EK15 Diverting to MAN from LGW

[Hansol]

i saw the EK15 declared an inflight emergency because of storm Erik and is diverting to MAN? But wind speeds at the time were only 20knts gusting to 30 knots. Anything else going on?

[Skyjob]

Direction of wind, maybe?
An inflight or dispatch able fault also could reduce crosswind allowance

[Evey_Hammond]

2 failed attempts at landing at LGW, fuel low, diverted to MAN.

[Dave Gittins]

Currently 210 at 18 G 29 on Rwy 26.. crosswind max 23 kts component. What's limits for a 380 ? .. is it runway width limited ?

[surely not]

They tootled around the Sussex coastline for quite awhile before heading up North. I can't find any info as to whether they will refuel and try again or if the flight is terminating at MAN. If it does terminate in MAN the coach companies will be pleased!

[RexBanner]

We picked up a predictive wind shear ahead whilst pointing West on the taxiway parallel to 26L bizarrely enough, at the same time the Emirates aircraft on approach called going around due wind shear, so obviously that was the first event. Not sure about the second go around as we were airborne by then but we heard them on the London Frequencies declaring a mayday and initially requesting Stansted before deciding Manchester. Not for the first time this has happened with this kind of wind in Gatwick for the A380.

[Chesty Morgan]

Laker's revenge. Is it still there?

[tubby linton]

Originally Posted by Chesty Morgan

Laker's revenge. Is it still there?

The building has gone, though the turbulence hasn”t

[cessnapete]

Originally Posted by tubby linton

The building has gone, though the turbulence hasn”t

EK apparently have an SOP mandatory go around if the flight deck w=Wind s=Shear warning occurs. Even if X wind below limits, they fly by numbers, no Airmanship allowed.
Same SOP process, the initial cause of the DXB 777 accident ( Then pilot error). Mandatory go around if Long Landing warning, even if you've still got 10000ft of runway ahead.

[Right Way Up]

EK apparently have an SOP mandatory go around if the flight deck w=Wind s=Shear warning occurs.

I may be misunderstanding you, but what is wrong with that?

[Sussex79]

Hi - I was a passenger on this flight. The pilot seemed concerned from the outset. When we boarded in Dubai he mentioned the predicted wind and rain at Gatwick and said “we hope to get you there safely”.

With the cameras we were able to watch both landings and we seeemed a long way from runway on both attempts. Would crew confidence and an obvious landing worry before we even left Dubai come into it?

What was then strange was it was announced we were diverting to Manchester yet spent another 15 mins circling around Brighton. . .

[dixi188]

GE still shows the Laker hangar. It's the BCAL ones that are gone, unless that is out of date.

[172_driver]

I may be misunderstanding you, but what is wrong with that?

Without putting any judgement on the crew in question;

It's a one size fits all approach to the problem. With the kind of weather around there is a good chance you'll be in the same position 20 min later with just less fuel onboard. Unlikely mechanical turbulence is gonna have you fall out of the sky, unlike thunderstorm induced wind shear.

[Chesty Morgan]

Thanks Tubby.

You can ignore a wind sheer caution but you cannot ignore a wind sheer warning. So which was it?

[Right Way Up]

It's a one size fits all approach to the problem.

No it's not. If you get a wind shear warning you do a windshear go-around. It's not rocket science. If you are light on fuel you divert somewhere where wind shear won't be an issue. If of course your management skills are up to decent fuel planning.

[Time Traveller]

So what you're gonna do? Keep going around until you run out of fuel?

But sadly, yes - airmanship is about as welcome as a French kiss at a family reunion these days, if it doesn't completely fit in with "procedure".

[Right Way Up]

Time traveller are you saying ignore a wind shear warning?

[Locked door]

Thats a very simplistic / basic / fly by numbers approach to windshear warnings. As a previous poster points out, what’s the point of exchanging one windy runway for another with less fuel. On a day like today every runway in the UK is going to be affected by lumpy wind, some will have a larger xwind component than others but that doesn’t mean they’re more or less likely to have a windshear event.

In my airline as long as multiple criteria are met and the decision to continue is pre briefed it is permissible to treat a windshear warning as a caution and continue the approach. Of course just because you can doesn’t mean you must, so I temper the briefing to say we’ll be continue minded above 500ft and w/s ga minded below 500ft and there’s no need to try to be heroes.

[Time Traveller]

Originally Posted by Right Way Up

Time traveller are you saying ignore a wind shear warning?

Yes ... after declaring a pan or mayday ... which is what they did - so good job. But it scares me that some crews would actually keep going around again and again because the book says so. This is supposed to be why we don't have computers flying airliners

[Right Way Up]

Thats a very simplistic / basic / fly by numbers approach to windshear warnings. As a previous poster points out, what’s the point of exchanging one windy runway for another with less fuel

Then take enough fuel to have a go and divert to somewhere where wind shear is unlikely to be an issue. That is why you are paid the big bucks! On a normal day too many people take extra fuel for no reason except to make themselves more comfortable (a ton for mum etc) then when they really need loads of extra fuel they add their standard extra fuel!

Time Traveller - I see where you are coming from and yes at some point you may have to make that decision. Hopefully good airmanship will avoid that.