Touch and go. Record number?

[Smoketoomuch]

Just now watching G-EZBF doing touch and goes [I think] at Doncaster/Finningley/ Robin Hood airport. An Easyjet A319.

I say watching, but actually looking at it on PlanefinderHD on Ipad. Its been flying a circuit for at least the last hour, doing touch and goes and training I assume. Earlier it was showing 'Dep Stansted, Arr Southend' [I think]

Counting the tracks, it must have done about 60+ touch and goes, and speed has shown as low as 100 knots [at 2000 feet alt].

Do the figures sound reasonable / accurate? They just seem a lot, and a little. Please note I'm NOT questioning professionalism, just the accuracy of PF HD and my Ipad.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

60 touch and goes in am hour would be impossible, even for a tiny aeroplane. Think - how is it going to fly a circuit in one minute? 100kts would be dodgy too!

[Smoketoomuch]

Sorry HD, I should have been clearer. I only noticed the aircraft an hour [ish] ago, but it was already showing 40 ish full circuits on PF HD. Dunno how long it had been doing them before I stuck my nose in.
100 knots.. I thought low as well, but saw 100 to 105 several times over the hour.
Its currently 15 knots, 17 degrees, 0 feet.

The pattern traced by its tracks are fascinating - looks like a spirograph drawing. [showing my age here].

Thanks for your reply.

[SpringHeeledJack]

The pattern traced by its tracks are fascinating - looks like a spirograph drawing. [showing my age here].

I was watching a Brazilian Air Force A319 do a multitude of circuits a month or so back and decided to watch it on FlightRadar to see what might be going on. The plot track couldn't/can't do circles, or doesn't get enough information to make a circle and so made the most amazing spirograph pattern, which brought back memories of yesteryear :)

[mcdhu]

Ezy base training trips go off with 2 instructors and 7/8 trainees each of which have to do at least 6 circuits so you are looking at 40-50 circuits if each trainee performs satisfactorily. It is often more than that.

[Smoketoomuch]

Thanks MC, thought it must be something like that.

I grabbed a screenshot just as the aircraft was heading south [home presumably] at around 10.30pm.

http://i56.tinypic.com/35i4vvo.png

[sycamore]

Hope there were`nt too many heavy ones as they could end up down the mines....

[WHBM]

Who went the wrong way round then ? :)

[EGAC_Ramper]

Done safety pilot many a time and a good average is 6minutes a circuit.

Regards

[Smoketoomuch]

Practising again today. Around 40 circuits, about 6 to 7 mins each.

Out of interest, why Doncaster? Presumably availability and price, the airport doesn't seem very busy. Would an airline book the runway by the hour or pay for each touch and go? What would be a ball-park cost for a 737 or A319 or similar at a place like Doncaster.

http://i54.tinypic.com/23n2nb.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/2prshs7.jpg

[Groundloop]

Would an airline book the runway by the hour or pay for each touch and go? What would be a ball-park cost for a 737 or A319 or similar at a place like Doncaster.

No doubt easy would have negotiated a special rate for training (it would be on a per landing basis, not time based), especially if they do it quite often.

[Mr Angry from Purley]

FR do a lot of circuit bashing at EMA, i suspect they might hold the record as they seem to churn their crews out all the times. This week sure 1 x Trainer and 6 F/O's...
EMA no longer accepts non based airlines which is a shame. DSA is ok but isn't there an issue with uncontrolled air space at some stage??

[ZOOKER]

No, EGCN now has controlled airspace which adjoins the local airways structure.
EGNV has a 'gap' between the airway and it's CTR/CTA.

[MADTASS]

Had Easyjet down here in Newquay (Cornwall) over the last couple of weeks. Lost count of the amount of Circuits he completes, as for Cost, pretty sure they get a very Favourable Rate.
Stopped for Fuel a Couple of times, (not in the same Day), like someone mentioned, about 10 of them on board.

Just out of interest, are any of the Circuits Flown on Autopilot or is it completely all Hand-Flown.

[Mr Mac]

Not a touch and go as such, but in 1965 had the pleasure as a small boy watching a Channel Airways Viscount make 7 attempts at landing at Perpignan on a perfectly clear night with no wind. Fire engines out, Ambulances on stand by, this small boy was well impressed. First passenger off kissed the ground (He was not the Pope either). My pleasure was tempered by my father advising me that we were returning on the same plane, which we did with no problems, and we never found out why they had so much difficulty landing !.
Also did 4nr attempts at landing with a large French airline in a 707 at Chicago in 1969, but they were known as Air Chance at that time as I re call, due to a number of incidents with their 707 so perhaps they were being carefull.