Compensation for Sonic Boom

[ThunderBox]

RAF sonic boom: Ministry of Defence receives TV and window damage claims

Homes were shaken across eastern England after RAF Typhoons were launched to intercept a plane.

www.bbc.com

I know we now live in a time of compensation culture but really!

At a pinch, I would expect a claim if it were an unnecessary training sortie but this was a genuine call.

 

[vvaannmmaann]

Were any chickens put off laying?

 

[Lindermyer]

RAF sonic boom: Ministry of Defence receives TV and window damage claims

Homes were shaken across eastern England after RAF Typhoons were launched to intercept a plane.

www.bbc.com

I know we now live in a time of compensation culture but really!

At a pinch, I would expect a claim if it were an unnecessary training sortie but this was a genuine call.

Whilst its simpler and more PR friendly to just pay out, I do hope however the RAF contest it and present the significant amount of evidence that the whole Sonic booms breaks windows is bollox .

Compounded by the fact that in such a densely populated area if it was the case then there would be a lot more than a handful of examples.

 

[Who_Dat]

I think it was Wales? where a farmer, fed up of low flying RAF aircraft, painted "**** off Biggles" on his barn roof. It only tempted more of them to go down low to have a look and take photos!

 

[Daz]

I think it was Wales? where a farmer, fed up of low flying RAF aircraft, painted "**** off Biggles" on his barn roof. It only tempted more of them to go down low to have a look and take photos!

Mr Jones barn in question

 

[A signaller]

Slightly off thread, but along the same lines. Early this morning at 0335hrs, a helicopter ,very low, hovering over the area, very loud, and must have woken up scores of people, it was moving about for 45 minutes, making a hell of a racket, i can only think it was plod, bloody annoying, and kept us awake for about an hour or so. I appreciate they have to catch the little toerags, but it isn't rocket science to engage silent mode, if fitted.

 

[Harry Skinters]

Slightly off thread, but along the same lines. Early this morning at 0335hrs, a helicopter ,very low, hovering over the area, very loud, and must have woken up scores of people, it was moving about for 45 minutes, making a hell of a racket, i can only think it was plod, bloody annoying, and kept us awake for about an hour or so. I appreciate they have to catch the little toerags, but it isn't rocket science to engage silent mode, if fitted.

Ok I'll bite.
Silent mode ?

 

[Maninthestreet]

Would I be out of order in suggesting the MOD invoices the claimants for a display of the sound of freedom?

 

[A signaller]

Ok I'll bite.
Silent mode ?

No duff, some makes of helicopter can engage a reliability silent mode, but it requires excessive amounts of fuel. Maybe a blue job can explain better than I.

late edit:- Just looked it up, its called whisper mode, and it does exist.

 

[Ian525]

Ok I'll bite.
Silent mode ?

Yes you know, the the engine off and glide!

 

[ThunderBox]

No duff, some makes of helicopter can engage a reliability silent mode, but it requires excessive amounts of fuel. Maybe a blue job can explain better than I.

late edit:- Just looked it up, its called whisper mode, and it does exist.

Whisper Mode, available on this one:

 

[Moderator]

I know we now live in a time of compensation culture but really!

At a pinch, I would expect a claim if it were an unnecessary training sortie but this was a genuine call.

Assuming the claims are genuine, what difference does the type of sortie make If all your windows and TV are smashed?

Sonic boom is probably an insurance exclusion for the householder so who should pay to make good the damage?

“Ooh look, my house is wrecked but hey, because it was a genuine interception of what turned out to be nothing more sinister than an aircraft with a faulty transponder, I am happy to stand the cost of repairs. They are very lucky it wasn’t a training sortie though because if it was, I might ask them to pay for the damage.”​

The RAF authorise supersonic flight over built up areas. Resultant damage caused by such flights should be (and no doubt are) simply factored in as part of the operating cost of the mission.

I can’t imagine supersonic training flights ever being authorised over built up areas.

 

[Harry Skinters]

Whisper Mode, available on this one:

View attachment 551363

I thought that was the documentary he was referring to

 

[Civvy Scum]

Slightly off thread, but along the same lines. Early this morning at 0335hrs, a helicopter ,very low, hovering over the area, very loud, and must have woken up scores of people, it was moving about for 45 minutes, making a hell of a racket, i can only think it was plod, bloody annoying, and kept us awake for about an hour or so. I appreciate they have to catch the little toerags, but it isn't rocket science to engage silent mode, if fitted.

We were once woken at stupid o'clock by the police helicopter hovering low somewhere nearby. After a few minutes and mightily pissed off, I rang police HQ to ask them if PC Biggles wouldn't mind hovering a bit higher and use the zoom lens on his camera a bit more. The female inspector I spoke to told me it was a well known phenomenon that helicopter noise was louder at night. I rather suspect she was taking the piss but shortly thereafter the noise Biggles was making did seem to decrease a little.

 

[A signaller]

Yes you know, the the engine off and glide!

Auto rotation-gyrate.

 

[Lindermyer]

Ok I'll bite.
Silent mode ?

Blue thunder IIRC


edit beaten to it several times, clearly no sonic booms in my reaction times

 

[Rapierman]

Slightly off thread, but along the same lines. Early this morning at 0335hrs, a helicopter ,very low, hovering over the area, very loud, and must have woken up scores of people, it was moving about for 45 minutes, making a hell of a racket, i can only think it was plod, bloody annoying, and kept us awake for about an hour or so. I appreciate they have to catch the little toerags, but it isn't rocket science to engage silent mode, if fitted.

More liable to be the Ospreys that seem to be on exercise at the moment at all types of daft o clock.

 

[Ian525]

Auto rotation-gyrate.

Don't spoil a good joke

 

[ThunderBox]

I can’t imagine supersonic training flights ever being authorised over built up areas.

They do go supersonic by accident, even then, I’m not sure I think compensation should be paid.

How do you prove any damage was caused by the boom? It it was capable of shaking some tiles off your roof I would suggest you should better maintain your property.

 

[olafthered]

We were once woken at stupid o'clock by the police helicopter hovering low somewhere nearby. After a few minutes and mightily pissed off, I rang police HQ to ask them if PC Biggles wouldn't mind hovering a bit higher and use the zoom lens on his camera a bit more. The female inspector I spoke to told me it was a well known phenomenon that helicopter noise was louder at night. I rather suspect she was taking the piss but shortly thereafter the noise Biggles was making did seem to decrease a little.

It isn't 'louder' at source - the output is exactly the same (Physics you see). The difference is in 2 things:

1) Air at night is generally more still, and sound is more efficiently transmitted - therefore louder at the ground.
2) Less ambient noise, so it is more noticeable - like during the 2 minute silence