Raf Closes airspace halting Heathrow traffic

Anyone got any ideas what this might have been for? RAF closed airspace near Heathrow for an unsechexuled operational flight stopping traffic into Heathrow for 20 mins for something to land at Northolt. Some speculating Prince Phillip has died and they are moving the body will be announced tommorow but I wondered if anything else had been heard on the grapevine . Sounds odd for an unscheduled flight to stop traffic at a busy airport like Heathrow right on rush hour.

www.google.com...

a reply to: spaceaceuk

VIP flights, depending on who it is close airspace. The VIPs aren't always known for being on time.

It seems to be a rumour for the moment concerning Prince Phillip.

Tomorrow or even Monday will tell.

Lags

a reply to: spaceaceuk

a reply to: spaceaceuk

something to land at Northolt

Incoming ET Craft to begin negotiations with Earthlings.

The aircraft belonged to the Ministry of Silly Walks.

The delay occurred because, as you can imagine, it can take those folks awhile to deplane... even longer to clear the tarmac...

Ooooh. My bro in law workd for the Radio Times.
Just messaged him for comment.


a reply to: Lagomorphe

a reply to: spaceaceuk

The Guardian says 'security incident'
Extract;
'An unexplained “security incident” and Royal Air Force operation closed airspace around Heathrow on Friday morning, with dozens of arriving planes forced to stack for an hour or divert to other airports due to lack of fuel.'
Perhaps the reason for the PP rumour;

'A military flight from nearby RAF Northolt stopped scheduled passenger planes landing at Heathrow, Britain’s busiest airport, for about 20 minutes from 9am.'
'Military and civilian VIP aircraft use RAF Northolt, near Ruislip in west London, home to units from the armed services and the Ministry of Defence. The RAF’s 32 Squadron, which operates flights for the royal family, is based at Northolt.'


www.theguardian.com...

Randy Andy being shipped off to his undisclosed villa as more victims are going to come forward?

originally posted by: lakenheath24
Ooooh. My bro in law workd for the Radio Times.
Just messaged him for comment.


a reply to: Lagomorphe

Would be good if he could get a “first hand” update before said rumour gets viral. 👍

My Bro in Law says they use RAF Northalt for that sort of thing.

Probably drones and extenction rebellion.

I will keep checking.
He says protocol is to announce in the AM for such things.


a reply to: Lagomorphe

Given the recent stresses the Queen has had to endure....it could be Her Maj herself....if there is anything connecting the flight suspension to the Royal Family

Rainbows
Jane

Maybe something to do with this:

Queen's aides finalise details of Megxit deal with announcement 'imminent' on future of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after couple announced plan to quit royal life

Getting the right people into the right place for the big announcement?

This article says the delay was a military op from Notholt...which the royals use. Hmmmmm.

www.theguardian.com...

The clue is in the press release from RAF Northolt. Although based on Ministry of Defence property the surveillance flights are operated by civilian companies. Previously the RAF operated Islander aircraft. It was likely a Piper Navajo that are based at Northolt for the surveillance missions or a re-deployed RAF Islander from RAF Aldergrove.

The RAF said the flight had taken longer than anticipated. A spokesperson said: “The RAF can confirm that a flight was completed this morning by one of our assets from RAF Northolt.

“This flight was coordinated with Heathrow ATC but had to extend by a few minutes to complete its sortie.

Guardian news link

One of the Northolt based Piper Navajo. Note the turret under the nose.

Piper Navajo pic link

Janes Defence article on RAF Islanders

originally posted by: tommyjo
The clue is in the press release from RAF Northolt. Although based on Ministry of Defence property the surveillance flights are operated by civilian companies. Previously the RAF operated Islander aircraft. It was likely a Piper Navajo that are based at Northolt for the surveillance missions or a re-deployed RAF Islander from RAF Aldergrove.

The RAF said the flight had taken longer than anticipated. A spokesperson said: “The RAF can confirm that a flight was completed this morning by one of our assets from RAF Northolt.

“This flight was coordinated with Heathrow ATC but had to extend by a few minutes to complete its sortie.

Guardian news link

One of the Northolt based Piper Navajo. Note the turret under the nose.

Piper Navajo pic link

Janes Defence article on RAF Islanders

Had a quick glance on a RAF Northolt movements page on fbook, the story seems to be a (RAF?) Islander on a spying sortie. I don't enough to get the real story from the comments, if someone wants to have a look on fbook at the Northolt movements page they might be able to give a better answer than what I've just said

originally posted by: ThePeaceMaker

originally posted by: tommyjo
The clue is in the press release from RAF Northolt. Although based on Ministry of Defence property the surveillance flights are operated by civilian companies. Previously the RAF operated Islander aircraft. It was likely a Piper Navajo that are based at Northolt for the surveillance missions or a re-deployed RAF Islander from RAF Aldergrove.

The RAF said the flight had taken longer than anticipated. A spokesperson said: “The RAF can confirm that a flight was completed this morning by one of our assets from RAF Northolt.

“This flight was coordinated with Heathrow ATC but had to extend by a few minutes to complete its sortie.

Guardian news link

One of the Northolt based Piper Navajo. Note the turret under the nose.

Piper Navajo pic link

Janes Defence article on RAF Islanders

Had a quick glance on a RAF Northolt movements page on fbook, the story seems to be a (RAF?) Islander on a spying sortie. I don't enough to get the real story from the comments, if someone wants to have a look on fbook at the Northolt movements page they might be able to give a better answer than what I've just said

That is tying in with the chatter on other aircraft enthusiast forums.

UK aircraft/radio enthusiasts noted a Britten-Norman Islander returning to RAF Northolt just before 1000 on the 17th January. That coincides with Heathrow closure times. One radio enthusiast noted that the aircraft that he was monitoring was looking for something south of Heathrow and close to the approach. Noted flying at 3,000 feet.

Wiki Islander link

In addition to the Islander an RAF Sentinel R.1, serial ZJ691, operating out of RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire completed an orbit over London at 41,000 feet before returning to base.

RAF Sentinel link

Wiki Sentinel link

Makes you wonder what it was looking for. An anti terror op? Spying on spies? It's things like this make me wish I had an all access pass to top secret squirrel stuff

a reply to: ThePeaceMaker

Exactly!! here is a very similar situation ion Canada from last January
while they did not close the airspace they were indeed noticed prior to major anti terror event

nationalpost.com...

"As the terrorism charge was announced at a news conference in Kingston on Friday afternoon, officials confirmed the RCMP employed a Pilatus surveillance plane in the course of its national security investigation."

nationalpost.com...