Perth to London

[Tuner 2]

QF 787 is CAT3B (0' RA / 75m) and can make use of reduced alternate weather criteria to use alternates below standard alternate criteria but above CAT1 RVR/vis.

[Qanchor]

If that was the case they'd reduce the payload, not cancel the flight!

Fathom,
Full tanks are full tanks, reducing payload/blocking seats doesn’t miraculously produce more fuel when the tanks are already full.
What I was implying, (perhaps a little too subtly), was that maybe with the enroute winds and TAF for arrival, full tanks was less than the min op fuel required, even with no pax/freight.
RD got it.

[knobbycobby]

It’s not a question of aircraft capability. It’s the fuel policy and also flight time limitations.
If both Heathrow and Gatwick are below CAT 1 visibility you cannot take advantage of the reduced alternate weather criteria.
Unsurprinsingly during winter it’s not uncommon for many airports to all be under CAT 1 visibility in the morning hours.

[Capt Fathom]

Originally Posted by Qanchor

Full tanks are full tanks, reducing payload/blocking seats doesn’t miraculously produce more fuel when the tanks are already full.

No, but the lower fuel burn produces more range. But you knew that already!

[cessnapete]

Originally Posted by knobbycobby

It’s not a question of aircraft capability. It’s the fuel policy and also flight time limitations.
If both Heathrow and Gatwick are below CAT 1 visibility you cannot take advantage of the reduced alternate weather criteria.
Unsurprinsingly during winter it’s not uncommon for many airports to all be under CAT 1 visibility in the morning hours.

Planning on a forecast that is 17 hours old when you arrive? In my airline on ULR flights plan for somewhere en route that is forecast to be above CAT l and reflightplan if possible with actuals nearest your planned destination?

[Qanchor]

So why didn’t the flight depart?

[UnderneathTheRadar]

Originally Posted by cessnapete

Planning on a forecast that is 17 hours old when you arrive? In my airline on ULR flights plan for somewhere en route that is forecast to be above CAT l and reflightplan if possible with actuals nearest your planned destination?

I think we've already established that for QF9/10 to work - its LHR or LGW only due to the disruption factor of going elsewhere - departing for an alternate and betting the sheep station on an improvement is very different to departing better than CAT1 and running the risk of a deterioration to the point that no CAT3B is possible (I'm not a flyer for a living - out of curiosity, what are the rules if an airfield goes below CAT1 when enroute for a ULR flight? Must re-plan including fuel to an alternate - enough fuel to miss then divert or, if not enough for that, must divert?)

Doesn't explain why it didn't depart though - the good ol'fashion rumour about a new flight planning software sounds pretty Qantas-like also.

[cessnapete]

Originally Posted by UnderneathTheRadar

I think we've already established that for QF9/10 to work - its LHR or LGW only due to the disruption factor of going elsewhere - departing for an alternate and betting the sheep station on an improvement is very different to departing better than CAT1 and running the risk of a deterioration to the point that no CAT3B is possible (I'm not a flyer for a living - out of curiosity, what are the rules if an airfield goes below CAT1 when enroute for a ULR flight? Must re-plan including fuel to an alternate - enough fuel to miss then divert or, if not enough for that, must divert?)

Doesn't explain why it didn't depart though - the good ol'fashion rumour about a new flight planning software sounds pretty Qantas-like also.

All airlines will have their own rules at replanning en route. From my experience in Uk and based at Lhr, vis lower than CatIII happens very infrequently, cloud base is not a factor. So unless there are long ATC delays you are guaranteed to land with the reliability of modern avionics. Most of the LR flights on my airline arrived between 0500 0700 as QF Perth, so no long ATC delays at that time, and of course 2 Cat III parallel landing runways available, 3 if you include LGW which is approx the same fuel from the arr Fix.

[Capn Rex Havoc]

Here is a suggestion - perhaps they could plan a refuel stop somewhere like oh - I don't know - Dubai

[Troo believer]

Constellation is the problem.

[ruprecht]

Originally Posted by Troo believer

Constellation is the problem.

How can you blame Constellation? It calculates the fuel to 3 decimal places...

[Derfred]

Originally Posted by Troo believer

Constellation is the problem.

Capricorn is still there pumping out flight plans for other fleets... why can’t they whip out a backup Capricorn plan?

[catseye]

Originally Posted by Derfred

Capricorn is still there pumping out flight plans for other fleets... why can’t they whip out a backup Capricorn plan?

About 4 mins for a LHR - SYD fpl when OJA was being planned in Capricorn.