YSSY strong winds and go arounds
 

I got to the airport around 5pm today and sat under the tower to watch the landings on RWY 25. I must have turned up during a particularly windy time.

Within the space of 15 mins I saw quite a few go arounds. From memory (I have a bad memory so you guys who track these things please correct me):

DJ 1628 E-190 went around twice. Both times he aborted at about 1000 feet.
UPS 34 MD-11 was literally 20 feet above the runway when he powered off.
A Qantas 737-800 went around next. I think a couple of other aircraft did too.
Then FedEx 77(?) MD-11 aborted at about a 1000 feet as well.

All this added to the stress levels of the ATC and the other pilots on approach as there was a fairly lengthy queue building up waiting to depart due to the single runway operations.

Very interesting. Plus I got to see my favourite MD-11 for longer.

recorded DJ1628 twice go around

A few were due to plastic bag sightings on the runway. I was near the GA spotting and i noticed alot of rubbish getting blown across the apron and toward the runway.

Canberra would have experienced similar today with winds blowing directly across the main runway at what I would estimate to be atleast 25 knots gusting to much higher speeds. Would have loved to be out there but I was stuck at work :(

Yes, they had an airport vehicle searching around the 1000 ft marker but they reported that they couldn't find any.

Thai and United took off from 34L and both of them looked like they were flying sideways!

DJ1628 went around the first time due windshear, the second due to FOD on the runway.

Good to see SACL are doing their job keeping an eye on the FOD not!

FOD is EVERYONE'S responsibility, not just SACL's

F.O.D. was recovered by the Vehicle further to the west of the indicated location shortly after the radio call you refer to.

With winds like we experienced yesterday Nathan, you could have had anything from plastic bags to ULD's blowing around the place. Hardly the airport owner's responsibility. :)

Brett, I have to disagree with your statement that ATC were stressed. On our first go around, Director said "hullo again, ........" in a very relaxed and professional manner. Pretty good service, considering he had 3 aircraft thrown at him unexpectedly in an already busy terminal area. On the second, we were sent around and handed off to departures, who also got us expeditiously back around the circuit for the last time. And back to the same Director, who gave me the impression that he was doing this on his ear.

Sydney ATC cop a flogging from us pilots at times, but you can rest assured that when stuff like this happens, they can be trusted to do a fantastic job.