Simviation Forums

Regulars in the Photos forum might have noticed my shots of display aircraft at the "Airbourne" event this week. This is a very popular 4-Day free air display along the seafront at Eastbourne. The Red Arrows have been closing the show on the last 3 days.

I spotted this item in the paper this morning.

Red Arrows interrupted by plane

A light aircraft interrupted a Red Arrows display on Saturday when it flew into restricted airspace at Eastbourne air show.

The Red Arrows had already begun a display when the aircraft was seen at 1241 BST, a council spokesman said.

The precision aerobatics team was held in safe airspace until the aircraft left the restricted zone, when the display was resumed, he added.

He said the Civil Aviation Authority would take action against the pilot.

The spokesman said the aircraft "had no approval or clearance to be in the air space".

"The aircraft has been identified and will be reported to the Civil Aviation Authority who will take appropriate action.

"The aircraft was identified very early in the Red Arrows display and they were held in safe airspace until the light aircraft had left the restricted area.

"The Red Arrows then resumed their display in safety," he said.

This year is the 40th display season for the Red Arrows and Eastbourne was promised a special flying display to mark the event.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/southern_counties/3565204.stm

Knowing how reliable the average newspaper report is I asked some of the display pilots at Shoreham how much truth there was to it. Apparently they got it right for once. The RNAF display pilot told me that not only was it true but he was ashamed to say it was a Dutch pilot. He was flying blissfully along Eastbourne seafront which is a restricted area for this weekend - for obvious reasons. He met the Reds head on although they were at a higher altitude. They immediately abandoned their display to regroup & wait for clearance. Apparently the light aircraft pilot landed at Lydd airport in Kent & denied all knowledge of the incident. Unfortunately for him, many 1,000s of spectators saw it happen & had photographs to prove it.

I can see it's serious, but, losing your licence?  Seems a bit cruel and harsh.

[quote]I can see it's serious, but, losing your licence?

So I gather that over there the "restricted airspace" thing is as big as here in the US now?

So I gather that over there the "restricted airspace" thing is as big as here in the US now?

I don't think this has anything to do with increased security, it's purely for safety reasons. It's always been a serious offence to enter restricted airspace. In this case, with display aircraft of all types expecting freedom to carry out their displays it could have caused a terrible accident. It only takes a phone call to the local ATC to check on temporary restrictions like this one before taking off. It frightens me just how many private pilots seem to take no notice of the regulations these days.

A Red Arrows Hawk hit a yacht mast during a similar display at Brighton some years ago. Needless to say the yacht shouldn't have been there. Some people will risk their lives & those of others to get a better view than anyone else. The aircraft ditched in the sea but fortunately the pilot (& the occupants of the yacht) escaped unhurt. I'm not sure the Reds have displayed at Brighton since.

PS. Security has been tighter than a duck's bottom (& that's watertight) around Brighton during party conferences since the Grand Hotel was blown up by the IRA some years ago (1984). They almost got Maggie Thatcher who was PM at the time. http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/12/newsid_2531000/2531583.stm

There is always one jerk to mess it up for everyone. I'd have shot the twerp down

did you talk with the KLu demo pilot...with Captain Christian van Gestel? if yes, you lucky burger!  ;)

[quote]did you talk with the KLu demo pilot...with Captain Christian van Gestel? if yes, you lucky burger!

at the website of the team: www.f16demoteam.nl you can read they were booked for Eastbourne.

at the website of the team: www.f16demoteam.nl you can read they were booked for Eastbourne.

Yup, I'm sure they told me the team was based at Manston in Kent during the Eastbourne show. No way they could operate from Shoreham. Seems they'll be in Sweden during the RAFA display this year.

[quote]I can see it's serious, but, losing your licence?