Aircraft over North London

[Nicholas49]

Hello

Sitting outside a pub in North London yesterday evening, I saw several commercial aircraft (both narrow and wide bodied) flying overheard in what I think was a northerly direction. The aircraft appeared to be at/below 10,000ft (I know it's not possible to tell). In any case, quite "low".

Could someone tell me where they were flying to? I assume they weren't Luton-bound as there were a couple of 747s. Were they leaving a hold? Or were they in fact departing from LHR? If so, why were they still quite low over North London?

Many thanks
Nick

[pax britanica]

If you want a realsitic answer you will have to be alot more specific than North London, with Heathrow on Easterlies yesterday ie taking off towards London you could have seen LHR outbounds heading east or north or inbounds heading west on the downwind leg of their approach
PB

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Interesting that you consider 10,000 ft or below to be quite "low". If they were Heathrow outbounds they would be about half that height.

[ukdean]

I agree with HD on this one. I "think" they are only cleared to about 6000 on departure from LHR.

Highley likely to be LHR departures.

I pose the question posed before, N London is a big area, which part?

[Crusher1]

Quite a lot of activity over Woodford (NW London), lower than I have usually seen previously. Not an expert on the area as just there on business, just my opinion but I would guess by the aircraft types it was LHR traffic and not LCY.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Can't find Woodford for some reason, but Heathrow has been on easterlies which may account for what you saw. Inbound traffic to Heathrow in those circumstances would be around 6-8000 ft and higher.

[Ray Dahvectac]

activity over Woodford (NW London)

Can't find Woodford for some reason

Maybe because it is northEAST of London? Chigwell/Loughton area.

[sycamore]

Try`radarvituel.com`, or`flightradar24.com`...

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

OK, thanks. Inbound traffic over there for Heathrow for easterly landing would generally be 8000 feet or higher.

[Nicholas49]

Hello

The precise location was Belsize Park. And the pub was The Stag, which I recommend if you're in the area!

Yes, LHR easterly departures heading north/east sounds plausible.

HD: yes, the aircraft appeared lower than 10,000ft so I take your point there.

Many thanks
Nick

[Coopz67]

Know it well, I grew up there. Last had a pint in the beer garden last summer.
Sounds like these aircraft were on a standard BPK VOR departure and most probably at FL60. They usually fly runway heading 09R/L then make the turn north right over the top of the Stag. I think the SID used to be call BPJJ6
Enjoy your beer.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

The SID off 09R is a BPK 6J, which goes to 6000 ft. BUZAD 4J also follows the same initial track before turning left northwest bound.

[Doors to Automatic]

Much the same last night - I was on the South Bank of the Thames enjoying a few pints and there were a string of wide-body departures heading in an E or NE direction to our North. I am guessing these were heading to points in Asia and being held level for a while.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

The reason they may have been held down at 6000 ft is that the departure track passes under the inbound stream which leaves Lambourn on a westerly heading descending to a flight level at least 1000 ft above 6000 ft. Once clear, the outbounds are climbed.

[Nicholas49]

Thanks Coopz67 and HD - that description completely fits with what I saw. The aircraft were indeed making the northbound turn overhead.

One more question: were the long-haul wide-bodied aircraft likely to be heading across the Atlantic? Or could they have still been 'heading north' and then going to the East?

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

If they were trans-Atlantic they would have turned northwest after a short while and headed up the UK and either out over Ireland or Scotland. Those that turn further to the right are heading for northern Europe, Russia, Far East, etc,

[Coopz67]

Think they should give us our own waypoint called STAG of course :)