Funchal / Maderia Planes holding
 

Interesting pattern emerging around Funchal - FR24 "Most followed" aircraft will take you to its. About 4 or 5 aircraft circling for some time

Looks pretty Windy down there. Because of the topography of the island there are very strict wind limitations for starting the visual
approach. Even with good visibility and cloud base, if they anticipate go arounds due to turbulence they will only have one aircraft on the visual approach for runway 05 to avoid conflicts with aircraft going around and aircraft on the down wind leg.

Flew into Funchal a few years ago: it was interesting! We did a missed approach to the south, then tear-dropped and landed to the north. Very interesting at the time.
Speaking to the Captain afterwards he made a few comments about it being a very challenging place to land, for the reasons stated above. Had we not made it we would have diverted to the next island north (sorry can't recall it's name) Then carried on by boat. Looking at Google Earth, this latter place has an enormous runway. Anyone know why? I have a feeling it might have been a USAF recovery base for B47's in the Cold war, but will defer to anyone with more knowledge than I.

Porto Santo. Landed there in the 60s on 24 Sqdn Hastings. Had a bit of a sweat on as No 2 engine had coughed once or twice on the leg from somewhere down south. On investigation, one of the magneto rotor arms had fallen off - sheared retaining screws. Never came across that, before or after that event. Mag drop check showed about 120 rpm loss on post-flight check.

Sorry for the thread creep, chaps.

We were there for the last week in April staying in Santa Cruz close to the airport. Our Jet 2 737 800 was fine and smooth both arriving via 05 and leaving on 23. I don't think there was any time while we were there when there the wind was out of limits or a GA for wind sheer on finals.

Monday and Tuesday this week seem to have as bad as it gets. On Tuesday there were Jet 2 machines from GLA and EDI scheduled on Monday that still, by mid/late afternoon, had not been able to actually approach and land. Diversions had to been to the Canaries and Porto Santo before trying again and having to redivert. As well as the usual hold over the Pilim waypoint one was holding at 1000feet on the down wind side, presumably hoping to get onto finals asap if the wind abated.

All sorted in the end but must have been nerve wracking for any nervous flyers...

Porto Santo's runway is 3000m which certainly seems a lot for a place where most traffic is no larger than an ATR and a daily A320. There is though some use by the Portuguese Military.

The next islands to the west, Acores, have significant military history with Lajes as a US place. Santa Maria was a staging point in the past like Gander and Shannon before transatlantic range was common.

Looking pretty troublesome again right now. There were 5 a/c holding at Pilim, wind now in limits BA and EJU, on or being vectored for approaches.

I have flown in there around 7 times twice with Jet 2 and 5 with Lufthansa. It is a challenging airport and I believe a Captain only approach and landing for which there has to have been SIM time and indeed check flights. Somebody will know far more than my humble SLF.

However I have been lucky and not had a bad landing there due to pilot skill, or the weather has been kind.

To be honest it’s been a while since I have been in an aircraft that has done a mist approached, and my last was at LHR and was due to traffic not weather.

Cheers
Mr Mac