Flight Inspection @ EIDL

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Member for

13 years 11 months

Posts: 55

On my recent trip to Donegal I was aware of a Beechcraft King Air flying throughout the day and constantly performing touch and goes at Donegal airport EIDL. The approaches were of very fast nature and my initial thoughts were what's going on as normally the only excitement is when Aer Arann's ATR 42's arrive. That evening I went down to the airport and noted the registration number which was G-FPLE with the name Cobham on the fuselage, when I returned and checked with G-Info I discovered it was a company called Cobham Flight Inspection that tests ILS, DME, NDB's, etc. I did not realise that airports have to have regular checks done on their Navaids. Has anyone spotted their A/C at various airports?
What a great job I thought to fly to various airports in Europe and carry out test flights.
My first post on this forum, but I couldn't find an area to introduce myself. I live in Bonnybridge, Scotland and am interested in anything aviation related, would have loved to have been a commercial pilot, but a tad too old now. Hope to learn from all who contribute on this forum.:)

Original post

Welcome. :)

Member for

16 years 11 months

Posts: 338

Another ATR at last! Welcome.
I remember listening on an airband radio many years ago when the Gatwick ILS was being checked one night. They did quite a few approaches. No idea on the regs for this I'm afraid.

Member for

14 years 7 months

Posts: 63

im pretty sure it has to happen once a year. we get the same kingair down here a lot in BHX i live at the end of the runway and its hard not to notice that "lawnmower" sound, especially when its doing touch and go's all day

Member for

15 years 2 months

Posts: 2,828

Its a fairly regular thing.
When I lived near Heathrow we used to get a twin prop come over in the early hours of the morning checking the ILS etc. I think it was about twice a year or so, it even made approaches to runway 23 which was not ILS equipped.

Theres also Flight Calibration Services ltd. I photographed G-FCSL at Cranfield back in 2008 and that was used to test the ILS etc.