How low can helis fly until theyre banned?

[saaby93]

Allegedly the beeb filming flying scotsman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RSxfB41xbM&no...

youtube said:

Two of the chasing helicopters were Sky News & BBC news. The BBC chopper, not wanting to be outdone by the others, went almost trackside at one point, which looked well under 100 feet as the media storm gained more momentum

Skip to 1:30 Is this too low?



Besides, if youve come to watch and listen to a steam train do you really need the sight and sound of choppertewatics

Edited by saaby93 on Tuesday 12th April 15:33

[dudleybloke]

If they crash into the ground they're too low.

[Timmy40]

I live in Wales and judging by the chaps who have been flying up and down our valley at high speed all week in the dark with the lights turned off their Helis, very low indeed is the answer.

[essayer]

Minimum 500ft from any person, vessel, vehicle or structure. (Rules of the air regs 2007)

[Joratk]

Timmy40 said:

I live in Wales and judging by the chaps who have been flying up and down our valley at high speed all week in the dark with the lights turned off their Helis, very low indeed is the answer.

Perhaps some Secret Squirrel stuff going on... Especially in that area.

[saaby93]

essayer said:

Minimum 500ft from any person, vessel, vehicle or structure. (Rules of the air regs 2007)

Whats the penalty if they bust one or all of those?

[Catatafish]

saaby93 said:

Whats the penalty if they bust one or all of those?

Stern letters de whinge from those with too much time on their hands.

[essayer]

The CAA can investigate and fine, but I'm assuming it just looks close in that photo due to the use of a telephoto lens - someone operating a twin turbine helicopter for commercial purposes is probably quite likely to be staying within the law (nobody wants to crash into the Flying Scotsman)

[HOGEPH]

Anything out of the ordinary can usually be approved by applying to the CAA for an exemption.

[yellowjack]

M-HELI was over my house last night, leaving Farnborough airport at less than 1425 feet according to FlightRadar. Much less than 1425 feet as that was what it had climbed to north of Camberley while we got the page up. Usually it's only the Police helicopter that operates at that sort of height near here, even though I'm slap-bang between two relatively busy airports (TAG Farnborough and Blackbushe).



Is "M" even a legitimate nationality code for a civil aircraft?

[anonymous-user]

yellowjack said:

M-HELI was over my house last night, leaving Farnborough airport at less than 1425 feet according to FlightRadar. Much less than 1425 feet as that was what it had climbed to north of Camberley while we got the page up. Usually it's only the Police helicopter that operates at that sort of height near here, even though I'm slap-bang between two relatively busy airports (TAG Farnborough and Blackbushe).



Is "M" even a legitimate nationality code for a civil aircraft?

As I'm sure you know, that's not 1425 ft above the ground.

[HOGEPH]

M is the Isle of Man prefix.

[Sheepshanks]

el stovey said:

As I'm sure you know, that's not 1425 ft above the ground.

Is that the case with the on-board altimeter? I was in a little helicopter on on a corporate fun-day and flying around at 500ft it felt like we were skimming the tree tops.

[yellowjack]

HOGEPH said:

M is the Isle of Man prefix.

Flag of Convenience thing? I'll bet there are more Manx registered aircraft than will fit on the available tarmac on the island...

[anonymous-user]

Sheepshanks said:

el stovey said:

As I'm sure you know, that's not 1425 ft above the ground.

Is that the case with the on-board altimeter? I was in a little helicopter on on a corporate fun-day and flying around at 500ft it felt like we were skimming the tree tops.

Yes, usually they are flying with altimeter reference to mean sea level. So you might hit the ground at 200ft on the altimeter. If the airfield is 200ft above sea level obviously.

If you are learning to fly and some military operations might involve referencing the altimeter to the airfield elevatio. But virtually all the information you see on flight radar will be above sea level not the actual ground.

[Eric Mc]

yellowjack said:

HOGEPH said:

M is the Isle of Man prefix.

Flag of Convenience thing? I'll bet there are more Manx registered aircraft than will fit on the available tarmac on the island...

Probably. The Isle of Man is not part of the United Kingdom so they felt they could legitimately have their own civil prefix letter.

I'm surprised none of the Channel Islands haven't gone down the same route.

[Trevatanus]

yellowjack said:

M-HELI was over my house last night, leaving Farnborough airport at less than 1425 feet according to FlightRadar. Much less than 1425 feet as that was what it had climbed to north of Camberley while we got the page up. Usually it's only the Police helicopter that operates at that sort of height near here, even though I'm slap-bang between two relatively busy airports (TAG Farnborough and Blackbushe).



Is "M" even a legitimate nationality code for a civil aircraft?

A heli flew very low over Sandhurst last night, assumed it was plod, could have been this, between 9 and 10 pm?

[CrutyRammers]

Joratk said:

Timmy40 said:

I live in Wales and judging by the chaps who have been flying up and down our valley at high speed all week in the dark with the lights turned off their Helis, very low indeed is the answer.

Perhaps some Secret Squirrel stuff going on... Especially in that area.

Big wargames going on this month, probably that?
http://www.flyer.co.uk/pilots-wargames-over-uk-ski...

[yellowjack]

Trevatanus said:

yellowjack said:

M-HELI was over my house last night, leaving Farnborough airport at less than 1425 feet according to FlightRadar. Much less than 1425 feet as that was what it had climbed to north of Camberley while we got the page up. Usually it's only the Police helicopter that operates at that sort of height near here, even though I'm slap-bang between two relatively busy airports (TAG Farnborough and Blackbushe).



Is "M" even a legitimate nationality code for a civil aircraft?

A heli flew very low over Sandhurst last night, assumed it was plod, could have been this, between 9 and 10 pm?

That would have been it. When I heard it I thought it was exceptionally low. So low that when I went out to have a look my initial thoughts, given the bright lights, low altitude and the distinctive sound of the Fenestron tail rotor, were that it was the Police or the Air Ambulance landing on the closed motorway (or nearby) AGAIN! But then it headed away directly over my house and I went inside to find out what it was via Flight Radar. It's radar track took it over Sandhurst (RMA). Flight Radar's playback feature doesn't work all that well, but it looks as though it came down to TAG Farnborough from a big posh house near Gerrards Cross. Bulstrode, possibly, HQ of WEC International (Christian missionaries). Although Pinewood Studios is nearby too. From Farnborough it headed off to Essex and did a bit of a loop around Stansted, where the playback loses touch just NE of Stansted, but heading toward the airport. All of which is a bit sad to know. There's WAY too much info on the internet these days...

[Joratk]

CrutyRammers said:

Big wargames going on this month, probably that?
http://www.flyer.co.uk/pilots-wargames-over-uk-ski...

Just depends on where Timmy40 lives I suppose. Could be Griffin Strike, lot of European and Commonwealth units over to take part.

But it could be a whole host of other units, specifically the ones that are known for low level flying. Lots of SF coming and going at St Athans - 1Para SFSG based there too, US PJs based in Lakenheath that often train in rural Wales also. Big training areas scattered around Wales, Pembrey Sands, Brecon, Sennybridge etc.

Or could be a rather affluent bloke taking his personal helo for a joyride.

Just never know.