FighterControl

Great report of some of the hints and stories that have been filtering back to the east side of the Pennines. Shame to have missed this but great to hear about C17 and Osprey using Carlisle airport as part of this Ex. Thanks!

That sounds like a great night out, even if piccys were not possible.

Hi guys,

Im led to believe theres been a C-130,a C-17 and 2 Ospreys in and out of Carlisle again tonight.A very grainy video posted on facebook by someone I know.

Anyone know what tonights action entailed.

Thanks in advance,
Poison1

I had a visit to Spade, starting at NE corner to keep slightly out of the way of what I'm led to believe from other websites was a SF hostage rescue exercise based in the lower part of the range.
I watched Guardian and Snake arrive to circuit Spade (presumably as UAV and comms) just prior to arrival fast and low of one Osprey from east (Hopealone area) into what i presume was Afghan compound or a compound to the west of that. Running dark with just a faint green light i only observed one ingress and presume other held off to the east.
I moved back to the southern part of the range but there was no sign or sound of the Osprey/s. From here I saw and heard the C17 arriving at Carlisle in the distance. Meanwhike a firefight and shouting was later heard from the camp or compound area. Presumed fighter cover was heard overhead at medium to high level, and I've read elsewhere that the Ex also involved Sentry, Tanker, Falcon, Hawks and Typhoon assets over the NE coast and North Sea. About half hour later, faintly visible and running dark, i watched the first Osprey return along the tree line from the east, to land/hover near where the fire fight had been. After it lifted, the second Osprey passed from the east over Berry Hill, for both to then head off to Carlisle airport. Snake and Guardian were still circuiting overhead until after all had departed from Spade...including myself.
Not an aviation photography night, though near full moon helped with sighting the Osprey. And pleased to see the dark shadow in the north at last...daytime next time please!
I gather the operation at Carlisle airport was similar to Geofff's report in previous posting. Hopefully someone will confirm airport operations here too. I gather intended helicopter assets of CH47 and two Lynx were cancelled due to bad weather which was passing over the Pennines - the weather held good tho gusty at Spade. I believe that this element of the exercise is now complete though the Ex continues until 1st Oct.

A Special thanks to Geoff and Chris for their reports, obviously Spadeadam is the place to be. The last time I visited Spade on a night time exercise I met up with
The FAC guys, they leant me a pair of NVG glasses. You only have to ask.Frank.
viewtopic.php?f=74&p=798310#p798310 J/W 16/1 arrivals A/C Ships.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDg0n344wlg The older version of what now flies at D510.

Well, night vision capability would have been useful to check out which bushes were moving but in some ways the dark shadow and sound of the Osprey coming in for its pickup was all the better after a night of dark arts! But if anyone has some high tech night vision that they want to give away then let me know!!

Its the last day of September, 2015 the sky is a deep azure blue there is a lot of activity at Spade most of it high level stuff Warlord, Zenith, and out of the blue to coin a phrase comes a Transal appears does a wing over Berry Hill and heads north only to appear low level from the Gilsland area. Freqs in use Spade ICF and FAC High Level 282.05 Warlord was on 248.7 In some radio transmissions I heard Guardian mentioned was this The Transal or was it Skyguard which was parked up on R8.

September has been my animal month, whilst videoing the Italian Typhoon IPA 2 at Warton a stoat appeared in the long grass about 6 feet away from the cars on the mound I shot a video where the stoat stood on its hind legs 3/4 times. Today a fox strolled out of the undergrowth about 20 yards from my position at Wiley Syke.

Of course there were quite a few raptors making use of the thermals, buzzards, sparrow hawks, Kestrels.

A word of caution in the foggy misty conditions which are prevalent at Spade on early mornings the stupid sheep and cows just wonder out of the gloom without a care in the world and walk into the path of traffic.

Now here is a cautionary tale of always do what the farmer tells you or advises you to do. I was staying at a farm on Otterburn the farmer suggested that we should park our cars in the yard and not leave them anywhere else, everybody obeyed this suggestion apart from a know it all from down south, he had a beautiful red coloured jaguar and he wasn't going to park his car in the dirty yard.

We all had a fantastic dinner and arranged to be up early for breakfast the next morning. As the sun came up just after dawn we heard a tremendous crash outside
everybody ran out to see a large ram having a fight with a rival ram, one ram would retreat a few yards and head down charge the rival, time after time until his
rival was defeated and not visible, of course there wasn't a rival it was just the rams reflection on the now battered red coachwork of the jaguar.

Cobra Warrior Carlisle.

Nice one Al, did you get any decent ones of the Ospreys?

Geoff

You saw what I managed to take Geoff I wouldn't consider they were worth saving. Enjoyed the nights proceedings though.

Notam H 5661/15 & H5663/15 refer to Helicopters in Transit (8 AH64s)in Low Flying Areas 12 & 17 Night Sector 4A(s) in the Spadeadam Operating Area the transits will be under Newcastle Control. 19/10/15 Schedule 14.00 18.00 20-23 & 26-29 13.00 to 23.59. some of the action will be in the Rothbury Area as well as Otterburn
and D 510/D 510A.

D.510 & D510A will be deactivated from 9.0am to 17.00pm during the exercise times. Time again for NGVs?

I was searching the net to find references to Otterburn concerning Mallet Blow Exercises of the 1980s/90s and found this interesting site which includes the Harrier(2) crash in 1987.http://aviation-safety.net/photos/http: ... _index.htm

Where about in that site Frank? I've tried to find that incident and others and can't find any RAF incidents listed.

toom317 wrote:Where about in that site Frank? I've tried to find that incident and others and can't find any RAF incidents listed.

Hi Danny, I will PM you with the details Frank.

http://www.ukserials.com/pdflosses/maas ... _xz136.pdf

As the last reported action at Spadeadam was in January, 2016 I have pasted some shots by Catkins of Hercules and Apaches on the Range. Credits to Chris.
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=127686

toom317 wrote:Where about in that site Frank? I've tried to find that incident and others and can't find any RAF incidents listed.

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov. ... 6Xv790.htm

A message to everybody who reads this post, just click on any particular year but only if you have a few days spare the info obtained under The Freedom of Information is fantastic and lists practically every fast jet, transport or helos incidents. RIP to those brave Pilots who" Bought The Farm."

Info about two exercises including JW 16/1 with Spadeadam involvement and possible Carlisle Airport.

http://www.flyer.co.uk/pilots-wargames- ... -in-april/

According to Notams RAF Spadeadam Ranges D 510 & D510A are deactivated bet 09.00 to 14.00 from the 21/3/16 to & Including 24/3/16.

http://investineden.co.uk/news-events/n ... next-april

Spadeadam 31/03/16

Seems things have been fairly quiet of late other than the odd Strix or Ascot Herc.

Last few nights has been active 17:00-22:00 with AAC Apaches. 'Prowler 1' made several runs at the R206 threat (ZJ221 from the box, no visual confirmation). It operated in the North East of the range.
'Bedlam' joined around 21:30, again on the R206.

Previous night produced 'Prowler2' - ZJ229 and again 'Bedlam' afterwards. Other serials noted were ZJ183 & ZJ198. These are taken from the box so not Gospel.

Heres hoping JW brings some goodies next week.

Regards to all,
Geoff

Spadeadam 04/04/16

Quick report from today, 10:00-11:00L RRR075 ZH871 operated on the range at 3,000ft using the R202 & R208.
Descended to 2,000ft to drop chaff. Departed to the West heading for Prestwick but came back onto the range around 14:00.

This afternoon 15:45-17:00 produced 'Jolly 31 & 32 ' HH-60 Pave Hawks (56th RQS Lakenheath) who used R206, R208 & R504 threats.
Mid way through sortie they landed at R7 Berry Hill for a crew change. Departed low level to the South.

Helicopters due back Tuesday.

Geoff
Carlisle