Icelandair Low-Level Pass
Fleet Manager
Joined: Aug 2006
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 7,083
Likes: 2,939
From: Ontario, Canada
True, there is a mismatch between FR24 and the actual flight path.
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 12
Likes: 17
From: Berlin
A few thoughts that come to my mind:
-When flying low level speed is life. With 250 Knots you can pull on the yoke to get out of trouble immediatly. Low and slow is way more dangerous. Low and slow and idle descent (like Habsheim) can get you really fast into trouble.
-Overflying your hometown is extra dangerous. It is hard to check the airspace/speed/instruments when you know every street down there. And it is so tempting to go a bit lower or use some extra bank.
Many years ago my captain had to over g our C160 Transall to pull up over his hometown. Instead of 60 degree bank we were suddenly at 70 plus and he allowed the nose to drop a bit. (Of course no indication of any bank here..)
-The last flight before retirement is, well at least special. I remember an incident when a german Tornado pilot wrecked his landing gear on his very last landing. Trying to make it "special" because every one was watching.
-I read a study on the fear of flying. Can't remember the exact numbers, but about somewhere around 30 percent of our passengers are quite happy when they are safely on the ground again. Not to mention people that are really scared to fly and just endure the flight.
What is fun in the cockpit might cause some issues in the cabin.
So for me its a nogo and not fair to our paying customers.
-When flying low level speed is life. With 250 Knots you can pull on the yoke to get out of trouble immediatly. Low and slow is way more dangerous. Low and slow and idle descent (like Habsheim) can get you really fast into trouble.
-Overflying your hometown is extra dangerous. It is hard to check the airspace/speed/instruments when you know every street down there. And it is so tempting to go a bit lower or use some extra bank.
Many years ago my captain had to over g our C160 Transall to pull up over his hometown. Instead of 60 degree bank we were suddenly at 70 plus and he allowed the nose to drop a bit. (Of course no indication of any bank here..)
-The last flight before retirement is, well at least special. I remember an incident when a german Tornado pilot wrecked his landing gear on his very last landing. Trying to make it "special" because every one was watching.
-I read a study on the fear of flying. Can't remember the exact numbers, but about somewhere around 30 percent of our passengers are quite happy when they are safely on the ground again. Not to mention people that are really scared to fly and just endure the flight.
What is fun in the cockpit might cause some issues in the cabin.
So for me its a nogo and not fair to our paying customers.
Last edited by Farmer106; 14th April 2026 at 07:36.
Gender Faculty Specialist
Joined: Mar 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 2,321
Likes: 428
From: In your head.
Really? So what then happens when it then comes to light two weeks later and the Police/Local Aviation Authority find out that the airline turned a blind eye? They’d effectively be complicit by proxy. Not sure as an Icelandair nominated post holder it’s really fair to put the airlines AOC at risk for the sake of one trumped up ego.
Its not the 1970s anymore.
Its not the 1970s anymore.
You can't possibly think of any internal processes which might be available and used at all? And if you can how do you know they weren't used?
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 71
Likes: 110
From: Scandinavia-home of the midnight sun.
Perhaps time for some here to have a cold drink and a couple of deep breaths and look again at what is known for sure , not taking social media reports and photos as facts and playing juges and jury .
If, big If , as some local news outlets are reporting , the captain requested to do this low pass to ATC and got the OK to do it and it was done above the airport, this whole saga will dry up pretty quickly.
If, big If , as some local news outlets are reporting , the captain requested to do this low pass to ATC and got the OK to do it and it was done above the airport, this whole saga will dry up pretty quickly.
Joined: Feb 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATCO
Posts: 421
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From: Europe
Joined: Jan 1999
Posts: 1,377
Likes: 174
From: England
An entry in my archives about an event from almost seven decades ago:
My junior school (Worple Road, Isleworth) was located under the approach to Heathrow’s runway 28L (as it was then designated), about 5 miles distant, which meant that airliners passing overhead were flying approximately 1500 feet above ground level. Most of the children paid no attention to the machines droning over the school – they made little noise apart from the occasional jets, such as the RAF’s Comet 2s (BOAC’s Mk 4s were not yet in service), Air France’s prototype Caravelles and Aeroflot’s Tu104s. The B707 had yet to scream through British skies.
We plane-spotters watched them all, noting down registrations of course. Even indoors we could identify aircraft types by the timbre of their engines. The crackle of Wright Turbo-Compounds was the signature of Super Connies, while Merlins meant Argonaut or York. The sleeve-valved Centaurus engines of BEA's Elizabethans emitted a distinct low-pitched drone. Very common was the whine of Dart-engined BEA Viscounts.
One spring morning in 1958, during break, we spotters in the playground identified a distant approaching aircraft as either DC4 or Argonaut (the airframes were virtually identical). Unusually it was flying much lower than normal. As it got closer the narrow frontal area of its engine nacelles told us ‘Argonaut’ and soon the growl of Merlins confirmed the identity. By now, other children were taking interest. The noise of kids at play gradually subsided as one by one they stopped their games and stood rooted to the spot watching the BOAC aircraft roar past, the eyes of a couple of hundred temporarily silent and motionless children following its progress. The aircraft did not appear to be in trouble. All four props were turning and it was not descending. I noted the registration, of course, but sadly this snippet of data has since escaped my memory. We all watched as the aircraft sedately flew on towards Heathrow and gradually the other children lost interest and resumed their playground activities.
There was no subsequent reference to the incident in any of the media and I wonder if perhaps the crew of the Argo were just having a bit of fun. In those days pilots had more latitude about how they flew their aircraft. A repeat performance today would probably result in a no-biscuit interview of the crew by their managers.
My junior school (Worple Road, Isleworth) was located under the approach to Heathrow’s runway 28L (as it was then designated), about 5 miles distant, which meant that airliners passing overhead were flying approximately 1500 feet above ground level. Most of the children paid no attention to the machines droning over the school – they made little noise apart from the occasional jets, such as the RAF’s Comet 2s (BOAC’s Mk 4s were not yet in service), Air France’s prototype Caravelles and Aeroflot’s Tu104s. The B707 had yet to scream through British skies.
We plane-spotters watched them all, noting down registrations of course. Even indoors we could identify aircraft types by the timbre of their engines. The crackle of Wright Turbo-Compounds was the signature of Super Connies, while Merlins meant Argonaut or York. The sleeve-valved Centaurus engines of BEA's Elizabethans emitted a distinct low-pitched drone. Very common was the whine of Dart-engined BEA Viscounts.
One spring morning in 1958, during break, we spotters in the playground identified a distant approaching aircraft as either DC4 or Argonaut (the airframes were virtually identical). Unusually it was flying much lower than normal. As it got closer the narrow frontal area of its engine nacelles told us ‘Argonaut’ and soon the growl of Merlins confirmed the identity. By now, other children were taking interest. The noise of kids at play gradually subsided as one by one they stopped their games and stood rooted to the spot watching the BOAC aircraft roar past, the eyes of a couple of hundred temporarily silent and motionless children following its progress. The aircraft did not appear to be in trouble. All four props were turning and it was not descending. I noted the registration, of course, but sadly this snippet of data has since escaped my memory. We all watched as the aircraft sedately flew on towards Heathrow and gradually the other children lost interest and resumed their playground activities.
There was no subsequent reference to the incident in any of the media and I wonder if perhaps the crew of the Argo were just having a bit of fun. In those days pilots had more latitude about how they flew their aircraft. A repeat performance today would probably result in a no-biscuit interview of the crew by their managers.
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,342
Likes: 821
From: Tring, UK
Not wishing the P1 ill for making what will probably turn out to be the biggest mistake of his career, but where I fly (UK) if I hired a light aircraft and flew over my local town solo as demonstrated in the video, I would expect to have my licence suspended and face possible prosecution. To do that in a 80T jet on a revenue flight is so wrong on so many counts that you wonder about the pilot’s mental state to even consider it - the days of ‘sightseeing’ in a company jet are long gone and the QAR/FDR will tell all.
Joined: Nov 2007
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 538
Likes: 182
From: Between a rock & a hard place.
Reminds me of the Britannia Airways B757 detour down Congleton high street.
If my memory is correct a stunt to celebrate the FO's child's birthday. Several thousand (maybe press exaggeration) phone calls to the various authorities declaring an aircraft about to 'crash'. CPT was either sacked or encouraged to resign, FO wrist slapped/warned - who knows, somebody here maybe.
If my memory is correct a stunt to celebrate the FO's child's birthday. Several thousand (maybe press exaggeration) phone calls to the various authorities declaring an aircraft about to 'crash'. CPT was either sacked or encouraged to resign, FO wrist slapped/warned - who knows, somebody here maybe.
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,342
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From: Tring, UK
Joined: Apr 2002
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 1,264
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From: Surrey, UK ;
DISCORDE .. We must be from the same area as I lived in Brantwood Avenue and it was the constant stream of aircraft over the outer marker in Redlees Park that got me interested in aviation. I must have been later than you it was 707s, Tridents Britannia's and the like (and good old Edgar Raffles).
I do recall an airshow at Barton in (perhaps the 90s) when an Air Two Bob 757 did a flypast down the runway at about 250 feet. I am pretty sure that was well arranged as ATC must have given it vectors from T/O at Ringway to Barton and them to climb out and set off for its destination.
I do recall an airshow at Barton in (perhaps the 90s) when an Air Two Bob 757 did a flypast down the runway at about 250 feet. I am pretty sure that was well arranged as ATC must have given it vectors from T/O at Ringway to Barton and them to climb out and set off for its destination.
Last edited by Dave Gittins; 15th April 2026 at 11:27.
Joined: Feb 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATCO
Posts: 421
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From: Europe
They were a fair distance south of those plants. Furthermore, I guess the Captain, who lives there, is very much au fait with the area than, with respect, you are. .
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 28
Likes: 2
From: Norway
Anyway it is not within the pilots jurisdiction to make that risk assessment. Thats up to company management. His actions are in no way justified.
What do you call a fair distance ? there is plenty birdlife there, all year round.
https://www.natt.is/is/dyr/fuglar/mi...vestmannaeyjar
Also, he does not live there.
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 541
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From: Blue sky
I don't know a lot of skippers that can identify a woodpecker by the sound it makes. Let's not overestimate our ornithological abilities shall we?
Joined: Feb 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATCO
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From: Europe
It was a very benign fly past. I understand that today's generation see it otherwise. I'm of the old generation, one which has (and I have personally) seen a lot more "adventurous" flypasts (yes, some with pax). For me this was a non-event. Leave the guy alone. He's retired now and won't be doing it again anyway. As for his living there or not, it was reported that he was a "native of the area", so obviously knew it well. Why otherwise would he have bothered in the first place? ATC was informed. Passengers were informed. There were no airshow or excessive type of maneuvering. Just leave it alone guys, no one is asking you to do it! Let's put it to bed now, where it belongs.
Last edited by Sobelena; 14th April 2026 at 15:15.
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 261
Likes: 42
From: Europe
It was a very benign fly past. I understand that today's generation see it otherwise. I'm of the old generation, one which has (and I have personally) seen a lot more "adventurous" flypasts (yes, some with pax). For me this was a non-event. Leave the guy alone. He's retired now and won't be doing it again anyway. As for his living there or not, it was reported that he was a "native of the area", so obviously knew it well. Why otherwise would he have bothered in the first place? ATC was informed. Passengers were informed. There were no airshow or excessive type of maneuvering. Just leave it alone guys, no one is asking you to do it! Let's put it to bed now, where it belongs.
I think "today's generation" is likely a bit more in the right for not wanting to take pax on an ego trip joyride. Hopefully "your generation" is now mostly retired or put to bed.
Joined: Feb 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATCO
Posts: 421
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From: Europe
I'll take that on the chin, but in this particular case I do honestly think there was nothing inherently dangerous. Going to bed now! 