Ryanair low approach at EICK
 

This one has been causing quite a stir in the local media today. A Ryanair inbound to Cork at approx 1800hrs (don't know where from) on Sunday night (June 4th) got several people's knickers in a big twist due to it's low approach.
Now I happen to live about 12 miles WNW of the airport and I understand that 17 was active at the time. This thing flew over me (relaxing in garden) and gave quite a feckin shock!! Couldn't say what height the bird was at, but she was bloody low (bear in mind that I live about 10 feet amsl and EICK is around 450amsl), and way off standard approach (never seen an approach for 17 route over my place, and wouldn't like to be on board for the required alignment turn a few minutes later). Some guys living between me and the airport quoted as saying she flew '20 feet above me roof' - a gross exaggeration, but she was certainly way below normal, and WAY off approach path. Ryanair's response was 'we're not concerned' - well ye mightn't be, but I feckin was at the time. (Not a RYR basher - actually use them often enough).
Anyone know what the **** was going on? :confused:

Ryanair plane was 20 feet above houses, residents claim
 

From The Irish Examiner

05 June 2006

Ryanair plane was 20 feet above houses, residents claim

By Niall Murray and Olivia Kelleher

RESIDENTS have said a Ryanair plane flew dangerously low over their homes on its way to land at Cork Airport yesterday.

One man living in the Halldene estate in Bishopstown said the aircraft, believed to have been inbound from London Stansted, passed no more than 20 feet over his neighbour’s roof.

“I was at my kitchen window when I saw it turning outside, and it was dangerously low. I really thought we were in trouble.”

Denis O’Keeffe, living less than half a mile away in Cedar Grove, said he and family members were in the back garden when the plane flew over at 5.50pm.

“It was like a thunderous noise but very sudden, it was about the height of two houses off the ground. It was turning at a 90-degree angle heading for the airport,” he said.

Several complaints were received by the duty office at Cork Airport last night but a Ryanair spokesperson said the company had no concern about the flight.

Bishopstown is in the flight path for many services landing at Cork but residents insisted this plane was much lower than aircraft usually fly over their homes.

So a "Ryanair spokesperson said the company had no concern about the flight". I presume from that statement that they have already pulled the Flight Recorder and done a full analysis. They sure are on the ball in Ryanair and got safety as their first priority.

well i actually happen to live 1 mile from the threshold of the runway, and i did see the low approach. it was nothing spectacular, believe me. yes, it was lower than normal and it was a very abbrieviated approach, but the rubbish about it being '20 feet above peoples houses' is just people with no knowledge of flying overreacting. in short, nothing major and the plane was NEVER in any visible danger. people must also factor in the airport is on top of a 500ft hill, and the city is down in a valley.....

It is always possible, in this day of 45 mile finals and radar controlled approaches, that THIS AIRCRAFT DID A VISUAL WITH A SHORT FINAL. THE HORROR OF IT!! Otherwise said, maybe it was just a pilot flying an aircraft in a way that people don't see too often (and many modern pilots could'nt do even if they wanted to!!).

Guys - as the originator of this thread I've gotta say that I'm still not fully happy with the replies. By rough guesswork the a/c was tracking something like 100 - i.e. coming from somewhere WNW of EICK. Now, pretty much all RYR flights heading for RW17 originate in Dublin or London - the only airports WNW of EICK would be Kerry or Shannon (no RYR flights from either). If RW35 was active then the approach is normally along the coast, turning in around the Sovereigns, South of Kinsale. Wherever this guy/girl was coming from it would appear, to me, that they were way off track and were forced to make some last minute adjustments. As for a 'visual with short final' I think if you knew the geography and proximity of the reports to EICK you too would realise that this was NOT as simple as you claim. C'mon, someone out there must know something - put me out of my misery :\

On second thoughts maybe he was checking visually it really was Cork? Ok it was Eirjet but you see my point...

OK, I'll bite, what sort of reply do you feel you're owed?
The responses so far seem to indicate several legitimate, normal and non dangerous possibilities, will you only be happy when someone supports a sensationalist theory?

That makes no f**kin sense at all!.....if the airport was in a valley and the city on the hill then yes.......:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Seems like it is the week for low flying aircraft. This morning EIN711 was very low passing over blackrock/ballinlough. Got a bit of a shock when I was walking up the road and saw it at about 1300ft when usually at the point I am at they are at 2500. Ive never seen an aircraft route the way it did either. I'd say the ryanair aircraft was at the same height and people were just not used to it. Ah well, at least it gave people a nice shock on their June bank holiday weekend:}

Another bonkers thread about RYR.

"thunderous noise":eek:

"the height of two houses off the ground":eek:

"turning at a 90-degree angle heading for the airport":eek:

Don't tell me, the landing was "hard, but fast"

Good work lads;)

The fact that it was a RYR a/c is merely incidental - had it been Aer Lingus / Aer Arann or any other, it would have received the same reaction. Don't assume that every thread which contains Ryanair is a DIRECT stab at them.
Do you want a hand getting your toys back in the pram? :}


As (to 5711) for me not being happy unless someone supports a sensationalist reply - not at all. I'm pretty sure that there's a rationale explanation, but this far I haven't heard it.

I'd expect, and enjoy, the biting in JB but not in R&N

All the last week aircraft are taking vectors to a point and going visual when near the airport,nothing wrong with this.I live 5 Miles north/east and low flying aircraft of all airlines have come in low on the base leg for RW17 over the last few days.The sensible reply is that it was a visual approach.I think DELWY's post sums this one up best.

''a sudden thunderous sound??? this fella says,ha he must think its an F-18.

Lads, lads, lads.

Dont know EICK at all, but could there not have been a last minute change of runway or something, with a low alt visual flown??
By the way can anyone supply the weather for the time concerned?

Honestly.....

Ryanair low approach at Cork
 

Hi lads,
I saw this approach on Sunday.I'm located 1 mile N of Runway 17,noticed the 737 make his initial approach but he/she was too far to the left of the centreline on short finals presumably from a visual approach as the weather was scorchio with blue skies.The Ryanair had to go around so I went upstairs to see what he would do.He passed over the field didn't climb,so was maybe 800 feet,turned west,then out of view for a short while behind neighbours houses.Next into view in a tight turn to bring him back onto a very short finals over the sunbathing Bishopstown locals,another tight turn back onto the centreline with half a mile to the tresh-hold of Runway 17.With all the turns & slowish speed he climbed a little to come down on the glideslope,so I'd guestimate he was at 500 to 600 feet over Bishopstown.Far from 20 feet above rooftops but none the less very impressive,especially with the winglets.The passengers got their money's worth,nice flying.:ok:

EI-JIM
Presumed it was a go-around actually, Might have been one today with EIN711 too :p

I didn't realise until now that any Daily Mail reporters lived in Cork

They are everywhere now that we have been graced new 'Irish Daily Mail' just for little Irelanders! Actually it just sounds like a nice tight visual approach. For those not in the know they're quicker, hence RYR interest, and more fun. Last time I got a jumpseat in a Ryan it was a visual, with the GPWS harping on about the glideslope all the way down.
I saw something similar once near Dublin though. Sitting in a factory canteen with big picture windows just by the OM for 10. People were used to airliners passing by. But one day the canteen hubbub was silenced and everyone stared when a Ryanair 737 first appeared to heading straight for the factory then banked hard left to get on the centreline. It was mighty impressive.

Anyone ever think its the clear weather making the aircraft look closer than they actually are!? I was out the back on saturday night watching the planes fly over and I couldnt believe how low they were, the probably were they same hight they usually fly over but the clear weather made them look alot lower!

hi,

What other than some seat of the pants flying could be the motivation for such approaches. I mean Cork is not exactly bustling with traffic so its not like they were slotting into a Q for the active runway ?