United Emirates 407 diverted to Sydney.

[Martin Buzzell]

Just watching Flightradar24 tonight and watched a UE 777 enroute to Melbourne from Auckland. Just as it reached the coast of Victoria, it turned north and it's now just about to land in Sydney.

Any ideas anyone? I was quite surprised as it was a lot closer to Ml then Sy when it diverted.

Buzz

[Paul f.]

Fog

[Paul Hunter]

http://www.airservices.gov.au/brief/html.asp?/cgi-bin/avreq?met=ymml

Regards.

[Martin Buzzell]

http://www.airservices.gov.au/brief/html.asp?/cgi-bin/avreq?met=ymml

Regards.

I thought fog, but everything else is landing okay.

[Brian Wilkes]

Needed more fuel for low vis conditions.

[Adam.S]

^
I understand the need for extra fuel if it looks like the aircraft will be put into a holding pattern, however couldn't EK407 have been given priority to land if on low fuel considering that the runway(s) remained open at all times in Melbourne this evening, despite some fog.

...or did the airport in fact close for a short period of time tonight?

[Brian Wilkes]

If they did get priority to land who's to say crew may have had to make 1 or 2 missed approaches to land due fog and that would have stuff them up big time.

The aerodrome was open and still is since this message was typed.

[Owen H]

Adam,

When the weather deteriorates below a certain level, aircraft require an alternate airport - another place they can fly to if they are unsuccessful on their approach.

If the fog was not forecast, or it is a payload limited flight, it may well arrive near Melbourne without this level of fuel.

So, while the aircraft MAY have got in, given the fog hasn't gone below the landing minima, the forecast of fog means they need another aerodrome to fly to, and it is quite possible they did not have that.

It takes a lot of additional fuel to carry Sydney as an alternate for Melbourne.

[Adam.S]

Brian/Owen, thankyou for the info.

In terms of alternate airport, could have Avalon (if needed after failed attempted approaches) or Canberra been options?

What factor(s) ruled these two out last night?

[Owen H]

Canberra is an option to some extent, although it is not a major airport, and EK have no suuport there. They are familiar, and operate to, Sydney. It also assumes that they have the fuel to fly to ML, hold for the appropriate time, make an approach, then divert to Canberra. That is a fair amount of fuel.

If there is fog forecast at Tulla, it is highly unlikely there wouldn't be fog (or at least low visibility) forecast for Avalon. It also assumes that Avalon is approved as an alternate airport by Emirates - it might not be.

A diversion really isn't a big deal, and tactics definitely come into it.

For what it is worth, an aircraft that doesn't have the fuel to hold, but does have the fuel to divert, would be expected to divert.

[Adam.S]

^
Why this diversion caught my attention was that Malaysia and Singapore were landing in Melbourne around the same time the Emirates flight was due.
I assume the difference was that these other flights had sufficient fuel, although I believe their eventual holding time was no more then 30 mins.

Perhaps Emirates should consider carrying more fuel on their AKL-MEL leg of EK407 during the winter months?


Regardless, its has been interesting to learn about these procedures, so thankyou.

[Martin Buzzell]

^
Why this diversion caught my attention was that Malaysia and Singapore were landing in Melbourne around the same time the Emirates flight was due.
I assume the difference was that these other flights had sufficient fuel, although I believe their eventual holding time was no more then 30 mins.

Perhaps Emirates should consider carrying more fuel on their AKL-MEL leg of EK407 during the winter months?


Regardless, its has been interesting to learn about these procedures, so thankyou.

Thanks Adam, you asked the questions I wondered about. Still very strange everyone else went in bar that aircraft. I did notice 16 had been lowered to CAT1, was that a deciding factor?

Just nice to be able to access sites like flghtradar24.