Ppe Collection

[Hopkirk]

I'm watching the RAF C17 transport aircraft going to Turkey, on Flight radar.
It left Stansted Airport, and is approaching Istanbul.

[Hopkirk]

I saw a C17 fly overhead at about 6.30 or a bit later. I immediately checked the internet, and it was this flight. A few minutes later I noticed Sky News saying an RAF transport flight had recently left for Turkey.

[albaqwerty]

hope it did land Hoppy.
the alternative don't bear thinking about.

I was beginning to wonder - flight time from London - Istanbul about 5 hours. If flight left at 5 pm then 11.30 isn't too bad I s'pose.

[albaqwerty]

Flightradar is blooming fascinating.
Well, I think it is anyway. :-)

[Hopkirk]

I think it did land safely, but with some sort of cloaking. The trail is usually colour coded to indicate the altitude. Instead the trail turned black and then it disappeared.

[albaqwerty]

I've wondered about the trail colours, thanks! xx
I'll know where to come if I've got any Q's :-D
(I'll bring cauli cheese as payment)

[Hopkirk]

It's quite easy for flights to be hidden in public sites. I didn't think Air Force One ever appears.
Perhaps Donald Trump is in Glasgow tonight.

[albaqwerty]

Think he might have other plans lol
My late brother used to be an ATC, unfortunately he died in 1991.
Would have loved him to be around if there was a possibility of finding out ''things'' ;-)

[Hopkirk]

Watch out for Ravenair aircraft G-RVNK.

It pops out from Liverpool every day. I think it must be doing aerial photography for Google.

[albaqwerty]

is that the one which has been doing the triangular flights over various cities?

Last year we had a plane doing 'test' landings and take-offs, the only real landing and take-off was once. Can't remember the aircraft, but it was checking out runway length. I think it was the bigger Emirates beastie.

[Hopkirk]

I have hunted for an inbound C17 this morning but can't find one. It is unusual for a military aircraft to appear on Flightradar, and perhaps it is still not announcing itself. Alternatively perhaps it came back while I slept, or hasn't set off back yet.

[malagabob]

“ Military aircraft don’t appear on Flightradar”
Maybe that’s why all these Government ministers can’t give a sensible update where and when the PPE is arriving

[Hopkirk]

If the Daily Mail is accurate, the aircraft I was tracking yesterday was not the one fetching the PPE. The Mail reckons that a different aircraft type, an A400, is sitting in Istanbul.

I definitely saw a C17 leaving, but it might not have been an RAF aircraft. By coincidence it flew to Turkish airspace, but went incognito so I'll never know now.

[jno]

apparently the equipment has arrived at Istanbul airport (hopefully the same airport where we're waiting for it)

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/21/turkish-ppe-flight-only-slim-chance-goods-will-arrive-in-uk-today

[DTCwordfan]

sounds like the Turks are 'cloak and masking' this one....

[albaqwerty]

if it's an RAF plane, it'll be shy and won't want to be picked up by civilian radar.

Which makes sense, I mean, you wouldn't want to see a herd of enemy planes en route to bomb the heck out of the allotment

[Hopkirk]

Oddly though last night there was an RAF plane visible, an airborne tanker doing circuits over the North Sea.

[Hopkirk]

Guess what I had for dinner, Alba.

[albaqwerty]

lol, straight out the pot or oven-baked? :-)

I'm still convinced that C17 was an RAF one last night tho.