Low Flying Aircraft

[Daver]

About 10:30 last night two aircraft flew very low over my house - I'd say no more than 100ft.

A small one initially and then a big brute of a machine. Imagine my suprise when the second one turned out to be an AVRO Lancaster.

Did anyone else see/hear them>?

[Darkside]

No, but I wish I had. Used to love living under the final approach to Woodvale.

[said]

About 10:30 last night two aircraft flew very low over my house - I'd say no more than 100ft.

A small one initially and then a big brute of a machine. Imagine my suprise when the second one turned out to be an AVRO Lancaster.

Did anyone else see/hear them>?

There is a 747 which flies in from the Arab emirates, that comes in over Southport and then turns towards Wharton. It can come in at various times through the night and flies in very low. The aircraft picks up aircraft parts from Wharton, then flies back to the Emirates. If you are in Wharton at some time - you will find regular notices about the times of these flights.

The Lancaster could have been going to Wharton for repairs or military purposes - possibly to load bombs to drop on the White House! Well one can hope, anyway.

I believe that there are also some small private planes that use the base.

[silver fox]

About 10:30 last night two aircraft flew very low over my house - I'd say no more than 100ft.

A small one initially and then a big brute of a machine. Imagine my suprise when the second one turned out to be an AVRO Lancaster.

Did anyone else see/hear them>?

Not sure what you saw, remember there is only one airworthy Lancaster in the country, it was flying yesterday in company with the Dakota, practicing a new display for the season, only problem the pair were flying from Coningsby, Lincolnshire and highly unlikely that they would be airborne after dark with two elderly, precious aircraft and no reason to be tooling around Merseyside/Lancashire.

[Daver]

Not sure what you saw, remember there is only one airworthy Lancaster in the country, it was flying yesterday in company with the Dakota, practicing a new display for the season, only problem the pair were flying from Coningsby, Lincolnshire and highly unlikely that they would be airborne after dark with two elderly, precious aircraft and no reason to be tooling around Merseyside/Lancashire.

Thanks for that reply, silver fox....however, I'm of an age where I grew up with WWII aircraft and it was definitely a Lanc. It couldn't be a Halifax as there are none flying currently.

With the unmistakable sound of a Merlin engine on the first aircraft and the roar of 4 of them on the second aircraft I'm pretty sure of what I saw.

[said]

Thanks for that reply, silver fox....however, I'm of an age where I grew up with WWII aircraft and it was definitely a Lanc. It couldn't be a Halifax as there are none flying currently.

With the unmistakable sound of a Merlin engine on the first aircraft and the roar of 4 of them on the second aircraft I'm pretty sure of what I saw.

OK then! It was not the Lancaster - How about a Kuwaiti C17 Globemaster 3, that passed over Southport around 10.30 at 3200 feet, heading South, or the four engine French Turbo -prop A400M round about 12.30 am? Heading North.

[silver fox]

Thanks for that reply, silver fox....however, I'm of an age where I grew up with WWII aircraft and it was definitely a Lanc. It couldn't be a Halifax as there are none flying currently.

With the unmistakable sound of a Merlin engine on the first aircraft and the roar of 4 of them on the second aircraft I'm pretty sure of what I saw.

I don't know what you saw, but the Lancaster, as most of BBMF aircraft are now on strictly limited flying hours, in the case of the Lancaster that is 100 hours per year, although still under military registration rather than civil they operate on VFR plus consideration for wind both strength and crosswind, now I would imagine that 10.30 in the evening at this time of year would not match up to VFR.

Incidentally VFR stands for visual flight rules, in other words the pilot has to have good visibility, no blasting off the ground in any weather or at any time of the day.

I think you will find that the Lancaster as with most vintage/heritage aircraft, will be safely on the ground and probably tucked up in a hangar before nightfall.

You could be right, but the odds are extremely long. probably similar to winning the lottery.

[Little Londoner]

Our very own Burscough Triangle they have probably just re emerged after being lost for75 years.

[Ceam]

100ft, That's not flying that's crashing :-p

[silver fox]

100ft, That's not flying that's crashing :-p

When you consider that minimum height over any residential area is 200ft, apart from of course take off and landing, that was pretty low.