G-BYGC BA049 turn back today
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G-BYGC BA049 turn back today
G-BYGC B 744 Ba049 currently flying around FL90 for over an hour turning back for LHR currently heading for the UK East Coast presumably for fuel dump.
Aircraft was on route SEA and circled over Northampton and Milton Keynes on high power for some time. Anyone know what's wrong?
Aircraft was on route SEA and circled over Northampton and Milton Keynes on high power for some time. Anyone know what's wrong?
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Wow, yet another exciting "news" day in aviation. You could at least have posted your stop press exclusive in the spotters forum. 
Last edited by Hotel Tango; 16th Feb 2013 at 16:55.
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There are a number of reasons for flying level at FL090, of which pressurisation problems is only one.
How about:
At an estimate for the flight, ZFW ~240 tonnes, flight about 9:45 gives a trip fuel of about 105 tonnes, reserves/cont/div fuel of about 12 tonnes => TOW ~ 356 tonnes.
MLW of 285 tonnes
Flight time about 1:30 = 20 tonnes gives ~ (356-20) = 336 - 285 = 51 tonnes of fuel to dump = ~26 minutes @ 2 tonnes/minute.
I would suggest that is more likely that the level chosen reflects reasons other than pressurisation, after all the chance of all 3 packs not working is very small.
How about:
- minimum level for dumping is 6000ft, so above that
- lots of regular air traffic using FL100 and above, so keeps out of their way
- not much GA traffic that high, so out of their way
- lower level increases fuel burn thus reducing overall time required to get down to MLW
At an estimate for the flight, ZFW ~240 tonnes, flight about 9:45 gives a trip fuel of about 105 tonnes, reserves/cont/div fuel of about 12 tonnes => TOW ~ 356 tonnes.
MLW of 285 tonnes
Flight time about 1:30 = 20 tonnes gives ~ (356-20) = 336 - 285 = 51 tonnes of fuel to dump = ~26 minutes @ 2 tonnes/minute.
I would suggest that is more likely that the level chosen reflects reasons other than pressurisation, after all the chance of all 3 packs not working is very small.
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Ah ha.... I see this thread is now where it belongs..... Phew!... What a scary insight into mindless speculation from uninformed amateurs..... Don't get me wrong .... Being an enthusiast is great.... I was one once, and the future of the industry depends on them, but to spout such ludicrous uninformed nonsense such as from MATELO, with smug, ignorant support from Dave Clarke Fife on a "Professional Pilots website" does you and your enthusiasm no service and only serves to fuel the wildly inaccurate and sensationalised aviation stories we constantly read in the media
Last edited by sorvad; 17th Feb 2013 at 14:27.
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Having, in a previous life, had the displeasure of residing in Northamptonshire and given a choice of where I'd like to take a dump ... Yep, that would be Northampton 
Last edited by Phileas Fogg; 17th Feb 2013 at 14:36.
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Incident: British Airways B744 near London on Feb 16th 2013, cabin did not properly pressurize
Hopefully, this article can conclude the matter.
SFS
Hopefully, this article can conclude the matter.
SFS