Flight path: IAD-PEK
Apr 18, 2019, 1:33 pm
#16
Join Date: Feb 2002
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A friend who used to fly those routes told me they never fly right over it, but always a few miles offset. Concern is that at the pole all lines of longitude converge, so it could confuse the nav systems -- even though they're programmed and tested for it, don't want to take a risk.
The 737, as an example, is limited to between N82 and S82. There are some exceptions where the latitude limits are reduced to N70 or S60. The poles, of course, are N90 and S90.
Apr 18, 2019, 2:05 pm
#18
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,531
Like what, line the cockpit with lead?
(8) A plan for providing at least two cold weather anti-exposure suits in the aircraft, to protect crewmembers during outside activity at a diversion airport with extreme climatic conditions.
Never heard of this before. I want to see what these look like.
Apr 18, 2019, 3:43 pm
#19
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 77
Every time I fly on the polar routes, I wonder what the equivalent diversion airports are for those far northerly routes, and how often they are used. I had one ORD-PEK flight turn around and go back to ORD about three hours in, but I don't think I've ever read about a plane diverting to some airport in Siberia or other remote locale. Are the transpac aircraft so reliable that these diversions are incredibly rare? Or have I just missed hearing about them?
Apr 18, 2019, 4:10 pm
#20
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: united
Posts: 1,636
Aviation enthusiasts are usually familiar with the diversion airports supporting the Atlantic routes at Gander and other places, and from time to time, we read about planes making unplanned landings there.
Every time I fly on the polar routes, I wonder what the equivalent diversion airports are for those far northerly routes, and how often they are used. I had one ORD-PEK flight turn around and go back to ORD about three hours in, but I don't think I've ever read about a plane diverting to some airport in Siberia or other remote locale. Are the transpac aircraft so reliable that these diversions are incredibly rare? Or have I just missed hearing about them?
Every time I fly on the polar routes, I wonder what the equivalent diversion airports are for those far northerly routes, and how often they are used. I had one ORD-PEK flight turn around and go back to ORD about three hours in, but I don't think I've ever read about a plane diverting to some airport in Siberia or other remote locale. Are the transpac aircraft so reliable that these diversions are incredibly rare? Or have I just missed hearing about them?
Apr 18, 2019, 4:27 pm
#21
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Lots of flights take polar routes -- I remember a brilliant view of the pole from a EWR-HKG flight once, on a sparkling clear day (when other pax, were scowling coz i had my shade open to see... In mid afternoon).
A friend who used to fly those routes told me they never fly right over it, but always a few miles offset. Concern is that at the pole all lines of longitude converge, so it could confuse the nav systems -- even though they're programmed and tested for it, don't want to take a risk.
A friend who used to fly those routes told me they never fly right over it, but always a few miles offset. Concern is that at the pole all lines of longitude converge, so it could confuse the nav systems -- even though they're programmed and tested for it, don't want to take a risk.
Apr 18, 2019, 4:29 pm
#22
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: BNA
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Plus the North Pole is migrating by around 33 miles per year. Read about it here. Flying over it isn’t a big deal.
Apr 18, 2019, 4:31 pm
#23
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Apr 18, 2019, 4:38 pm
#24
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: united
Posts: 1,636
Plus the North Pole is migrating by around 33 miles per year. Read about it here. Flying over it isn’t a big deal.
Apr 19, 2019, 8:02 am
#26
Join Date: May 2009
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I think diversions are rare. There are, what, three basic reasons for a diversion: 1) weather; 2) passenger illness; 3) mechanical difficulties? There aren't a lot of thunderstorms near the pole, and the routes plan around any heavy winds. Passenger illness of course can happen, but diverting to Siberia probably isn't a better solution - so a diversion is going to be to a more metropolitan area. And for mechanical difficulties, those seem to be infrequent and tend to be identified earlier in a flight than when the reach the pole, so again, can return or land before dealing with Siberia.
Apr 19, 2019, 11:37 am
#28
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 77
And of course Alaska has some.
I think diversions are rare. There are, what, three basic reasons for a diversion: 1) weather; 2) passenger illness; 3) mechanical difficulties? There aren't a lot of thunderstorms near the pole, and the routes plan around any heavy winds. Passenger illness of course can happen, but diverting to Siberia probably isn't a better solution - so a diversion is going to be to a more metropolitan area. And for mechanical difficulties, those seem to be infrequent and tend to be identified earlier in a flight than when the reach the pole, so again, can return or land before dealing with Siberia.
I think diversions are rare. There are, what, three basic reasons for a diversion: 1) weather; 2) passenger illness; 3) mechanical difficulties? There aren't a lot of thunderstorms near the pole, and the routes plan around any heavy winds. Passenger illness of course can happen, but diverting to Siberia probably isn't a better solution - so a diversion is going to be to a more metropolitan area. And for mechanical difficulties, those seem to be infrequent and tend to be identified earlier in a flight than when the reach the pole, so again, can return or land before dealing with Siberia.