Flightradar24 Thread Part III

Jack1985 wrote: »

Ah cmere that was most definitely not the case! Pilots aren't illiterate. The aircraft was weight-restricted from ACE to DUB due to a busy load so the company planned a fuel-uplift at Cork. I'd be careful posting that kind of fairy business on here can get you into quite a bit of trouble considering you've stated the pilots basically left Lanzarote without enough fuel to operate to DUB. :rolleyes:

Another very distinct possibility is that there was no issue with the route and the fuel required for it on a normal day, even with weight limits out of ACE, but looking at what's been happening with the jetstream winds at the moment, it would be rare to have a northerly jet blowing from Ireland to Spain, but that's what's been happening over the last few days. It's not going to take much to upset the math if the normal trip fuel is more than enough, but marginal, with the normal jet winds from the west, and not usually strong on that route.

Now, the winds on the day are 100 to 120 or more Kts on the nose all the way. A 3 hour trip could very easily become 4 hours in those circumstances, and with the limits out of ACE, a quick dive into Cork for the extra needed would be nothing to worry about, and it's no different to the regular splash and dash at Shannon that some of the trans atlantic 757 flights are doing some of the time during the winter months in order to be sure of getting to where they are supposed to be going.

A long time ago now, the Shorts 360's used to operate out of Cork to Rennes on a Saturday, and it was a regular event for them to drop into Exeter for fuel on the way back, due to the en route winds.

The BA001 from LCY to JFK calls at SNN on the west bound flight because they can't get out of LCY with the trip fuel, although it's a big help to clear immigration and customs during the SNN stop. Eastbound, with no runway limitations at JFK, it's non stop to LCY, and some of that is the prevailing winds, and the rest is the limits at LCY.