A stormy day!!
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 94
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From: uk
A stormy day!!
Im just looking at all the weather forecasts today and hearing all the warnings of strong winds. Ive looked for STN were i work and says winds likely to be 40mph and gusts of upto 65mph.
Would just like to know how this is likely to affect ground handling as i heard that flighdeck say the holds cannot be opened in certain winds and wonder how much truth there is in this statement and what else we might expect with such high winds?
Good luck all working tommorow, dont get blown away
Would just like to know how this is likely to affect ground handling as i heard that flighdeck say the holds cannot be opened in certain winds and wonder how much truth there is in this statement and what else we might expect with such high winds?
Good luck all working tommorow, dont get blown away
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 176
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From: Some dusty outpost in the ME
xx5572,
There is indeed truth in the statement!
Opening and closing of cargo and passenger doors is type specific. If you're at Stansted, I assume you are talking about Easyjet and Airbus'? Boeing cargo doors open inwards, with much less of an issue in this respect - other than whacking your head off them....!
The Airbus - Procedures for opening cargo doors that are facing into wind, are that they cannot be opened when the mean wind speed is 40kts or greater, or there are reported gusts of 40kts or greater. There is also a limit for closing at 65kts - I think??
You can obviously reposition aircraft to sheltered stands, or turn the aircraft through 180deg where the limiting speed is increased, to 60kts from memory.
Another aspect to consider are the passenger doors. They have a higher limiting speed, but you may find if you use mobile steps, is that the limiting speed for safe use of those would be exceeded first!
Wind speeds of 40mph and 65mph, circa 56kt and 91kt respectively, seem extremely high. So much so, that I'd doubt much would be happening in the way of ramp activity!
Refer to your companies SOP's for high wind operations. High winds on the ramp are very, very dangerous.
Best of luck tomorrow!
There is indeed truth in the statement!
Opening and closing of cargo and passenger doors is type specific. If you're at Stansted, I assume you are talking about Easyjet and Airbus'? Boeing cargo doors open inwards, with much less of an issue in this respect - other than whacking your head off them....!
The Airbus - Procedures for opening cargo doors that are facing into wind, are that they cannot be opened when the mean wind speed is 40kts or greater, or there are reported gusts of 40kts or greater. There is also a limit for closing at 65kts - I think??
You can obviously reposition aircraft to sheltered stands, or turn the aircraft through 180deg where the limiting speed is increased, to 60kts from memory.
Another aspect to consider are the passenger doors. They have a higher limiting speed, but you may find if you use mobile steps, is that the limiting speed for safe use of those would be exceeded first!
Wind speeds of 40mph and 65mph, circa 56kt and 91kt respectively, seem extremely high. So much so, that I'd doubt much would be happening in the way of ramp activity!
Refer to your companies SOP's for high wind operations. High winds on the ramp are very, very dangerous.
Best of luck tomorrow!
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 50
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From: North Hampshire.
40mph = 34.76kts
65mph = 56.48kts.
According to http://www.onlineconversion.com/speed_common.htm
Recidivist
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Essex, UK
Jersey callsign (making it a Dash 8 ?) just landed at Southend without too many problems. Seemed to catch a good window with 280 @ 28kts making rwy 24.
Commenting to B727 thinking about t/o stated that between 1000 - 9000ft was the worst part.
Commenting to B727 thinking about t/o stated that between 1000 - 9000ft was the worst part.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 94
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From: uk
Well what a day,
I would say every 3-4 aircraft it was a go around! Managed to get a while to myself and watched the aircraft on approach.
Firstly i must say i take my hat off to those pilots out there flying today because i know i certainly couldnt do what there doing. It seemed to be the last 600m that gave so many a/c problems with wings and tail going everywere. One diverted Qantas thats was on stand for around 6 hours without going anywere and fewe canx domestics.
Fun day for all then, im so glad to be at home and in the warm, lets hope tommorow is a little better.
I would say every 3-4 aircraft it was a go around! Managed to get a while to myself and watched the aircraft on approach.
Firstly i must say i take my hat off to those pilots out there flying today because i know i certainly couldnt do what there doing. It seemed to be the last 600m that gave so many a/c problems with wings and tail going everywere. One diverted Qantas thats was on stand for around 6 hours without going anywere and fewe canx domestics.
Fun day for all then, im so glad to be at home and in the warm, lets hope tommorow is a little better.
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 723
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From: East Midlands
Slept through yesterdays fun and games in the UK.
Spare a thought for the Europeans last night.
PRG suspended all fuelling requiring so much as a step ladder to reach the panel c75kt gusts around.
MUC, we put one into a hangar just to remove the engine blanks without the Engineer getting a flying lesson.
Crazy winds, even your Zippo or Ronson,s got no chance of lighting.
Hope there were no groundstrikes by wind powered steps etc.
Spare a thought for the Europeans last night.
PRG suspended all fuelling requiring so much as a step ladder to reach the panel c75kt gusts around.
MUC, we put one into a hangar just to remove the engine blanks without the Engineer getting a flying lesson.
Crazy winds, even your Zippo or Ronson,s got no chance of lighting.
Hope there were no groundstrikes by wind powered steps etc.
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 176
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From: Some dusty outpost in the ME
Captb747,
You may well be correct - I've no experience of the types you list.
Perhaps I should have been more specific, but as I mentioned easyjet, I assumed those reading would have made the link with 73's..
Anyway..
You may well be correct - I've no experience of the types you list.
Perhaps I should have been more specific, but as I mentioned easyjet, I assumed those reading would have made the link with 73's..
Anyway..
yeah fair point..One will keep quiet and speak only when spoken to!!!! 
