Big red chopper

Brandy · Post by **Brandy** » Fri 13 Aug, 2010 1:36 pm

rikj wrote: raveydavey wrote: There was a big red helicopter circling over Leeds city centre late yesterday morning. Truth is stranger than fiction in this case. This was a Eurocopter operated by Bond Air Services. Will be based near Lowestoft to support a wind farm out at sea. Google the registration, G-GOWF. Supposedly the registration stands for Go Wind Farms.Earlier photos have the lettering "The UK's first wind farm support helicopter" on the doors. I got a poor snap of it, but that lettering has now gone. Good enough to get the registration though.It was doing practise landings at the LGI helipad. There were a few firemen on the helipad, maybe that's usual for practise runs in case it all kicks off. Hello stranger not seen you around these parts in a while?How you doin?

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Fri 13 Aug, 2010 8:23 pm

I've heard the tale of the Apache before, although there doesn't seem to be any photographic proof of the event (and I'm damn sure someone would have taken a pic, even only on a phone camera).That said, the Army and Air Force reportedly do "drop in" when passing if the facility is clear as a practice landing, so to speak. Again I don't know if this is gospel but I've heard it repeated enough to make me suspect there is an element of truth to it at least.

Richard A Thackeray · Fri 13 Aug, 2010 10:14 pm

raveydavey wrote: That said, the Army and Air Force reportedly do "drop in" when passing if the facility is clear as a practice landing, so to speak. Again I don't know if this is gospel but I've heard it repeated enough to make me suspect there is an element of truth to it at least. That seems likely, just in case of any civil emergency planning, if any kind of 'extraction' is required (or for a military operation in a foreign city??)We've not had an Apache, but do get Sea-Kings landing on our Pad, & boy!, do they cause a down-draft!!http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2254348 ... 9372BrKPeS

big s · Post by **big s** » Fri 13 Aug, 2010 11:46 pm

ive put a clip on youtube of a helicopter landing on the lgi dont know how to do a link but look for helicopter landing on hospital by steveleeds43.

uncle mick · Post by **uncle mick** » Sat 14 Aug, 2010 7:44 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU6xaEzJdSg

dervish99 · Post by **dervish99** » Mon 16 Aug, 2010 9:59 am

RichT wrote: Leeds Hippo wrote: I've noticed a lot of army helicopters landing on the infirmary roof over the past year - I can only assume it's taking injured solders from Afghanistan. I've mentioned this before, but one of our Consultants used to work at LGI (when he was a SHO, or a Registrar) & still swears to me that he saw an Apache land on the pad.It certainly altered his perspective for a few minutes to see that armament pointing at himSomehow, though I doubt it was an Apache, there aren't any working this far north are there??Probably a Lynx? When i was working a summer job at LBA we had 3 Apaches "drop" in on the airport, quite a sight, dam sight more interesting than a Jet2 plane.

Richard A Thackeray · Mon 16 Aug, 2010 12:51 pm

dervish99 wrote: When i was working a summer job at LBA we had 3 Apaches "drop" in on the airport, quite a sight, dam sight more interesting than a Jet2 plane. I bet that had quite a calming effect on any fractious passengers, who were getting grumpy about delayed flights!It's the same whenever we get (for whatever reason; personal injury/prisoner escort/etc...) that we get an 'Armed Response Team' sat in the waiting room.I'v seen it happen on a Saturday night, & the calming effect it has on the loudest/most obnoxious drunks is superb!! (as they enter to book in, the side-arms are clearly visible)Sadly a request for them to take their time, & sit there all night is only met with a grin