The Dogmother Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I've always joked with Phil that I'd love a birthday fly-past - preferably a Chinook, but as I live in the town centre it's unlikely to happen as they have strict rules about military aircraft flying over built up areas. I'll have to make do with the police chopper I guess. Yesterday evening I was cooking with the back door open and could hear an almighty racket above the cooker hood noise... rushed outside to see two Lynx helicopters circling overhead; guess that someone in the RAF must have a birthday and live nearby. I am insanely jealous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Chinooks flying low over our house yesterday, Normally means they are getting ready to go somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I read that as "chooks flying low over our house" . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 1, 2011 Author Share Posted April 1, 2011 I used to work out at Eynsham, on the flight path to Brize Norton, during the Balkans conflict - there was goodness knows what flying over al the time, could hardly hear ourselves think! I'm a bit of a military hardware freak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I've always joked with Phil that I'd love a birthday fly-past - Yesterday evening I ....... rushed outside to see two Lynx helicopters circling overhead....... Claret, Phil arranged it for you! No need to just celebrate your birthday annually, make it several times a year. So, being "something" and a quarter exactly, that was a fly past especially for you, hope you enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 1, 2011 Author Share Posted April 1, 2011 I like to think it was just for me, but I guess that someone had a great birthday Sheila They were very low and close when they circled... someone's going to get in trouble if they get caught out What a treat though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I read that as "chooks flying low over our house" . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clootie Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I'm a bit of a military hardware freak and me!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 1, 2011 Author Share Posted April 1, 2011 The airshow at Yeovilton is a long way to go but well worth it in terms of display; they once did a superb tableau of air and ground defences, Chinooks bringing in armoured cars, tanks etc. Loads of hardware in the air... FANTASTIC. sorry.... coat.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I've always been fascinated with military aircraft too Where we live, we are on the training flightpath towards to Brecon Beacons from RAF St Athans we have some amazing aircraft flying over at great speeds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 My dad used to work for Rolls Royce design parts for jet engines, We used to go to all the air shows and go on all the new aircrafts first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 1, 2011 Author Share Posted April 1, 2011 My dad used to work for Rolls Royce design parts for jet engines, We used to go to all the air showsand go on all the new aircrafts first. OOooo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlo Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 We get chinooks going over ALL the time as we are not far from RAF Odiham. It's fine until the windows start shaking. I'm sure that Valkyrie will agree with me on that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyhenSG Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 We live about a mile off the end of the runway at RAF Lyneham - fantastic for watching anything coming into or out of the airbase We've had all sorts here, including some fantastic displays from the Red Arrows - all for free Sadly missed the Vulcan leaving for the last time, en route to its new home somewhere near Doncaster. Hubby saw it though, and it did a fly past right over our house and back again A fabulous piece of engineering - another fanatic or two here! Will really miss it when the base closes next year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I live right by RAF Cottesmore, and see all sorts of exciting things flying over (at least I used to - the base has ceased to be operational as of today ). Last summer the vulcan bomber flew right over the house which was totally awesome. I had never seen it before, it was actually quite scary - I was out in the garden at the time - and I ran into the house shouting to hubby 'a big triangle has just flown over the house!'. Must be the vulcan bomber he said. I looked it up on the internet and it was..... Hubby was dead jealous that I had seen it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 1, 2011 Author Share Posted April 1, 2011 We've had the Vulcan over here too - we seem to be on the way to a few airshows. I remember seeing it when it was still in action, which ages me a bit! One of Phil's jobs means that he drives all over the country - he usually manages to park up under a runway somewhere to watch planes taking off - I have to say that commercial liners don't excite me as much though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffyfeet Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 A Chinook lover here too. Living where I do we only ever see the Air Ambulance - but over the last couple of years I've been in the house and thought 'crikey that sounds like a Chinook but it can't be' and when I've looked, there it or rather they are, 2 or 3 at a time. Apparently they land at the huge playing fields at the private school to drop off injured troops - we are about 30 mins away from Selly Oak Hospital where I understand a lot of them are taken. Wonderful aircraft. xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacake Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 we get fighters in pairs chasing each other over the house, and the sea king helicopters on training and out and about, at Christmas they land in the local school playground and Father Christmas delivers oranges, I'm not sure who gets more excited, the children or me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 We live 500 metres from the runway at the nearby RAF base. Our cottage is on the flight path for taking off or landing depending on the direction of the wind. Quite amazing to see the Tornados or other aircraft going over our heads if we are outside and being able to see the pilots in the cockpit, not so amazing if we are trying to sleep and they are still flying. They fly very low over the cottage and leave a freaky vibration/noise in the air after they have gone over. A few weeks ago a Tornado did a crash landing and the crew ejected from the plane just as it landed We were all out thankfully at the time or else that would have really scared me The airbase may be closed and there are petitions to sign to stop the closure, we haven't signed it yet, I wonder why Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 2, 2011 Author Share Posted April 2, 2011 When we used to spend our school hols in Norfolk, we were just 2.5 miles from the coast and used to watch the Sea King manoeuvres and the old Hurricanes going over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Party at my house then? I'll take you up to the lay-by and you can watch them at closer range. When the lad moved into his flat on Thursday the artillery seemed to give him and his other half a 21 gun salute and lots of chinooks about (I said it will still be just like home but with louder guns!). Yesterday was quiet, but more cloudy. Had night practice on Tuesday it seemed, but it doesn't go into the middle of the night - pity as I love the thudthudthuds of the blades - very relaxing (I just have to put up with OH snoring - gimme a chinook anytime). Pumas, lynxes, big Merlin things, and quite a few gazelles around here too. They also have a motorised glider. I miss the Hercules though - we used to get them quite a lot but it seems the pumas are not here much nowadays (they were dismantled and transported in the hercules). I forgot the occasional Apache - not my whingeing orpie though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexgirl73 Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 We live near RAF Cosford, and we have the Donnington army base behind us too. Choppers going over all the time, but I have to agree that the Chinooks are something special I always go into the garden to watch them going overhead, marvellous piece of engineering! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
