Fast jet At BFS

[Angry Turnip]

just heard (11.03 AM)but didn`t see fast jet depart BFS heading West-probably a Hawk or maybe even two.

[Dave]

Myself and a friend saw it as well, flying over Belfast at about 1000 to 2000 feet in line with BHD's runway 04 -22. It also did a small roll which was quite interesting to see.

[iCardboardRobot]

F3 apparently

[String]

If it was a tornado f3 expect more. My source Say's that the RAF want to use NI more then ever as they have similar low flying zones, it gives them extra training and a new type of scenery.

[casper]

That would be great but where would they do their low flying?

[Angry Turnip]

There was a Tornado doing some missed approach practise at BFS a little earlier (I saw it) but he was seen heading East over Larne back to RAF Leuchars at Approx 10.55.

The aircraft I heard was a defenantly a Hawk which also carried out a missed approach and departed intially West then headed South East towards RAF Valley.

Re Low flying in NI it is very unlikely that fast jets would be allowed to train at low level here-a few years back four Tornados and two Hawks were based at BFS for approx 8 weeks practising intercepts),and the local people went boogaloo about it.
The only suitable locations are parts of the Mournes (which are too small) and around the Sperrins.
These areas are ok for helicopters but not really suitable for fast jet operations-there are several very isolated low flying areas within the UK that are used at present and as they are very sparcily populated there is rarely any protest.

As I have mentioned in previous posts RAF fast jets do practise airfield diversions and other ops from RAF Aldergrove but the aircraft are rarely around for more than 30 mins or so.

[vortex003]

I picked up a couple of Hawks on the SBS this afternoon.One was using callsign 'Pirate03'.

[String]

At the moment RAF luechars have just a reserve sqn, that might be why they over here a lot.
i will try and find out if more tests are due and when.

[Angry Turnip]

"Pirate 03" was a RAF Hawk XX339 based at RAF Valley.
Saw it last week doing 3 circuits at Aldergrove and then away home.

Regarding RAF Leuchars they have 3 Tornado F.3 Squadrons there,43(F) Sqd,111(F) Sqd and the training Sqd (56)R.

43(F)Sqd and 111(F) are part of the QRA Defence Group and will eventually be equipped with Typhoons.They currently have a small group at OCU at RAF Conningsby.

Pic below of a 43(F) Sqd "Fighting Cocks" Tornado F.3 at RAF Aldergrove Family Day 2004-sorry for the quality-

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[vortex003]

"Pirate 03" was a RAF Hawk XX339 based at RAF Valley.

Can you confirm it was XX339 - it showed up as XX329 on the SBS.

(Its harder to match up the Codes / Regs for those Mil boys)

[Angry Turnip]

I don`t have an SBS,but anytime I have heard Pirate 03 it was always XX339-that`s not to say that the callsigns don`t get changed around between aircraft.

[vortex003]

Thanks Angry.