Full emergency at Gatwick, 23 August 2008
 

Just broken on BBC News channel that an aircraft has landed safely at Gatwick having declared a "full emergency".

Anyone got any details please?

Medias
 

Sounds like medias all over the place after spanair crash.
Fire service on standby and crew declared a full emergency.

BBC Website confirm plane to be a Virgin plane
 

Plane lands after full emergency


A plane has touched down on the runway at Gatwick Airport in West Sussex after a full emergency.
A Gatwick spokesman said the plane had declared a problem and the fire service was on standby. No-one is believed to be hurt.

From unreliable source
 

A plane has touched down on the runway at Gatwick Airport in West Sussex after a full emergency.
A Gatwick spokesman said the plane had declared a problem and the fire service was on standby. No-one on board is believed to be hurt.
The Virgin Atlantic flight heading to Barbados came back to Gatwick an hour after take-off after the captain discovered a technical problem. The airline said it was simply a precautionary measure.

Link to BBC News story:-

BBC NEWS | England | Emergency landing for Virgin jet

Doesn't say much at the moment.

VS29
 

Looking at the Flight Explorer the VS29 is the only aircraft to return to LGW. It was airborne at 0926Z, the route history shows a track as far as the north of France and then back to LGW holding for 4 circuits in the south east.

"A Virgin spokesman said the Boeing 747 will be examined and the passengers will either continue their flight on the plane or if the problem is more serious they will be transferred to a different one"

Not taking any chances then

Times Online;
A Virgin Atlantic 747 with 350 passengers on board made a full emergency landing at Gatwick Airport in West Sussex this morning.
The plane took off earlier from the airport headed for Barbados but had to turn back after technical problems were encountered.
A spokeswoman at Gatwick said staff were put on full alert at 10.47am after the pilot reported problems.
The plane landed at 11.08am and was directed to a remote part of the airport. The full level emergency was downgraded at 11.28am and the emergency services stood down at 11.35am. Passengers began disembarking shortly afterwards.

Apparantly it was an engine fire, those guys deserve a few beers tonight!:ok:

It was a bird strike.

It sounds like a bit of a non-event!

A birdstrike causes a "full" emergency?

Sheeettt! I hear it but I don't believe it!

A/C seemed to be 1 hour inflight already so i sont think it was a full emergency....enough airports to divert into in that case seems to me just a technical problem

it would take 40 mins to dump sufficient fuel to land below max landing weight.

It wasn't a bird strike (I was on there) engine 1 flamed out on take off and caused some issues with the landing gear. I can't get more technical than that, I only sit by a door! We had to dump our fuel. Now I am going to the pub.

Why were 2 SAR helicopters despatched to Gatwick - one from Wattisham and the other from Lee-on-Solent? Is that normal practice for an emergency at Gatwick?

I have been in touch with someone who also was on board and who works for the airline. It was a bird strike; presumably therefore to an engine. Would have had to dump fuel before returning to land hence the "flyabout".

Knumb Knuts Sounds like you've got a good moniker :mad:

If there was a fire warning, I, for one, would be declaring a full emergency. I'd then downgrade when the indication had gone.

If you want to be macho, go ride a horse....

Ok, my english is only level4. What is a full emergency? You also have half emergencies now in the U.K?

As an airfield ATCO in the UK we have the following categories of emergency(MATS 1)




5 Categories of Emergency
5.1 It is the responsibility of the Aerodrome Authority to prepare detailed emergency orders which include the terms and priorities to be used for alerting the emergency services.


5.2 The following terms are in general use but individual variations and extra terms may be found in local emergency orders.

5.2.1 Aircraft Accident/Aircraft Accident Imminent
When an aircraft accident has occurred or is inevitable on, or in the vicinity of the aerodrome. At some units Aircraft Accident covers both situations.

5.2.2 Aircraft Ground Incident
When an aircraft on the ground is known to have an emergency situation other than an accident which requires the attendance of emergency services.

5.2.3 Full Emergency
When an aircraft is known or is suspected to be in such trouble that there is danger of an accident.

5.2.4 Local Standby
a) When an aircraft is known or suspected to have developed some defect, but one which would not normally involve any serious difficulty in effecting a safe landing;

b) When an aircraft is to be searched following a bomb warning;

c) When an aircraft requires inspection by the Aerodrome Fire Service.

5.2.5 Local Standby (Weather) or Weather Standby

When weather conditions are such as to render a landing or take-off difficult or difficult to observe, e.g. strong crosswind, poor visibility, ice or snow on the runway etc.


5.2.6 Local Standby (Royal Flights)
When a Royal Flight is landing or taking off.

5.2.7 Domestic Fire
Any fire:
a) on the aerodrome, not included in the categories above;
b) outside the aerodrome boundary (other than an aircraft accident) which is liable to constitute a danger to flying or aerodrome property;

c) which the Aerodrome Fire Service should attend:
i) according to an agreement with the local fire brigade;
ii) in response to calls from the public or police on humanitarian grounds.


So no "half emergencies" more a graduated response to various degrees of severity.