Non-motoring > Flight path diversions? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Manatee Replies: 7
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 Tue 31 Jul 12 15:38 
 Flight path diversions? - Manatee
Just tracking Virgin flight to Boston, looked to see if daughter had taken off on her work trip.

Take-offs are to the west at the moment, but most traffic is immediately turning left to pass about 3 miles south of Windsor (and Dorney Lake). Never noticed it before, though I've been in Windsor often enough when heavies have climbed overhead. Is this Olympic venue avoidance routing?
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 Tue 31 Jul 12 15:55 
 Flight path diversions? - Old Navy
Probably an Army missile site near Windsor, I would not intentionally get within range of a Gung Ho pongo with a rocket set to play with! :-)

Submarines practace sinking passing ships, wrong button and oops.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Tue 31 Jul 12 at 15:59
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 Tue 31 Jul 12 16:29 
 Flight path diversions? - TeeCee
I recall an ex-RAF Regiment colleague telling me that they were all geared up to go to the Falklands, when the orders came that they were to hand over their Rapier batteries to the pongos and show 'em which buttons to press.

He reckoned that particular decision cost us a couple of Harriers, immediate identification of the make and model of a low-flying aircraft not being an Army strong point. I've no idea whether that's true, or just sour grapes.
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 Tue 31 Jul 12 16:42 
 Flight path diversions? - Ian (Cape Town)
Two Sea Harriers were lost to ground fire and four to accidents.

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 Tue 31 Jul 12 17:05 
 Flight path diversions? - Meldrew
Extra figures here, including RAF Harriers

Air Campaign

Sea Harrier FRS.1 1,435 sorties[8], 20 (+3) kills, 6 lost.

Harrier GR.3 126 sorties, 4 lost.
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 Tue 31 Jul 12 17:51 
 Flight path diversions? - Bromptonaut
Aircraft leaving major airports generally follow one of a number of Standard Instrument Departure (SID) routes allowing departures to N, S E & W as required.

Some Heathrow departures to the US, generally to the mid west and beyond fly north first up my way and follow (when wind is in west) a Wobun SID that takes them over Slough/Wycombe towards a waypoint near Woburn. Those going out on more southerly tracks eg to JFK or EWR use Compton SID which go via Woodley to the Compton radio beacon in South Oxon.

The chart for the Compton SID is here tinyurl.com/bugpenq , you will see that, particularly when the Northern runway (27L) is in use they involve a significant jink to the south.

So no, I don't think they're doing anything unusual.

link corrected
Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 31 Jul 12 at 21:12
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 Tue 31 Jul 12 21:47 
 Flight path diversions? - Bromptonaut
>> link corrected

Thanks Vx.
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 Wed 1 Aug 12 10:29 
 Flight path diversions? - Bromptonaut
Another reason for temporary deviation might be weather avoidance.

Sunday's storms had flights to north of London wandering way off their normal paths; the controllers were really earning their corn.
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