contact details to report low flying military aircraft

Pilots do have to train and where ever they do this someone will complain.

As someone has mentioned already - if your horse has a problem the responsibility is yours to get it sorted. Don't wait for your horse to be frightened, escape, cause an accident or injure itself or a person, prepare them so it doesn't happen. As many people in this post have already confirmed and as the police do with all their horses, it is possible. Stable sounds do a very good low flying CD and my horses can now cope with chinooks flying very low directly above - and anything else the RAF have to offer !! It just takes a bit of time and committment.

We all get very defensive when the things we care about are in some way threatened. There's a lot of caring coming through in this post.
 
I presume this has already been said but anyway the BHS did a massive campaign about hi viz and gave out free stuff so that riders could be seen on the ground and sky.
 
POLLDARK said:
I rang the RAF & complained, in a polite manner, & all they sent was a standard reply about how the public can't judge the height of planes. They must have known which pilot it was, could have checked his flight recorder but no ! Didn't care, couldn't be bothered, don't seem to mind if it happens again. We pay their wages, for their plane & for the fuel in it. They are there to protect us not kill us. We have loads of jets over us & we know the usual height for these Tornados, I was not wrong. Sorry to go on but I feel strongly about this, I really thought I was going to meet my maker.
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Maybe we do pay their wages, but these people put their lives at risk for our country. The armed forces are stretched with everything going on at the moment, so is it surprising that they didn't launch an investigation because an aircraft almost frightened your horse.

I used to keep my horse on Salisbury Plain and we got information on army activity going on in the area. Perhaps you could be informed of training exercises so you can avoid areas where tornados are likely to be flying?
 
Yes thay have to train. NO they do not have the right to fly below regulation heights. In fact if they can't maintain correct heights in a peaceful moment how are they going to manage in a stressful combat situation. I have the right to drive a car I do not have the right to drive badly. I recounted a very serious incident to the RAF & was fobbed off. That is not good PR.
 
Mine are all used to low flying chinnocks etc, however I always ride in a high viz hat cover along with tabbard etc as the most visible thing is my hat to above. Aircraft and helicopters have seen me and detoured round because of this.
 
I quite like being in the flight path. They use our school to practise hovering over - even my big mare who spooks at a blade of grass 100m away ignores them. When the air ambulance had to land in our school none of the horses were bothered and all the fields are next to the school :)
 
POLLDARK said:
Yes thay have to train. NO they do not have the right to fly below regulation heights. In fact if they can't maintain correct heights in a peaceful moment how are they going to manage in a stressful combat situation. I have the right to drive a car I do not have the right to drive badly. I recounted a very serious incident to the RAF & was fobbed off. That is not good PR.
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Do you actually know what the 'regulation heights' are?? Depending on location (ie not over towns) military fast jets are allowed down to 250ft and in some remote areas as low as 100ft. They can fly right over my roof at 250 feet - I live in a rural area and they are allowed to do so. That means in valleys they will often be significantly lower than the tops of the hills. This is a lot lower than you might think and your perspective can also influence how low they look.

Given the amount of training these pilots do holding that altitude is perfectly within their capabilities and they are not allowed down to heights like that for a long time. Your average car driver only has a few lessons, military pilots a few years. Also, pilots have regular training and checks, unlike car drivers.

Unless you yourself are an experienced pilot how would you know what was planned flying and what wasn't? Planned heights for flying will vary so there isn't a 'normal' height as such. Just because one was lower doesn't mean it was lower than it should have been. It will have been planned to be that low. It's very hard to tell how low a jet is as it depends on how far away you are etc. Depending on where you are it's possibly a well used training route which is frequently, but now always, flown at the same height. Now that your Horse has experienced that, and knows no harm came to him, he will most likely be more relaxed next time.

As for this 'we pay their wages' argument. Military people pay tax as well you know!! They also have to go away for months at a time, stay in rubbish accommodation (camp beds in shared rooms) with half an hours paid time to call home a week (IF the phones are working) etc etc. Oh, and don't forget putting themselves in considerable danger.

I totally understand people getting upset but complaining to the RAF will not solve the problem. We live in a relatively small country and rural areas where jets fly are where we usually ride. Instead, getting them used to aircraft is a much better option, as is wearing high vis so they have a chance of spotting and avoiding you. Low flying won't stop, and I'm sure people complaining wouldn't be worried if they needed an air ambulance or search and rescue etc. Horse ownership is a luxury. Given the instability in the world having the military (including fast jets) is essential.
 
suzysparkle said:
Do you actually know what the 'regulation heights' are?? Depending on location (ie not over towns) military fast jets are allowed down to 250ft and in some remote areas as low as 100ft. They can fly right over my roof at 250 feet - I live in a rural area and they are allowed to do so. That means in valleys they will often be significantly lower than the tops of the hills. This is a lot lower than you might think and your perspective can also influence how low they look.

Given the amount of training these pilots do holding that altitude is perfectly within their capabilities and they are not allowed down to heights like that for a long time. Your average car driver only has a few lessons, military pilots a few years. Also, pilots have regular training and checks, unlike car drivers.

Unless you yourself are an experienced pilot how would you know what was planned flying and what wasn't? Planned heights for flying will vary so there isn't a 'normal' height as such. Just because one was lower doesn't mean it was lower than it should have been. It will have been planned to be that low. It's very hard to tell how low a jet is as it depends on how far away you are etc. Depending on where you are it's possibly a well used training route which is frequently, but now always, flown at the same height. Now that your Horse has experienced that, and knows no harm came to him, he will most likely be more relaxed next time.

As for this 'we pay their wages' argument. Military people pay tax as well you know!! They also have to go away for months at a time, stay in rubbish accommodation (camp beds in shared rooms) with half an hours paid time to call home a week (IF the phones are working) etc etc. Oh, and don't forget putting themselves in considerable danger.

I totally understand people getting upset but complaining to the RAF will not solve the problem. We live in a relatively small country and rural areas where jets fly are where we usually ride. Instead, getting them used to aircraft is a much better option, as is wearing high vis so they have a chance of spotting and avoiding you. Low flying won't stop, and I'm sure people complaining wouldn't be worried if they needed an air ambulance or search and rescue etc. Horse ownership is a luxury. Given the instability in the world having the military (including fast jets) is essential.
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Amen to this!!! I think I'd rather have a spooky few seconds on horse because of a military training exercise then a phone call saying my OH has been killed out on tour!! The horses will get used to these noises, i wouldnt get used to not hearing him!
 
tricksy said:
I complained to them once and I have to say that they came back to me very quickly, it was a very polite email and very apologetic. The guy admitted that they were flying (Chinook Helicopters) at less than 100ft, explained why and said that he would advise his pilots to be more viligant for riders. Even though the pilot did take action to pull up immediatley he saw 2 horses having hissy fits with riders clinging on beneath him. I was impressed to be honest.

Its a tough call, our troops can not go to war without the training, they have to do low level flying but as you say, its scary for our horses and especially at this time of year with mares about to foal and little ones about :confused:
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They have to train flying below a radar!!
 
joeanne said:
It really annoys me when people say things like that Danielle23. We are loosing boys left right and center in conflict's oversea's. Those boys are fighting for the democracy of people like you.....ungrateful as you are!
We have Farnborough air show limbering up for the week after next. So far we have had seriously loud jets, the arrivals of some of the big stuff, and before the week is out the Red Devils will be airbourne and practicing.
And it will do the youngsters good to hear it!
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Couldn't have put it better,
 
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MagicMelon said:
We get a lot of the jets from Kinloss too. Considering they're closing the base soon - that'll be the end of that I assume. I've had times where I've jumped off my horse if I saw one approaching particularly low - I just get off, just in case then get back on and carry on. Yes, they come low but they have to. We live on a hillside too so its inevitable they're lower to us. Although irritating sometimes, especially when riding a youngster (yep, I have got on a newly backed youngster for the first time and had it chuck me off when a jet came over) but thats life. They have to train. I'd never consider complaning! There's no point in getting them to change areas - EVERYWHERE has people and animals.
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Hi. It's the Nimrod's that were based at Kinloss. The Tornado GR4 is at Lossie which (well for now at least and long may it stay) is still very much active. I am guessing it's the Tornadoes you are seeing. So nice to read a post like yours :-)
 
Cop-Pop said:
I quite like being in the flight path. They use our school to practise hovering over - even my big mare who spooks at a blade of grass 100m away ignores them. When the air ambulance had to land in our school none of the horses were bothered and all the fields are next to the school :)
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I had a mare like this.....I lived in a garrison town at the time so she would happily plod along while a convoy of Chieftain tanks rumbled passed....but god forbid we should meet a push chair containing small person...she hated them.....prehaps I should have complained!!!!!
 
DipseyDeb said:
I had a mare like this.....I lived in a garrison town at the time so she would happily plod along while a convoy of Chieftain tanks rumbled passed....but god forbid we should meet a push chair containing small person...she hated them.....prehaps I should have complained!!!!!
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PMSL
I used to ride an ex racehorse years ago (who ran in the grand national would you believe - name was Polar Nomad, bless him he was lovely) and he was totally and utterly bombproof until the day we met someone on, wait for it, roller skates!!! You name it, HGV's, tractors, double deckers, combines - he never even glanced. But, a person on wheels???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
We used to have a lot of chinooks flying low over us, directly over the stables that are hidden amongst trees; they used to skim the top of the trees and we could see the pilots faces.
After an incident where a pony was frightened while being led out of the stable and my daughter was knocked over in the doorway I phoned to 'complain', actually explain what was underneath the tree canopy.
Nice letter back - now they go a little higher or 100yds further up - we're happy and the pony is now used to them.
Yes they do have to practise and tbh we quite enjoy the red arrows going over in formation.

Some differences in the use of t**t exist. In the south of England it is used as a synonym for twit, in the north it is very rude.
 
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