An even larger aircraft visits Northolt!

C-17A Globemaster III (ZZ176) of the Royal Air Force conducting two missed approaches and then landing at RAF Northolt in west London as part of a training exercise! It's the biggest aeroplane which can land here. As you can expect the usual road closures done by the RAF Police to facilitate it's arrival.

[@wootle]

Excellent vid dude and can I just also say: THANK YOU FOR NOT USING MUSIC!! So many nice aviation vids out there wrecked with music. As avgeeks we wanna hear the real sounds!

[@northoltflightwatch]

Appreciate it man ;)

[@300373330]

sadly so many decent train, plane and motor vehicle documentary films have music drowning the sound of fantastic engineering in action, or in the case of both main TV channels overpaid daytime television anchor men and women talking over the Flying Scotsman setting off on her first run since a major overhaul, there is no second chance to hear such a wonderful sound. as KatanaDV20 rightly says and a great many techno geeks agree.

[@CobraEmergency]

The sounds of the aircraft and vehicles is what makes up a huge portion of interest in the video. Wouldn't think of putting music over any of my videos unless it's an outroduction / trailer.

[@charlottegrieff662]

FLIPPING AWESOME! Thank you so much for not playing music. The sound of those engines - POWER! Fantastic video and thanks for sharing it with us all 😁

[@northoltflightwatch]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@HMSDaring1]

Absolute size of those beauties! Wow. And reverse thrust to get around, incredible jets with incredible crew! Real nice footage as usual 😀

[@theblackknight8055]

Go to bed Ian

[@vinerscott]

@@ianhobbs4984 have a day off Ian

[@bostonrailfan2427]

and they’re not even the largest that can use the UK but still are massive beasts! the C5 Galaxy are larger but thankfully aren’t frequent visitors to the UK…yet

[@markwanklyn4195]

live around half a mile from the end of runway 25 at Northolt so get to see things like this - also in past summers we have got to see the Battle of Britain flight and a Spitfire having a blast around the area

[@amc3]

Loved the reversing on the ground, like doing a 3 point turn in a mega sized transit van with wings. Such a versatile aircraft, can even operate from dirt/gravel airfields, cheers BluelightTV.

[@infarction8840]

Can a C-17A reverse? A plane with a reverse gear for ground movements?

[@leerichards9815]

@@infarction8840 Looked like it used reverse thrust. A commercial airliner could technically do the same, but it's generally against operating procedures

[@Michalis2m]

First time i ever saw it happening! Such a weird sight!!

[@poonholder5643]

"pop the boot open and watch me back"

[@amc3]

@@poonholder5643 Car boot sale thing gong on here 😁

[@MattWillisVideoProductions2023]

Imagine being in your garden and seeing these beasts within arms reach… incredible!

[@markfrankham1]

Was thinking that. Heaven!!!

[@MattWillisVideoProductions2023]

@@markfrankham1 hell yeah!

[@idot3331]

I imagine after a year or so even an aviation enthusiast would become suicidal from the constant deafening noise

[@user-ot7jd9dt7t]

'Fucking all this noise'

[@paulwatling5400]

You must have fucking long arms

[@jnebrm]

I was very lucky about 20 years ago to have a personal tour around a C-17 by the pilot, my dad worked in America for a couple of years (south Carolina, specifically Charleston) and made friends with other Brits out there, one of whom was married to a guy who flew these beasts, we went to RIAT and it just so happened his Mate was there with his C-17!!! The size of it inside is just mad!!! Best day ever!!!!! I will never forget sitting in the pilot seat of this incredible machine!!!

[@northoltflightwatch]

Awesome 😎

[@Turbomgzt]

Love the way they drop the ramp so the pilot can use his rear view mirror 😃. Who needs wing walkers!

[@amobbzful]

WOW - stunning! Looks like it'll scrape the roof tiles off lol

[@jhouse6352]

I was an aircraft structural mechanic on those beasts when i was in the Air Force and got to fly on one. Impressive machines.

[@The_Unintelligent_Speculator]

UK or USA?

[@jhouse6352]

@@The_Unintelligent_Speculator US. Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

[@bostonrailfan2427]

what better way to ensure they’re maintained than to fly in one you maintain lol!

[@Elmantukas]

Uk76 looking good! Nice sense of happiness seing these C-17's flying around knowing ive worked on them. I think its great that they have use of full reverse thrust for reveresing and complex flyiing stuff. Amazing things.

[@lesleyairey6633]

Holy moly! I grew up with Vulcan bombers flying over & now Airbus A380s flying into Manchester, but these are in different class altogether!

[@wingcommanderjetson5660]

yeah it's a beast ! I'd love to see a C5 galaxy IRL as it dwarfs the C17.

[@paulmunro3175]

I am impressed by the short takeoff especially given the size of the jet.

[@markmeadows3485]

I love the Globemaster such a cool aircraft reminds me of thunderbird 2 love watching them landing such a gracious aircraft.

[@jamesstewartwilliams]

This video really takes me back to when I was a young air cadet on annual camp at RAF St Mawgen in 2013. We had just been dismissed from parade so that we could watch a rivet joint AWACS performing noisy touch and go's on the airfield. While most of our view was obscured by billets, NAAFI buildings and hangers, it still emitted a tremendous sound, much like rolling thunder. Not as loud as the tornados that came out to play later in that week, but still very respectable. I simply cannot conceive what it must have been like to have been that close to a landing C17... you definitely have my respect. Great catch!

[@steviep9270]

Geezus… that runway was “interesting” when I was flying the G650 and Global into Northolt… big kudos to that crew!

[@bobdevreeze4741]

I have had the pleasure of checking the roof for skid marks after a C-17 landing. Canada has 5 of them and they practice touch and go landings at our airport in Bracebridge Ontario

[@lindaj5492]

I’d be checking my underpants for skidmarks 😳

[@bobdevreeze4741]

@@lindaj5492 The first time gets your attention. We get C-17's and C-130's

[@markmeadows3485]

We have 9

[@mitchtange8029]

My cottage is right next to that airbase. I go there every weekend with my grandpa. I used to always see at least one of these things per outing but recently for some reason, I haven’t seen anything at all. I hope I’ll eventually see this thing again soon.

[@markmeadows3485]

@Patrick Dolan Depends where you live.

[@NorthWalesBoatsandPlanes]

That's incredible Love seeing these, they just get bigger and bigger as they approach!

[@TomouskiPlayz]

1:13 imagine seeing one of them flying across your garden literally just a few feet above your fence it would be genuinely scary and incredible at the same time

[@CobraEmergency]

There's something awe-inspiring about a C-17 roaring in over the rooftops of those London homes. I hope they're all aviation enthusiasts!

[@senianns9522]

I bet they are real enthusiasts at 3,30am in the morning!!

[@CobraEmergency]

@@senianns9522 They had better be! Probably can't sleep of it's too quiet 😂

[@Robchaser1981]

Great video 👍raf northolt is a place for me to vist in the future and I didn't know a c-17 could reverse one fo my favourite planes

[@The_Unintelligent_Speculator]

We had two C-17’s in at LDA recently from the USA. What an aircraft.

[@slam-ittthehedgehog8723]

Neat catch of that C-17 Globemaster 3

[@alle_emergency]

Awesome video!

[@BBBBGGGG]

Saw this overhead on the M25 yesterday, I could barely focus on my driving!!

[@shebsaturner9737]

I hear these heavy aircraft a lot in Northolt . Great vid

[@eg-69h74]

Am i the only person seeing this C-17 reverse thrusting with its ramp open!!!!! 👌

[@gordy4459]

No, I did see that as well👍....now I'm imagining the pilot screwed round in his seat trying to see where he's going!!..😄😄

[@Bridget410]

I use to work at that Shell petrol station. I lived the other side of that flight path.

[@sandymcghee3328]

Awsome video thanks 🙏

[@mateenio2186]

Imagine sitting down for a cuppa tea and hearing the rumble get louder and louder overheard!

[@cal-scot]

Man reversed that round the corner like he’s bossing a driving test

[@semco72057]

The C-17 Globemaster III is a well built aircraft and carry so many troops and cargo and is a workhorse for the nations owning them. I worked on the C-141 Starlifter's while in the Air Force and enjoyed working on and flying on those airplanes and still miss them.

[@keeran5266]

I load these as well as many other large military/commercial cargo jets for a living, amazing aircraft and very versatile, you don’t understand the true size until you’re actually stood in one!

[@daveberry2177]

what do you put in them

[@keeran5266]

@@daveberry2177 everything and anything!

[@bostonrailfan2427]

@@keeran5266 if it fits, it ships!

[@bostonrailfan2427]

they can get places their predecessors couldn’t get to and get out faster, thanks to folks like you

[@BradleyTheNo1Champion4variety]

What a beast! Fab capture. :)

[@debbieburton938]

Had 4 F-15 going over ours together in the Midlands together today.. I love the sound 😍

[@connorgreear2765]

SC?

[@debbieburton938]

@@connorgreear2765 SC?? I don't know what that stands for sorry if you mean South Carolina no my part of the UK.. They go over most days but that day there was 4 of them.. To be honest the last 3 weeks it's been none stop which is unusual both USAF and RAF have been very busy

[@ruthm46]

All I can say is "wow" 👍👍

[@apolly4958]

Don't need an alarm in northolt when you have these beasts waking you up, love the Globemasters

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

That plane definitely has got a loud roar of the engines as it powers up after twice miss approach

[@barryelstone8431]

Incredible, respect to all you do an amazing job.

[@GuerreroRocky]

that is one BIG ASS AIRPLANE!

[@westlondontransportwildlif5810]

I saw this from my school in Ealing. Gutted I couldn't film it. Cracking shots though!

[@Pete2635]

You absolute beauty! Thank you for posting this awesome plane which is one of my favourites. Great and skilful filming of the plane from many angles. Liked, adored and SUBSCRIBED! 😁👍

[@northoltflightwatch]

Lol thanks mate!

[@frequentflyer3965]

Nice Catch! You deserve a medal.

[@benengel6555]

Absolutely very impressive!

[@aw4808]

I’m told the C17 pilots are hand picked and the best of the best. It’s the most powerful jet the RAF have ever owned. Flippin amazing!

[@Catcrumbs]

I think that's the usual arrangement. I rarely hear of pilots being picked out of a hat.

[@markmeadows3485]

A w+1 The RAF leased them from Boeing but we're so impressed with there performance they ordered several more We now have 9 and I believe the government have purchased them all.

[@underdogmelting6058]

C-17 is some bit of engineering thanks for sharing they bad boys can take off vertically as well

[@davidcleary9938]

We had 2 US C-17's land and park up on the southside pan back in the 90's, both landed 1st attempt.

[@paulaosbourne9150]

Wow! Beautiful 💙

[@stevenvater8720]

Thunderbird 2!!!!!

[@CALVO36]

Yes definitely is lol 😆 😂

[@thezanzibarbarian5729]

I could almost smell the heat from the aviation fuel when that Globemaster turned around and then set off 8-))...

[@chrisbreezy-ryanbarbosa4320]

Magnificent. I have a new respect for those C-17 after their performance in Afghanistan airlift

[@bostonrailfan2427]

that was the biggest test for them, getting as many onboard as quickly as possible in as tight of a space as possible to go as far as possible…they are the new backbone of the USAF for good reason

[@pennymcguire8865]

Incredible 😳

[@nicholasroberts6954]

Military stuff landing at Northolt nowadays was a bit of a rareity until RAF started their "Baedeker" tours of the UK about 2 years ago. In the 1970s and 80s the military traffic was daily, Andovers, Hercules, Sea Princes, Hs 125s, 146s, the US Navy Orions and HQ comm aircraft. Only occasional now.

[@philkyle8919]

used to refuel them every day great video thank you !

[@fredtedstedman]

great reverse turn - like parking the car !

[@jonhobson3592]

Used to live in Ruislip when I was a child many visits here !

[@yawningkitty457]

Do you know, for the first few minutes where he was doing the low passes, it reminded me of being a kid and living in a house that was on the landing path for Victor tankers, it looked like they were going to hit the TV ariel... and then came the shot of the landing and omfg , I had to call the wife through to watch it again and we both just sat there making big O's with our mouths at the sight of that thing flying over the rooftops and road. I have never ever seen a road where they actually stop traffic for a plane landing, trains yes, planes, no nope nada. 😂

[@markusweissenbock6337]

C-17 is a Beast! MDDs Masterpiece!

[@aero-ow8lq]

I remember watching this aircraft depart Northolt on FR24!

[@nevermindmyname9153]

01:00 How big is the Dog if they need that Van? 🤣

[@cherylcook788]

O my goodness those aircraft are nice and low to take good pictures WOW

[@rockradio928]

Walked into the hold of a C-17 at Lakenheath. They are phenomenal. Top of tail plane is about 50ft off ground.

[@Birchwood96]

They also do regular test landings at Exeter airport in these planes. Though I live about 10 miles away you can hear them coming ages before seeing them.

[@jbss7382]

@BlueLightTV HOLY S***! Looking at those tyre marks, just really surprised they didn’t blow the tyres out!

[@charlescoulson]

Impressive bit of aviating. Well done guys(and gals if applicable)

[@Ekstrax]

it always amazes me that for such big planes the engines look like they're attachd with such a small piece of metal (galaxy)

[@Ekstrax]

also that tail fin daaaaamn

[@billveitch2100]

Back in ancient times when 3rd AF HQ was at South Ruislip (I was there TDY quite often in late 60s.) I used to ride the late trains on the Central Line back from London back to that area. There was a great Chinese restaurant just down the street from the tube station so quite often I stopped in for bowl of soup before hitting the rack.

[@ma9x795]

That sounds an awful lot louder than the C-5 Galaxies that used to fly over my house at around 900ft.

[@caribbaviator7058]

Except they are not unless you are referring to the newer c5 engines .

[@ma9x795]

@@caribbaviator7058 Sorry not an expert in C-5 engines, but I have just about got a handle on when one thing sounds louder than another.

[@9brandenburg]

Wow was für ein Flugzeug, mit so ein Gerät würde ich auch gerne mal mit fliegen, leider war es bei mir nur die Transall🙂👍

[@johnhayes8962]

I bet those home owners hate that approach landing.

[@harveyquinn5494]

I'd love to live there

[@Joe90V]

Expect they have to get their washing off the line ! ;) edit: I just measured it off the map and No 1 Cavendish Avenue (opp Shell garage) is just 50 metres off the centreline of the flight path. Meanwhile No 43 is just 30 metres off it !

[@harveyquinn5494]

The petrol station is closed too

[@amobbzful]

@@Joe90V Lucky people!

[@nicholasroberts6954]

Only one aircraft, ZZ176, three approaches - woke me from my mid-morning slumber as the approach path is 200 yards @600 ft from my location. Made 3 approaches - the first slightly south of centreline track, the second slightly north and the third "Straight down the middle" (Must be a golfer) - Great propaganda in apparent force multiplier terms. The local natives saw three aircraft (Heads now well lowered below parapet). Funny, when it came to rest, according to "Flight-Radar's" ADS -B report, it was on-top of the Battle of Britain Bunker at Uxbridge ! Saw a bit of FOD (Plastic bagging ?) kicked-up on take-off. Rate of climb is amazing. When they did the take-off last year, the jet efflux blew part of the perimeter fence over. Let's hope its just a general "Keeping- the hours-up"/Training flight and not a practice for evacuation of heads of government. Followed shortly afterwards by an undeclared registration (On Flight radar) Executive Jet which went all the way to Chambery (Aix-les-Bains) - I take it that was one of the HS2 tunnelling boys (Its not the holiday season).

[@POVDrivingTour]

4:00 Very impressive turning circle!

[@stevencrouch6036]

The stopping distance is impressive as well, as a cadet at an air show when I saw it come into land I thought ah its going to stop about where we are now, nope it stopped several hundred metres before it.

[@bostonrailfan2427]

meant for medium sized airfields, smaller than the C5s need but bigger airfields than the C130s need IIRC

[@madyogi6164]

That tail fin couldn't be any higher, ...could serve as a trampoline, if they park next to a pool (10 meters deep)! 😍 And hey, it has a reverse "gear"! 😁👍 Impressive plane.

[@EMTBAFV]

I was watching the B 52s fly over the other day! Would loved to seen a C5 Galaxy military transporter plane fly over that landed earlier in the morning!

[@judefernandez827]

I’ve been up close to the mighty B52 in Darwin Australia and was blown away by the sheer size and wingspan . I can imagine what it would be like to get close to one of these giants

[@tonicritchard3888]

Beautiful😀

[@maleckimalecki]

now,that's the biggest plane of the world ! :D

[@PnwOnTour]

Saw one a few days ago, they had the ramp open USA 🇺🇸

[@ahmadtheaviationlover1937]

That’s an amazing feeling

[@semerkhetTER]

Wow!! Those engines

[@TheSpiikki]

That's a whole alot of freedoming coming at your way!

[@stevekiberd3474]

I use to be based at Northolt but never saw anything this big land there!!! One year I got detached to another base who was hosting a joint US/UK exercise. We had a medvac coming in so had to manup the trucks. As we watched one of these reversing one of the crew said that he would take a photo of it doing that!!!

[@PAPOOSELAKESURFER]

C-17 can back up a four percent grade with reverse thrust, also permits landing on short fields.

[@Only1TeamInDevon]

Lovely video! Im in RAF.

[@davidking3699]

Imagine turning up for your drivers licence test in one of those... Just a quick reverse park, a three-point turn and then pull out and merge when it is safe to do so... make sure to indicate and check your mirrors before rotation...

[@grantpetersen1049]

Quality my friend 👏 👌

[@jaysmith6836]

Judging by the tyre marks on the runway that did a very short stop and reverse, may need to check the rubber after that lock up! looks like a practice run for quick extraction in an urban area.......

[@gordonlarkin2057]

I was stationed at RAF Northholt in the 1960,s when a pan american Boeing 707 landed at Northolt by mistake for london airport.

[@richmck007]

I imagine NEW insurance for a property adjacent to the aeródromo with a petrol station close by would be interestingly curious to calculate given the risk factor to the householder and the like…. To see that jet pass over the houses with the petrol station so close makes me wonder why they put it so close to the landing strip. I often stood on the platform at South Ruislip tube station years ago when jets passed overhead and marveled at the sight and sound of it all. Still incredible years later and many miles alway, nowadays.

[@hieroglyph321]

Cannot believe there's houses there .... "LAURA!!!! PUT THE KETTLE ON, WILL YA!!!! WHAT???? YOU CAN'T HEAR ME>??!?!??"

[@richardhunt304]

Love it !!!!

[@amandaracktoo1942]

Wow they can manoeuvre those aircraft better than most car drivers round here…..

[@IMTHEBIGGESTCUNT]

Those little jets can really cover quite a distance nowadays can’t they? 😉

[@themvsthemvsus]

I was driving that plane. Sorry if it was a bit noisy. I mistimed the clutch when changing down to second gear for landing and it slipped into neutral. Got it booked in for it’s MOT next week. Oil change and new brake pads.

[@gazof-the-north1980]

If you can 3-point turn a C-17, you can turn anything!

[@Gentleman-Of-Culture]

Globemasters are impressive. 4 B52's landed at Fairfield today. I only was able to get back to see " HATE12" fly over my car onto the base

[@Hitchhiker3000]

Fairford not Fairfield

[@deanoh9980]

On their way to the Ukraine!!

[@nigelbevan8449]

@@deanoh9980 Oh yeah, definitely.... They just called in the airbase to have a quick cup of tea, pick up their sat navs and trundle off round the M25 and head off to the Ukraine to pick up a couple of sticks of rock and get a couple of post cards........ What do you think?????????

[@peterfox2538]

I like the way the police close the bridge,must be the drink for Boris and his party.

[@stephenkubica9829]

They are surprisingly comfortable for a military aircraft

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

This raf plane is really massive look how close it is to the houses and look how low it is

[@Peter-lm3ic]

All depends what lens one uses to take the pic. Pics can distort facts particularly telephoto!

[@dakotaharden]

@@Peter-lm3ic It's quite low on that approach. I imagine that's why they blocked the road off with police.

[@Peter-lm3ic]

When Biggen Hill was an RAF Station their fighters on take off used to take off across the main road at the end of the runway. Traffic lights were in operation and I have seen impressive photos taken with telephone lens. But they were photographic lies. It was not like the pics at all but still impressive particularly at night.

[@dakotaharden]

@@Peter-lm3ic no doubt, the technique is called forced perspective

[@PrinceBarin77]

@@Peter-lm3ic true, although when you know how close that Shell garage is to the threshold, you realise these pictures are not that misleading!

[@juliecasey5196]

Awesome

[@garyh8315]

Awesome catch, even better airmanship. No "this vehicle is reversing" with white noise is quite disappointing though... 😆

[@koitorob]

You're wrong. It has that. It's just that nobody can hear it!

[@gr3yh4wk1]

That has a turning circle less than my car :o