As the UK is currently experiencing the worst storm of the year so far, with winds gusting at 75-90mph I felt it necessary to add a quick (and unplanned) article on the subject of flying in strong winds.
As with any bad weather there are strict procedures, and regulations that must be adhered to to ensure that flying remains safe. With regards to wind, the direction is an important factor. With wind blowing down the runway, there is not too much of an effect – except a bumpy take-off and landing.
If the wind is blowing ACROSS the runway (known as a crosswind), flights can be delayed or even cancelled. Each aircraft type has a ‘crosswind limit’ – which is the strength of wind [click to continue reading this article…]
Passengers in the UK face yet another day of chaos at the airports as further heavy snow is predicted in the South West, Midlands, and parts of the South East.
Heavy snow storms have already been reported throughout the South West, with Exeter particularly suffering problems. The snow looks to be spreading East up the M4 corridor towards the North of London.
Luton airport is likely to be hit hard for the second morning in succession, after [click to continue reading this article…]
As a follow on from my recent comments regarding the US Airways incident in New York a few days ago, I thought it would be a good idea to discuss the implications of bird strikes on commercial aircraft.
I’ve previously mentioned that bird strikes are relatively common. Although I’ve only experienced it once in 3000 flights. During a landing in Rome one or more birds flew into our left engine. The landing continued as normal, and the passengers were not even aware of the event.
As a precaution, engineers [click to continue reading this article…]
