Spadeadam 2011/2014

[johnhowe]

Interesting Notam for Spadeadam D510/D510A The Range will be additionally active from 17.00 to 17.30BST on Monday the 1st, July, 2013. there are various notams for surrounding Ranges and areas some for an hour and over
I'm wondering if this Notam concerns the Exercise Android involving 50 Aircraft, anybody else have and thoughts or ideas as to why the notam is for just 30minutes.

[catkins]

Also as you imply, there is a NOTAM for North Pennines covering same time slot:
P0049/13: Military operating area activated
Q) EGXX/QRMCA/IV/BO/W/195/245/5450N00231W032TRA 005 ACTIVATED
LOWER: FL195, UPPER: FL245
FROM: 01 Jul 2013 16:00 GMT (17:00 BST) TO: 01 Jul 2013 16:30 GMT (17:30 BST)
My presumption was Ex. Android but as no info is the order of the day, watch that space and see if anything appears!

[johnhowe]

There is a Notam for additional action at D510/D510A on the 4th, & the 5th, July, 2013 on the 4th 8.00am to 1600
and the 5th, 8.00am to 15.00. SFC to 18,000feet. Weather looks OK for both days

[poison1]

Sounds like typical times normally given for FAC exercise.But then again its about normal time for anything happening at Spadeadam.

[johnhowe]

Spadeadam Notammed for additional action bet 8am to 4.0pm 8th, july through to 12th, July. seperate Notams for
D512A overnight action from 17.00 9.7.to 8.0am 11.7.13.SFC to 10,000feet. + Notams for Para drops around Northumberland and Yorkshire this week. FACs at Appleby & Glaisdale above Whitby.

[johnhowe]

Notam for D510/D510A for Tues 16th, July, 2013. 12.30 BST to 15.00 BST Additional Traffic on ranges. there are a
number of Notams for the same date for A QWIC 13 which may use Spadeadam.

Notam for Otterburn A Flypast by the BBMF and Rotary Aircraft will take place WI. 3 NM of 551511N & 00295W
Otterburn at 13.45 BST & 14.15 BST Saturday the 20th, July, 2013 SFC to 3,000 feet.

[toom317]

Frank I was in S-M today and had spade on the scanner. There was some cqwi action around 14.00, but it seemed to be around 20,000 feet. Approx 10 minutes on the range, then it went quiet. Callsigns heard were Cobra, Spartan, Fang, I can't recall any others. That Otterburn Notam looks good. I'm assuming it's the Otterburn festival that's on.

[johnhowe]

Frank I was in S-M today and had spade on the scanner. There was some cqwi action around 14.00, but it seemed to be around 20,000 feet. Approx 10 minutes on the range, then it went quiet. Callsigns heard were Cobra, Spartan, Fang, I can't recall any others. That Otterburn Notam looks good. I'm assuming it's the Otterburn festival that's on.

Hi Danny, Thanks for the info. There are a number of Notams for The Highland Region in connection with FAC Exercise Winged Legend various dates all comms on 242.250 or 252.00
Hill of Mid Clyth, Highlands 581949N 0031321W 9am to 21.30 16.7.13
Hill of Talnamouth, Highlands 572713N 0025912W 19?7/13
Tain Range EGD 703 10am 8.30pm 17.7.13
Spittall Hill, Highlands 18.7.13 10am 20.30pm 18.7.13.
The Ord, Lairg. 580015N 0042456W 17.7.13. 10am 20.30pm.

There are Numerous Notams for different dates for Luce Bay.

Edit; Tues 16th, July, Its a real pleasure to go to Spadeadam and not wear umpteen layers of cold weather clothing
today it was hot mainly blue skies with occasional cloud cover outside 75 degrees and shirt sleeve order.

Lot of chatter on the radio mainly about exercise traffic on the east coast. At 11.50am Nato 30 flew over Spadeadam to take up a position off St Abbs Head, 15.20pm NATO 30 left St Abbs Head heading for Home Plate.
Rebel 41 Tornado GR4 entered the Range at Low Level from Langholm a couple of nice passes over Berry Hill and
handed over to Spaces.
13.00 Two T2 Hawks entered the Range Low Level from the southeast they flew a low level profile to the east of the range again heading the east.

There was a lot of High Level Typhoon Traffic on 234.5 but nothing came near to Spadeadam. 277.775 was exceptionally busy all day.





Danny, with reference to the FAC Exercises in the Highland Region, how many miles are they from say Glasgow, its
about 200 miles from my home just to Glasgow, so obviously I would have to stay for a few days.

[toom317]

Frank, I'm sorry but I'm not familiar with any of those locations you mentioned, so can't tell you how far from Glasgow they are.

[johnhowe]

http://www.otterburnvillagefestival.co.uk/ This could be the time to explore the range, visiting the areas not normally open to the public.

https://www.facebook.com/RAFCroWales Useful links to Exercises low flying calendar Etc.

[johnhowe]

Additional Activity today the 18th, September, 2013 at RAF Spadeadam D 510 & D510A. From 17.00 to 21.00BST Sfc to 5,500feet

http://xcweather.co.uk/forecast/gilsland Forecast for today

[Durranhill]

I heard Kraken 1&2 a pair helicopters (unknown type) working the range this afternoon on 308.775 , they had dep Carlisle at 14.25 heading for Spade with the SQ 1760 .
I later heard Lifter 1 call up Carlisle on 123.6 at 16.12 to say he was inbound for 19 , he dep later for Durham & about 20.40 I heard another Chinook routing overhead Carlisle heading north .

Stewart .

[poison1]

Hi there,

Carlisle is due to get quite a bit of activity in the next few days due to the exercise that started on Thurs 19th and lasts until Fri 27th.Exercise name unknown Im afraid so cant find that much out about it.Although News and Star (local rag) states that carlisle will be the main base for this ex and it will host C-130 hercules for both day and night flying.I drove out to the airport tonight and there was literally 3 army landrovers + 1 oshkosh tanker there but I would assume more to come.Lots of army personnel today in the supermarket I work in which makes me think they maybe situated elsewhere also. There was chinooks in the area of carlisle city at approx 20.45 also.My guess would be heading west (possibly Kikbride) which is why I think there maybe troops based outside Carlisle.

Any info from anywhere/anybody else would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[PeteHemsley]

I heard Kraken 1&2 a pair helicopters (unknown type) working the range this afternoon on 308.775 , they had dep Carlisle at 14.25 heading for Spade with the SQ 1760 .
I later heard Lifter 1 call up Carlisle on 123.6 at 16.12 to say he was inbound for 19 , he dep later for Durham & about 20.40 I heard another Chinook routing overhead Carlisle heading north .

Stewart .

Kraken is a Benson merlin callsign

[toom317]

A list of Notams for Carlisle, that may be of interest

L5249/13: Aerodrome traffic zone (ATZ) activated
Q) EGTT/QAZCA/IV/NBO/AE/000/030/5456N00249W002CARLISLE ATZ ACTIVATED, MIL ACFT MAY BE OPERATING IN ATZ. AD IN
USE FOR MIL EXERCISE.
FROM: 24 Sep 2013 19:00 GMT (20:00 BST) TO: 25 Sep 2013 04:00 GMT (05:00 BST)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
L5250/13: Aerodrome traffic zone (ATZ) activated
Q) EGTT/QAZCA/IV/NBO/AE/000/030/5456N00249W002CARLISLE ATZ ACTIVATED, MIL ACFT MAY BE OPERATING IN ATZ. AD IN
USE FOR MIL EXERCISE.
FROM: 23 Sep 2013 19:00 GMT (20:00 BST) TO: 24 Sep 2013 04:00 GMT (05:00 BST)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
L5251/13: Aerodrome traffic zone (ATZ) activated
Q) EGTT/QAZCA/IV/NBO/AE/000/030/5456N00249W002CARLISLE ATZ ACTIVATED, MIL ACFT MAY BE OPERATING IN ATZ. AD IN
USE FOR MIL EXERCISE.
FROM: 25 Sep 2013 19:00 GMT (20:00 BST) TO: 26 Sep 2013 04:00 GMT (05:00 BST)

[johnhowe]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqPxRZ1fp6s This is old film from 1987, however it is about a 4 ship of jaguars attacking Spadeadam, the first 10 minutes is the briefing, members of the public complaining about low flying etc. When the the flying starts a jaguar completes a bombing run at Holbeach, next an airfield attack
at Aberporth Airfield in Wales.

The interesting part for me is the flying from Dunmill Raise up through the Lake District an Airfield attack on Carlisle Airport, then a recce and attack over Spadeadam with two 20 seconds sorties showing the emitters and some great low level flying through the range.

[johnhowe]

viewtopic.php?f=74&p=546933#p546933

Spadeadam gets a mention on this parlimentary reply from The Defence Secretary. I suppose it will all be high level.

[Peted]

Hello - please excuse my basic question...

Has there been any JW traffic at Spade this week ?
Trying to decide if I should I make the trip from York ? Or stay at Leeming
thanks
PeteD, York

[catkins]

Re recent JW traffic to Spade, I'm afraid I can't answer that as weather & other commitments not ideal for outings!
However, in the light of all that has been posted about the farmer's field problems at Leeming, could I just add that occasional issues are sometimes apparent at Spade with the resultant concerns about security on the MoD land.
Often access rights can be difficult to fathom, range signs only say 'no access when the red flag is flying' (which is rare even during range use), and most range use can seem rather distant for us low level aviation photographers and enthusiasts, which in some situations can lead to over-enthusiasm to get ever closer to the action. But the sensible option is to assume and keep to the public roads and footpaths, as 'open access' is not a feature of MoD ranges!
Local farmers are well aware of where the public footpaths are and of the lengths some people will go to, and they will contact the MoD security if necessary - if I am walking in the area I am more than happy with that.
Forum sites such as this are read by the usual 'concerned locals' and most regular users of the range are known, for good or for bad - hopefully the former!
Last time I was there it looked like a new camera mast was being installed at Wiley Sike, which in one sense is a good thing as it will perhaps make security issues more apparent to anyone visiting, but if new to the area, the following may be useful:

• - that the single track public road to Chirnside has few parking places, is used regularly by locals (and the cattle do love to mooch on the road), the verges are often very soft as several know to their cost and as seen during the last JW Ex with a RNlA truck being stuck up to its axle, and a few of the limited laybys have priority for MoD use (especially Wiley Sike) if necessary
  - the largest area for parking is good for accessing the gorge and Crammal Linn waterfall (well worth a visit, although last time I was there a small landslip had affected the final bit of path to the waterfall)
  - there are few footpaths within the main range area, these abound the margins of the range, and often parking to access the routes is limited - none of these paths give you any real advantage (in terms of proximity to photo opportunities) compared to Wiley Sike especially in inclement weather but some give fabulous views over the surrounding countryside, of the Lakeland fells, the Solway Firth and/or the North Pennines
  - Wiley Sike tends to be the main meeting point for the LL watchers (but on many occasions it is a place of great solitude!), it would be great (tho don't hold your breath) if the MoD could open a café in the lovely new red and white portacabin, the LL pilots tend to know that photographers frequent Wiley Sike so if they have time or flexibility within their mission planning they often overfly in the vicinity (but guessing when is a good time to go there to photograph is a gamble and 'lady luck' is it seems in a different part of the country), and be prepared for 50 degrees of cooler temperature when there!

So be good to the locals, chat to the farmers and other 'users', and get down on your knees and beg for 'lady luck' to fly by, ideally with a rain dance at the same time to encourage the sun, and post your photos on the Forum so we can all enjoy a little bit of the 'Northern de-lights'!!

Regards
Chris

[Reptile 1]

Only stuff i have heard on Spade this week was some Typhoon's Vulcan 1-2 (Mirage 5F's) and Tarnish 69 and yesterday Monster 41flt cancelled there 1430 slot on the Range other than that it's not been really active with JW Trafic.