallel to Abergeldie Road he was at 345ft. He flew pretty much the same route back, minus the laps of the stadium.

Hope that helps.

So that's using the London helicopter routes entering on H3 with a couple of holds along H4.

[MarshPhantom]

ecsrobin said:

I used to book chinooks into colfes school every now and again so could have been that. Low flying for a helicopter is below 500ft although there are restrictions in built up areas unless making an approach or departure from a landing site.

So if it wasn't contrarotating maybe a puma?

Was going to say they used land at Colfe's sometimes.

[aspender]

Looked like a Puma when I saw what I presume is the same helo heading downstream along the Thames by Blackfriars

[CAPP0]

aspender said:

Looked like a Puma when I saw what I presume is the same helo heading downstream along the Thames by Blackfriars

It was a big fecker, that's for sure, but not a Chinook, only one rotor. Perhaps LHR man has info on the type?

[mad4amanda]

It came over brands and did a couple of circles during the day too It looked big and military but not a chinook.

[killingjoker]

Two big and blacked out helicopters over Bedford last week in the evening. No lights at all, looked like army ones but i am not sure what type they were. Really low as well over the TA Garrison and roof tops. More please army

[ApOrbital]

Loads flying over milton keynes.