Mystery plane over West London

We frequently see two examples operating around here, one from the the Garda in the Republic and one I presume a British army example operating from Aldergrove….still prefer to see one of the old Beever’s buzzing about !

A lot of people wouldnt think twice about looking up at one of these , presuming that it was a twin prop doing a commuter flight . Mind you they are almost impossible to pick out at the best of times !

i wonder if anyone can please help solve a minor aviation mystery. I live in West Kensington, and for the last few years, on days of CAVOK between late March and, say, November, there is almost always an aircraft to be seen flying a racetrack pattern high overhead. I would estimate the altitude to be between fifteen and twenty thousand feet, and although the plane can be heard (if you know what you are ‘looking for’), it is sufficiently high that very little detail can be made out, even looking through binoculars. It is a twin propeller aircraft with high aspect ratio wings, white/pale in colour and not very fast – some kind of light reconnaissance plane ? If anyone were to go and stand on the platform at Kensington Olympia station today, and look up, I can almost guarantee that they would see it. Is it some kind of ‘spy in the sky’ ? At that height ground reconnaissance would be difficult unless it was of a very specialised kind – it is well above inbound and departing Heathrow traffic. And why focus on West London particularly ? I’m almost certain it’s been the same plane for the last few years as well – just judging by its sound signature.
It would be very interesting to hear anyone’s thoughts, and I hope this ‘post’ ends up in the right bit of the website as I this is my first go.
Thanks
James

Definately the RAF Northolt Islander’s as per Beermat’s post.

I lived and worked in london for 20 years and can confirm that it would have been a Northolt Station Flight Islander. carring out suvailance and security duties in London.

A Google search indicates that this would be the “Northolt Station Flight”, flying three Britten-Norman Islanders, their role being described as electronic intelligence gathering – ’embassy and anti-terrorist surveillance’.

Islanders are ZF573, ZH536 and ZH537.

I expect the guys in dark suits and shades to be waiting for me when I get home!

Not a DA42 Twinstar is it?

Sorry, guys, my query DOES belong in another thread, but I haven’t quite figured out how to start a new thread yet. Thanks for the information – wonder what the ‘special duties’ are !

mystery plane

This might be better in a seperate thread healeyflyer, but from location and what you have said, it could well be an Islander, there are a few in use for “special” types of work and they are either based at or transit through Northolt IIRC.