Military helicopter going round our field in mad circles very low.

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henryhorn

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www.narramorehorses.blogspot.com
We heard a helicopter very close so ran outside to see what it was, it turned out to be a twin rotor dark green type and was incredibly low over our back field.
It was doing small fast circles leaning right over and I swear was only around 50 feet in the air. My husband ran out to see if the horses were ok and they saw him and flew off.
The foals fortunately were in another field altogether but were a bit shook up and nervy.
Now I know they have to practise somewhere but over fields with livestock in (believe me they could have seen our faces clearly they were that low so no excuse of not seeing large animals like horses) is hardly the place.
We have 1000's of acres of wild Dartmoor 5 mins up the road, so why choose us.
Our horses are all pretty good with helicopters as they fly fairly low all the time, but in 16 years I've never seen one this low, I honestly wondered if they were going to ditch and were in trouble.
I wonder about emailing suggesting they perhaps fly somewhere else as our foals could easily become stupid and run through fences..
Anyone know who to email?
 
My little cob colt is on grass livery with a friend of mine in a village called Stockton near Warminster Apparently the other week, the air ambulance was called as there was a poorly baby in the villlage. The damn thing landed in the field with my colt and my friends other 3 horses. Field is only bout 3 acres in total! As much as I admire nd support the Air Ambulance, landing in the paddock with the horses could have been lethal. As it was the others were brilliant and just had a little run round.
 
This happens to me so many times, I can literally see their faces they are so low, right over our fields.
If Im in the yard I just tend to shut my eyes and hope none of the horses go too mad, and if Im riding I basically hold on for dear life
crazy.gif
 
Our field is next to a dartmoor tor, and various planes and helicoptors use it as a kind of target - the horses are very steady now, which I'm sure I will apprecaite when madam is broken and being ridden - but yes complain to the MOD.
 
Happened to me last night on the very edge of Milton Keynes of all places. Had just finished riding and turned horsie out, was stood in the yard, frightened me half to death, flew so low it seemed to appear over the roof of the yard owners cottage. It was a Chinook I think (sp)! Seems to be happening more often this year.Thanks for the number, might try tomorrow and see what they have to say, I do appreciate they have to practice low flying but on our really twisty roads if a horse panicked we could be needing an air ambulance as well!!!!!
 
Glad no one was hurt!!!

We seem to be having a lot of low flying helicopters this week. We were just back from a hack today and horses back in the stables when this helicopter came out of howhere and just about cleared the house!

I have used that form to report an accident before. A very polite gentleman called me back but he said that they have to do it, there is no alternative, they can't warn me of dates/times, and they can't avoid this area!!!!

Still worth reporting though as they may be gathering figures for numbers of accidents and it might help in future. There are one or two people who are pursuing legal cases for damages so that is bound to change things if they win.
 
We get all sorts of helicopters on a fairly regular basis and they can sometimes fly so low we feel the down draft, and barely miss the top of our barn at 14ft.
 
If they know their flight plans and it can't be avoided, then why don't they put a warning out for nmed areas? "low flying helicopters in the Stockton area on such and such a date....." At least you'd be warned.
 
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