It's Monday December 24th and here is Redspan Aviation News #20.
In this special Christmas Eve edition there's only one story that is on most people's minds
in the world of aviation.
The Gatwick Drone Incident is still unfolding and what actually happened is now anyone's
guess.
Hello, my name is Ben Lovegrove and here is this week's round-up of aviation news from
high altitude to below 400 feet.
Each week I bring you selected stories about aerial activity; from space exploration to
general aviation, from drones to UFOs.
Set your destination to Redspan.com to find out how I can make marketing videos for your
aviation business.
So chocks away then.
There is yet to be a satisfactory explanation for the Gatwick drone incident.
I uploaded a video last Saturday, the 22nd December, and described the story to date
but after developments since it's hard to be certain what on earth really went on last
week.
The couple who were arrested on Friday were held and questioned for 36 hours and then
released without charge.
They were given a hard time of it in the press with several personal photos published and
a lot of intrusive speculation about them.
One can only hope that they and their family will now be left alone to enjoy their Christmas
without further interference.
Then, a statement from Sussex Police about the ongoing investigation contained several
points about their lines of enquiry.
But the one that was seized upon was the suggestion that there may not have been any drones at
all.
A damaged drone has been found near the airport's perimeter but it's not yet know if it's related
to the incident.
The Police also say they are examining information relating to 'persons of interest'.
They haven't ruled out the risk that the incident, whatever it was, may happen again.
They are continuing to interview all those who reported sightings, 67 in total.
And then, on Saturday evening, to stoke the fires of conspiracy theories even further,
Birmingham airport was closed for two hours due to what was described as a 'failure of
the electronic flight plan system.'
So we start the week with several theories buzzing around like drones gone wrong.
1. It was drones all along and the perpetrators are still at large.
2. It was an elaborate hoax orchestrated by the Government to distract us from the Brexit
negotiations/shambles. 3. It was an elaborate hoax orchestrated by
the Government to test the impact on aviation of a no-deal Brexit.
4. It was an elaborate hoax orchestrated by the Government to justify new, strict anti-drone
legislation. 5. It was a incident of mass hysteria during
which about 60 people reported sightings of something that wasn't there at all.
6. It was mistaken identity and 60 people saw something like a light on a crane or a
similar mundane object. 7. It was a UFO from either another country, planet, or dimension.
Which one gets your vote or have I missed any? Let me know in the comments below.
One thing we can be certain of is the fact that so far, whatever the truth may be, the
overall impression this has created around the world of Britain's response to such incidents
leaves a lot to be desired.
It may yet transpire that there are good reasons for this mess but so far everyone involved
has exasperated the public.
Without any answers we seem inept as a nation to explain something that could happen again
at any time and which could bring one of our main transport hubs to a standstill.
That's all for this edition of Redspan Aviation News. A very Merry Christmas to all my viewers
and subscribers and thank you for your support throughout 2018. I look forward to bringing
you more about the fascinating world of aviation soon.
Meanwhile, subscribe to my channel and click the bell next to the Subscribe button to be
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