Low flying helicopter

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amandal

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Hi when bringing in the horses tonight my friend and I saw a military helicopter flying very low (about tree top height) back and forth over our fields without (it seems) any purpose. I mentioned it to a fellow livery who says it should be reported and there is a special telephone number to ring?? So does anyone know it??

Thanks in advance x
 
This may be helpful http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/2DAC382E-6526-4B32-9E5A-0778C69494D6/0/lowflyingheli.pdf
FREE-PHONE ADVISORY SERVICE
FOR HELICOPTER TRAFFIC INFORMATION
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(Nov - Mar: Mon–Fri 0800 to 1700)
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Where abouts are you (roughly) as we had a low flying military helicopter over us about 4.30ish..was alot lower than normal but being in Lincolnshire we get used to odd things in the sky!
 
I hardly think they were flying without a purpose.
Was it as seaking, yellow or grey? If so, they Are search and rescue helicopters so no doubt searching for a missing person
 
Again, military helicopters don't mess about. They could be instrument testing, honing on to something, pilot training, any number of things. BUT, they don't put millions of pounds worth of metal in the air to "mess about"
 
amandal said:
Hi I'm in North Yorks near a military base but still no excuse for this sort of behaviour
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This sort of comment makes me so angry. Sorry but their "behaviour" is called training, this is so that when they are on active service in a war zone they have less chance of dying. Sorry love, get a grip, we get chinooks & jets over our fields all the time, we are near an RAF base, & the horses don't care. We also get the red arrows, fast jets etc when the air show is on. What are you going to say in your complaint?? That they were flying about, training & you don't like it as there is "no excuse"... I take it you don't have any family in for forces or you wouldn't post such total crap
 
I'm also in North Yorkshire and quite close to two military bases (Linton and Dishforth). It's not uncommon to get all kinds of aircraft from helicopters to jets flying low and often fast over our fields. Once and only once - when our cob who's now 4 was very young and on his own at the time - has the low flying scared any of the horses to the point that they have "fled". He jumped out of the field and sought refuge amongst the cows in the next field!

I actually think it's quite good for them to become desensitized to things like this. I was riding another youngster once when a jet flew over really fast and low quickly followed by another one, screeching through the sky as they went - a horse we had on loan at the time and her owners had come for a visit to see how she was coming along - she didn't bat an eyelid. Her owners were seriously impressed with her. So was I if I am honest.

I suspect the military base was probably there long before your horses OP so cut them some slack eh?
 
We used to be near RAF Odiham and often had low-flying Chinooks. For the best part the horses just got used to them and it wasn't uncommon, if you were wearing hi-viz and it was possible, for the pilots to divert to avoid riders. I'm sure that whatever the pilots were doing, they needed to be doing it. That said, one day the cloud was really low and a Chinook came overhead so low that I swear I could almost touch it. The horses all flew that day. So don't be too harsh on the OP - it can be bl**dy scary!
 
Sorry, but it is exactly this sort of attitude which has caused the army to get a lot funnier about people riding over their land, where previously they didn't mind. I spoke to a land warden recently, who said pilots are now terrified of seeing riders, as they so often get reported for doing there job. There is a lady near us, who is constantly complaining, and there have been certain event riders who have also caused issues. Can we please remember they are training in the hope they won't get killed when they go off to fight in Afghanistan!
 
I'm in Lincs and we get all sorts of low flying planes and helicopters, some big new fast jets training and some of the old ones used in displays (spitfire/ lancaster etc.), we are on a main road next to a petrol station and my husband is sure they use the station as a navigation mark they come so often. The horses now barely glance up. clearly they see them even more than we do being here all day every day, all good desensitisation from my persepective.
The only 'incident' I had was with a civilian helicopter which was almost stationary inspecting electircal power lines, I can only guess it bothered my boy because it wasn't zooming around like he is used to!
OP perhaps get in touch and ask them if you can tell them about special events and whether they can avoid you at that time (shows/ competitions etc.) I'm sure they'll want to be flexibly but do have a job to do
 
I understand if its upsetting your horse but they do need to train somewhere.
We get them all the time over the yard only Sunday gone there was one hovering over a field right by the yard, luckily they come over often so horses are quite used to them.

We also have a man who has a stunt plane that likes to play about in the skies above us ad that makes all the noises and yep horses dont care they are all too happy munching away or if being ridden more than happy to keep trundling along.

I think its great to get horses used to things like this.

They come over all the time where I live even cats are used to them now.
 
I consider it free spook busting. At present we are being stalked by a low flying Hercules! Last week it went over the yard marginally higher than the trees, blocked out the sky it's so big. Horses never even looked at it!! I actually thought it was crashing and was waiting for the fireball!
Pilots need the training somewhere though!
 
We have a civilian 'copter nearby that often flies over the fields - horses don't seem bothered. The first time I encountered it out hacking I think I was more worried than Mac! He was a star, and didn't bat an eyelid, although TBH it didn't come that close - possibly because we were all decked out in hi-viz.... for an off road hack over the moors lol!
 
tankgirl1 said:
We have a civilian 'copter nearby that often flies over the fields - horses don't seem bothered. The first time I encountered it out hacking I think I was more worried than Mac! He was a star, and didn't bat an eyelid, although TBH it didn't come that close - possibly because we were all decked out in hi-viz.... for an off road hack over the moors lol!
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Never crossed my mind to report it, and if I lived near a training base I'd just accept it, and as someone else said, consider it as 'free despooking' :p
 
We are in a low flying area and I love it.

Out riding on fit horses (TBs) we were in a lane covered by trees when an army chopper flew right over us following the road. It did seem as if he was only 20 feet above us but, obviously he was a lot higher. Horses never took any notice.

We have had choppers land in the field and horses all came to the adjoining fences to see what it was.

Horses have no right to be afraid of anything in the air because they have no arial predators. They get there fear from the humans who think they will be frightened of them.

I am proud of our armed forces and understand that they need to be trained so, if they fly low over us then it is up to me to make sure the horses are not allowed to react.
 
Off-topic, but I once watched our little herd stand staring at the sky, agog but unafraid of a Virgin hot-air balloon. It was quite a sight :)
 
While the helicopter pilots are probably on a training exercise, there's no reason why it would be unreasonable to call the phone number. I'm sure the military want to maintain good relations locally and an explanation or helping the public to be better informed is sensible.


Low flying aircraft can present a risk for livestock and horse riders, so not to keep them informed because people are too busy pulling their forelocks and saying how wonderful they are, is a little OTT.

Information and dialogue help everyone to stay safe.

(Yep, my horses are fine with The huge twirlies brushing the tops of trees over the menage when I'm schooling too. )
 
little off helicopter topic. i once had a microlight.
it didnt come over the trees, it came throught! them...it was that low :S
ive never heard a sound like the noise the engine gave and horse was totally shocked at the huge 'wings' and colours on them.
horse ended up standing rock still looking up at the sky, puffing himself up (idiot!), while the microlight took a sharp turn right over the school and sped off in the opposite direction!!!!!!
helicopters....pffft.... they could land by my horse now and he wouldnt care!!! :?
 
May I aak which base you're close to?

I agree with the free 'spook busting' the choppers fly over us all the time and de-spook the horses, a good thing that they do because twice I've had the air ambulance put down in the same field without a 4yo TB batting an eye-lid.

They don't just 'poodle round' they only go out for training because it cost a hell-of-a-lot to run one
 
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