Low flying helicopters!!

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HelsB

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I am furious!

The RAF last night decided to us my paddock which is less than 3 acres, with 2 horses in as their helicopter training ground…..possibly doing a simulated land with all the downwash of air it creates IN THE DARK!!!

Harley crashed through a fence (this is a horse I didn't even bother to get off when the low flying jets had a planned fly over at Royal Norfolk a few years back and is totally used to aircraft so it MUST have been bad!) thankfully he is not hurt….his mate Jubs charged round the field and looks pretty tucked up this morning

I have called and also filled in their online complaint form but it seems they are ALLOWED TO DO THIS!!!!

I even tried to reason with them in an 'unhorsey' way - danger top the public, loose horses in 'flight' mode but no….nothing….they do not avoid areas with livestock even for their simulated landings!!!y

I have to contact my MP if I want it to go any further as they cannot promise that this will not happen again - or give any warning of it if they do (which I really wouldn't mind if I was warned, the boys could come in for the night - I'm not that unreasonable!)

Has anyone else has this sort of thing happen? Not really sure where to start with a letter to my MP but do intend to do this, any ideas for the letter?....help!!!
 
So they just landed in your paddock during the night?!
shocked.gif
And they're allowed to do this?

From what you said they don't have to give you any warning - surely it's not unreasonable to ask that they do, maybe write to the base and request it? Definately write your MP, copy them in to your request for a warning, too. Are they going to pay for the damage done? I think I would have been arrested for my reaction if they'd done that on my land and my horse had crashed through a fence!
 
That is just insane!! I've never heard them do this and in the dark, but I have had similar 'live with it, there is no warning and nothing you can do about it' responses when I have called them about near accidents they have caused during the day.
 
They didn't actually land....just simulated a land which they do not have to have permission to do!!! The downforce of the air and a helicopter hovering over must have been terrifying!!

Not much monetary value damage has been done as we maintain our own fencing but it is the terrir it must have caused and could cause in future events I am scared about!

Cannot get through to the local base directly (number unlisted!!) I had to go through the complaints procedure and am awaiting a formal response of what they are doing over my land, as soon as this is received along with the rules & regs as to what they are allowed to do I will be on the case with my MP, the BHS, the local base & the MOD and anyone else who may listen!!
 
strangely we have had raf helicopter very low flying over our paddock today,low as the house several times presumably for training.horses were spooked i was just grateful no one was riding.that seems total and utter madnesss.definatley take it further ,maybe the local mp or paper can investigate for you
 
That's strange, I had one flying very low nearly hitting the telephone pylon at the end of my field the other day, I'm not normally there at that time of day and the horses didn't seem bothered which makes me think it happens maybe everyday! It scared me though!
 
they are meant to publish dates of any low flight work that will be taking place in your area…. I suppose in the local newspaper.

I had a situation whilst riding my youngster on the "disused" air base that we pay to ride on where a helicopter buzzed us before attempting to land on the grass right next to me (me and horse were wearing reflective clothing) when the idiots eventually went back up they flew over me so low that I was frightened that if Fox leapt or reared we might hit it!

I contacted them and at first they said yes we had helicopters practicing in the area but they should not have tried to land, then I got another call the following week saying that there were no helicopters in the area. unfortunately I was too frightened to get the identificati0on code off the chopper but I found their behaviour very suspicious.

I have also been riding there and got caught in the middle of a practice raid and a practice riot control exercise…… needless to say I no longer ride there.
 
The information you have been given is completly incorrect.

There is a simple procedure to resolve this problem. Simply send control the o.s. co-ordinates for your field and advise them that horses are kept in that field 24/7. They will then in future avoid that area for practicing that procedure. It is as simple as that.
 
I had one feel like it was practically landing on my head a couple of weeks ago whilst riding, a Chinook as I now know how to spell, it is scary and I know they go over our field at only 30foot high, I feel for you (my boy didnt bat an eyelid whilst I was on him but had it been in the dark he couldve gone mad). I am not sure of the way forward and hope that owlie185 is correct. Good luck and do let us know.
 
[ QUOTE ]
a Chinook as I now know how to spell, it is scary and I know they go over our field at only 30foot high

[/ QUOTE ]

No way, you would have been flattened and probably deafened.
I think this is a good example of how people mistake the height that helicopters are flying at.
 
[ QUOTE ]
The information you have been given is completly incorrect.

There is a simple procedure to resolve this problem. Simply send control the o.s. co-ordinates for your field and advise them that horses are kept in that field 24/7. They will then in future avoid that area for practicing that procedure. It is as simple as that.

[/ QUOTE ]

OWLIE185 wow I so hope you are right!! Do you know where I send this info to?
 
Thanks everyone for all your support.

Last night it was around again but not coming so close, boys seemed totally fonr bless them!! I was at the ready with my floodlight & hi viz clothing to start jumping round if they got to close though!! LOL!!

Not had a lot of sleep the last 2 nights!
 
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