"Break-Off" Approach
Question for LHR controllers. Yesterday we were told to break-off our approach at approx 700-600' with a heading but no climb instructions. We were also given a frequency change at the same time. Given that the 09R was also in use earlier in the day for landings we were left in a pretty uncomfortable position. We were reconfiguring the aircraft, changing frequencies, heading towards a possibly active runway (as far as we knew), at low level without a climb altitude.
The reason for the discontinued approach was a police helicopter operating in the zone which was obviously a no-notice event.
I suppose my question is really whether you would normally expect to give an altitude and heading if you instruct an aircraft to "break-off" an approach? A go-around is straight forward but we had little idea of what you expected from us at a time of high workload.
From our perspective an instruction of "break-off approach, heading 180, climb 3000'" would have saved us some anxiety.
To add to the stress levels we had committed to Heathrow following a lengthyish hold at LAM hence the PAN call as well!