low flying plane over south dublin

homerjay2005

any idea what the plane thats circuling over south dublin right now is there for?

it has passed over my house about 15 times in the last 15 minutes. is there an airshow on or is it burning fuel or something?

travelling at a very high speed also.

phonypony

'Fox267' Air Corps PC-9, doing low approaches over Dublin Airport as far as I can tell, it had been holding over the city for a while. For what occasion I don't know... NFC Cessna 172, EI-CFY and EI-FII also landed at EIDW earlier

logie101

phonypony wrote: »

'Fox267' Air Corps PC-9, doing low approaches over Dublin Airport as far as I can tell, it had been holding over the city for a while. For what occasion I don't know... NFC Cessna 172, EI-CFY and EI-FII also landed at EIDW earlier

Unusual to see light aircraft like the NFCs 172s in Dublin. I didn't think they were aloud in...

Anyone have any pics?

driveshaft

Spotted a PC9 around lunchtime flying on NW heading past the Spire from my desk. Looked to be flying lower than the top of the spire from my point of view but that was probably just the angle I was looking at it. It was fairly travelling. Unsure if it was a second pass or a second aircraft, but this repeated 5 mins later. Nice to see. Love the sound of the PC9's.

Merch

I was just going to start a thread but as this one is recent

I have noticed as of late an increase in the number of large aircraft (twin engine passenger aircraft) passing in a westerly direction at relatively low altitude south of Lucan. Between the N4 and about 1km South of it, heading westwards.

Is there some new or expanded flight path/route in use or for some reason over Lucan?
I have recently seen an aircraft flying (about 1500ft?? I think it was aer lingus that time, not 100% of the altitude but it was going westward relatively low passing over liffey valley carpark) and others out to about 1km south of that point also going west. They seem to a lower altitude then I previously noticed.

It appears they are ascending, at the moment Im guessing they are taking off (obviously from Dublin) and going over the Irish sea before turning back??

Anyone any ideas about that?

I have also seen light aircraft on a few occasions (not aircorps) heading east performing left turns going north from grifeen park in Lucan at lower altitude, they look like they have passed east of the Newcastle rd, but thats not definite (it may be the limit of light aircraft operating from Weston).

It appears as if the larger aircraft flight path directs it over weston and over where I have seen light aircraft operating.

Su Campu

Merch wrote: »

I was just going to start a thread but as this one is recent

I have noticed as of late an increase in the number of large aircraft (twin engine passenger aircraft) passing in a westerly direction at relatively low altitude south of Lucan. Between the N4 and about 1km South of it, heading westwards.

Is there some new or expanded flight path/route in use or for some reason over Lucan?
I have recently seen an aircraft flying (about 1500ft?? I think it was aer lingus that time, not 100% of the altitude but it was going westward relatively low passing over liffey valley carpark) and others out to about 1km south of that point also going west. They seem to a lower altitude then I previously noticed.

It appears they are ascending, at the moment Im guessing they are taking off (obviously from Dublin) and going over the Irish sea before turning back??

Anyone any ideas about that?

I have also seen light aircraft on a few occasions (not aircorps) heading east performing left turns going north from grifeen park in Lucan at lower altitude, they look like they have passed east of the Newcastle rd, but thats not definite (it may be the limit of light aircraft operating from Weston).

It appears as if the larger aircraft flight path directs it over weston and over where I have seen light aircraft operating.

Nothing new at all. The airliners are on approach for runway 10 at Dublin (landing towards the east) and that takes some over the Lucan/Newcastle/Celbridge area. The others are just traffic from Weston.

Merch

It does appear as of late that they are lower than usual, you can hear definite changes in engine noise as if they are powering up/down.
It does seem as if they are ascending (they seem to have a nose up attitude)

The others are definitely from weston alright, I have not seen light aircraft at the same time as I have seen the large twin engine passenger aircraft.

But the flight paths (and you are saying they are in a landing pattern) of the passenger aircraft, travel over where the light aircraft are operating.

Have lived here for many years, its only in the last 6 months I have seen a number of airliner aircraft so low here, before it was rare enough, now I can see them from my back/front garden.

Su Campu

The maximum allowable altitude for Weston traffic is 1500 ft and the minimum the airliners will be is 2000 ft, though they are normally around 3000 ft there. They are not ascending, their nose up attitude would be due to a low flap setting. The apparent change in engine pitch is due to either changes in power setting as they level off or atmospheric conditions, as is the very reason they've been using that runway of late as we've had more easterly/southeasterly winds than normal.

It's all normal operations.

Merch

If its a landing configuration do you mean a high flap setting? they were close enough on a few occasions I should have made out the flap extension, but I was suprised to see them so close. I dont particularily recal seeing anything from the trailing edges of the wings, which makes me think if they were preparing for a landing I would have noticed, but I didnt pay attention to that. Next time I'm going to pay more attention, but I only do that if I'm already out the back, dont go out to look.

Its not that its so distracting or noticeable or that its all the time, but I have noticed it more, more recently.
But you say there is an increase in usage of a certain runway due to the wind direction.
Any good online links,sites for looking at aircraft activity and weather online?

urajoke

Merch wrote: »

If its a landing configuration do you mean a high flap setting? they were close enough on a few occasions I should have made out the flap extension, but I was suprised to see them so close. I dont particularily recal seeing anything from the trailing edges of the wings, which makes me think if they were preparing for a landing I would have noticed, but I didnt pay attention to that. Next time I'm going to pay more attention, but I only do that if I'm already out the back, dont go out to look.

Its not that its so distracting or noticeable or that its all the time, but I have noticed it more, more recently.
But you say there is an increase in usage of a certain runway due to the wind direction.
Any good online links,sites for looking at aircraft activity and weather online?

http://www.flightradar24.com/

Commercial traffic over Lucan heading west is on a right downwind for runway 10 at Dublin over Lucan the traffic will be MINIMUM 2500ft traffic intercepts the localiser at minimum 2000ft. If the wind is blowing from the east aircraft will land into that wind.

Reference the flaps traffic will usually be at 220kts+ on the downwind so at very most will be at the first stage of flaps so wouldnt be noticeable. If the traffic is on a base heading north they usually are doing 180kts and will be mid stage flaps so it should be noticeable.

Lapin

phonypony wrote: »

'Fox267' Air Corps PC-9, doing low approaches over Dublin Airport as far as I can tell, it had been holding over the city for a while. For what occasion I don't know... NFC Cessna 172, EI-CFY and EI-FII also landed at EIDW earlier

Possible rehersals for a flypast that was due to take place during the national day of comemoration yesterday.

It was canceled due to low cloud cover.

Merch

urajoke wrote: »

http://www.flightradar24.com/

Commercial traffic over Lucan heading west is on a right downwind for runway 10 at Dublin over Lucan the traffic will be MINIMUM 2500ft traffic intercepts the localiser at minimum 2000ft. If the wind is blowing from the east aircraft will land into that wind.

Reference the flaps traffic will usually be at 220kts+ on the downwind so at very most will be at the first stage of flaps so wouldnt be noticeable. If the traffic is on a base heading north they usually are doing 180kts and will be mid stage flaps so it should be noticeable.

Interesting link, just having a look at it now, trying to see if it can show wind direction. It may be negligible? but if they are flying downwind (west with a tailwind) to land on that runway (10) then they must be flying faster? maybe that accounts for them being noticeable or that easterlies aren't as common. I need to look all that stuff up again (ie the basics )

Fully Established

Su Campu wrote: »

The maximum allowable altitude for Weston traffic is 1500 ft and the minimum the airliners will be is 2000 ft, though they are normally around 3000 ft there. They are not ascending, their nose up attitude would be due to a low flap setting. The apparent change in engine pitch is due to either changes in power setting as they level off or atmospheric conditions, as is the very reason they've been using that runway of late as we've had more easterly/southeasterly winds than normal.

It's all normal operations.

Commercial traffic flying on a right downwind to 10 at Dublin , do not descend down to 2000 ft around the Weston CTZ , minimum altitude is 2500 ft , you could not have seperation of 500 ft between IFR and VFR traffic.Normally they would continue below 2500 ft when established on the localizer .

Su Campu

Fully Established wrote: »

Commercial traffic flying on a right downwind to 10 at Dublin , do not descend down to 2000 ft around the Weston CTZ , minimum altitude is 2500 ft , you could not have seperation of 500 ft between IFR and VFR traffic.Normally they would continue below 2500 ft when established on the localizer .

Yep you're right, I didn't have the chart in front of me.

Quebec Delta Mike

Hi,

1. The Weston AOR (Area Of Responsibility) extends from ground to 2000ft. By agreement with DW ATS, no Weston traffic operates above 1500 (without co-ordination).

2. The MSA (Minimum Sector Altitude) around Weston is 4100ft. Therefore, no IFR traffic, downwind for Dublin rwy10, can be descended below that, until' established on the ILS. IFR traffic declaring VFR, are never descended below 3000ft, until well clear of Weston.

QDM.

Fully Established

Quebec Delta Mike wrote: »

Hi,

1. The Weston AOR (Area Of Responsibility) extends from ground to 2000ft. By agreement with DW ATS, no Weston traffic operates above 1500 (without co-ordination).

2. The MSA (Minimum Sector Altitude) around Weston is 4100ft. Therefore, no IFR traffic, downwind for Dublin rwy10, can be descended below that, until' established on the ILS. IFR traffic declaring VFR, are never descended below 3000ft, until well clear of Weston.

QDM.

I take it from the approach plate the MSA is 4000ft only between the QDM of 335 and 051 outside of this the MSA is 2200ft based on the official charts in the AIP , nothing to do with Weston but the high ground further south , you have your info about intercepting the ILS at 4100ft wrong you would need a lot of track miles to get down from that height on a standard 3 degree glide slope , platform altitude is at 12.5 miles at 3000ft .

Quebec Delta Mike

Point well made. I was addressing the OP, re low flying aircraft in the Lucan area, vs Weston traffic. Anyway...

QDM