Posted on 01/19/2013 4:15:23 PM PST by NoGrayZone
Question....why would an airport redirect it's flights? I am a smoker and live in a smoke free apt. So I go outside to smoke my butt.
I noticed tonight, just this past 20 minutes ALL flights have been flying over our home.
They were so low, which is why I noticed the 1st one. Then 3 more came. I stayed after I finished my butt to see how many came over.
It was constant. I have lived here over 7 years and have never seen such a thing. Is it normal for airports to "reroute" their planes in such a way?
These planes are SO low. I have NEVER seen such a thing since I have lived here.
Yes I'm logged in and yes I am wearing my tinfoil hat.
I am just looking for an explanation as to why an airport would redirect all their planes this way.
Depends. What exactly were you smoking?
Wind direction and speed.
They keep coming. For some reason our local airport has redirected all planes to take off in my direction.
NOT saying it’s me! I just want to know why an airport would redirect it’s take offs.
I’ve noticed this at Philly International as well. All Westbound flights go over my house. The traffic pattern changes once in a while. I suspect it may have to do with runway maintenance or perhaps prevailing winds (if they are high, i.e. windshear). Just my two cents.
ROFLMAO!!! Good one. ;-)
A cigarette that I certainly didn’t get off the Indian reservation at 1/3 the cost!
Did a cold front come through and change wind direction?
We did get a cold front; however, the real one isn’t supposed to hit until Monday.
An unusual weather condition will sometimes cause this. Problems on a runway is always a possibility. Ice, fog, accident, or problems with radar or landing systems as well.
Any other airports in the vicinity? If so, perhaps they had to reroute traffic for some reason, so the airport near you had to direct their aircraft away from the other flight pattern.
It might depend on what you were smoking. :)
I notice that tonight they’re landing approach into Detroit is more from the SW than a more direct approach from the west. I just assume it has to do with the prevailing winds tonight.
Likely something as simple as a change in wind direction. That said, and number of things could prompt a change in the approcah and departure patterns.
Thanks for the link....but OMG, looks like we have 40,000 flights per minute coming in and out!
Things I have seen redirect flights around my area.
A fire or police helicopter is needed in the normal flight path.
Wind direction. This would normally seasonal but an airport near changes their landing and takeoff based on wind direction that only happen ever few years.
Your neighbor down the street is skinny dipping.
The runway in use is most often determined by the direction the wind is blowing. Planes taking off into the wind use less runway, so that is preferred. Also, if maintenance is being performed on a runway (paint, lights, etc) they may use a secondary runway.
If there are a bunch of the same type of plane taking off/landing, then there may have been some sort of fly-in, where pilots get together on a weekend and meet at a certain airport.
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