flight in a circle?
Aug 21, 2019, 4:40 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: WI
Programs: Delta Skymiles
Posts: 631
flight in a circle?
I am currently following DL431 on the Delta sight-DTW-DCA. It looks like the plane made a circle back but it is now proceeding toward DC. Is this a fluke or does that happen? The arrival time has changed so something must have happened!!
Aug 21, 2019, 4:44 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 262
Looks like a thunderstorm was rolling over the airport and causing a backup in the queue of planes lining up to land. This wasn't too bad, only 1 circle. Happens a lot to me on approach to LGA, sometimes 3-4 circles over central New Jersey.
Aug 21, 2019, 5:53 pm
#5
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yep; these en route holds are not at all uncommon when there's weather at or near the destination
Aug 21, 2019, 6:00 pm
#6
Join Date: Dec 2009
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Happens everyday on flights around the World. Happens on almost every LHR arrival as they're held at the arrival fixes (gates).
Pilots actually receive training on how to "hold" at a fix. When many planes are in holding at the same fix (different altitudes of course) they start referring to the stacks as "pancakes".
ATC will issue holding flights an EFC (Expect Further Clearance) time, but they are often subject to change due to changing WX/airport conditions.
Pilots actually receive training on how to "hold" at a fix. When many planes are in holding at the same fix (different altitudes of course) they start referring to the stacks as "pancakes".
ATC will issue holding flights an EFC (Expect Further Clearance) time, but they are often subject to change due to changing WX/airport conditions.
Aug 21, 2019, 6:20 pm
#7
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Had one of these in May on a UA flight. Luckily they released us after the second loop.
Aug 21, 2019, 8:22 pm
#9
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Aug 21, 2019, 8:23 pm
#10
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Happens everyday on flights around the World. Happens on almost every LHR arrival as they're held at the arrival fixes (gates).
Pilots actually receive training on how to "hold" at a fix. When many planes are in holding at the same fix (different altitudes of course) they start referring to the stacks as "pancakes".
ATC will issue holding flights an EFC (Expect Further Clearance) time, but they are often subject to change due to changing WX/airport conditions.
Pilots actually receive training on how to "hold" at a fix. When many planes are in holding at the same fix (different altitudes of course) they start referring to the stacks as "pancakes".
ATC will issue holding flights an EFC (Expect Further Clearance) time, but they are often subject to change due to changing WX/airport conditions.
A long time ago, one talked ot wedding cake patterns when flights were stacked up waiting to land. This was common at JFK, for example, several decades ago.
Aug 21, 2019, 9:19 pm
#11
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Aug 21, 2019, 9:40 pm
#12
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Aug 22, 2019, 12:58 am
#13
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Happened, not once, but twice on my Aug19th DL3331 flight ORD-JFK. This was after already holding at ORD on ground for over 2 hours.
Aug 22, 2019, 5:37 am
#15
Join Date: Jan 2010
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I'm actually amazed, given the sheer volume of flights, how rarely one has to circle when approaching US airports. It's almost always weather in the rare event that it does happen. Pretty spectacular ATC management.
I mean, I've never landed at LHR or PEK w/o a seemingly endless succession of circles -- not fun after a twelve hour flight to China when all you want to do is get the F off the plane!
I mean, I've never landed at LHR or PEK w/o a seemingly endless succession of circles -- not fun after a twelve hour flight to China when all you want to do is get the F off the plane!
