Weather Impact: August 12 2020
Aug 12, 2020, 7:58 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: LHR
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 281
Weather Impact: August 12 2020
It looks like some potential for storms to cause impact to LHR this afternoon; CU are building over W London and stroms now starting; it has the potential to be quite large IMO:
EGLL 121320Z AUTO 13006KT 080V170 9999 NCD 33/16 Q1013 TEMPO 4000 +SHRA
EGLL 121320Z AUTO 13006KT 080V170 9999 NCD 33/16 Q1013 TEMPO 4000 +SHRA
Aug 12, 2020, 8:12 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Lincoln, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 1,266
https://www.lightningmaps.org/ showing significant lightning activity on the approach flight paths at the moment (1515)
Aug 12, 2020, 11:01 am
#5
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: London
Programs: plenty - ggl, ccr, etc, etc.
Posts: 1,704
UK South east presently has ample runway and air space capacity to divert around, separate out to deal with this,
Aug 12, 2020, 11:54 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hampshire UK
Programs: BA Silver, Virgin Red, Accor Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 148
Ok, I’ll bite, runway capacity has nothing to do with this. Please explain your airspace capacity quote? How exactly does ATC overcome this situation? I know because I’m an expert, but please give us your solutions, I’d be fascinated to know where you think we are going wrong.
Last edited by atcodave; Aug 12, 2020 at 1:43 pm
Aug 12, 2020, 12:17 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,839
Ok, I’ll bite, runway capacity has nothing to do with this. Please explain your airspace capacity quote? How exactly does ATC overcome this situation? I know because I’m an expert, but please give us your solutions, I’d be fascinated to know where think we are going wrong.
Aug 12, 2020, 12:30 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hampshire UK
Programs: BA Silver, Virgin Red, Accor Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 148
Because Heathrow operates at 100% capacity for almost all of the day, every day. Any event, weather is one of them, and This will reduce capacity, therefore immediately flow rates End up in delays.
Aug 12, 2020, 1:02 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,839
Ok, so the current reduction in scheduled flights provides a greater flexibility to accommodate adverse weather like today without significant delays?
Aug 12, 2020, 1:32 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
I learned this aspect of the trade in Singapore, recovering Lightnings etc through occasional ‘nasty weather’ and with minimal diversion options ... or indeed fuel! It was not unusual for a Lightning pilot to call Local 200 miles out and say “Forget the Met, what does it look like out of the window?” If there were holes in the Cb pattern, he would come home, otherwise divert to Butterworth ... if the whole of Singapore was smothered, that was his only option, some 350 miles NNW, IIRC.
Fun times for a young Mil ATCO ... you learned a lot, very quickly!!
Aug 12, 2020, 2:27 pm
#11
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: UK
Programs: IC Hotels Spire, BA Gold
Posts: 8,668
Exactly so. Given a bit of space and time, any ATCO should be able to thread inbound traffic through the gaps, either by vectoring or timing. LHR usually has very little space or time to play with under normal cicumstances.
I learned this aspect of the trade in Singapore, recovering Lightnings etc through occasional ‘nasty weather’ and with minimal diversion options ... or indeed fuel! It was not unusual for a Lightning pilot to call Local 200 miles out and say “Forget the Met, what does it look like out of the window?” If there were holes in the Cb pattern, he would come home, otherwise divert to Butterworth ... if the whole of Singapore was smothered, that was his only option, some 350 miles NNW, IIRC.
Fun times for a young Mil ATCO ... you learned a lot, very quickly!!
I learned this aspect of the trade in Singapore, recovering Lightnings etc through occasional ‘nasty weather’ and with minimal diversion options ... or indeed fuel! It was not unusual for a Lightning pilot to call Local 200 miles out and say “Forget the Met, what does it look like out of the window?” If there were holes in the Cb pattern, he would come home, otherwise divert to Butterworth ... if the whole of Singapore was smothered, that was his only option, some 350 miles NNW, IIRC.
Fun times for a young Mil ATCO ... you learned a lot, very quickly!!
Last edited by BOH; Aug 13, 2020 at 12:19 am