Spotted

[Sarah Abbott]

Fairchild Dornier, Royal Helicopter, Citations, EC135, various other helicopters (£150 one way from Staverton to racecourse I believe), Citiwing Dornier but most of all the smell of aviation fuel! I love Gold Cup Week! 

[sickbag_andy]

Malasian 777 anybody? - help needed

[MrTim]

2 green Hercules on low level passes over Bassenthwaite Lake this morning.

[jakspeed]

Hercules high and slow over York Grass Track this afternoon 

[Sad Sam]

Dakota going into Coventry airport when I (eventually) drove past  (for the Dak)  (for the delays)

Two Griffins heading South(ish) near Leicester about 20 mins later.

[djrose007]

1500 today (24 March) RAF Merlin circling over Gloucester for no apparent reason 

He circled at least 3 times that I know of. Probably something to do with ARRC Imjin Barracks (fka RAF Innsworth)

[Sarah Abbott]

RAF Helicopters sometimes visits the Air Cadets at the Colleges and takes them for a circuit. I did wonder if he was going into Dean Close as very low over me.

[peteuk1]

25032014 0915hrs Red Arrows (9) in loose fast  formation overhead -   heading west .
Location: -  The White House, CW5 6DX (Cheshire)  ---   (:-)
 
To where ?

Thanks -- Pete

[dee]

1 lone Red arrow low over the village going back East.

[Sad Sam]

Blimey that's going to be a lot of paperwork!

Wonder what happened to the other eight?

[peteuk1]

Well - it is mystery so far  -- I saw two returning four minutes apart past here, heading east -- 1300 &1304 hrs - can only assume so far, that  they were set free to do their own thing on the way home (:-)

[peteuk1]

Since learned -  courtesy of Claire from the Red Arrows fb page, that they flew to RAF Valley for simulator training. Mystery solved - glad I caught them for my  first time  " off display" (:-)

[Sad Sam]

No simulator at Scampton (or anywhere closer) then?

Surprised the bean counters didn't decide it would be cheaper to send the nine of them over to Valley by train!

Since they were only a few minutes apart you would have thought they could have waited for their mates to finish.

Weather was rubbish up here this afternoon though so probably not conducive to formation transit.

[peteuk1]

I would not know about simulator venues - but they would not gain much flying experience sitting on a train for hours on end.

Think of the overtime bill and the boredom factors  as well - lol

Not to speak of my (and others) disappointment at not having the sight of them overhead (:-)

They are off abroad next week for some blue skies experience - another bean counters  nightmare --perhaps- you would claim  !!!

[Sad Sam]

I would not know about simulator venues - but they would not gain much flying experience sitting on a train for hours on end.

Think of the overtime bill and the boredom factors  as well - lol

Not to speak of my (and others) disappointment at not having the sight of them overhead (:-)

They are off abroad next week for some blue skies experience - another bean counters  nightmare --perhaps- you would claim  !!!

You really don't have a clue do you?

The Arrows cost around £9m per year to run and are under constant threat of being withdrawn as the treasury struggle to see how they fit into the general scheme of defence.

The forces are under constant pressure to save money and their high profile is a double edged sword.

Plenty of other pilots find themselves travelling around the country by car and train as it's the cheapest way for them to get around.

Bear in mind we now have an AIR Force which consists of only six front line fast jets squadrons