News Article 35

'Drone' hits BA Plane: Police investigate Heathrow incident

A police investigation is under way after a passenger plane approaching Heathrow Airport was hit by what is believed to have been a drone.

The British Airways flight from Geneva, with 132 passengers and five crew on board, was hit as it approached the London airport at 12:50 BST on Sunday. If confirmed, it's thought it would be the first such incident in the UK.

BA said it would give the police "every assistance with their investigation". No arrests have been made, police say.

The Metropolitan Police's aviation security unit based at Heathrow will lead the investigation.

After safely landing the plane, the pilot reported an object - believed to have been a drone - had struck the front of the Airbus A320. A BA spokesman said: "Our aircraft landed safely, was fully examined by our engineers and it was cleared to operate its next flight."

A Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) spokesman said it was "totally unacceptable" to fly drones - which are generally used to capture aerial film or photographs - close to airports.

Steve Landells, from the British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa), said it had been "only a matter of time before we had a drone strike". He called for greater enforcement of existing rules.

History of Television

1922 18 October: British Broadcasting Company Ltd formed 1 November: Broadcasting licence fee introduced - initially costing 10 shillings 14 December: John Reith appointed General Manager of the British Broadcasting Company,  a few months  after the official start of British broadcasting. In 1927 he becomes director general of the  British Broadcasting Corporation. 1923 28 September: Radio Times first published 1925 30 October: First television transmission of a human face (William Taynton) made by  John Logie Baird in London 1926 26 January: John Logie Baird demonstrates wireless TV transmission to the Royal Institution in  London January: John Logie Baird demonstrates television 1927 1 January: British Broadcasting Corporation is established with newly-knighted Sir John Reith as  director general 24 May: John Logie Baird demonstrates transmission of television pictures over telephone lines from  London to Glasgow Royal Television Society formed in London. 1928 3 July: John Logie Baird transmits colour television images using a 15-line system 1929 5 March: John Logie Baird transmits television from a BBC transmitter in London 20 August: First television broadcasting trials by BBC, using John Logie Baird's 30-line equipment 1930 14 July: First experimental television play, The Man With a Flower in His Mouth 1931 3 June: First television outside broadcast - John Logie Baird televises the Derby 1932 15 March: First broadcast from Broadcasting House, London. 1936 26 August: Demonstrations of the John Logie Baird and Marconi-EMI systems at the Radiolympia  exhibition in London 2 November: BBC officially launches the world's first regular high-definition television service.  For a trial period, the 405-line Marconi-EMI system and the 240-line John Logie Baird system are used during alternate weeks 1937 12 May: George VI's coronation procession televised - the first use of TV outside broadcast van 21 June: Wimbledon tennis championships are televised for the first time              1938 21 March: The first television news bulletin is broadcast, although the transmission is voice-only  radio-style 2 April: The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race televised for the first time 3 April: BBC begins first Sunday broadcasts 30 April: FA Cup Final televised for the first time 9 June: Trooping of the Colour first broadcast on television 30 June: BBC director general John Reith resigns 16 November: First live television broadcast of a West End play, J.B. Priestley's 'When We Are Married'. 1939 1 September: BBC television service shut down at the outbreak of war. There are concerns that TV  transmissions could be used as a homing signal by the German airforce 3 September: BBC television transmissions cease for the duration of World War II 1941 23 December: John Logie Baird gives the first demonstration of 600-line electronic, stereoscopic  television in colour 1946 7 June: BBC television service resumes broadcasting after a seven-year hiatus. A combined £2  radio/TV licence fee is introduced 7 July: Children's television begins with For The Children 1947 11 February: Television broadcasts are temporarily suspended due to the fuel crisis 20 November: Wedding of Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh broadcast 1948 29 July: Olympic Games are televised from Wembley 1949 29 July: First televised weather forecast 1950 12 February: European Broadcasting Union founded. 23 February: General Election results reported on television for the first time 1953 2 June: the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II is watched live by about 20 million people in  Britain and as many as 200 million worldwide 11 November: current affairs programme Panorama is launched; goes on to become the longest-running  programme on British TV 1954 1 January: the Tournament of Roses parade at Pasadena, California, USA, becomes the first programme ever  broadcast coast-to-coast 9 April: Britain's first TV soap opera, The Grove Family 1955 22 September: first TV advert in the UK, for Gibbs SR toothpaste 1957 25 December: the Queen's first annual TV Christmas message broadcast 1961 3 May: The first episode of Coronation Street aired. 1969 21 July: first live broadcasts from the Moon (Apollo XI) 15 November: BBC1 and ITV start broadcasting in colour 1981 1 August: MTV launched; The Buggle's Video Killed the Radio Star the first music video to be  broadcast 1989 5 February:  Sky begins satellite broadcasting in the UK 1997 9 November: BBC1 begins broadcasting 24 hours a day, seven days a week 2000 18 July: the UK launch of the first series of Big Brother starts a fashion for reality TV 2006 Channel 4 starts 'catch up TV' by going on 4 on demand allowing free dowload using the wifi. 2007 BBC and ITV also become available online Netflix starts 2009 Netflix becomes available on iphone and ipad 2014 Netflix reports 50 m users