Author Topic: Skies Above Britain  (Read 3268 times)

- Dave -

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Skies Above Britain
« on: 13:53:28, 19/08/16 »
Did anyone watch this the other day? Some incredible flying by the SAR guys from Bristow on display
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DevonDave

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Re: Skies Above Britain
« Reply #1 on: 16:36:15, 19/08/16 »
Yes, I watched it - an excellent programme.  I believe it was the first in a series.  What struck me was what an incredibly stressful job the air traffic controllers must have.

Dyffryn Ardudwy

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Re: Skies Above Britain
« Reply #2 on: 13:11:52, 20/08/16 »
Recently, whilst visiting my friend in the Conwy Valley, he showed me a website that follows the whereabouts of every aircraft in the sky, in and around North Wales.
More alarmingly, it shows the identity of the aircraft, such as the type of aircraft, as you can follow it's route on the map.

Ive never seen such a security risk, and the website is there for anyone to access.

fernman

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Re: Skies Above Britain
« Reply #3 on: 13:51:13, 20/08/16 »
The simulated map of the air routes over the UK intrigued me, for I saw that the main London - Belfast one passes directly over Snowdonia. Now I know why I keep hearing planes droning overhead at night when I'm in my little tent in the mountains!

Heathrow is in our blood down here as it's less than 9 miles away, and it means even more for those who live closer. It provides employment both directly and indirectly for hundreds of thousands of people. It is officially open from 6 a.m to 11 p.m, but flights arriving early and late extend that at least an hour either way. At any time throughout those hours you can always see three planes in the sky - one on its final approach, one behind it, and the next one behind that, and it is like that all day long without cease.

(Edited to correct a big typo.)
« Last Edit: 15:38:13, 20/08/16 by fernman »

Dyffryn Ardudwy

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Re: Skies Above Britain
« Reply #4 on: 13:58:39, 20/08/16 »
My late father used to tell me the story of when he was based in Berlin just after the war, with the height of the Berlin Airlift.
An aircraft used to be landing and taking off almost simultaneously, night and day, for months on end, no rest at night, so that people could get some shut eye.
He told me that it took ages to adjust to the noise and constant traffic overhead.

I believe Heathrow is less busy during the early hours, but i cannot imagine the constant noise and air traffic.

Lanbeder airfield just down the road from me in Dyffryn, gets around five aircraft landing or taking off every day.

Wow Heathrow, that's another time and place, a different world to sleepy Dyffryn Ardudwy. :D

Penygadair

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Re: Skies Above Britain
« Reply #5 on: 14:57:18, 20/08/16 »

Lanbeder airfield just down the road from me in Dyffryn, gets around five aircraft landing or taking off every day.

Wow Heathrow, that's another time and place, a different world to sleepy Dyffryn Ardudwy. :D


Mmm. Wait until Llanbedr is chosen as the proposed UK Spaceport.  >:D

fernman

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Re: Skies Above Britain
« Reply #6 on: 15:35:31, 20/08/16 »
One of my walks took me around the north and west sides of Llanbedr Airfield, I saw a truck appear around the corner of a building and drive to another one, it must have been their rush hour!  :)

Penygadair

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Re: Skies Above Britain
« Reply #7 on: 16:33:30, 20/08/16 »
That must have been on a Wednesday when they're always busy.  ::)

Dyffryn Ardudwy

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Re: Skies Above Britain
« Reply #8 on: 18:12:00, 20/08/16 »
Paws,fingers and toes crossed, that Richard Branson does choose llanbeder airport.
I believe only two airports are in the running, llanbeder and somewhere in Scotland.
Just imagine, the spectacle of seeing magnificent rockets being launched from your back garden, and the price of property would no doubt go up,almost as high as the rockets themselves.
A win win win situation.


redeye

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Re: Skies Above Britain
« Reply #9 on: 22:33:38, 20/08/16 »

Dyffryn Ardudwy

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Re: Skies Above Britain
« Reply #10 on: 20:23:14, 21/08/16 »
Blimey you must be clairvoyant, this is the very website my friend uses.
What i find strange, is that the aircraft are identifiable, so anyone intent on mischief can do a lot of damage.

Whose not to say, the IS or Taliband are not operating in Snowdonia, it's unlikely, but it's quite possible, Teresa May and those on high would never suspect it, and with every planes identity clearly marked, for the world to see.


A security risk if i ever saw one.

alewife

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Re: Skies Above Britain
« Reply #11 on: 09:22:35, 22/08/16 »
I don't understand how you think the security risk is anymore heightened by this, you can get identifying details of any flight going anywhere from the companies sites. What do you think 'they 'would do from Snowdonia,? And if they want to bring down a plane from the ground do you think they're choosey about which one it is?
Alewife


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Skip

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Re: Skies Above Britain
« Reply #12 on: 10:04:42, 22/08/16 »
Whose not to say, the IS or Taliband are not operating in Snowdonia...

Yeah, it's the squads of Al Qaeda and Daesh 'soldiers' with surface-to-air missiles perching on the hilltops that put me off visiting north Wales ;)
Skip

Dyffryn Ardudwy

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Re: Skies Above Britain
« Reply #13 on: 12:16:14, 22/08/16 »
Just imagine if this website was showing the skies over the Middle East, terrorists would be able to see each individual aircraft take off, and be able to identify it as a Hawk, Eurofighter, Hercules, Chinook Helicopter or a standard passenger jet.
Thankfully we have little or no terrorist risk in the skies over Northern Wales, but i am still amazed that such sensitive military monovers are readily available for all to see.
My friend who lives in upper Eglwysbach, lives under the flightpath of many of these jets, he has a large white Welsh longhouse on his farm property, and it must be a building that jets use as a point for navigation.

We have both studied the flightpaths of jets taking off from Valley on Anglesea, and following their flight, until we see them arrive from the coast and flypast Bodnant.

Just imagine if we both had heatseeking missiles intent on bringing down such aircraft.

Thankfully there is no risk, but why provide those full of hate, with the opportunity they need.

DevonDave

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Re: Skies Above Britain
« Reply #14 on: 13:32:22, 22/08/16 »
Dyffryn - the flightradar website only shows civilian aircraft, not military.

 

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