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Original poster

Spitfire over my house today …..

20 replies

Loopingtheloop246 · 14/04/2023 18:40

…. doing a barrel roll.

can they legally do that?

we live not far from where they are stationed and I was up the top of garden watching it fly towards me as it went into the roll. They are constantly flying above our semi rural housing estate, which I don’t mind, but after the Shoreham air disaster I think it’s irresponsible to be doing aerobatics manoeuvres over houses. I’m in the middle of the estate so it’s not like I’m on the edge of it.

OP posts:
TheWitchwithNoName · 14/04/2023 18:45

Are you near biggin hill? I’ve seen at least 5 go up today. I’m very close to the airport and I promise you they wouldn’t let just any novice pilot fly one of the spitfires! They really cant afford to lose anymore of them.

alexdgr8 · 14/04/2023 18:47

perhaps it was a modern reproduction, with modern engine etc, for filming maybe.
can put in right sound later.
seems unlikely to risk any strain on such venerable and rare aeroplanes.

Original poster
Loopingtheloop246 · 14/04/2023 18:53

It’s the action of the plane doing the barrel roll I’m interested in. Either new or old, is it legal to barrel roll any plane of any age over a housing estate?

I know a lot of people love to see them flying, I don’t have any problem with them flying near us or over us but I am very concerned about aerobatics above the place my family live and I live.

OP posts:
mbosnz · 14/04/2023 19:00

As I understand it (my Dad trained as a fighter pilot, for WWII so it might have changed, lol), it's not the plane that is warranted or licenced to do aerobatics, it's the pilot.

So my Dad took us up in cessnas, cherokees, etc, and could do loop the loop and barrel rolls, but when another friend took us up and did that he really got his pedigree over the radio!

Original poster
Loopingtheloop246 · 14/04/2023 19:07

So can these licensed pilots do acrobatics over houses?

OP posts:
mbosnz · 14/04/2023 19:47

Yes. It's kinda hard not to fly over houses . . .

I regularly have them doing aerobatics over my house. I think I've had a couple of Tigermoths doing it recently. . .

MargaretThursday · 14/04/2023 19:50

Wow! Lucky you! I wish they'd do it over here.

TheRookie · 14/04/2023 20:19

I live in a town with an RAF airbase. Every single day there are Typhoons and larger planes spegging it over our house, practicing landings, practicing QRA take offs. There's an air show once or twice a year sometimes the red arrows are here. Yes it's legal.

Shoreham was a terrible but extremely rare event

PleaseJustText · 14/04/2023 20:56

How else do they practice for air shows?

Titsywoo · 14/04/2023 21:04

Near Biggin Hill? I work in Westerham and see Spitfires fly over several times a day but never seen them do anything like a barrel roll! Would be cool though Grin

Original poster
Loopingtheloop246 · 15/04/2023 08:03

Yup, they’re great, but when I live surrounded by acres and acres of farmland and orchards why barrel roll over a small housing estate. Utter stupidity or just being a total show off.

this isn’t the first time it’s happened and all the residents feel the same pretty much, great to see them flying, they are loved, but go do the aerobatics over a field not my kids house.

OP posts:
GoodVibesHere · 15/04/2023 08:08

I wouldn't want the acrobatics over my house. You'd think there are inherent risks which would mean it's better to do that over empty fields rather than in a residential area.

User478 · 15/04/2023 08:09

I think the restrictions about not being over houses/busy roads only applies to the actual air shows.

If it's a pilot flying within their ability and flight plan I think that's legal.

If you're worried you can call the base/field and ask for their risk assessment for the manoeuvres.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 15/04/2023 08:12

PleaseJustText · 14/04/2023 20:56

How else do they practice for air shows?

over fields.

I used to live very close to Duxfotd Air Museum. All the acrobatic practices were done over fields, I never saw them.being done over houses.

notimagain · 15/04/2023 08:21

Hard to comment on whether the location was legit or not without knowing exactly what went on and exactly where.

There's usually a requirement need to avoid doing aerobatics over built up areas but that doesn't mean avoiding every housing estate by tens of miles.

FWIW a properly performed barrel roll is probably the least stressful (in terms of load on the aircraft) aerobatic manoeuvres which is why you do still see it flown by some of the World War 2 and later era fighters at air shows.

Can2022getanyworse · 15/04/2023 08:31

OP you don't want to know about the manoeuvres that go on when pilots take out teenage air cadets... They do fly in the main over sparsely populated areas but you can't avoid every house, hamlet or village.

notimagain · 15/04/2023 08:38

Can2022getanyworse · 15/04/2023 08:31

OP you don't want to know about the manoeuvres that go on when pilots take out teenage air cadets... They do fly in the main over sparsely populated areas but you can't avoid every house, hamlet or village.

Yep, you'd expect a modern Grob Tutor or similar aircraft to be doing much more in the way of aerobatics than a venerable Spitfire.

FWIW I've just had a look at some techy sources and the language used around this subject by the likes of the CAA nowadays is to avoid aerobatics over congested areas.

Original poster
Loopingtheloop246 · 15/04/2023 09:04

notimagain · 15/04/2023 08:38

Yep, you'd expect a modern Grob Tutor or similar aircraft to be doing much more in the way of aerobatics than a venerable Spitfire.

FWIW I've just had a look at some techy sources and the language used around this subject by the likes of the CAA nowadays is to avoid aerobatics over congested areas.

Show quote history

Thank you. I think I’ll look into this further. We are approximately 200 houses surrounded by acres of fields and lots of woodlands and orchards. There’s plenty of room to do acrobatics safely away from us. I believe we are at the end of their flight route and where they turn round to go back. I think these are ‘tourist’ type flight experiences.

There’s a couple of airfields it could be and I think I’ll ring them next week and ask about it. Some days we get four or five fly overs.

what was scary about yesterday was I felt it was heading right for me, I thought jeez now I know how vulnerable people out and about in WW2 must have felt about enemy planes shooting them. I doubt the pilot even saw me but I did feel like making a run for it. 🤣

OP posts:
notimagain · 15/04/2023 09:18

We are approximately 200 houses surrounded by acres of fields and lots of woodlands and orchards. There’s plenty of room to do acrobatics safely away from us.

One issue with the perception of this is that what seems like plenty of room from "down there" actually isn't plenty of room when looked at from "up there".

I used to teach some of this stuff many years ago (but sadly never got a go in a Spitfire) and even out in the deep UK countryside it can be hard to find large areas completely clear of development and I'd guess these days it's got much worse.

From a general risk POV I'd reiterate what's been written upthread that these aircraft will be flown by experienced pilots and also that properly flown gentle barrel rolls are relatively benign.

Anyhow, best of luck with the telephone calls...

P.S. Oh, and if I was in your shoes I'd tell them I won't query/complain about the flying again if they'll take me up for a free flight to demonstrate how safe it all is.😉

Throwncrumbs · 15/04/2023 09:30

I’m near Heathrow, I do wish planes would stop flying by my house too 🙄

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