US westbound fuel stops (Late Dec 2021)
Dec 26, 2021, 9:40 am
#16
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We get a similar thread most every winter. Fuel stops are also sometimes required on the narrowbodies westbound from Europe. And of course there can occasionally be large scale IDBs and/or cancels on the narrowbodies to Hawaii from the west coast.
Dec 26, 2021, 11:39 am
#17
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Dec 26, 2021, 11:58 am
#18
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Dec 26, 2021, 12:53 pm
#19
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About 7 years ago I had to fly CLT-SFO. After sitting on the plane for almost 2 hours, we took off. We then flew south to Florida, hooked a right and flew west to California, took another right north to SFO. I think we were on that plane for over 8 hours. This was all to avoid storms.
But you ask why IAH and not DEN. Sounds like a lot of planes were going to DEN already. Maybe gas was more pleantiful in IAH or they saved 5 cents a gallon by using their IAH rewards card.
But you ask why IAH and not DEN. Sounds like a lot of planes were going to DEN already. Maybe gas was more pleantiful in IAH or they saved 5 cents a gallon by using their IAH rewards card.
Dec 26, 2021, 1:08 pm
#20
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In addition to longer fight times and some diversions, this is leading to some very unusual flight altitudes.
Today's UA424 IAD-SFO :
and UA788 EWR-SFO :
Roughly halt the flight at FL240/FL260. Lower altitude increases fuel burn, although in this case presumably less than the effects of the wind at higher latitudes.
Today's UA424 IAD-SFO :
and UA788 EWR-SFO :
Roughly halt the flight at FL240/FL260. Lower altitude increases fuel burn, although in this case presumably less than the effects of the wind at higher latitudes.
Dec 26, 2021, 2:00 pm
#21
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I'm guessing a similar story for UA354 BWI-SFO? Google etc. say "diverted to DEN" but from the event log at FlightStats there is a "Redirected/diverted" entry several hours before takeoff.
https://www.flightstats.com/v2/fligh...tId=1079491967
just caught my eye, as I'm booked on this flight in a few days. Looks like they got to SFO a bit under 2 hrs late, which I suppose isn't too awful all things considered.
https://www.flightstats.com/v2/fligh...tId=1079491967
just caught my eye, as I'm booked on this flight in a few days. Looks like they got to SFO a bit under 2 hrs late, which I suppose isn't too awful all things considered.
Dec 26, 2021, 3:10 pm
#22
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"proactively diverted, ostensibly for fuel."
??
What' the big deal? Pilots base their fuel consumption on aircraft performance, route and weather on EVERY flight. It's one of the first things we ever learn. (Somertimes weather changes) . You can trust that the people who plan and fly the planes have access to much more infomation than the average FT reader does, and they know what they're doing.
??
What' the big deal? Pilots base their fuel consumption on aircraft performance, route and weather on EVERY flight. It's one of the first things we ever learn. (Somertimes weather changes) . You can trust that the people who plan and fly the planes have access to much more infomation than the average FT reader does, and they know what they're doing.
Dec 26, 2021, 3:20 pm
#23
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Six hours in a 100 mph headwind is like flying an additional 600 miles in still air.
Dec 26, 2021, 3:28 pm
#24
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In addition to longer fight times and some diversions, this is leading to some very unusual flight altitudes.
Today's UA424 IAD-SFO :
and UA788 EWR-SFO :
Roughly halt the flight at FL240/FL260. Lower altitude increases fuel burn, although in this case presumably less than the effects of the wind at higher latitudes.
Today's UA424 IAD-SFO :
and UA788 EWR-SFO :
Roughly halt the flight at FL240/FL260. Lower altitude increases fuel burn, although in this case presumably less than the effects of the wind at higher latitudes.
Dec 27, 2021, 9:15 am
#26
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Dec 27, 2021, 10:06 am
#27
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Dec 27, 2021, 11:11 am
#29
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Better safe than sorry - especially with mountains on the way
Dec 27, 2021, 11:26 am
#30
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Because the upper level winds are in excess of 200 mph and the lower level winds down to 18000 ft or so of 40-80 kts headwinds extend from the gulf to the Canadian border. Nowhere else to fly really wb.