Crete sightings 10-15/7/23

[Ian in Leeds]

Am in Platanias, Crete for two weeks and the below is what was seen during our first week, which was unexpected but brilliant (shame I didn’t bring the SLR)!

Movement summary

1 x Boeing 767
1 x Bell 212
6 x EP-3E
19 x F-16’s


Only the EP`3s were seen on Flightradar24 and nothing else including these were seen on ADSB. For note all military take offs were East to West and landings West to East and 95% of the time was always opposite to the civilian movements which we hardly saw any of.

10/7/23
0940 F16 climbing out over sea approx FL050
1034 2 x F16 medium approx FL020 to low level noisy turn towards Chania airport
1458 EP-3E Aries II 159887 over sea at FL016 inbound Chania

11/7/23
0800 EP-3E Aries Il 156517 at FL036 climbing over sea out of Chania
0920 not seen but sounded like 3 F16s climbing over hotel complex
0953 jet noise heard out to see but too hazy
1025 2 F16`s banking right from sea at slow and low level over hotel towards Chania airport
1038 3 F16`s in trail low and slow over beach towards Chania
1431 2 F16`s in trail low and slow over beach towards Chania
1457 EP-3E (same as 0800 sighting) routed up adjacent to beach turned over sea at FL029 and mtowards Chania
1511 767 Flightradar24 showing as CMB170, REG N486AX over sea at FL049 descending into Chania
1702 Bell 212 - camo scheme at approx FL020 over sea towards Chania
2120 2 F16`s at high level manouvering over the sea

12/7/23
0754 EP-3E Aries II 159887 at FL029 over sea climbing out of Chania
0943 Whilst at CGWC in Souda Bay F16 about FL020 climbing out of Chania, nice turn and noise
1034 2 F16`s over Souda Bay about FL050
1432 1 F16 over Rethnamon harbour approx FL030
1650 2 F16`s over Klenakis Beach around FL010 and fast towards Chania

13/7/23
0918 1 F16 left turn inland at approx FL100 fast and noisy
0932 EP-3E Aries II 159887 at FL035 over sea climbing out of Chania

14/7/23
1100 1 F16 at Low level and fast along Beach line towards Chania
1330 2 F16`s left turn inland over mountains, very noisy (not seen due to haze)

15/7/23
0756 EP-3E Aries II 159887 at FL040 over sea climbing out of Chania

Ian from Leeds