Low flying aircraft

I

itsme123

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 January 2008
Messages
8,268
Visit site
Out hacking today with small child on small pony (in Vi Viz: hat cover, tabards and exercise sheet)) we had two incidents which could have potentially caused a very nasty accident.

First a helicopter (army) flew over the top of the trees, following the lane we were hacking along. Next to us is a popular set of gallops and a bridleway. Pony shied violently (normally 100% bombproof) luckily child stayed put. The helicopter was going very slowly so there is no way the pilot didnt see us.

A few moments later a HUGE plane came over at a similar height (again, slowly). Pony, by this point was shaking and sweating. I had to pull child off of pony incase he reacted again. When we got home I had to spend 3/4 of an hour with pony as he wouldnt stop sweating and shaking
frown.gif



I have been trying to phone the MOD and local RAF to find out if they are aware there are bridleways in the area... but the numbers I have keep coming up as not recognised. I can't find an email link either
frown.gif


I understand that the RAF have to train, and that we are in an RAF area (north luffenham) but today I was disgusted with their lack of common sense.
 
we had this other day...and i found the emaillink...google low flying aircraft mod and see what you get...

i got a letter saying that the airforce need to practice and basically sod you!
 
You can fill out a form on line which is a standard complaints form - they're obviously used to it by now as it is a standard form on their website. We have a problem with the Hercules plane flying soooo low over our arena but the MOD claim it is 200ft high!!! no way, more like 40ft as its shadow covers the whole arena and part of the field next to it. I filled out a form and got a reply basically saying sorry but tough!!!
 
The nearest base to Luffenham will be Wittering or Cottesmore. Was the aircraft a Harrier?
Go through the operator and ask for the number for Cottesmore/Wittering and when you get through to the automated answering machine, listen to what it says and dial what it says to get through to an operator. Then ask to speak to Air operations. The operator will be a centralised one. Have your details ready as to where, when and what.
Any markings, height, speed, time and direction and aircraft types.
The number for Cottesmore exchange is:
Telephone: (01572) 812241
Wittering
Telephone (01780) 783838

Hope this helps. I also hope your pony and child are ok now.
 
Thanks everyone!!

I just want to make them aware that the road we were on is popular with horse riders in the area.

Cottesmore and wittering are close too, though as we're south leicestershire / northants we tend to get North Luffenham the most. I havent a clue about planes though, the helicopter was HUGE camoflage, and the plane was like a big carrier plane, camoflage too. So low we could see the pilots in both.

Child was absolutely in awe (typical boy), pony was last seen tucking into a large pile of hay quite snug in his stable (though still a little jumpy).
 
Funny you should say that, we had a near enough identical incident yesterday when I took my mare out!!

Although we had a tractor to our left when the helicopter appeared from the field to our right, I was like oh my gosh thats huge and extremely low, my silly mare went look Mummy a tractor, looked the other way and went ooh Mummy a helicopter too, carried on walking then spooked at a log! Never been SOO relieved that she's behaved!

Think with them flying over the field quite often she's used to them!
 
im glad your child and pony are ok ..
where i live is very high up and when im out riding the fighter jets and helicopters are actually below me, ive been on top of the valley and the fighter jets wosh past below me and my horse .. and the hercules are massive.. iam so very lucky that my horse does not bother about them
100_2018.jpg
 
they often use Luffenham as an exercise base. The plane sounds very much like a C130 ( Hercules) Do call and also ask if they have details of any exercises going on in the area and how long they will be on for.
I used to be based at Cottesmore and did do exercises at Luffenham.
 
there do seem to be alot about at the moment. Normally planes and helicopters don't bother him, but I KNEW as soon as I saw this, no horse would have kept all four feet on the ground.Both plane and copter were ridculously low. Had it been my daughter things could have been worse, as she's terrified of planes (a result of having so many jets flying over noisily) and would have been scared, making it worse. Luckily child riding stayed calm and in control.

Only a while before some ladies were galloping along the gallops, I dread to think of the potential accident there. ...
 
If it seemed huge it was most likely a Hercules (they have 4 propellors, not jets). They are quite distinctive
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/co...130k.c3.arp.jpg

They do tend to do a fair amount of low level flying. If it was a fast jet it would have been past you very very quickly and very very loudly!

It is difficult. My hubby is a fast jet pilot so I see both sides. Our yard is between 2 bases and the Horses don't bat an eyelid. The Hercules base is RAF Lyneham but you get them flying all over the UK. I've done a fair bit of flying myself and yes people in high vis are a lot easier to spot, but then you also don't spend a lot of the time looking at the ground, especially near to you.
 
yes, I was like that, but a bit darker in colour. I fully understand that training has to go on (I fully support our armed services) I just don't understand why planes must fly that low when the risk to the public and animals is so high.

I think 1000ft is the lowest that they can fly, this was no way 1000ft. We could see the pilot, it was way too low. Why do they have these rules if they just ignore them?
 
that happened to me luckily tabby was fine just abit jumpy. i was schooling in the outdoor and suddenly from over the treetops a very low flying army helicopter flew past followed by a fighter jet the noise was deafening dont know hwat they where doing as they dont usually come anywhere near the yard
 
[ QUOTE ]
I just don't understand why planes must fly that low when the risk to the public and animals is so high.

[/ QUOTE ]

So they can safely fly at low altitude when they get out to Afganistan and Iraq! It is something you <u>have</u> to practice. You can't just go out to a war zone and hope you can get it right. I'm sure you'd rather have a horse upset than several dozen troops killed because their transport aircraft pilot wasn't allowed to hone his skills in safety and so flew into the side of a mountain.

[ QUOTE ]
I think 1000ft is the lowest that they can fly, this was no way 1000ft. We could see the pilot, it was way too low. Why do they have these rules if they just ignore them?

[/ QUOTE ]

250 ft is the low flying limit although special dispensation is allowed in certain circumstances (unless they've changed the rules in the last 2 years)

My horse is regularly over flown by all sorts of aircraft and never reacts, mainly because I don't. I have seen horses react to aircraft because their riders have got in a tiss (not that I'm suggesting this was so in your case) which then made the horse jumpy.

If you have a serious problem and you feel it hasn't been addressed every base has a Community Relations Officer whom you could contact to air your views.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I just don't understand why planes must fly that low when the risk to the public and animals is so high.

[/ QUOTE ]

So they can safely fly at low altitude when they get out to Afganistan and Iraq! It is something you <u>have</u> to practice. You can't just go out to a war zone and hope you can get it right. I'm sure you'd rather have a horse upset than several dozen troops killed because their transport aircraft pilot wasn't allowed to hone his skills in safety and so flew into the side of a mountain.

[ QUOTE ]
I think 1000ft is the lowest that they can fly, this was no way 1000ft. We could see the pilot, it was way too low. Why do they have these rules if they just ignore them?

[/ QUOTE ]

250 ft is the low flying limit although special dispensation is allowed in certain circumstances (unless they've changed the rules in the last 2 years)

My horse is regularly over flown by all sorts of aircraft and never reacts, mainly because I don't. I have seen horses react to aircraft because their riders have got in a tiss (not that I'm suggesting this was so in your case) which then made the horse jumpy.

If you have a serious problem and you feel it hasn't been addressed every base has a Community Relations Officer whom you could contact to air your views.

[/ QUOTE ]

oh yes, i KNOW they have to practice. We're used to lots of jets and helicopters as we're in a velley and they use this area from N Luffenham for training.

I guess it just upset me as it was my small child and pony involved. This pony doesnt normally bat an eyelid at anything, and my child didnt react (he's quite used to low planes).

MOD article I read:

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/WhatWeDo/AirSafetyandAviation/LowFlying

Thankfully pony and child were okay, but as I said, others were using the area for riding and gallops at that time of day, and this is something which could have resulted in a serious injury or fatality had it been a horse who was particularly scared.

Therefore, is it okay to risk a rider being killed? Why are these practices not taken out in less populated areas?

questions I shall be asking the local base and the MOD.
 
I had a problem a few years ago.

My OH flies helicopters and frequently lands in our fields, the horses are OK with this as he circles first so they can see him. Comet first met the helo aged 3 weeks and has grown up with it. I thought he was totally helo proof (you won't find a horse with much better desensitising)

3 years ago a MOD helo passed over, fast at treetops height, the horses were terrified (luckily not being ridden), Comet tore his tendon sheath, resulting in 6 months off work and a leg that still fills, not good in a potential WHP.

He is now unsaleable as his original job (and a decent price) and I need to rehome him for a different job.

BTW he is now spooky in traffic, but that's a different story, thanks to a lorry that tried to kill him.

Re the HI Viz, yes you can see riders in an open space, but not on bridleways with trees.

Also when you are flying you are looking where you are going NOT at the ground.

I reported this incident and was also told tough, we can do what we like, we are NOT in a low flying area.
 
They are carried out in less populated areas! The unfortunate coincidence is that Horses = rural areas and less built up areas = rural as well. It's the price of freedom and defence and that is of major importance. Look at the amount of terrorist threat these days.
 
personaly i have never had a problem with the RAF being stupid.

But i wouldnt call a horse bombproof if it reacted badly to planes. I'm on the direct path between 2 RAF bases, In a low fly zone and on the direct path between a popular diving quarry and the nearest decomperession chamber. so quite alot of low flying air traffic, normaly we see more in the air then we do on the roads round me. Out of neccesity the helicopters carrying decompression injury cases go extremely low over our fields and the roads around us. normaly they are as low as possible and have gone overhead when ive been riding a few times. Normaly we see them 2 or 3 times a week in summer, less in winter as diving is less popular.
I dont moan and complain about this because i know that there is no other option for the rescue helicopter, if they go higher they risk killing the passenger.

The RAF have to practice, they have got to do it somewhere, people in towns complain when they do it over towns and there are alot more people in towns so they have a lot more clout to get it moved away from them. Also if they get it wrong in the more raural areas then they stand a better chance of not killing anyone and they dont have to dodge high rise buildings etc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top