A pilot has given an explanation as to why a British Airways flight made a particular manoeuvre while coming into land at London Heathrow. The landing happened during the difficult weather conditions of Storm Erik.
In footage shared by Big Jet TV the BA Dreamliner plane was forced to scrap its landing after strong winds put the plane off-balance moments before it was to touch down.
We are live now on our Elite Channel from #Heathrow and witnessed this insane #TOGA ! Well done pilot! @British_Airways #BA276 #StormErik pic.twitter.com/WMEvJ4P387
— BIG JET TV (@BigJetTVLIVE) February 8, 2019
Luckily, the plane was able to fly back around and land safely after the “go around” manoeuvre was undertaken. Scott Bateman, chief executive of 9-Line Aviation took to Twitter to explain the need for such a manoeuvre, and why it was the safest option for the aircraft.
He explained: “This is a professional team making the correct decision to go around after an approach is destabilised by a gust [and its] a practised and entirely safe manoeuvre.”
Most approaches start an long way from the airfield. The pilots will get the weather and assess the likely “threats”. In the case of wind they will verbalise & practice manoeuvres such as a go around as well as setting acceptable & safe parameters for the day #StormErik #Aviation pic.twitter.com/eAlTT905av
— Scott Bateman (@jumbo747pilot) February 8, 2019
Mr Bateman, a retired member of the Royal Air Force, said that pilots must follow “stabilised approach criteria.”
“On the approach all airlines employ something called stabilised approach criteria. These are mandated parameters, aircraft or airline specific, which must be attained by 1000ft and maintained to touchdown. This will be the reason for most go arounds today..destabilised approaches.”
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