View Full Version : Missed approach to Southampton Airport?
Anyone know why a plane has just at 18.40 GMT been circling around Winchester at lowish level? Looked as if he was a Flybe Embraer about to join the glide path to Southampton airport when he veered off to the east at the last minute and did 3-4 circuits before I lost him in the twighlight. Did he have a fault with gear, flaps or instruments, etc. that prevented him landing until the fault was cleared and did he land safely?
Other planes were landing on that routing.
karma mechanic
7th Apr 2009, 20:04
Towards 18:00 I was driving into Winchester via St. Cross, and there was a LOT of police activity. Traffic out of town was stopped, side roads closed, several vans and police cars parked.
So I suspect that the plane was operated by the Hampshire Police Air Support Unit in connection with whatever was going on.
Contacttower
7th Apr 2009, 20:58
Seems unlikely that an Embraer would have anything to do with the police. I was in the garden at around the time and saw several Dash 8s come in, didn't notice any aircraft circling though.
Much too big for a police a/c and too close to the glildepath, although it was St Cross where I first spotted it before it went off to do its circuits to the east. But could have been a Dash 8. Was rather dark by then.
karma mechanic
8th Apr 2009, 07:40
The police aircraft is a Britten-Norman Defender 4000, which although much smaller does have the same general outline as a Dash-8. Not at all like an Embraer though...
Contacttower
8th Apr 2009, 12:56
Hmm...I guess if it was anything major we'd have heard by now. :bored:
fchan
17th Jul 2009, 13:57
Having now talked to some ATCOs they think that the Southampton Tower is allowing crossing traffic across the approach route 6 miles from the threshold and I have certainly seen quite a few cross since my original post, although generally they are a little higher. I.e. if the landing traffic is coming in every say 5 minutes there are big enough gaps to allow a safe crossing at the same height (1500' at that position). So there appears to be an east west airway across south Winchester.
It’s a bit baffling though to me why crossing traffic would be so low (maybe 1000’-4000’) that it’s at same/similar height to the landing traffic. Unless it’s landing somewhere nearby other than Soton, it should be much higher. E.g. when taking off the Soton traffic is way higher than these crossers at this position. Or maybe it’s Soton landing traffic that crosses West to East then does a 270 degree left turn before landing to the South.
As it’s controlled from Southampton Tower control a controller from there would be the best person to answer.