Weather

[Piper Warrior Pilot]

Just a quick question here.

I was at Newcastle Airport today with my new airband reciever in terrible conditions. Heavy rain, extremely heavy fog and one aircraft which was cleared to land passed over the runway to high and had to go around again because he couldnt see the runway.

I was just wanting to know "at what point does the weather ground planes"

[Basil]

If it's a genuine question (& before the facetious comics arrive on the scene).

From An ILS (Instrument Landing System) approach:

Manual landing CAT1: the limits would be 200ft above the runway and visibility of 550m.

CAT2 autoland: 100ft/350m
CAT3A autoland: 50ft/200m
CAT3B autoland: 15ft/100m
CAT3C autoland: 0ft/75m (i.e. no sighting of runway required; the 75m vis is for taxying and emergency vehicle access)

In order to make use of these limits, the appropriate ground equipment must be installed at the airport AND the aircraft must be fitted with a suitable multi-channel autopilot.

The term 'Grounded' is one of the most misused in our business, sometimes even by pros. 'Grounding' takes place when it is clear that, for instance, a technical defect applies to all of a type and is applied and removed by the relevant Civil Aviation Authority.

[Plastic Cockpit]

Amendment to the above:-

Cat 2 Manual landing is 100ft-300m

[Tight Slot]

Autoland Cat3b's are 0ft and 75m's in my shiny jet...

the 75m's is so you can find your car in the staff car park.