EZY6942 - reversal turns
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Miles from where I want to be.
Age: 39
Posts: 220
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The sigwx chart for that day gives moderate icing and turbulence below FL180 in a band if weather stretching from the north of Iceland to the Midlands, with jetstreams at FL290 just south of Iceland and FL350 mid way between Iceland and Scotland. Although the chart forecasts moderate turbulence and icing below FL180 I would be very surprised if the vertical development simply stopped at FL180 and there may have been cloud tops much higher if this occurred at 20 minutes after departure.
I can't go into specifics, SLOP could have been used on the route (nothing to preclude its use technically) but I'm going to say either weather avoidance or being put on to a heading temporarily in order to climb clear of traffic, which happens a lot. SLOP isn't too relevant when you're under radar control, and even on the blue source routes it is rarely done. If it is then the turns are usually pretty gentle especially if the SLOP is only a mile.
The 22:50Z matar for EGPH that day shows CB reported, and the TAF for that evening forecasts CB so you could have flown overhead the field onto a left downwind for 24 or even flew through the localiser then onto a left downwind for 24
Either way, I'd put my money on saying it was weather avoidance or following ATC guidance.
I can't go into specifics, SLOP could have been used on the route (nothing to preclude its use technically) but I'm going to say either weather avoidance or being put on to a heading temporarily in order to climb clear of traffic, which happens a lot. SLOP isn't too relevant when you're under radar control, and even on the blue source routes it is rarely done. If it is then the turns are usually pretty gentle especially if the SLOP is only a mile.
The 22:50Z matar for EGPH that day shows CB reported, and the TAF for that evening forecasts CB so you could have flown overhead the field onto a left downwind for 24 or even flew through the localiser then onto a left downwind for 24
Either way, I'd put my money on saying it was weather avoidance or following ATC guidance.
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Ex Roman Empire
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Was there a NOTAM out at the time for degraded ATC coverage?
In this case SLOP can be used outside of African airspace....as in EUR/SAM
But, as said with a NOTAM, and ATC must also inform of this, before entering....
As somebody mentioned, one is nearly always under radar, for this specific route.
In this case SLOP can be used outside of African airspace....as in EUR/SAM
But, as said with a NOTAM, and ATC must also inform of this, before entering....
As somebody mentioned, one is nearly always under radar, for this specific route.
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Near an airport
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes but I would say this section is referring to non-radar area, hence the "as appropriate" and also as per section 8.5.1. even though one cannot really say it is crystal clear.
As for Random Routes, all flights in MNPS Airspace are random routes unless they travel the full length of a NAT Track and pass through 30W during the hours of operation of a track.
If you are "transiting" as you put it Oceanic Airspace, you must comply with the rules for that Airspace and these are set by ICAO Paris with differences. And on the many times I've been up there, we transited Shanwick which Iceland has no jurisdiction over. And always requires an Oceanic clearance.
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No doubt the answer is in EasyJet's ops manual so unless we get some EZY pilots answering the question we may remain in the dark.
The guidance is to use SLOP in any oceanic airspace, however the basic idea of SLOP is for improved separation when your not in radar airspace, ie the Atlantic.
I've seen captains adopt it, where as some think its a load of rubbish... Generally I always suggest we do it, even if its just to see the bus doing something a little different than usual.
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Some hotel
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That section is referring to MNPS Airspace. Of which that corner up to Iceland is a part of. It is crystal clear to me.
As for Random Routes, all flights in MNPS Airspace are random routes unless they travel the full length of a NAT Track and pass through 30W during the hours of operation of a track.
If you are "transiting" as you put it Oceanic Airspace, you must comply with the rules for that Airspace and these are set by ICAO Paris with differences. And on the many times I've been up there, we transited Shanwick which Iceland has no jurisdiction over. And always requires an Oceanic clearance.
As for Random Routes, all flights in MNPS Airspace are random routes unless they travel the full length of a NAT Track and pass through 30W during the hours of operation of a track.
If you are "transiting" as you put it Oceanic Airspace, you must comply with the rules for that Airspace and these are set by ICAO Paris with differences. And on the many times I've been up there, we transited Shanwick which Iceland has no jurisdiction over. And always requires an Oceanic clearance.
The sigwx chart for that day gives moderate icing and turbulence below FL180 in a band if weather stretching from the north of Iceland to the Midlands, with jetstreams at FL290 just south of Iceland and FL350 mid way between Iceland and Scotland. Although the chart forecasts moderate turbulence and icing below FL180 I would be very surprised if the vertical development simply stopped at FL180 and there may have been cloud tops much higher if this occurred at 20 minutes after departure.
U2 usually route KEF to the UK via OSKUM RATSU UN610 STN, so if you are sure that you were over INGO VOR, it may of been due to weather avoidance.
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Near an airport
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
SR22
Sorry but the rules do very much say that a SLOP must be done.
It has a been a Stabdard Operating Procedure since 2004.
Section 8.5.4 refers.
You can offset zero if you wish. You might say that is sematics.
The strongly recommend bit refers to aircraft capable of offsetting (which is almost everyone these days.) leaving the centreline available for those unable to offset.
It has a been a Stabdard Operating Procedure since 2004.
Section 8.5.4 refers.
You can offset zero if you wish. You might say that is sematics.
The strongly recommend bit refers to aircraft capable of offsetting (which is almost everyone these days.) leaving the centreline available for those unable to offset.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Sometimes north, sometimes south
Posts: 1,809
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
1 Post
Yes, the route could have been via OSKUM - INGO was just a guess on my part based on elapsed time and being able to see land directly below us not long before the first turn. KEF-OSKUM with a rw 29 departure is about 65nm so I guess a turn after 20 mins would be compatible with being over OSKUM, albeit perhaps a little slow?
So if it was SLOP, taking up a track right of the centreline from OSKUM, the turn at RATSU appears to have been a return to the centreline (because we were exiting Oceanic airspace?).
NS
So if it was SLOP, taking up a track right of the centreline from OSKUM, the turn at RATSU appears to have been a return to the centreline (because we were exiting Oceanic airspace?).
NS
