Teesside / Amsterdam Routings

[Mike Tee]

In the nineties I used to travel very regularly from Teesside to Amsterdam and vice versa. On departure from Teesside we always used to climb out over the North York moors and over the coast anywhere between Scarborough and Flamborough Head. The return flight was pretty much the same depending which runway was in use at Teesside such as when 23 was used we would cross the coast farther north between Whitby and Skinningrove. Nowadays departing flights always route SW from Teesside, down towards Leeds then left towards Ottringham (sometimes even further south) before crossing towards Amsterdam. This does seem to be a long way round.
Can anyone please offer any reason as to why this happens.

[nearly50]

The route you mentioned to & from EGNV (Teesside) to EHAM (Amsterdam) as flown for years now by KLM would ideally be as you stated, departing Teesside from runway 23, a left turn over the North York Moors, coasting out over Whitby / Scarborough and accross the North Sea and into Amsterdam. Simples... And the return leg the same in reverve with a left-base 23 passing over Eston Nab for a turn on to final approach over the Boro.

However! During the day, Monday - Friday our Military friends are out and about in the Vale of York (AIAA- Area of Intense Aerial Activity). Once you have left the safety of EGNV's Class D airspace you are now in Class G airspace where anything can & usually does happen.

A number of incidents have taken place in this "un-controlled" airspace, causing high work-load for the Air Traffic Controllers as well as the pilots involved. Over the years this has lead to airline operaters being encouraged to file flight plans to remain inside controlled airspace as much as possible. This is why you will head off towards Manchester initially before turning left back towards Ottringham. More track miles, but less hassle and probably safer for the fay-paying passenger. Once these repetative flight plans are in the system, Manchester (now Scottish) are very reluctant to allow an aircraft to take a short cut and cut the corner. Sometimes however on a night or week-end or a Bank Holiday you may still see the North Yorkshire coastline and even Redcar!:hmm:

[Mike Tee]

Thanks for that nearly50 now I know, and I even now know what EGNV and EHAM mean !!.