Random Stuff!

[Kevin Farnell]

Here's a screenshot showing the routing of USAF F-15 Strike Eagle (00-3003) over the northern West Midlands/Staffordshire -

Ignore the calibrated altitude of 400ft. I took this screenshot as it was descending for landing at RAF Lakenheath. In general, military aircraft will stay out of the Birmingham TMA, which is why they have been over the northern West Midlands/Staffordshire.

Kevin

 

[DarloPlaneBoy]

What is the difference between an F15 Eagle and an F15 Strike Eagle

 

[rollo]

What is the difference between an F15 Eagle and an F15 Strike Eagle

The original F15 was designed as an all weather interceptor.
The F15 Strike Eagle is a multi role attack fighter capable of attacking ground targets and any air threats to itself without any additional support supposedly although the Yanks would no doubt have something lurking nearby.

Either way I think generally it's not a good idea to mess with one despite the the first flight being in the 1970s

 

[DarloPlaneBoy]

So the F15 is basically there QR Aircraft and the F15 Strike is the Jet that then combats with say a Plane if it became hostile with the regular F15 also do RAF Jets track usually. I noted two maybe once or twice buy not many other than Voyagers and C130's and A400's

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Yes, the F-15E Strike Eagle is a multi-role combat aircraft with ground attack capability i,e, a 'mud mover' and I believe is nicknamed 'the mud hen'.
Most RAF aircraft are tracked by FR24. I've just seen a Typhoon over the north sea and unusually a Canadian registered A4 Skyhawk off the northern coast Holland.

Kevin

 

[DarloPlaneBoy]

Oh Weird then I swear that F15 didn't fly over the time I heard a Fighter Jet my dad heard the Red arrows though from Darlaston flying over Aldridge. Maybe it did fly over about 7/8PM last night and I heard it. I can't remember the time but it was getting Dark

 

[JENNYJET]

From my location, South of Redditch, I frequently get traffic inbound on a westerly track towards the Honily beacon before the turn towards R33 at BHX. I also get frequent low level heavy military flights inbound towards Brize Norton or Fairford. Any fast jet activities are usually at high altitude but non the less noisy!

 

[DarloPlaneBoy]

Couple of Questions, 1 if anyone lives around Darlaston or Bloxwhich Willenhall has anyone else heard what sounds like a Fighter Jet Engine rumble/Roar I checked and it isn't an Aircraft approaching Runway 15 we had one eairler about Five PM but before that and just now been hearing rumbles Engine like. It ay Thunder as the Sky is fairly clear by me but does anyone know if it is a Fighter Jet or Jets.

And also randomly a couple of months ago a huge fire broke out at a Truck place in Moxley opposite the Aldi, next to the Canal and A41 Black Country New Road. Now a few minutes before the Fire reportedly started an Aircraft flew over Darlaston on approach into Birmingham I think it was a Jet2 737 it was daytime/Evening anyway. I hear this banging after the Jet2 flew over and look out the back window at this point I have heard Sirens and then I see this big black Smoke and hear Popping and explosions. My mate in Willenhall sort of in front of me/Diagonally from me well By J10 can see the Smoke clearly from hers and my mate in Wednesbury behind me can. I didn't know it was Moxley I thought it was on Pinfold Street just out of Darlaston Town Centre close to me.

I check and they say the 79 is on Diversion missing out Moxley Road between I think Bilston so it misses the A41 entirely between Bilston Island and the A4444/A41 Black Country New Road Island in Moxley so I think the fire at this point is along there maybe in 1 of the big factories. But anyway people across the Black Country could see the smoke.

So having asked someone who I know works at BHX this question and they didn't know they hadn't dealt with one and had left BHX when it all kicked off. What happens if the Smoke is on the designated Flight Path for in this instance Runway 15 if ATC didn't instantly know. So say that Jet2 Flight and I think it might have been KLM who flew over next got over fine and there was no fire what happens when the next flight so say Ryanair comes over does the Captain tell ATC and proceed to fly over but just flying around or upon seeing it from say West Bromwich the other end of the Black Country New Road from Moxley do they tell ATC and then divert to a different approach or say they have missed the point to do that what do they do.

From where I live know the only variations I notice are which direction over Darlaston/My House do they do some fly from directly behind me sort of where the Fire was was next to that then either fly over my house turning over the next street, over what I call the Green Dragon approach sets them up for an approach over Wednesbury maybe/Aldridge. They all do that but they fly over my house in different directions or Turn eairler. But my old house by Kings Hill Park on the Darlo/Wednesbury Border between Walsall and Sandwell seemed to have many approahes behind my house was Darlaston Town Centre where I now live and some would fly from Wednesbury to behind me.

Some would fly from Darlaston to Wednesbury I think this might be approach to Runway 33 or holding pattern or some would fly from Moxley to the Side of me over twoards Pleck the otherside or some would fly from Wednesbury over my house turn and fly back over the M6 near to Wednesbury Rugby Club famous for having the tallest posts in the World. I heard they have Beacons on top to let Aircraft Know they are there I don't think they are that tall so I think this is Rubbish after doing that it appeared they headed back on themselves.

So anyway if the Fire was after a chance to change approach paths what happens and if no Aircraft are flying over ie there all using Runway 33 so no Crew or Aircraft well unless a light Aircraft I guess reports it but BHX will be using Runway 15 for arrivals say in an hour who tells them there is Smoke on the approach into Runway 15 from a fire in Moxley or Moxley's Co ordinants

 

[jfy1999]

Couple of Questions, 1 if anyone lives around Darlaston or Bloxwhich Willenhall has anyone else heard what sounds like a Fighter Jet Engine rumble/Roar I checked and it isn't an Aircraft approaching Runway 15 we had one eairler about Five PM but before that and just now been hearing rumbles Engine like. It ay Thunder as the Sky is fairly clear by me but does anyone know if it is a Fighter Jet or Jets.

And also randomly a couple of months ago a huge fire broke out at a Truck place in Moxley opposite the Aldi, next to the Canal and A41 Black Country New Road. Now a few minutes before the Fire reportedly started an Aircraft flew over Darlaston on approach into Birmingham I think it was a Jet2 737 it was daytime/Evening anyway. I hear this banging after the Jet2 flew over and look out the back window at this point I have heard Sirens and then I see this big black Smoke and hear Popping and explosions. My mate in Willenhall sort of in front of me/Diagonally from me well By J10 can see the Smoke clearly from hers and my mate in Wednesbury behind me can. I didn't know it was Moxley I thought it was on Pinfold Street just out of Darlaston Town Centre close to me.

I check and they say the 79 is on Diversion missing out Moxley Road between I think Bilston so it misses the A41 entirely between Bilston Island and the A4444/A41 Black Country New Road Island in Moxley so I think the fire at this point is along there maybe in 1 of the big factories. But anyway people across the Black Country could see the smoke.

So having asked someone who I know works at BHX this question and they didn't know they hadn't dealt with one and had left BHX when it all kicked off. What happens if the Smoke is on the designated Flight Path for in this instance Runway 15 if ATC didn't instantly know. So say that Jet2 Flight and I think it might have been KLM who flew over next got over fine and there was no fire what happens when the next flight so say Ryanair comes over does the Captain tell ATC and proceed to fly over but just flying around or upon seeing it from say West Bromwich the other end of the Black Country New Road from Moxley do they tell ATC and then divert to a different approach or say they have missed the point to do that what do they do.

From where I live know the only variations I notice are which direction over Darlaston/My House do they do some fly from directly behind me sort of where the Fire was was next to that then either fly over my house turning over the next street, over what I call the Green Dragon approach sets them up for an approach over Wednesbury maybe/Aldridge. They all do that but they fly over my house in different directions or Turn eairler. But my old house by Kings Hill Park on the Darlo/Wednesbury Border between Walsall and Sandwell seemed to have many approahes behind my house was Darlaston Town Centre where I now live and some would fly from Wednesbury to behind me.

Some would fly from Darlaston to Wednesbury I think this might be approach to Runway 33 or holding pattern or some would fly from Moxley to the Side of me over twoards Pleck the otherside or some would fly from Wednesbury over my house turn and fly back over the M6 near to Wednesbury Rugby Club famous for having the tallest posts in the World. I heard they have Beacons on top to let Aircraft Know they are there I don't think they are that tall so I think this is Rubbish after doing that it appeared they headed back on themselves.

So anyway if the Fire was after a chance to change approach paths what happens and if no Aircraft are flying over ie there all using Runway 33 so no Crew or Aircraft well unless a light Aircraft I guess reports it but BHX will be using Runway 15 for arrivals say in an hour who tells them there is Smoke on the approach into Runway 15 from a fire in Moxley or Moxley's Co ordinants

I would have thought smoke from a fire that large would be visible from the ATC tower - you get a decent enough view of the skyline from the airport

 

[DarloPlaneBoy]

I would have thought smoke from a fire that large would be visible from the ATC tower - you get a decent enough view of the skyline from the airport

Did you see the fire by any chance cus I don't know if people could actually see it beyond say Tipton if so how would BHX ATC know exactly where the fire is. Whenever they say a fire in Birmingham could be seen from across the Midlands I never see it. A bit like I couldn't see a big fire in Wednesbury today to be honest I didn't know there was any fire until checking the news.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

My guess, is that there would be a protocol whereby the emergency services notify any local airports of any incidences that may effect flights. Likewise, any pilots who notice anything (such as a thick rising column of smoke), will notify ATC and give it's location. As they do if they experience windshear on approach.

Kevin

 

[DarloPlaneBoy]

My guess, is that there would be a protocol whereby the emergency services notify any local airports of any incidences that may effect flights. Likewise, any pilots who notice anything (such as a thick rising column of smoke), will notify ATC and give it's location. As they do if they experience windshear on approach.

Kevin

If say it was a Dutch Captain how would they know the location exactly of the fire would they give a location based on Coordinates and ATC Know that is Moxley. Did you see the smoke from where you lived

 

[Kevin Farnell]

If say it was a Dutch Captain how would they know the location exactly of the fire would they give a location based on Coordinates and ATC Know that is Moxley.

They would most likely give co-ordinates. Alternatively, the moving map on the EFIS display will show Towns and City's.

Did you see the smoke from where you lived

Not from South Cambridgeshire, no!

Kevin

 

[DarloPlaneBoy]

They would most likely give co-ordinates. Alternatively, the moving map on the EFIS display will show Towns and City's.


Not from South Cambridgeshire, no!

Kevin

Moxley isn't a town but I get what your saying. If it happened during weather and weather was bad for a Runway 33 approach I guess they would just send them in a different approach to Runway 15. I've seen them on FR24 approach from maybe Tamworth or the other side of Sutton Park.

 

[Coathanger16]

They would most likely give co-ordinates.

If they were reporting it at the time, as opposed to say on ground freq. after landing, if they knew the area they might be able to give a rough location to tower, if they didn't they'll likely just give a bearing and distance from their present location.

At some point the information will be put on the airport ATIS so departing and arriving aircraft will know in advance.

Alternatively, the moving map on the EFIS display will show Towns and City's.

Sadly they don't show that level of detail. Not sure about other aircraft, but the A320 only shows the location of airports and navaids (VOR, NDB, etc).

 

[DarloPlaneBoy]

Speaking of huge fires now a huge one in West Bromwich West Brom is the flight Path to Runway 15 I am on I can hear a plane just I was about to say I couldn't would this aircraft have climbed slightly the fire has not long started near to Kelvin Way near The Town Centre and the M5 can't see smoke myself but it is cloudy that's why. It looked fairly clear in West Brom to be fair. Was probably wind no aircraft flew over head looking at FR24 it seems a Jet2 737 saw the smoke was on approach to Runway 15 but has now circled over Rubery and now along with another Jet2, FR and TUI all landing on Runway 33. Apparently someone in Shard End could see it she lived in a High rise so I think BHX ATC Could see it or the 737 Captain saw it reported and diverted, according to NXWM it is a Recycling Centre if so that's gonna have some Nasty stuff in it.

 

[DarloPlaneBoy]

Update Turkish used everyone else approach into Runway 33. Air Lingus flew over Brum, FR has flown over Kelvin Way at 9,000ft couldn't it and the Air Lingus been quickly vectored into 15 to avoid Darlaston and West Bromwich like they normally do coming in from Dublin.

 

[DarloPlaneBoy]

It does appear when FR flew over the smoke was extinguishing so Runway 15 may resume handling arrivals soon. Appears the Fire started at 14:35PM

 

[Kevin Farnell]

It does appear when FR flew over the smoke was extinguishing so Runway 15 may resume handling arrivals soon.

Looking at playbacks of various flights on FR24, it appears that R33 has been the active runway all day. This is the most commonly used runway, due to prevailing winds.

Kevin

 

[DarloPlaneBoy]

Oh

Looking at playbacks of various flights on FR24, it appears that R33 has been the active runway all day. This is the most commonly used runway, due to prevailing winds.

Kevin

Oh Right I have heard a few come into Runway 15