The mystery deepened when I heard a light aircraft pass overhead at around 12:30pm today and return about two minutes later. I managed to get a few video clips of it and made out the plan registration - G-JPEG. It made about half a dozen passes, in exactly the same pattern as on my previous sighting and I am pretty sure it was the same aircraft.
APEM survey aircraft overhead early hours and lunchtime today. |
Video footage of the aircraft taken from Brim Hill today:
Intrigued, I contacted a friend and flying expert, Jerry Bird, who not only identified the plane as a Britten-Norman 'Islander' aircraft, twin piston engine light passenger / commuter / Air Taxi aircraft, but also discovered what it was up to.
The aircraft is owned by APEM Aviation, a specialist aviation company which conducts aerial surveys to a range of industries from offshore windfarm developers (this is NOT an early April Fool by the way!) to water utilities.
They might have thought that their operations would go undetected, but as you know, Maidencombe, whether it be on land, offshore or in the air is monitored closely by us and we keep you informed.