BAW197 Return to LHR today

[bandit1200n]

Earlier today I saw a 747 in an unusual location and at an unusual altitude. I tracked it on Flightradar24 and it showed up as flight BAW197 from LHR to IAH.

When I first saw it it had only been airborne for 15 mins, and I tracked it over Essex and watched it circle over the Essex Coast for some time. It then returned to LHR.

Does anyone have any idea why it returned. It seemed unusual to me, and I am interested in what caused it to return.

Cheers

[DX Wombat]

Flightradar24 does not always get the flight details correct. Watch carefully and you will see a track going from A to B but the details given clearly indicate that FR24 thinks it is going from B to C, all because some flight plan details are not updated.

[phiggsbroadband]

Yes I saw it also, BA197 G-CIVI, it was one of only a few 747s that I was filtering.
It did 2 orbits over Leighton Buzzard, then 4 orbits over Bunham on Crouch, at 10,000ft before returning to LHR. Its destination should have been IAH, Houston.


Apparently it left LHR again at 15.22 gmt, and will arrive in IAH at 18.51 cst.
I can not get any further details from FR24.

[bandit1200n]

It certainly was strange to see a 747 that low and the fact it took off and then circled for a while before returning the LHR just wasn't right.

I am intrigued as to why it did it.

[bandit1200n]

Thanks. That's useful to know.

[llondel]

Did the captain forget his toothbrush?

[KelvinD]

Not the toothbrush. He forgot his Blue Riband!

[wiggy]

Kelvin

I had wry smile when I heard about this - it looks like you were on to something after all when you started that other thread........

[DaveReidUK]

Apparently it left LHR again at 15.22 gmt, and will arrive in IAH at 18.51 cst.

Again?

15:22 was when it was originally airborne from LHR. Following its return, the flight was cancelled.

[crispey]

It dumped fuel to enable a return to Heathrow.

[bandit1200n]

But the $million question is why did it have to return.........

[KelvinD]

It turns out it was "broken". Wiggy; I too smiled when I saw this one. I hadn't set out to look for BA misery; I just happened to be at Heathrow when the Mexico City flight went round last week. Of course, when this happens a second time, it tends to get your attention. And then when a second aircraft from the same family, has to go around you tend to think "Oh dear! Not a happy day!"

[champair79]

Fully open outflow valve due to a dodgy sensor. Fault was repaired fairly quickly but the crew were going to go out of hours and the flight would have arrived after the IAH curfew. Therefore it was cancelled and the pax dispersed onto other services.

Champ

[bandit1200n]

Thanks Champair. That's satisfied the curious side of my nature

[phiggsbroadband]

FR24 had G-CIVI as landed in IAH at 18:51cst, and not doing the return flight IAH-LHR today.... Just shows that you can't believe everything you see on FR24.

[bandit1200n]

Strange it showed it as completing the flight. I watched it land back at LHR on FR24.

[crispey]

Phiggs,do you mean the arrivals/departure boards on FR24?I haven't seen any "radar" traces that show that aircraft since.


Just curious as to how FR24 works in that way.

[DaveReidUK]

Just shows that you can't believe everything you see on FR24.

FlightRadar24 is still showing the flight as having actually landed at IAH, though the ATA has changed to 00:51:

Flightradar24.com - Live flight tracker!

I suspect that, in the case of US-bound flights, FR24 may be cheating and attempting to predict an ATA based on either the flightplan in the FAA/ASDI system, or possibly based on the ATD and anticipated flight time.

Either way, it's a bit naughty.

[phiggsbroadband]

G-CIVI just taken off from LHR at 14:57, now at 6000ft over High Wycombe.
And 14,000ft over Milton Keynes, going North... Looks Ok so far.


Ooops... No it is G-BYGF doing the BAW197 run to Houston IAH.

[bandit1200n]

So what is the best radar tracker?