C17 Globemaster night flying to take place at RAF Wittering

Royal Air Force pilots are to carry out crucial night flying at RAF Wittering next week as people have been warned they will face extra noise.

Airmen flying the giant C17 Globemaster heavy lift strategic transport aircraft will launch operations throughout this month, October and November, the RAF said today.

Pilots will begin vital night vision goggle (NVG) training next Monday.

The special darkness drills are set to go on until Friday evening next week before resuming in October and November.

The massive long-range planes will take off 30 minutes after darkness falls and the exercises should be completed by 11pm.

NVG training was originally set up as a twice-yearly event.

But the usefulness of the airfield at RAF Wittering became apparent following NVG training in August.

An RAF Wittering spokesman said: "This will be an increase but the amount of night flying will always be proportional to the operational requirement.

"We will make every effort to keep disturbances to a minimum."

During live military operations or in a war theatre it is safer to take off and land at night.

State-of-the-art kit allows the RAF to exploit the cover of darkness in ways sometimes denied to hostile forces.

Training in October and November will be completed earlier than during the summer as the days are shorter making the night flying window larger.

Wing Commander Nick Maxey, responsible for the safe running of RAF Wittering’s airfield and airspace, said: “The original intent was that night flying would occur on two or three occasions per year.

"What has become apparent in the last six months is that our airfield is an optimal training location for the RAF air transport fleet.”

He added: “We are aware that night flying can be disturbing but it is an essential part of the training required by RAF aircraft to support operations.

"All military airfields in the UK take their share of NVG training.

"We will do our best to minimise the disruption and disturbance caused by visiting aircraft to our local community."

The huge C17 Globemaster plays a key role in combat, peacekeeping and humanitarian missions worldwide.

The gigantic plane can lift a staggering 100,000lb (45,360kg) of cargo more than 4,500 miles (8,334km) while flying above 35,000ft.