In 42G56, it probably doesn't matter.

Wonder what the TAF said.

TAF EGNS 230800Z 2309/2318 30030G45KT 9999 SCT007 BKN014
TEMPO 2309/2311 32036G55KT 3000 RA SHRA BKN007
PROB30 TEMPO 2311/2318 6000 SHRA
BECMG 2316/2318 31025=

I don't see how they could avoid taking action

If that is straight down the runway it will be OK and something a proffesional pilot should be able to cope with, though here it was not down the runway - but very surprising if the authorities got a hand on it THIS quickly!!

Just as oranges are not the only fruit , crosswinds are not the only wind limits and you could practically have flown a steam-packet ferry as a kite in those winds.

An aircraft landed during winds straight down the runway, just before a huge storm was going to hit the airport.

Getting off the runway, perpendicular to the high winds, was considered not desirable as the upwind wing could have been lifted.

Remaining on the runway, the aircraft 'jumped' due to lift created by the same high winds.

Two firetrucks were parked in front of the aircraft, close up against the wings as a precaution to 'spoil' the lift and prevent the aircraft from 'jumping'.

After about fifteen minutes the weather had passed and the aircraft taxied uneventfully to the ramp.

So if everything was so routine, why was the airline grounded?

I have always thought that safety was improved incrementally on the basis of learning from past errors and experience.

https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports/let-...8-january-2007

Really not understanding what you are saying here - if the wind is down the runway you CAN take off and land, though you do need to be aware of gusts, may have problems with taxiing and may even have limits with opening doors but the TO and landing can still be OK?

well, that makes a lot more sense of why the firetrucks were there. sounds like they made a good decision.

Were it not for the CAA getting involved, it sounded close to a non-story. The aircraft departed, could not land at its intended destination and diverted back to its departure field. There, due to the strong wind, unusual measures were taken to get the passengers off the aircraft. So far, so good. But this does not explain why the CAA has taken such an interest at shortest notice and why the 737, which surely struggles just the same in these wind conditions was brought in instead.

Something is still odd here.

I can't answer the first part, but presumably the 737 was chartered because (a) the weather conditions were no longer as severe and (b) its size would allow the passenger backlog from all the cancelled L-410 flights to be cleared more quickly.

And
C) the airline is grounded and Titans 733 is one of the few planes you can charter at short notice in the UK.

The winds at IOM seem >20kts X, so what was the weather at BFS? What's the flight time IOM BFS & what was the METAR at departure. DUB has RW28 & 34. Would a diversion there be better than IOM for the pax? Lots of questions, perhaps not the same number of answers.

Not sure they were headed for BFS, schedule certainly shows BHD.

Could it be that someone was upset enough to have primed the CAA to be standing by for a provable (further) violation?

If you checkout the Airports and Airlines forum there's a claim of bounced landing and missed approach at Belfast before the return to IOM.

Rob

Van Air remain grounded Sunday and Monday


On another forum it is reported that OK-LAZ will depart IOM to Liège at 0930 on Sunday 26/2/17 as VAA930P

Looks like they leveled off at 3900 approaching Belfast, overflew, then turned back to IOM...

Out:
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/a...ok-laz#c8b7dae

Return:
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/a...ok-laz#c8b8a3a

Just to point out, there is no approach ban for winds and just because metar says 42G56 doesn't mean they landed in that, at 500 feet could have got a spot wind and it may have been inside limits.

The same day people landed all day at BHX it was right across at 50 most of the day but people landed on instant winds when there was a lull

this is on the citywing facebook page:

If you were on the plane you'd understand why they are grounded now, the full truth about from Thursday belfast flight hasn't came out yet. Shouldn't have taken of and wasn't allowed to land in belfast despite being 2 foot off the runway in belfast.