Large a/c heading north low altitude South Coast

[vctenderness]

At around 19.45 this evening I saw a large aircraft flying very low heading north over the south coast around Seaford.

Not able to make out which type or airline from the distance.

It would probably be heading to Gatwick any one know why as it was definitely not at a normal altitude for LGW.

When I looked on PF air a BA 747 ex JFK heading to LHR appeared in the East which seemed very strange.

[Boeing Freighter]

The Emirates A380 was around 5,500 feet going into Gatwick at exactly this time, but it was NORTH of Seaford, NORTH of the coastline.

So if it was definitely over the water south of the coast but heading north , then it wasn't this sorry.

If it helps at all

BF

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

<<When I looked on PF air a BA 747 ex JFK heading to LHR appeared in the East which seemed very strange.>>

Where in the east? Heathrow is on westerlies so all approaches will be from the east.

[vctenderness]

Well I was holding my iPad with PF due East from the Brighton area. I would not expect a flight from JFK to LHR to appear amongst the numerous flights that appeared.

I think the aircraft I saw was the Emirates A380 as that seems to make sense. It still looked lower than 5500 feet but the eye can play tricks I know.

[Charley B]

Sure that was the EK A380 you saw..it went down south and came back round to LGW that night..as for the other one..a mystery!!

[Musket90]

It's not unusual for Gatwick inbounds to be vectored just to the north of Eastbourne/Seaford area at around 6 to 7000ft when 26L is in use for landing. It's for sequencing behind other inbounds. It was most likely the Emirates A380 which when compared to the medium size types like A320 family and B737 looks to be much lower because of it's size.

[treadigraph]

Last night BAW178, 747 from JFK arrived at the time in question via Lands End, Southampton, a quick turn around the Epsom hold, and a standard trundle across southern London to join the 27 approach. That the one?

[DaveReidUK]

via Lands End, Southampton, a quick turn around the Epsom hold, and a standard trundle across southern London to join the 27 approach. That the one?Given that the OP's sighting was

heading north over the south coast around Seafordit's hard to see how they could have been the same aircraft.

[treadigraph]

I'm referring to the BA 747 from JFK he also mentioned.

[Georgeablelovehowindia]

Last night BAW178, 747 from JFK arrived at the time in question via Lands End, Southampton, a quick turn around the Epsom hold, and a standard trundle across southern London to join the 27 approach. That the one?

A quick turn around which hold Treadders? It hasn't been Epsom for years. If OCK is unserviceable it's TOMMO now (BIG R267/7.6D).

:)

[DaveReidUK]

I'm referring to the BA 747 from JFK he also mentioned.Ah, that makes sense now. Apologies for the confusion.

a BA 747 ex JFK heading to LHR appeared in the East which seemed very strangeAs HD rightly says, when LHR is on westerlies (which is about 70% of the time), all landing traffic (whatever its origin) will be vectored to the east of the airport for an ILS approach on 27L or 27R.

[treadigraph]

D'you know, I did think of putting Epsom/Ockham 'cos I never know which it is! Just always known it as the Epsom hold, though I know the beacon (VOR?) is at Ockham. ;)

Tommo eh? What's 7.6D? DME? Surely it would be more than 7.6nm from BIG?

[DaveReidUK]

Tommo eh? What's 7.6D? DME? Surely it would be more than 7.6nm from BIG?Indeed it is. The radial quoted (R267) is correct, but the distance according to the AIP is 15.0nm (Google Earth agrees).

[Georgeablelovehowindia]

Thanks Dave, now I've actually printed the chart out, as opposed to looking at it sideways on my computer screen, it says: TOMMO 511852N 0002146W BIG R267.6/D 15.0

And there, ladies and gentlemen, is a classic example of why the authorities will only allow the use of certain procedures, contained in the aircraft navigation system database, the waypoint co-ordinates having been checked and double checked!

OK, so TOMMO is 267.6 degrees magnetic FROM the Biggin VOR beacon at a distance of 15 nautical miles precisely. The racetrack holding pattern is right-hand at that point, which keeps it well away from the Biggin hold.

It's a shame about Epsom, it survived long after Watford, the other original Heathrow hold, replaced by Bovingdon decades ago.

tread. I've P.M.d a link to the above mentioned AIP chart, so you can see for yourself.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

After Watford there were Leavesden and Garston prior to Bovingdon.

[Georgeablelovehowindia]

Back into the era of ticker tape, eh HD?

OK, how about this: BEA GOP LVG MYE 1611

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Music to my ears... until the tape broke!

[treadigraph]

After Watford there were Leavesden and Garston prior to Bovingdon.


A gentle progression northwards - the moves outwards prompted by noisier/faster/more aircraft or by urban sprawl in the 50s/60s?

Cheers for the info by the way, as always very interesting! I shall have a look at the link later.

Cheers

Treadders