Look to the skies, if you’re in the right place, as eight helicopters are expected to fly in formation over central London at lunchtime and again in the afternoon.
Due to take off from Biggin Hill in south London at noon, they will head over London Bridge at around 12:10pm, and then head over to Regents Park and judging by the air traffic warning, either hover there for about 15 minutes – or maybe land – before heading away again.
They will be back over London Bridge at 3:55pm, heading over towards Walthamstow and then Stansted airport.
Then they will be back over Regents Park at 4:30pm to 4:40pm, and “possibly” back over London Bridge about 5 minutes later as they head back to Biggin Hill.
The location of where they are hovering could be unrelated, but it just happens to also be the home of the Ambassador of the USA to the United Kingdom. A home that is currently having a ring of steel added ahead of the arrival of the US President, one Donald Trump next week.
Based on previous visits, it’s speculation at this stage, but this could be a security rehearsal of the route, and could also involve the Osprey, which is very distinctive in design with their wings and double-rotors.
The official air traffic warnings (times are in GMT):
FORMATION TRANSIT OF UP TO 8 MIXED-TYPE HEL ROUTING: 511951N 0000157E (DEP EGKB) 1100 HR 513022N 0000428W (LONDON BRIDGE, LONDON) 1110 HR 513206N 0000905W (ARR REGENTS PARK, LONDON) 1115 HR 513206N 0000905W (DEP REGENTS PARK, LONDON) 1135 HR 511818N 0002650W (OCK VOR) 1148 HR 511818N 0002650W (HASLEMERE) 1200 HR 505206N 0010000W (HAVANT) 1215 HR 504650N 0010521W (ARR SOUTHSEA) 1220 HR 504650N 0010521W (DEP SOUTHSEA) 1300 HR 505652N 0012120W (ARR EGHI) 1315 HR FORMATION PLANS TO TRANSIT SFC-2400FT AMSL. TIMINGS, HGT AND ROUTE ARE APRX AND MAY CHANGE DUE TO WX OR OTHER REQUIREMENTS. 2019-05-0546/AS6 LOWER: Surface UPPER: 2,400 Feet AMSL FROM: 31 May 2019 10:45 GMT (11:45 BST) TO: 31 May 2019 13:30 GMT (14:30 BST)
And:
FORMATION TRANSIT OF UP TO 8 MIXED-TYPE HEL ROUTING:
505652N 0012120W (DEP EGHI) 1415 HR
505828N 0005841W (VCY BUTSER HILL VRP)1425 HR
510528N 0004322W (HASLEMERE)1433 HR
511818N 0002650W (OCK VOR) 1445 HR
513030N 0000514W (LONDON BRIDGE, LONDON)1455 HR
513724N 0000148W (BANBURY RESERVOIR)1500 HR
515254N 0001334E(ARR EGSS)1505 HR
FORMATION PLANS TO TRANSIT SFC-2400FT AMSL. TIMINGS, HGT AND ROUTE
ARE APRX AND MAY CHANGE DUE TO WX OR OTHER REQUIREMENTS.
2019-05-0548/AS6
LOWER: Surface
UPPER: 2,400 Feet AMSL
FROM: 31 May 2019 14:00 GMT (15:00 BST)
TO: 31 May 2019 15:20 GMT (16:20 BST)
And:
FORMATION TRANSIT OF UP TO 8 MIXED-TYPE HEL ROUTING: 515254N 0001334E (DEP EGSS)1515 HR 513724N 0000148W (BANBURY RESERVOIR)1530 HR 513206N 0000905W (OPR VCY REGENTS PARK 1530-1550 HR 511951N 0000157E (ARR EGKB) 1545-1600 HR FORMATION PLANS TO TRANSIT SFC-2400FT AMSL. TIMINGS, HGT AND ROUTE ARE APRX AND MAY CHANGE DUE TO WX OR OTHER REQUIREMENTS. 2019-05-0548/AS6 LOWER: Surface UPPER: 2,400 Feet AMSL FROM: 31 May 2019 15:00 GMT (16:00 BST) TO: 31 May 2019 16:15 GMT (17:15 BST)
I am hoping to catch them at Regents Park, but cant seem to fathom the coordinates (not used to reading NOTAMs!). I guessed it would be near the ambassadors house, but my friend said the coordinates were for an open patch just east of the zoo. Are you able to pinpoint the location? I’d hate to be at the wrong side of the park when they arrive! Many thanks.
513206N 0000905W = 51°32’06″N 000°09’05″W https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/51%C2%B032%2706%22N+0%C2%B009%2705%22W but those can’t be the precise real landing coordinates as that would mean landing in a clump of trees
The Osprey isn’t a helicopter, it’s a tilt-rotor aircraft.
There will be helicopters AND maybe the Osprey.
They literally just flew over my house in North London lmao
Trump waved to me.john somers town
Just saw them flying over Kingston.
Didn’t see any Ospreys. A few US Army Chinooks and Black Hawks flanked by our AAC Apaches.
Just gone low over Kingston
It’s Stansted Ian , Stansted (
Just seen two Chinooks followed by two presidential Sea Kings go over here in Southsea about 20 and 15 minutes ago respectively.
Is this for the man from Apache country?
Saw an Apache over central Ealing heading south earlier this afternoon
Saw an Apache over central Ealing heading south earlier this afternoon.
Who gives?
They did the same for the previous visit last year. I was working in the upper floors of an office building near Marylebone station at the time, the air formation flew over and i had a good view of the hover over regents park.
Been flying over nay house for two days now
It is really poor judgement to publish all those details. you could have conveyed your point without any of that.
Irresponsible.
What point was I making other than “here is something interesting to look at and where it will be”
It’s called NOTAM (notice ti airman) and publish by CAA to pilots to avoid conflicts. Nothing irresponsible with the news
Thank you for sharing. I was wondering what all the extra fencing around the Outer Circle was about, figured it had something to do with the Orange in Chief coming to visit.