Aeromexico pilots request Amsterdam sightseeing
Seems a fair request as it was new year. If you don’t ask you can’t get.
What the pilot didn’t know is that fireworks were banned in Holland this year to discourage COVID spread (that well known COVID vector of gunpowder?) so there shouldn’t have been much to see. That and that Amsterdam is famously one of the most noise constrained airports in Christendom.
What the pilot didn’t know is that fireworks were banned in Holland this year to discourage COVID spread (that well known COVID vector of gunpowder?) so there shouldn’t have been much to see. That and that Amsterdam is famously one of the most noise constrained airports in Christendom.
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: London
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Done that
Years ago on a BA out of Schiphol pilot told us he had permission to fly low so that we could see the tulip fields. He did and we did. Not sure many would be in bloom at this time of year though.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Amsterdam
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I never experienced it on my many trips to DAR but friends said KLM sometimes flew scenic tour of the Kilimanjaro on the short JRO-DAR hop coming from AMS. Don't know if it was true.
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: EDSP
Posts: 334
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
All of which will probably never happen again in times when you will have your RT request on the interweb even before you landed. Which of course is illegal by ITU regulations but no one cares, unfortuneately.
Used to circle Mont Blanc
A common trick was the DC10 out of Rio to Sao Paulo flying low along copacabana in front of the Meridian and the crew who had brought her in from Switzerland drinking ciparinias.
One took it to extremes below the top of the hotel and someone sent a photo to SR.
One took it to extremes below the top of the hotel and someone sent a photo to SR.
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Freedom of information laws prevail in this case. There was a long court case about this in the Netherlands.
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Seems a fair request as it was new year. If you don’t ask you can’t get.
What the pilot didn’t know is that fireworks were banned in Holland this year to discourage COVID spread (that well known COVID vector of gunpowder?) so there shouldn’t have been much to see. That and that Amsterdam is famously one of the most noise constrained airports in Christendom.
What the pilot didn’t know is that fireworks were banned in Holland this year to discourage COVID spread (that well known COVID vector of gunpowder?) so there shouldn’t have been much to see. That and that Amsterdam is famously one of the most noise constrained airports in Christendom.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Amsterdam
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 2,513
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Many moons ago on a BA 757 into Geneva, with the airport closed due to snow and having been in hold for about 30mins, the pilot announced that we had the option to wait and we were 2nd in the queue or divert and go to the back of the line, as we had the fuel he'd elected to stay and that we’d been given permission to do a little sightseeing. We flew down over the Alps and completed a very nice orbit of the Matterhorn.
JAS
JAS
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Germany
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Lufthansa used to do a nice low level flyby of Table Mountain and Cape Point on departure out of CPT.
They did that on every departure. That was around 10-20 years ago ...
Back then they also did that to promote the LH flights into CPT.
They did that on every departure. That was around 10-20 years ago ...
Back then they also did that to promote the LH flights into CPT.
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Deepest darkest Inbredland....
Posts: 606
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The BA ATP inbound to Sumburgh used to be early so would go VFR and fly around Foula or Fairisle on a sightseeing jolly before landing at Sumburgh. Quite a few years ago though.
Back during the 747-8 flight testing, we were coming back from doing some Saturday testing in California and the pilot decided we'd take the scenic route. We flew right over Crater Lake in Oregon at about 20k, then just as we got to the Oregon-Washington border, he request a descent to 14k and a vector towards Mount Rainier. ATC asked if that was for testing, and the pilot replied that it was for some 'special conditions'.
Beautiful summer day - we flew by Rainier (a 14k peak) so close that we could clearly see the people hiking across the glaciers - who surely wondered why that big 747 was flying so close by.
Beautiful summer day - we flew by Rainier (a 14k peak) so close that we could clearly see the people hiking across the glaciers - who surely wondered why that big 747 was flying so close by.
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: phoenix, AZ, USA
Posts: 245
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For years flying out of KSFO we would do the “Bay tour, own nav, 3000’ feet” right after takeoff when switched to NORCAL departure.
By saying that ATC knew that you were aware of the routing and would routinely grant it. This was always off the 01L runway. You’d fly right over the middle of the Bay bridge, Alcatraz and split the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge. You’d depart the golden gate on a 220 degree heading and resume the climb. Did it in the 737, 757 and Airbus.
Another fun tour was departing south out of KSEA. Our flight plan would take us near Mt Ranier, so we’d ask for a VFR climb maintaining own terrain separation and do a slow climb right by the mountain, about 15 miles off.
Got to enjoy the job when you can.
By saying that ATC knew that you were aware of the routing and would routinely grant it. This was always off the 01L runway. You’d fly right over the middle of the Bay bridge, Alcatraz and split the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge. You’d depart the golden gate on a 220 degree heading and resume the climb. Did it in the 737, 757 and Airbus.
Another fun tour was departing south out of KSEA. Our flight plan would take us near Mt Ranier, so we’d ask for a VFR climb maintaining own terrain separation and do a slow climb right by the mountain, about 15 miles off.
Got to enjoy the job when you can.