East Midlands Departures

[David Sharpe]

Living in North Sheffield on the Barnsley border, I regularly monitor 133.8 / 128.125 on the airband radio to find out what's about.

I have notice over the Summer season a number of flights that depart East Midlands to the North, and then make a right turn almost over my house out to the East (BMI Baby flights to Amsterdam seem to do this regularly, and I have also heard Jet 2 flight to Paphos on the same route)

Is this done for shortening of the route or as a result of ATC delays down to the South ? It does seem a bit of a long winded way to get from East Midlands to Amsterdam, but I stand to be corrected !!!

[ZOOKER]

Hi David, the direct route from East Midlands to Amsterdam is obviously to fly due east. This is both time and fuel-saving, but does not afford said traffic the protection of Controlled Airspace, (CAS). Many years ago, BMA did fly such a route with Viscounts, (usually under the watchful eyes of what was then Midland Radar).
Today, it is desirable to fly within CAS, due to the greater numbers of unknown A/C operating outside, and the insurance issues associated with operating commercial traffic in such an 'unknown' environment.
There may be flow control issues for these flights in the London TMA, and if we wait long enough, someone from Swanwick will doubtless post an explanation.
However, the track distance from EGNX to EHAM isn't that much greater if you take in the sights of Sheffield and Barnsley on the way. Indeed these aircraft have the pleasure of transiting a section of CAS sometimes known as 'the armpit'!
Nothing to do with the fact that it overlies Yorkshire and was originally controlled from Manchester, the name comes from the geometry of the CAS, as you will see if you Google an appropriate chart.
Usually, the TRENT sector at Scottish, (134.425 or 119.525) will co-ordinate a routing with the EAST sector, (133.8), which takes the A/C round the corner towards DOLAS, slightly SE of the published airway centre-line. The reverse often applies to East Midlands inbounds from the E. This is a short-cut which helps avoid Sector29, (118.775), which is a busy chunk of airspace above Manchester. Birmingham inbound traffic from the east and Scandinavia will often route this way.
If you do not have access to SBS data, have a look at Flightradar24, whilst listening to the RTF, (which I am sure you know is technically illegal). You will gradually work it all out.

[boredcounter]

Had this question from Crews many times.

It is all about fuel burn. The flight time and more important the fuel burn dictates the filed routing. Sometimes it seems crazy, but the computer works fuel out to the kilo.

All as has been said goes out the window when slots come into play.

Bored