Planespotting!

[escargot]

OK, I'm not a serious 'spotter but I do like to look at the aircraft apps. My current favourite is www.flightradar24.com.

You can 'watch' events like the arrival of President Biden and the departure of Trump on Inauguration Day.
Well, it would have been nice to follow Trump off to Florida but his actual plane was anonymous. The Government planes protecting it weren't though.

I live between several airports so there's always something flying over. Often it's RAF flights from Brize Norton. I bet they have great fun flying around the country.

It has been known for me to rush outside and gawp at a Beluga on its glamorous way to Hawarden when its flight path takes it to the north.

I'm currently looking at an area of Shropshire (UK) where 11 planes and two helicopters are circling. They seem to be RAF training craft.
An RAF Hawk is circling North Wales. A Welsh Air Ambulance helicopter is flying inland from near Aberystwyth.

Loads more lovely air pollution going on.

Think I'll send some USAF Ospreys to buzz @Swifty in a bit.

 

[Coastaljames]

Oooo that looks a lot of fun, thank you.

I have the ship version on my phone which I enjoy very much but not seen this one. Thank you!

 

[escargot]

Oooo that looks a lot of fun, thank you.

I have the ship version on my phone which I enjoy very much but not seen this one. Thank you!

Oh don't start me on ships too. I already have various rail apps for work so it'd be trains and boats and planes...



So, this ship app?

 

[escargot]

Was chatting recently with another poster who lives in a remote-ish part of the USA. Could see the Ranger planes flying around spotting, I dunno, what Yogi Bear was up to. Great fun!

 

[Bigphoot2]

Was chatting recently with another poster who lives in a remote-ish part of the USA. Could see the Ranger planes flying around spotting, I dunno, what Yogi Bear was up to. Great fun!

A few years back there was a big hurricane off the east coast of America and I had a look at the site. Lots of planes but there was a great big empty space where the hurricane was apart from one solitary plane. It was the one used by the weather people to study hurricanes. Not a job I'd fancy.

 

[Bigphoot2]

You might even get a glimpse of a pilot's willy

 

[escargot]

You might even get a glimpse of a pilot's willy
View attachment 35473

He said he'd only showed ME that!

 

[Lord Lucan]

OK, I'm not a serious 'spotter but I do like to look at the aircraft apps. My current favourite is www.flightradar24.com.

You can 'watch' events like the arrival of President Biden and the departure of Trump on Inauguration Day.
Well, it would have been nice to follow Trump off to Florida but his actual plane was anonymous. The Government planes protecting it weren't though.

I live between several airports so there's always something flying over. Often it's RAF flights from Brize Norton. I bet they have great fun flying around the country.

It has been known for me to rush outside and gawp at a Beluga on its glamorous way to Hawarden when its flight path takes it to the north.

I'm currently looking at an area of Shropshire (UK) where 11 planes and two helicopters are circling. They seem to be RAF training craft.
An RAF Hawk is circling North Wales. A Welsh Air Ambulance helicopter is flying inland from near Aberystwyth.

Loads more lovely air pollution going on.

Think I'll send some USAF Ospreys to buzz @Swifty in a bit.

I quite like Flightradar too, although I use the app on my phone. I live under the usual flight path of aircraft on the Sydney/Melbourne route and whilst they've reached cruising altitude by the time they're over me, I did use to see & distantly hear them every 5 minutes or so.
These days, due to the lack of flights, I rarely see or hear any domestic flights.
Looking at the app right now, I see only one commercial flight slightly south west of me heading to Melbourne. A year ago, the sky would be abuzz with aircraft of all sorts.

 

[Coastaljames]

So, this ship app?

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-12.0/centery:25.0/zoom:4


I love it.

I even pay for a subscription. I follow a few random, unassuming little ships and enjoy seeing what they're up to every now and then. Keeping an eye on my little buddies putt-puttering around, doing their work in farflung places in the world

 

[dejanmikic]

I quite like Flightradar too, although I use the app on my phone

looks nice, esp with those cute airplane icons

 

[gordonrutter]

The RAF appear to be reenacting the Moon landing over Whitby

 

[escargot]

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-12.0/centery:25.0/zoom:4


I love it.

I even pay for a subscription. I follow a few random, unassuming little ships and enjoy seeing what they're up to every now and then. Keeping an eye on my little buddies putt-puttering around, doing their work in farflung places in the world

Ships are real characters, aren't they!

Transport itself is interesting. Every form of it appeals to me.

Took my kids out for a walk one day in the '80s and we saw a posh Orient Express-type train stopped on the tracks outside the station.

We waved and the passengers waved back, and as it moved off a procession of vintage Roll Royce cars went along the road beside us!

Of course we waved and everyone waved back to us. The kids were entranced!

Next thing we saw Concorde flying over, low and slow. Bloody Concorde!

I pointed it out and we all waved at it. By that time we'd have waved at anything.

It was Grand National day and, I later found out, Concorde, the excursion train and the Rolls Royce parade were on way to Aintree. Concorde circled the racecourse. We saw them all first!

 

[gordonrutter]

Ships are real characters, aren't they!

Transport itself is interesting. Every form of it appeals to me.

Took my kids out for a walk one day in the '80s and we saw a posh Orient Express-type train stopped on the tracks outside the station.

We waved and the passengers waved back, and as it moved off a procession of vintage Roll Royce cars went along the road beside us!

Of course we waved and everyone waved back to us. The kids were entranced!

Next thing we saw Concorde flying over, low and slow. Bloody Concorde!

I pointed it out and we all waved at it. By that time we'd have waved at anything.

It was Grand National day and, I later found out, Concorde, the excursion train and the Rolls Royce parade were on way to Aintree. Concorde circled the racecourse. We saw them all first!

But did the passengers on Concorde wave back? Enquiring minds want to know.

 

[Coastaljames]

Ships are real characters, aren't they!

Transport itself is interesting. Every form of it appeals to me.

Took my kids out for a walk one day in the '80s and we saw a posh Orient Express-type train stopped on the tracks outside the station.

We waved and the passengers waved back, and as it moved off a procession of vintage Roll Royce cars went along the road beside us!

Of course we waved and everyone waved back to us. The kids were entranced!

Next thing we saw Concorde flying over, low and slow. Bloody Concorde!

I pointed it out and we all waved at it. By that time we'd have waved at anything.

It was Grand National day and, I later found out, Concorde, the excursion train and the Rolls Royce parade were on way to Aintree. Concorde circled the racecourse. We saw them all first!

Lovely stories! Thank you.

Yes, ships rock. I particularly like following anonymous little workaday ones that chug a long doing their little jobs in weird little places I've never even heard of in the world.


I once had an apartment with a railway line behind it. I regularly saw the Orient Express pass by on it's route

Fun fact - the cover photo of the Clash's album "Combat Rock" was taken pretty much outside my apartment window. See the railway line?

 

[escargot]

looks nice, esp with those cute airplane icons

Helicopters icons have revolving rotors!

t'other day I was 'watching' some USAF Ospreys doing practice manoeuvres over the Wash. (Next to Norfolk, near @Swifty )
They are awesome craft which sometimes show as helicopters on Flightradar.

You get to know which planes are going over. RVL Cessnas fly over Cheshire from East Midlands to the Isle of Man very early every day.
I got to know their cute names like G-BODY and G-SOUL.

When we're out cycling on the North Wales coast I point out planes that are climbing over the Irish Sea to Techy and say 'Look, that's just taken off from Belfast for London and it'll go over our heads and then over our 'ouse, and then over Escette's before it lands!'

He rolls his eyes.

 

[escargot]

Lovely stories! Thank you.

Yes, ships rock. I particularly like following anonymous little workaday ones that chug a long doing their little jobs in weird little places I've never even heard of in the world.


I once had an apartment with a railway line behind it. I regularly saw the Orient Express pass by on it's route

Fun fact - the cover photo of the Clash's album "Combat Rock" was taken pretty much outside my apartment window. See the railway line?

I'm looking right now!

 

[Frideswide]

I can offer.. Scotland's Road Gritters. And they are named...


https://scotgov.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=2de764a9303848ffb9a4cac0bd0b1aab

 

[Coastaljames]

I can offer.. Scotland's Road Gritters. And they are named...


https://scotgov.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=2de764a9303848ffb9a4cac0bd0b1aab

That's real? It's awesome!

 

[Frideswide]

That's real? It's awesome!

and if you zoom in you'll find other names

 

[escargot]

I see the Hawks from RAF Valley are out!

Currently over the Irish Sea and the Shropshire hills.

Some flew over us at Llandudno a couple of years ago. Ear-splitting! A beautiful sight though.

Had a friend who worked IT for British Aerospace near Preston. He wrote software for aircraft weapons systems.

(Haven't seen him for years as he was actually a mate of the ex, and can't find any trace of him online. I reckon it's a National Security issue!)

He told us the RAF planes would fly over the Irish Sea and north Atlantic testing the 'lock-on target' functions on ferries and fishing boats.
Good job they weren't actually armed or there'd've been trouble!

Mods - how about moving the previous Flightradar discussion here from wherever it currently resides?

 

[escargot]

A Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 is currently tootling over East Anglia.

That's RAMPAGE 31 to you.

Edit - @Swifty might be enjoying the roar of STRIX61, a Lockheed C-130J-30 Super Hercules, right about now!

 

[Bigphoot2]

I see the Hawks from RAF Valley are out!

Currently over the Irish Sea and the Shropshire hills.

Some flew over us at Llandudno a couple of years ago. Ear-splitting! A beautiful sight though.

Had a friend who worked IT for British Aerospace near Preston. He wrote software for aircraft weapons systems.

(Haven't seen him for years as he was actually a mate of the ex, and can't find any trace of him online. I reckon it's a National Security issue!)

He told us the RAF planes would fly over the Irish Sea and north Atlantic testing the 'lock-on target' functions on ferries and fishing boats.
Good job they weren't actually armed or there'd've been trouble!

Mods - how about moving the previous Flightradar discussion here from wherever it currently resides?

Had a close encounter with a Hawk a few years back when there used to be airshows at RAF Leuchars.

 

[Souleater]

When we're out cycling on the North Wales coast I point out planes that are climbing over the Irish Sea to Techy and say 'Look, that's just taken off from Belfast for London and it'll go over our heads and then over our 'ouse, and then over Escette's before it lands!'

I remember when i was younger we were camping in north Wales, we were trekking up a mountain one day and heard jet engines really close, we looked up and saw nothing, then noticed it was coming from below us and saw a tornado practicing low level flying in the valley below us.

 

[escargot]

I remember when i was younger we were camping in north Wales, we were trekking up a mountain one day and heard jet engines really close, we looked up and saw nothing, then noticed it was coming from below us and saw a tornado practicing low level flying in the valley below us.

That'd be from RAF Valley on Anglesey. Had relations in the military as a kid and went there for open days, what fantastic fun.
Saw the USAF band marching and playing Glen Miller tunes!

Took my kids to Rhosneigr when they were small and sat them on the Big Dune to watch Harrier Jump Jets practicing taking off/turning/landing.
We were deaf for about two hours afterwards. Fantastic.

 

[escargot]

In January 1976 when I was 17 two Harrier Jump Jets on a training flight collided over Cheshire.

Both pilots were killed and wreckage landed for miles.
Nobody on the ground was killed or even injured but there were some frights. The Gran of one of my college mates found an engine in her front garden.



All the Cheshire places mentioned in the article are on our bike rides.

 

[escargot]

Over Suffolk now, two Army Air Corps Apache helicopters, PROWLER 1 and PROWLER 2!

Nice pictures of them here -
( Safe site: ABPic, aviation photographic website)

ABpic

 

[Bigphoot2]

Over Suffolk now, two Army Air Corps Apache helicopters, PROWLER 1 and PROWLER 2!

Nice pictures of them here -
( Safe site: ABPic, aviation photographic website)

ABpic

A few years ago a mate of mine was driving up towards the Scottish Borders and there was some military exercise going on. He had the unnerving experience of seeing Apaches popping up from behind trees and their guns following his car. Then he realised that A10s were making practice strafing runs on the same stretch of road.

 

[escargot]

A few years ago a mate of mine was driving up towards the Scottish Borders and there was some military exercise going on. He had the unnerving experience of seeing Apaches popping up from behind trees and their guns following his car. Then he realised that A10s were making practice strafing runs on the same stretch of road.

Coyld he suddenly hear the Ride of the Valkyries?

 

[Bigphoot2]

Coyld he suddenly hear the Ride of the Valkyries?

That came later when he lived in Fife near a disused airfield in Crail - there was another exercise on and the place was swarming with helicopters - his four year old daughter was at the window shouting "Dad there's a Chinook! Oh look there's an Apache!..."

 

[Souleater]

Over Suffolk now, two Army Air Corps Apache helicopters, PROWLER 1 and PROWLER 2!

Nice pictures of them here -
( Safe site: ABPic, aviation photographic website)

ABpic

I live quite close to RAF Odiham and we often get up to 4 Apache gunships flying over in formation. Not to mention dozens of Chinooks all times of the day and night making the windows rattle grrr!!!