Quick question - Fog Tuesday 7th BHX

[Maddie]

Good evening,

Just a quick question, does anybody know what category was Birmingham operating on, Tuesday morning 7th, at around 7.10am?

Many thanks,


Maddie

[Lord Spandex Masher]

I doubt you'll get a response unless you tell us why you want to know and in what capacity you are asking.

[Maddie]

Hi, I was on a plane that landed around that time. I have only landed in fog once before, a few months ago at EMA and I thought the fog was quite bad then, but on Tuesday it seemed to me as SLF even worse again. There was, or at least seemed to be, visibility of only a couple of hundred feet, if that.

I have asked the question as I wonder was the fog as bad as it appeared to me.

Thanks,

Maddie

[Lord Spandex Masher]

Which type of aircraft were you on? BHX is CAT 3 unless it has been downgraded. A lot of aircraft using BHX will only be CAT 2, for instance, no Flybe aircraft are CAT 3 approved.

Actual visibility in fog can be worse than the RVR (runway visual range) so it is possible that it could look worse than required.

[Maddie]

Hi, it was an A320. We were told there was light mist in the area before we left, so it clearly got worse while we were in transit.

[Burnie5204]

At EMA at that time we were distinctly CAT3. Not sure about BHX though but I do know that by 08.30 they were either Cat1 or 2 as Flybe diverted there when they couldn't get into EMA.

[S.o.S.]

Maddie, I'm glad that you got your answer. Usually, questions about a specific airport are best asked in the neighbouring forum 'Airports, Airlines & Routes' where most UK airports have their own discussion thread.

[wiggy]

I wouldn't normally do this but with the mods forgiveness and for the benefit of the OP ......

METAR EGBB 070620Z 34006KT 0250 R15/0400 FG VV/// 05/05 Q1036=

METAR EGBB 070550Z 34004KT 310V020 0200 R15/0350 FG VV///
05/05 Q1036=

So at 0620UTC/0720 BST general visibility 250 meters, vis measured on the lights, along runway 15 (the "R15", or RVR), 400 metres

30 minutes earlier at 0550UTC/0650 BST, general vis 200m, RVR 350.

So as others have mentioned foggy but CAT 3 in it's various forms and CAT 2 almost certainly OK, depending on aircraft type and runway status..

[CEJM]

Runway 33 ILS has been downgraded to CAT 1 as per NOTAM.

ILS CATEGORY III FROM 30 MAR 2015 10:14 TO 30 JUN 2015 12:00
ILS CATEGORY 3 RWY 33 DOWNGRADED TO CATEGORY ONE (EGGN C1726/15)

[Hotel Tango]

How about 15? Looks as if that was the rwy in use.

[CEJM]

Apologies! Shouldn't try to multi task, the misses always says that I am cr*p at it.

Runway 15 is CAT III

[Maddie]

Good evening everybody, thank you for your replies. They are very informative.

Maddie