Northern Ireland Aviation Enthusiast's Forum

Military Aviation => Modern Military Aircraft => Topic started by: casper on April 12, 2009, 06:47:11 PM

Title: C-17 over Lurgan
Post by: casper on April 12, 2009, 06:47:11 PM: Caught this today while working in the back garden. First time I've seen one and it has to be at 35,000ft :)

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: C-17 over Lurgan
Post by: vortex003 on April 12, 2009, 07:18:53 PM: What time was it - i picked up seven today on the SBS,i might have a guess at the airframe as there was particularly clear comms from one (talking to Shannon) when transiting by earlier.
Title: Re: C-17 over Lurgan
Post by: casper on April 12, 2009, 07:20:36 PM: Time was 13:53
Title: Re: C-17 over Lurgan
Post by: Dave on April 12, 2009, 07:25:17 PM: Awesome! Nice catch! ;D Thats a pretty rare thing to catch one at that Alt, especially in NI.
Title: Re: C-17 over Lurgan
Post by: casper on April 12, 2009, 07:27:29 PM: It's sad but I was digging holes in my back garden (putting up a fence) and every time I heard one going over I'd stop and look up to see what it was. This one just happened to look different so I ran inside and grabbed my camera :)
Title: Re: C-17 over Lurgan
Post by: vortex003 on April 12, 2009, 07:30:01 PM: Not the one i heard (it was later on),but two candidates are 03-3118 or 90-0532,the former being the most likely as i had it on screen both before and after your pic was taken.I didn't start to pick up the latter until 1409hrs.
Title: Re: C-17 over Lurgan
Post by: vortex003 on April 12, 2009, 07:32:41 PM: Quote from: casper on April 12, 2009, 07:27:29 PM
I was digging holes in my back garden

On a SUNDAY :o :o :o ;) ;)

Great catch anyway ;) - i caught one myself a few years ago on the camcorder passing East to West one evening,but never clapped eyes on one since :-\
Title: Re: C-17 over Lurgan
Post by: Dave on April 12, 2009, 07:49:33 PM: Quote from: casper on April 12, 2009, 07:27:29 PM
It's sad but I was digging holes in my back garden (putting up a fence) and every time I heard one going over I'd stop and look up to see what it was. This one just happened to look different so I ran inside and grabbed my camera :)

Perhaps crazy to family members but to plane euthusiasts, it's perfectly normal ;D

Quote from: vortex003 on April 12, 2009, 07:30:01 PM
Not the one i heard (it was later on),but two candidates are 03-3118 or 90-0532,the former being the most likely as i had it on screen both before and after your pic was taken.I didn't start to pick up the latter until 1409hrs.

Did you happen to catch any C-130's from Prestwick? My sister returned from Glasgow today via the HSS and mentioned she saw two C-130's at PIK.

About time we got a contrail thread started!
Title: Re: C-17 over Lurgan
Post by: greglloyd on April 12, 2009, 07:57:35 PM: I'm pretty sure I saw this too today from Maghaberry. Heard the noise and looked up to see it heading West. Is that the direction you saw it heading?

Incidently, I saw an RAF one of these flying right over Maghaberry after taking off from Aldergrove last year. Nice and low, heading in the direction of England. It looked really large. I think it was last summer when the last big batch of troops were pulling out. It was clearly a C-17 as I got the binos out for a real good watch!
Title: Re: C-17 over Lurgan
Post by: vortex003 on April 12, 2009, 08:00:17 PM: I've a C130 on screen now (164994) - but i can't be sure where it originated from.

Mil aircraft don't send positional data (for obvious reasons),but they do send altitude.It's just a matter then of catching them talking to ATC to get an idea if they are routing East or West.
Title: Re: C-17 over Lurgan
Post by: casper on April 12, 2009, 08:13:38 PM: Quote
Heard the noise and looked up to see it heading West. Is that the direction you saw it heading?
Possibly west or north-west.
Title: Re: C-17 over Lurgan
Post by: casper on April 12, 2009, 09:19:26 PM: Quote
Time was 13:53
Sorry that should be 14:53 - forgot my camera was still on 'old' time :)
Title: Re: C-17 over Lurgan
Post by: vortex003 on April 13, 2009, 07:29:24 AM: Ah ha!
Well i can still only narrow it down to two (06-6163 or 98-0055),but it was the latter that i picked up talking to Shannon yesterday - i'd be pretty sure that's your bird.It was heading back to Uncle SAm.