The plane enthusiasts thread

[L Q]

I'm not sure I would have been too chuffed with that pilot tbh. Surely a divert would have been the easier option?

They train for that landing. It’s quite normal.

 

[Randomnerd]

Often look at the sky before locking the back door for the night. Just watched at least 32 fast military jets ( presumably - only white lights ) very high all travelling east over the Vale of York, heading east, about mile between each plane. Wondering whats going on, since I’ve not spotted this before.

 

[L Q]

Often look at the sky before locking the back door for the night. Just watched at least 32 fast military jets ( presumably - only white lights ) very high all travelling east over the Vale of York, heading east, about mile between each plane. Wondering whats going on, since I’ve not spotted this before.

Could you hear anything.

It may have been the satellites from starlink. Think they have 60 in a line now.

 

[Randomnerd]

Could you hear anything.

It may have been the satellites from starlink. Think they have 60 in a line now.

I couldn’t hear anything. I’ve had a look at Starlink. Very interesting, but they were so equally spaced out. Could have been. Not sure. Seems the only explanation. Don’t expect military planes move in such numbers?

 

[wheresthetorch]

I couldn’t hear anything. I’ve had a look at Starlink. Very interesting, but they were so equally spaced out. Could have been. Not sure. Seems the only explanation. Don’t expect military planes move in such numbers?

It was definitely Starlink - I've seen them a few times now (as an amateur astronomer I regularly see individual satellites pass over as well) and your description matches perfectly.

 

[Randomnerd]

It was definitely Starlink - I've seen them a few times now (as an amateur astronomer I regularly see individual satellites pass over as well) and your description matches perfectly.

Thanks @wheresthetorch for confirming. Quite a sight to behold, Starlink. Perversely, however wonderful the tech, it makes the last bit of untouched nature seem cluttered by man’s hand.

 

[wheresthetorch]

Thanks @wheresthetorch for confirming. Quite a sight to behold, Starlink. Perversely, however wonderful the tech, it makes the last bit of untouched nature seem cluttered by man’s hand.

Indeed - it's upset the astronomical community quite a bit, especially the astrophotographers. 6 hour exposure, carefully tracking against the rotation of the earth, and then a long streak through the middle thanks to Starlink!

 

[Randomnerd]

astrophotographers

Now there’s a community I hadn’t heard of. I can imagine they dislike that light train. Is it only going to get more cluttered up there? Who is in charge of space junk?

 

[wheresthetorch]

Now there’s a community I hadn’t heard of. I can imagine they dislike that light train. Is it only going to get more cluttered up there? Who is in charge of space junk?

Some interesting stuff here:

https://aerospace.org/article/space-debris-101

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

If you want to identify that bright light in the sky - https://james.darpinian.com/satellites/

 

[Cycleops]

Wouldn't have liked to been in the shoes of a French Rafael pilot who gave a rather reluctant joyrider a very short, as it turned out, trip in southern France. The passenger got nervy and mistakenly pulled the ejection lever soon after take off:
https://mol.im/a/8205403

 

[Houthakker]

Wouldn't have liked to been in the shoes of a French Rafael pilot who gave a rather reluctant joyrider a very short, as it turned out, trip in southern France. The passenger got nervy and mistakenly pulled the ejection lever soon after take off:
https://mol.im/a/8205403

Could have been worse, at least he brought the jet back. If the ejection system had worked as designed then the pilot would have been ejected as well, but a fault meant he wasn't. Must have been a twitchy flight back with his canopy blown and waiting to see if the seat would fire.

 

[Cycleops]

Could have been worse, at least he brought the jet back. If the ejection system had worked as designed then the pilot would have been ejected as well, but a fault meant he wasn't. Must have been a twitchy flight back with his canopy blown and waiting to see if the seat would fire.

Typical french electrics, just like my old Renault .

 

[classic33]

Typical french electrics, just like my old Renault .

French Rafale fleet partially grounded pending safety review
https://www.aerotime.aero/clement.c...leet-partially-grounded-pending-safety-review


https://www.aerotime.aero/clement.c...-averted-by-defect-in-civil-ejection-incident

 

[DaveReading]

It's hard to blame the poor passenger for grabbing the first thing that came to hand - when you're being subjected to negative G isn't the best time to find out that your shoulder straps aren't tight enough.