The paramotor had not been detected on radar and hadn’t notified Air Site visitors Management (ATC) of its intentions, with the 2 RAF Hawk jets coming inside 200ft of the motorised glider
Two Hawk jets skilled a detailed name with an unidentified paramotor whereas on the “method lane” for RAF Valley. The paramotor, a powered paraglider, had not appeared on radar and failed to speak its presence to Air Site visitors Management (ATC).
The incident, which occurred roughly 5 miles south of RAF Valley, resulted within the Hawks coming inside 200ft of the motorised glider. All of it transpired on November 27, 2024 and it was solely at a late stage that the crew visually noticed the paramotor.
Following the close to miss, all aircrafts within the visible circuit have been ordered to land as a result of uncertainty surrounding the paramotor’s flight path. An inquiry into the occasion has been performed, culminating within the publication of an Airprox (air proximity) report. Learn the most important tales in Wales first by signing as much as our day by day publication right here.
The report disclosed: “The pair of Hawks got here inside an estimated 200ft of the para[motor].”
It went on to say: “Though the para[motor] pilot was working throughout the legislation, it will be truthful to say that they have been working with poor consciousness of the hazard of flying within the method lane of a busy fast-jet base”, studies North Wales Stay.
Moreover, the report famous: “Likewise, the Hawk formation had no consciousness of the presence of the para[motor] till it was too late to do something about it.”
Regardless of thorough makes an attempt, the pilot of the motorised glider stays untraceable, having been troublesome to identify on the day as a consequence of a dark-coloured cover mixing with the darkish floor beneath.
The report highlighted: “It was clear from the footage that the ‘look-down’ was not significantly good that day, which seemingly contributed to the difficulties in seeing the para[motor] cover till it had handed beneath the plane, by which level it was too late to do something about it.”
In its suggestions, the report urged: “Hawk pilots shall be reminded on the subsequent flight security assembly of the potential hazards of para[motor]s on method to the airfield, and the significance of an efficient lookout. Valley AST shall be requested to liaise with ATC to find out the suitability of positioning a monitor displaying glidernet.org (and maybe ADS-B) dwell info to extend ATC’s consciousness of free flying within the neighborhood of RAF Valley.”
Furthermore, the flight security officer of the native paragliding membership issued a directive to membership members cautioning them to keep away from flying close to RAF Valley’s method path.
The report additionally concluded: “It’s seemingly that the para[motor] pilot will not be a member of the membership and/or a customer to the realm.”
HQ Air Command commented: “A great spot by the rear occupant of the lead plane; nonetheless, there wasn’t time for the Hawk formation to conduct any sort of avoiding motion. The occasion was properly managed by ATC in coordination with the Obligation Pilot to mitigate any additional dangers introduced by the paramotor.
“Continued engagement with native airspace customers by way of the Regional Airspace Person Working Group is important; nonetheless, it is going to be troublesome to seize all airspace customers, particularly those that do not look like members of the BHPA (British Dangle Gliding and Paragliding Affiliation).”
The BHPA expressed their concern: “The BHPA is most disillusioned to listen to about this Airprox which had a substantial antagonistic impact on RAF Valley’s flying operations. Now we have made intensive makes an attempt at attempting to establish this paramotor pilot and, throughout our conversations with the native BHPA paragliding and paramotoring golf equipment on Anglesey, we weren’t in a position to verify their identification and, subsequently, we’re virtually sure that this pilot will not be a BHPA member.”
They continued, expressing reduction that the incident didn’t escalate: “Consequently, we’re unable so as to add a lot in the best way of a BHPA remark to the incident itself aside from reduction {that a} extra critical end result was averted.”
The affiliation additionally voiced their frustration over the dearth of regulatory measures for paramotor and powered dangle glider pilots by the Civil Aviation Authority and Division for Transport.
They criticised the present state of aviation regulation: “Paramotoring nonetheless stays the one type of aviation within the UK the place an unlicensed and uninsured pilot can fly and share the sky with different airspace customers having had no formal coaching on the Guidelines of the Air, AirLaw, Meteorology, Airspace Classifications, and many others., or had any formal flying instruction.”
The incident was categorised as a threat class B (on a scale from A – probably the most critical – to D). This means that the incident resulted in a big discount in security margins, although a collision was not deemed seemingly.
