FighterControl

Plane spotters to be issued with anti social behaviour letter?


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c204991n4wgo

'A number of aircraft enthusiasts will be issued with anti-social behaviour warning letters for straying outside a designated viewing zone at an RAF base, police have said.

Plane-spotters, including children, have been seen standing near safety fencing at RAF Waddington, in Lincolnshire, to secure better views.'

This is true.

Police have been at Waddington every day since the runway incident.

Yellow signs are placed on the fence which says something like these locations are being monitored, be aware of the risks of jet efflux etc.

There are the red signs between the lights saying you can't stand here and you will be moved. The ASBOs were issued to people who stood at the red and whites and refused to move yesterday.

Who'd have thought there would be ASBOs for place spotters....

The worst offenders this week I've seen are people with just a phone who wants to get as close as possible.


It's needed to be done sadly, the A15 has been so busy with people this past week - numerous times people run out in front of traffic, stand on the A15 whilst the lights are on, or stand too close to the edge of the road.

The traditional sensible spotter with common sense and respect for the land/hobby are in danger of being out numbered by the social media tiktok and Instagram folk wanting to get that like.

Maybe the base should’ve thought twice before plastering it all over their social medias before the exercise, teasers, encouraging people to come down and take photos…Yes, people should be better behaved (but where is common sense nowadays). The base should hold themselves partially responsible IMHO.

Remember what Lakenheath was like for the F-22’s last August, worst it’s ever been. I honestly remember people standing their with phones going “ooooh what’s happening, I just saw people so I wanted to look” - Which yes - People want to join in and that’s fine, but for goodness sake at least park properly…And stand somewhere sensible. Sorry slight off topic but you get the gist. Social media has a lot to answer for.

Continuing James' sideslip - perhaps Lincolnshire Constabulary could have a word with their Suffolk counterparts about the illegal parking on the A1065 marked as a clearway. I know the police have enough to do but it's about time something was done. Well done Lincs police.

Yes, sadly our hobby has been soiled by an unwelcome element of totally clueless people, and you find them at Coningsby too. On matters photography they know little, some with their tippy-tappy, some with bulky tablets . . .
Many then dump their sub-standard takings all over various social media sites, counting the 'likes' and 'faves'.

This is the first Cobra Warrior exercise that I have not attended in many years.

im all for it, someone has to step up and do something. the response is typical of the people in this country..they park on a double yellow line, get a ticket and blame the traffic warden. Unfortunately people create their own problems then when someone steps in and says enough is enough, everyone moans. so many examples of this..the mound at Coningsby, coris corner in the mach loop.......the solution is very simple, follow rules, dont be a tW*t and these things wont happen.

I can see it coming to an end at waddo,sorry to say someone is going to get killed on that road,then all hell will brake loose,I was up there myself Artics going past at 40mph or more.
Time will tell.

But........one of the photos in the monthly comp is of a Rafale straight down the center line...... Just wondering if the photographer is a day tripper who took the image with his phone!!

It's a stunning photo and I would love to get one like it myself, maybe if it's ok for 'cat1' (Black stallion photography) to stand there and upload his image to a competition, then so can I......!!

viewtopic.php?f=126&t=251284

blackbird60 wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 07, 2025 6:23 am

I can see it coming to an end at waddo,sorry to say someone is going to get killed on that road,then all hell will brake loose,I was up there myself Artics going past at 40mph or more.
Time will tell.

I’d agree with you however, we’ve been saying the same for years at Lakenheath where I’d say it’s been awful for a while (especially deployments) but nothing’s changed despite many threats.

blakey wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 07, 2025 6:35 am

But........one of the photos in the monthly comp is of a Rafale straight down the center line...... Just wondering if the photographer is a day tripper who took the image with his phone!!

It's a stunning photo and I would love to get one like it myself, maybe if it's ok for 'cat1' (Black stallion photography) to stand there and upload his image to a competition, then so can I......!!

viewtopic.php?f=126&t=251284

I'll happily defend my self here....

I was walking back from the 02 end on the Thursday. I was originally right round the end to the windsock.

After the days activities, it was suggested that one of the Rafale's had packed up and gone for home, so everyone started walking back.

As I was crossing the fence at the end (to avoid walking across a famers ploughed field...ahem, I felt, rather than heard, a roar and was blown flat on my back, only to see a rafale gently buttering a landing, so took the shot!


Hence its not in focus whatsoever, but nice, nonetheless

I can happily remove it if that would help, but rest assured I wasn't stood there waiting

James Cutting wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 06, 2025 10:21 pm

Social media has a lot to answer for.

definitely.

I think part of the problem is people see the photos that this community takes with telephoto lens, and assumes that we are all that close to the aircraft

Then try to replicate it on an iphone.....good luck

cat1 wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 07, 2025 7:21 am

I can happily remove it if that would help, but rest assured I wasn't stood there waiting

No don't remove it, I'm going to vote for it lol

I do thank you

Think James has hit it on the head.

The base built up so much hype but are unhappy about the amount of people coming.

The A15 will be changed to a 40 along the Waddo stretch soon hopefully as a permanent thing.

Signage alone does not stop drivers speeding, speed cameras is what is required, ideally just by the WAVE entrance. Yesterday alone would have been very profitable!!

Nighthawke wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 06, 2025 10:54 pm

Continuing James' sideslip - perhaps Lincolnshire Constabulary could have a word with their Suffolk counterparts about the illegal parking on the A1065 marked as a clearway. I know the police have enough to do but it's about time something was done. Well done Lincs police.

That’s been going on for years, I can remember parking there in the early eighties in my dads Ford Cortina watching F111’s and I still do it now

I was referring to the grass verge not the forest entrance.

reaper493 wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 07, 2025 7:39 am

The A15 will be changed to a 40 along the Waddo stretch soon hopefully as a permanent thing.

It's like that at Lakenheath on the A1605 - Doesn't stop them thundering down at 60, and you can see a difference in speed with those doing 40 and those doing 60 (looking at you white van men!). Granted from what I've seen at Waddo this year has really been appalling.

As the saying goes - you can't have your cake and eat it too.

James Cutting wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 07, 2025 8:25 am

reaper493 wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 07, 2025 7:39 am

The A15 will be changed to a 40 along the Waddo stretch soon hopefully as a permanent thing.

It's like that at Lakenheath on the A1605 - Doesn't stop them thundering down at 60, and you can see a difference in speed with those doing 40 and those doing 60 (looking at you white van men!). Granted from what I've seen at Waddo this year has really been appalling.

As the saying goes - you can't have your cake and eat it too.

I still await the day multiple cars are taken out by the regular B-1N waggon which turns up the track from the forest entrance at Lakenheath. Usually takes the turn at around 40mph peppering cars with gravel

Haha yes I am waiting for that too! I am surprised a couple of Dutch lads weren't wiped out while on their steps - in the middle of the entrance! Beeped at a few times, and we did tell them it's a regular track they go down...They got the memo around the 8th time it happened!