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[henryd]

Anyone heard anything?,just leaving heathrow and saw a plane escorted  buy two fighters (virgin I think)

[Mr Skrunts]

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/breaking-passenger-plane-escorted-two-26879736

[henryd]

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/breaking-passenger-plane-escorted-two-26879736

That'd be it 

[Mr Skrunts]

https://www.itv.com/news/london/2022-05-05/virgin-plane-turned-back-as-first-officer-had-not-finished-training?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR2uIh3qreXUqc7ZUWs4GMirXLHnTUCXuNrrFb9xlAM-ZSfB-9f1G0w267U#Echobox=1651742931

[Mr Skrunts]

2 Different issues as it seems this one happened earlier this week and no mention of RAF jets being involved.

[LC0112G]

It was a fly past by the VIP RAF Voyager tanker (Bo-jo1 ZZ336) and two Typhoon FGR4's (Wolf 11&12 ZK312 and ZK334) over central London for the Japanese Prime Minister who is on a short visit to the UK. His two B777's are currently parked at Stansted. 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-and-japan-set-to-rapidly-accelerate-defence-and-security-ties-with-landmark-agreement

[Doctor Gollum]

If they we're going to escort an airliner on the off chance that they might have to shoot it down, then you can guarantee that it won't be anywhere near Central Lundun

[henryd]

If they we're going to escort an airliner on the off chance that they might have to shoot it down, then you can guarantee that it won't be anywhere near Central Lundun

I thought same,but strangely concerning to see as couldn't make out it was RAF

[Doctor Gollum]

At a glance they look like the regular A330 that they are based on, but helpfully much of the Air Tanker Voyager fleet is grey, with only a handful of white aircraft. 

[LC0112G]

Airtanker 'own' 14 A330 Voyager jets, 9 of which are in the RAF 'core' fleet, and 5 are retained by Airtanker in the 'surge' fleet.

All but one of the 9 aircraft RAF core fleet are painted in RAF grey, and wear RAF roundals, serials and titles. The one exception is ZZ336, which was painted in a mostly white scheme a few years ago. It operates as BoJo1, and flies the PM on long distance foreign travel. ZZ336 is often used in photo opportunities. However, it can also be used as a normal transport/tanker, and indeed it often operates as the nations QRA tanker since it is usually at Brize waiting for the next PM trip, whereas the grey fleet is off around the world doing transport stuff.

The 5 aircraft 'surge' fleet are retained by Airtanker. The intention is/was to lease these aircraft out on the civil market to reduce costs. In an emergency, the RAF can then 'requisition' these aircraft back into service. In the recent past, some of these jets have been leased to Thomas Cook and Condor, and when in service with those airlines they are painted in the colours of those airlines. Therefore, you may well have flown on an RAF Voyager without realising it.  Two of the surge aircraft are used by Airtanker (in RAF grey but with Airtanker civil markings) to operate the Falklands air bridge - two return flights a week. There are fewer diplomatic issues operating 'civil' aircraft to/from the Falklands than there are operating military ones - particularly now the runway at Ascension is FUBAR.

You should also note that SOP for a 'live' QRA intercept is not to fly the two fighters off each side of the intruder. One fighter will fly alongside to make it's presence known to the cockpit crew and provide visual instructions and identification. The second fighter will trail the intruder by a mile or two incase the intruder does not follow the instructions given to it by ATC or the first fighter, and "enforcement" action is needed. So if you see an 'airliner' in formation with 2 or more fighters then it's a fly-past. If it's an airliner with a fighter a mile or two behind, then it's probably not a fly-past. 

[ronnyd]

Airtanker 'own' 14 A330 Voyager jets, 9 of which are in the RAF 'core' fleet, and 5 are retained by Airtanker in the 'surge' fleet.

All but one of the 9 aircraft RAF core fleet are painted in RAF grey, and wear RAF roundals, serials and titles. The one exception is ZZ336, which was painted in a mostly white scheme a few years ago. It operates as BoJo1, and flies the PM on long distance foreign travel. ZZ336 is often used in photo opportunities. However, it can also be used as a normal transport/tanker, and indeed it often operates as the nations QRA tanker since it is usually at Brize waiting for the next PM trip, whereas the grey fleet is off around the world doing transport stuff.

The 5 aircraft 'surge' fleet are retained by Airtanker. The intention is/was to lease these aircraft out on the civil market to reduce costs. In an emergency, the RAF can then 'requisition' these aircraft back into service. In the recent past, some of these jets have been leased to Thomas Cook and Condor, and when in service with those airlines they are painted in the colours of those airlines. Therefore, you may well have flown on an RAF Voyager without realising it.  Two of the surge aircraft are used by Airtanker (in RAF grey but with Airtanker civil markings) to operate the Falklands air bridge - two return flights a week. There are fewer diplomatic issues operating 'civil' aircraft to/from the Falklands than there are operating military ones - particularly now the runway at Ascension is FUBAR.

You should also note that SOP for a 'live' QRA intercept is not to fly the two fighters off each side of the intruder. One fighter will fly alongside to make it's presence known to the cockpit crew and provide visual instructions and identification. The second fighter will trail the intruder by a mile or two incase the intruder does not follow the instructions given to it by ATC or the first fighter, and "enforcement" action is needed. So if you see an 'airliner' in formation with 2 or more fighters then it's a fly-past. If it's an airliner with a fighter a mile or two behind, then it's probably not a fly-past. 

The paint must be about 4" thick by now.

[zirk]

Damm, thought it might be Puttin coming over for a short stay.

[Doctor Gollum]

Airtanker 'own' 14 A330 Voyager jets, 9 of which are in the RAF 'core' fleet, and 5 are retained by Airtanker in the 'surge' fleet.

All but one of the 9 aircraft RAF core fleet are painted in RAF grey, and wear RAF roundals, serials and titles. The one exception is ZZ336, which was painted in a mostly white scheme a few years ago. It operates as BoJo1, and flies the PM on long distance foreign travel. ZZ336 is often used in photo opportunities. However, it can also be used as a normal transport/tanker, and indeed it often operates as the nations QRA tanker since it is usually at Brize waiting for the next PM trip, whereas the grey fleet is off around the world doing transport stuff.

The 5 aircraft 'surge' fleet are retained by Airtanker. The intention is/was to lease these aircraft out on the civil market to reduce costs. In an emergency, the RAF can then 'requisition' these aircraft back into service. In the recent past, some of these jets have been leased to Thomas Cook and Condor, and when in service with those airlines they are painted in the colours of those airlines. Therefore, you may well have flown on an RAF Voyager without realising it.  Two of the surge aircraft are used by Airtanker (in RAF grey but with Airtanker civil markings) to operate the Falklands air bridge - two return flights a week. There are fewer diplomatic issues operating 'civil' aircraft to/from the Falklands than there are operating military ones - particularly now the runway at Ascension is FUBAR.

You should also note that SOP for a 'live' QRA intercept is not to fly the two fighters off each side of the intruder. One fighter will fly alongside to make it's presence known to the cockpit crew and provide visual instructions and identification. The second fighter will trail the intruder by a mile or two incase the intruder does not follow the instructions given to it by ATC or the first fighter, and "enforcement" action is needed. So if you see an 'airliner' in formation with 2 or more fighters then it's a fly-past. If it's an airliner with a fighter a mile or two behind, then it's probably not a fly-past. 

The paint must be about 4" thick by now.

Nah, because the aircraft used are predominantly white they only paint the parts that are a different colour. Most of the branding is vinyl decals

[dave the builder]

I watched a documentary once ,they used paint stripper to remove the old paint on a big passenger aeroplane before repainting /decals 

[Doctor Gollum]

I watched a documentary once ,they used paint stripper to remove the old paint on a big passenger aeroplane before repainting /decals

Day to day, they touch up any damage/peeling