A thread for plane spotters and Flightradar24 fans!

[Boeing747ILOVEYOU]

Hello fellow plane spotters!

So I thought Trump had stopped flights to and from Europe but there still seem to be quite a few?

Second point.... anyone know why BA Airbus 319 GEUPD flew Heathrow to Bournemouth yesterday?

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Ah just found you all. I'll pull up a chair and make myself comfortable.

Odd flight I've been watching this eve THY6437. Turkish cargo flight from istanbul to Madrid. Taken a very odd route avoiding Italian and French airspace and has flown NW over Europe across UK across Ireland and looks about to drop south to Spain. A very long way round!

Did anyone else see this in the week?
In Turkey it was a celebration for National Childrens Day, and an aircraft flew the route in the shape of the turkish flag to mark the day...

As a separate note I have just got on to Freedar - which also shows some military aircraft not visible on FlightRadar 24.

spaceX rocket

Meant to say it won't actually be a rocket but some associated technology for monitoring or similar.

Do any of you use planefinder? It labels commercial aircraft in the big map - also RAF & other military - the unlabelled ones, easier to find, are often much more interesting. (There were a number of USAF flights the other day, very large planes, including one from Dayton, Ohio to Turkey )
Also shows hot air balloons in S America & Africa, which is cute
And I love the mad paths of RAF & mapping planes.
planefinder.net/

Hi Betty..

I'm a bit suspicious of those BLL whilst there are high altitude balloons drifting around ( e.g. Project Loon) the BLL returns returns are always tagged at exactly 61,500 feet and showing zero ground speed..if they are "up there" then the data is too static to be live..

AFAIK there's no reason for a SpaceX link with a single ballon over the NW Atlantic.

Odd flight I've been watching this eve THY6437. Turkish cargo flight from Istanbul to Madrid. Taken a very odd route avoiding Italian and French airspace and has flown NW over Europe across UK across Ireland and looks about to drop south to Spain. A very long way round!

Did you see where it actually ended up? Flight radar replay seems somewhat corrupt but that seems to show the aircraft actually did Istanbul -Miami which ties in with the initial bit of the route you describe.

This sort of thing is coming up a lot - FYI the aircraft does not transmit it's destination to ATC in flight via datalink, so flight radar looks at callsign history ..e.g. where that callsign on that day has gone in the past to derive the destination...and displays that. I guess i's possible the flight historically has gone to Miami via Madrid but the MAD transit was dropped - flight radar wouldn't know that..

Anyhow bottom line is the schedules and routes are so disrupted at the moment that the flight radar info for things like destination need treating with a lot of caution..

Sorry Betty, NE Atlantic..

Hi everyone. Not seen much action in the NE of England for weeks. But currently have theis RAF Ascot 'circling' over me. I've no doubt it's just some routine exercise or training, but it's a bit strange.

Hi not

the BLL returns returns are always tagged at exactly 61,500 feet and showing zero ground speed..if they are "up there" then the data is too static to be live..

I agree, still the names are amusing so I'll forgive them

But currently have this RAF Ascot 'circling' over me. I've no doubt it's just some routine exercise or training, but it's a bit strange.

At a quick glance looks like the aircraft has simply been doing various types of (mainly instrument) approaches and into Newcastle airport.

FWIW "Ascot" is the standard callsign prefix used by RAF transport aircraft, has been for years.

@notimagain (mainly instrument) approaches and into Newcastle airport.

I read that as manly instrument at first..

Thanks notimagain that's really helpful. I've only been using FR24 a few months, but I'm finding it fascinating. And I love reading this thread. Having a bit of time on my hands is allowing me to indulge in new interests. Obviously not as much about in the sky right now, but when I do hear aircraft noise I have a quick gander.

Haha betty manly instruments indeed!

Hi ladies, same plane circling Glasgow. Just landed for about 5 mins and back up 🤓 pretty amazing

Flight radar is looking mischievous busier today

I only looked as it’s been the first time in weeks that I’ve seen two planes overhead at the same time

What’s going on here then? Some kind of survey?

That’s what they say. Been making most of quieter skies to survey ground all over Uk

Anyone know why the NHS plane 9HEAL is going back and forth between Cardiff and Newquay today?

It's Maleth-Aero, A340, reg 9H-NHS, carrying "NHS" livery..

The story behind it is here:

ukaviation.news/cardiff-airport-gets-two-special-visitors-in-one-day/

Sorry "carrying "NHS" livery.." doesn't make sense.. it's wearing/painted in a NHS tribute paint scheme.

@notimagain thanks!

Busy today with gliders and small planes. haven't seen it that busy for ages.

That’s certainly busier than last week

Probably because the rules regarding on General Aviation were relaxed yesterday:

"Updated government coronavirus advice means that recreational GA flying is now allowed:

from English airfields or flying sites
if social distancing measures are strictly observed
In practice this means that only solo flights, or flights where everyone is from the same household, are permitted."

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-recreational-general-aviation/coronavirus-covid-19-recreational-general-aviation