What's changed at Birmingham?

[Dick Fisher]

I've been in and out of Brum a few times lately and have noticed a change to the "normal" arrival patterns.

Landing on 15, I have been treated to a tour over Birmingham City Centre during a right hand circuit, never seen by me before during 30 years of travelling from Brum. Usually, it was a trip over Nuneaton and Tamworth before turning back.

Then on Thursday, returning from Paris, heading for 33, we hung a left hand orbit/hold around Leamington while descending quite steeply and then lining up for a landing.

Are there some new arrival procedures in force now and why the changes?

All info greatly appreciated.

[WEBLUEIT]

can't say much about the orbits over leamington but going downwind over the city for 15 is not unusual

[beamer]

RW 15 - Standard procedural or radar vectored approach for inbound traffic from west, east or south is to the west of the airfield thus overhead Birmingham city centre with an intercept heading overhead the Walsall FC stadium before ILS capture.

RW 33 - When BHX is busy inbound aircraft from south or east may be directed to Honily before a descending orbit or part orbit to the west of the extended 33 centreline before final vector to establish just north of Warwick.

Hope this helps

[Easy226]

HI DF,
I am not an ATCO, but the orbits around the Leamington area are a fairly normal procedure during busy times. I live about 10 miles out for 33 and on a busy night, for example (assuming 33 in use), aircraft inbound to HON (or radar hedings) will be kept at a higher level (FL 80 - 70 ) for longer and will be given a heading to leave HON at, for the orbit - i think its about 220. On leaving H0N, the controller will clear you down to a much lower level (usually 2,500) in the turn back round to intercept the ILS. All looks very impressive from my window - as I agree the decent rates are fairly steep at this point!
I assume the high level is maintained all the way to HON as there could be conflicting traffic which has departed from runway 33 to the south, such as Cowly 2D, DTY 4D. The controller could hold you at EBONY/GROVE over Reddich way, but there could be problems co-ordinating you with traffic downwind for 33 from the north.
This orbit procedure is a regular occourance (daily) at Brum, however not as common when 15 is in use, probarbly as all the high density northbound traffic can fit into the traffic pattern to take them downwind.
Well I have given it a go and look forward to being corrected by an ATCO at Brum (Bombay Bad Boy poss!).
Many Thanks
Dan

[Avman]

As a regular pax in and out of Brum from the South-East since BEA DC-3 days it was indeed the norm to make a left hand pattern into 15. This changed about 1 or 2 years ago - to the present right hand procedure. Apprs to 33 are more or less straight in unless delay action is required due to preceding tfc. Then either an extended zig-zag appr or a left orbit around Warwick ensues. I enjoy the westerly downwind for 15 as it affords me a good view of Solihull (Avman's secret retreat)!