Aircraft Flying Overhead [OTT]

[tleeds]

Not something directly affecting LBA but there was a Boeing E-6 Mercury US Navy Jet flying around Yorkshire this afternoon.
I picked it up on radar and was heading over York and seems to be heading to the Yorkshire Dales area.

It was at FL260, Reg: 164407 and was under the callsign 'GOTO FMS'.

It's good to see something different over the skies of Yorkshire for once... :dance:

 

[masere]

Re: Aircraft Flying Overhead

I went on Flightradar24 the other day, clicked on an odd-looking plane and discovered it was a Beluga which had earlier passed to the south of Leeds. Whenever we have clear skies like today I use Fr24 to see what's heading this way, and my 20x80's for some great views. Today I've seen a United 747, a Lufthansa MD-11, and at around 11,000 ft, the Emirates a380 out of MAN. As well as the usual BA's/Virgin's/Air France's/EasyJets etc. I just wish I could take photos through the binocs.

 

[michael w]

Re: Aircraft Flying Overhead

I use Fr24, Planeplotter and Planefinder to see what's coming my way. I'd like better views as they pass overhead. Has anybody any pointers as to what size binoculars or camera and lens I should be looking for, as I may treat myself at Xmas if prices are not too prohibitive. At present, I have only got a pair of 10 x 40 binocs.

 

[masere]

Re: Aircraft Flying Overhead

Michael my 20x80's were purchased from a store on Ebay for just under £80. If you buy some make sure you get the ones with Bak-4 prisms, as many on Ebay sell not-as-good Bak-7 ones. You can also buy some 25x100 binocs but they cost £250. The only other options would be a camera with huge lens like what sports photographers use (also expensive), a telescope (through which the views would be upside down), or a TV studio camera, which is a bit too big and a lot too expensive!!!!

Looking through mine at aircraft over 30,000 I can clearly make out the tail emblems.

 

[michael w]

Re: Aircraft Flying Overhead

Michael my 20x80's were purchased from a store on Ebay for just under £80. If you buy some make sure you get the ones with Bak-4 prisms, as many on Ebay sell not-as-good Bak-7 ones. You can also buy some 25x100 binocs but they cost £250. The only other options would be a camera with huge lens like what sports photographers use (also expensive), a telescope (through which the views would be upside down), or a TV studio camera, which is a bit too big and a lot too expensive!!!!

Looking through mine at aircraft over 30,000 I can clearly make out the tail emblems.

Many thanks for the info.
I've looked on Ebay and there are plenty of binocs to choose from.
As soon as I've got some spare cash, I will be investing in some, making sure they are the type you recommend.

 

[masere]

Re: Aircraft Flying Overhead

Michael I'll just add that I bought the Nippon ones - the others don't say whether they have Bak-4's, so that's presumably a no. Also, DON'T buy zoom binoculars. I bought some15-80x70's around 15 years ago for £250. At 15x70 it was good (not a patch on the ones I have now tho!). However, zooming in, the field of view, and therefore the amount of light let in, gets smaller, so by the time you're zoomed in at 80x70 you can hardly make anything out, and the shaking makes it virtually impossible.

There are some on Ebay advertised as 20-180x100; they'd be stunning at 20x100, however that's actually a mistake on the binocs themselves - they are really 20-180x70. Some ads point this out, but some don't. So keep away from them.

Finally, slightly off topic about viewing aircraft through them, the other night I looked at a bright star and saw it was Mars, clearly visible as a sphere around the size of a 1p coin, with two dots (moons) alongside. No surface details visible, but still an amazing sight!

 

[michael w]

Re: Aircraft Flying Overhead

Michael I'll just add that I bought the Nippon ones - the others don't say whether they have Bak-4's, so that's presumably a no. Also, DON'T buy zoom binoculars. I bought some15-80x70's around 15 years ago for £250. At 15x70 it was good (not a patch on the ones I have now tho!). However, zooming in, the field of view, and therefore the amount of light let in, gets smaller, so by the time you're zoomed in at 80x70 you can hardly make anything out, and the shaking makes it virtually impossible.

There are some on Ebay advertised as 20-180x100; they'd be stunning at 20x100, however that's actually a mistake on the binocs themselves - they are really 20-180x70. Some ads point this out, but some don't. So keep away from them.

Finally, slightly off topic about viewing aircraft through them, the other night I looked at a bright star and saw it was Mars, clearly visible as a sphere around the size of a 1p coin, with two dots (moons) alongside. No surface details visible, but still an amazing sight!

The astronomy aspect has convinced me to buy a pair if the binocs you mentioned.
Thanks for your advice.

 

[lbaspotter]

Re: Aircraft Flying Overhead

Well this afternoon at around 13:10 one of the the Boeing 787-800 Dreamliner test aircraft N787BX flew just south of LBA passing over wakey at 40,000ft from Dubai to Shannon.as BOE787.

 

[747hold]

Re: Aircraft Flying Overhead

Out of interest was this using FR24?
As according to plane finder on my iPhone the 787 went straight over Sheffield
However I notice that sometimes plane finder can be slightly out

 

[User0001]

Re: Aircraft Flying Overhead

The B787 went south of Doncaster. Im visiting family and after seeing it on FR24, visually saw it and was flying about level to Sheffield from Doncaster.

 

[masere]

Re: Aircraft Flying Overhead

I just used FR24 playback to see the 787, and noticed the Beluga was also south of Leeds. Hopefully they'll be flying over Yorkshire again.

 

[Seasider]

Re: Aircraft Flying Overhead

I can confirm that the Dreamliner mentioned, departed DXB at 09.30 local. It never flew at the Show all week. The rumour was that it was going to do a flypast to finish the show at 17.00 local but that pleasure went to the UAE aerobatic team.

 

[masere]

Re: Aircraft Flying Overhead

The Beluga popped up on FR24 again and I've just managed to see it around 13,000ft SE of Leeds, getting a great view through the binocs. I'd never seen one before so I am thrilled!! I tried to take a pic but couldn't focus properly. I'll try again next time.

 

[Galaxy]

Re: Aircraft Flying Overhead

What's a Beluga? I thought they lived in the sea!

 

[The Pole]

Re: Aircraft Flying Overhead

What's a Beluga? I thought they lived in the sea!

Its an Airbus A300-600ST nicknamed as per the whale! Google it!

 

[Galaxy]

Re: Aircraft Flying Overhead

OK, cheers, I have done, and I'd love to see one of those myself. I've got 3 hours at Cologne / Bonn in three weeks between flights, so hope to see some big freighters there, I'll film them if I do.

 

[ls27]

Re: Aircraft Flying Overhead

One can be seen quite often overhead Doncaster. Seen one many times whilst working there.

 

[tleeds]

Re: Aircraft Flying Overhead

Just to let everyone know a Volga Dnepr Airlines, Ilyushin IL76-90VD (IL76) is currently heading over Leeds and heading over LBA!

The Reg is RA-76951 and she is travelling at FL340!

Definitely don't see these too often!

 

[Hendia330]

Re: Aircraft Flying Overhead

Good spot tomleeds, just had a quick look myself on plane finder never seen one on there before let alone flying right over head.

 

[tleeds]

Re: Aircraft Flying Overhead

Another unusual flight which I have noticed is this Royal Saudi Air Force - Lockheed C130H Hercules (C130) Reg: 1625 operating under the number RSF600

She is just on arrival into Blackpool of all places after heading just over Huddersfield, so technically flew overhead. FlightRadar only tracks her as far back as Athens, so I'm presuming she has come all the way from Saudi Arabia...?