View Full Version : 2 Qatari 777 over London
ukdean
2nd Oct 2011, 14:37
At approximately 1250 this afternoon over west london 2 Qatari 777s where flying very close to each other. Both on the same heading, same speed, and at about 20000+ feet.
Any ideas in what they where up to. One the headed SW with the other still heading west.
It was quite impressive to see.
HEATHROW DIRECTOR
2nd Oct 2011, 16:22
Probably overflying to the USA; they do it all the time.
holyflyer
2nd Oct 2011, 18:29
QTR051 Doha - Washington B77W A7-BAI FL32 N Abeam STU 1214UTC
QTR083 Doha - New York JFK B77W A7-BAH FL34 N Abeam STU 1214UTC
Looks like they both got a DCT LAM-STU - SLANY - SNN
At LAM QTR51 was approx 5km behind and 2000 below. By Didcot 51 was SE of 83 by 5km. By STU 51 was ahead and 83 was 5km SE. As they coasted out over the west of Ireland (north of shannon estuary, west of SNN) they were about 30km apart.
ukdean
2nd Oct 2011, 18:55
Holyflyer,
Many thanks for taking the time to have a look.
Was in the back garden Sunday lunchtime (south of LAM) and noticed this one myself, both heading west. Didn't occur they were both from the same company. They looked closer than 5km, couldn't determine which was higher.
Groundloop
4th Oct 2011, 13:58
QTR051 Doha - Washington B77W A7-BAI FL32 N Abeam STU 1214UTC
QTR083 Doha - New York JFK B77W A7-BAH FL34 N Abeam STU 1214UTC
No doubt the above should read FL320 and FL340. Mind you, two 777's cruising overhead at 3200 and 3400 feet would have been quite some sight!:ok:
HEATHROW DIRECTOR
4th Oct 2011, 14:06
<<They looked closer than 5km,>>
They may well have been if they were vertically separated, which the above suggests they were.
holyflyer
4th Oct 2011, 18:22
Apologies my typo FL320 & FL340 are correct.
Many, many years ago I was a pax on a 747SP from LHR-JFK. Just before STU we were joined alongside (2000' lower and maybe 2km north - you could read the decals) by a Finnair DC10 which in those days routed via AMS. We crossed the atlantic like that, the Finnair only falling behind somewhere near Halifax. It actually landed straight after us at JFK. Somewhere buried deep in a box I have some 'air to air' photo's.
HEATHROW DIRECTOR
5th Oct 2011, 06:45
hf... It's quite scary, isn't it? I was in the hold at OCK for Heathrow once and an Iberia Airbus was 1000 ft above us. As we went round the turns, he banked at the same time and we appeared to be 1000 ft apart "horizontally". Great views and it shows how close aircraft can get when they're bombing around at great speed.
Espada III
5th Oct 2011, 09:26
I am quite impressed that at over 30,000ft you could tell that two aircraft were from the same company!
holyflyer
5th Oct 2011, 10:58
hf... It's quite scary, isn't it? I was in the hold at OCK for Heathrow once and an Iberia Airbus was 1000 ft above us. As we went round the turns, he banked at the same time and we appeared to be 1000 ft apart "horizontally". Great views and it shows how close aircraft can get when they're bombing around at great speed.
HD - I'm a far too regularly on the DUB-LHR run which often means several times round the hold at BNN, descending as required. (Oh for the days of the Westcott snatch) You often catch a view of the one above or below and it does appear very close indeed. Had a great view earlier this year of an outbound BA 747 go under us. Always end up timing the holds, as my FI taught me, and then trying to get the old brain to do some mental maths on probable head/tail winds.
pax britanica
5th Oct 2011, 17:06
Turning the post on its head a bit but still about Qatar T7s and long haul flying.
On holiday in the Charente region of France in August a beautiful clear sky was enhanced by a brilliant white contrail which drew the attention of my binoculars showing a T7 with Qatar emblazoned on the belly. A quick check on radar virtuel shows it is anon stop Houston to Doha flight and a nice pretty sight too.
A few days ago back in Uk 450 miles due north of the holiday home and a similar sight another Qatar T7 –check radar virtuel and its also Houston to Doha .same trip different day 450 miles difference N-S.
So from two same airline same aircraft flying almost in formation to same airline same route along way apart. Thread drift I know but I thought it was a good example of how tracks on these very long hauls can really vary by quite a lot. And Kudos to Qatar airways for the stylish underbody logo
holyflyer
5th Oct 2011, 18:30
good example of how tracks on these very long hauls can really vary by quite a lot
The NAT tracks have been very interesting this week. Yesterday (Tuesday) most westbounds went a long way south. Today, (Wednesday), they mostly went out over the northern Hebrides. Today's EI's JFK flight headed out of SNN over LDY on a heading of 340 to EBAKA (I think). Mind you I have a dim and distant memory of an EI 747 en route to JFK heading NE from OTR during a Canadian ATC strike.
This is good site http://acweather.********.com/2005/10/north-atlantic-weather-major-airports.html
You can compare the tracks to weather and see what they are avoiding or using to their benefit.