Drama in skies moments before arrival of Queen

ARMED air corps aircraft were scrambled to intercept a helicopter entering Dublin airspace minutes before Queen Elizabeth II landed in the city, the Defence Forces have confirmed.

On the morning of May 17, aircraft were ordered on three occasions to hold or divert and were shadowed by air corps planes.

During one incident, just minutes before the Queen’s plane landed at Baldonnel at noon on the Tuesday morning, an air corps plane flew alongside a helicopter attempting to land in south Dublin.

Army radar had intercepted the Irish-registered helicopter at 11.35am, en route from the North, and one of the air corps Pilatus PC-9 planes flew up alongside it.

It was initially thought the domestic flight was not approved to enter the 30 nautical mile restricted airspace area in and around Dublin. The army plane flew parallel to the private helicopter, until aviation officials confirmed the flight had authorisation to land in south Dublin.

In an earlier incident at 10am, army radar picked up an unauthorised light aircraft travelling from the Isle of Man to Weston airport. The plane was ordered to divert to Belfast. A number of PC-9 planes were “positioned tactically” in the airspace nearby in case an interception was required, sources said.

At 11am, a helicopter travelling from Britain to the K-club golf resort in Kildare, was ordered to divert to Dublin airport.

In another three incidents on May 18 and 19, three other aircraft without proper authorisation were ordered to divert or were held in holding patterns when entering Dublin’s restricted airspace.

The PC-9’s are armed with rockets as well as machine guns. As a last resort, pilots did have permission to open fire if required during the Queen’s visit.

In all six incidents, army radar picked up the aircraft’s position before they entered restricted airspace, civilian aviation officials made contact with the pilot, and air corps planes shadowed the flights when they were ordered to hold or divert.

A Defence Forces spokesman last night confirmed a plane had at one stage flown alongside a helicopter.

“This [army] capability was proven during the recent visit when the Air Corps successfully secured the temporary restricted air space and identified unauthorised aircraft on five occasions.

“On one occasion during the VIP visit a PC9 aircraft identified a civilian aircraft, that is to say the PC9 flew alongside and escorted the aircraft until their authority to fly through the restricted airspace was determined and allowed to continue, this identified aircraft had full authority to fly through the restricted airspace,” he said.

The Irish Aviation Authority said flights into restricted airspace during the visit had to be pre-approved by the Department of Justice.