Flightradar - some poor passengers really aren't landing at Madeira at the moment

[cakeorwine]

2 landing attempts and still not down.

I think it's windy there

Flightradar24: Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map

Funchal to Munich just taken off - suppose that's a lot easier?

Looks like Porto Santo is coming in before BA now

Wonder how many of the 2,488 viewing are Mumsnetters!

Just point up 😉Joking aside, I imagine it is more straightforward in some ways

Oh actually maybe that one is too high to be landing like I know how high it should-- be--

PXO has aborted...

My parents are in Porto Santo and the highlight of their days is plane watching from their balcony, so today has caused huge excitement. I've had updates and pictures all day of the planes that have been diverted there 😂

Is BA doing another loop in the hold?

The only most tracked plane that's not Funchal is this beauty about to land in Tokyo

The big issue with both the approach and the go-arounds is that there is high ground adjacent to the approach on the RHS (west) and obviously (?) on the RHS adjacent to the airport...

The high ground adjacent to the approach, just to the west of the headland stops aircraft lining up with the runway until they've passed the headland and can see the runway and terrain...so if they get to the headland and not see anything they have to go-around.

In the event of a go-around for any reason - wind, turbulence, low cloud base or visibility it's going to be a left turn almost immediately to stay over water/away from the terrain.

how long can BA and pxo circle for?

BA looks to be living in the sky now.

(Maybe the Princess of Liechteinstein is on board and they need to sweep for assassins)

Perhaps the airport is full so they need to let some planes take off before they allow others in to land!

We have no way of knowing, depends on how much fuel they have spare before they have to divert.

My brother flies to Madeira fairly frequently for work.
It is always a toss up on whether he will make it there or not.
Just last year he had one trip where he actually got on the plane and went there and then came back, and a couple where he never even took off, but was on the runway, wainting for a few hours.

Then theres the times where you get stuck there for longer than expected!

However, he managed to go, and come back, just a couple of days ago! Weather must have taken a turn the next day!

The biggest problem there is the wind. You cant land if the wind is above 15 knots. And because of where the runway is, it is usually windy, even if below the 15knot cut off!

For those who are a bit confused about some of the references, I recommend Cabin Pressure. - the radio comedy series.

Lots of references to diverted airfields, landing in crosswinds, not diverting because of ill passengers and putting too much fuel in - Isaac Newton's worst nightmare

PSO flight is back where it started from.
Just a bit higher

Yesterday the BA flight was due to land about 1310 - it circled for about an hour before diverting to Porto Santo at about 1430

it then refuelled and set off back for another go at Madeira at about 1600 after a couple of other flights managed to land

the crew were saying the pilot talks to london and considers his options while at PS - yesterday they were

go again

abandon and go to Faro

abandon and go back to London -

@ASGIRC

You cant land if the wind is above 15 knots. And because of where the runway is, it is usually windy, even if below the 15knot cut off!

I'm not sure that's correct..

Google says the airport only has 1 runway. Perhaps they need to let some scheduled departures go as it is just too disruptive not to.

I literally went looking for that information, to make sure it was accurate. Yes, it is.
They are planning on increasing it to 20 knots, but that wont happen for a few years still.

If the wind is above 15 knots, they cant land. Period.
If it is below, but still windy, some pilots might not feel confident enough to land, which is why they try and give up.

oh, is BA having a go now?

I'm on the edge of my seat!

Interesting, where are you getting that from?

I don't have up to date sources but the ones I can find from about 6 years back discuss wind speed and direction, rather than an outright 15 knot figure, which as you say would be very limiting.

https://aviation.wfscorp.com/sites/default/files/2020-05/madeira_AIP%20LPMA.pdf

Never mind FR I'm finding myself cheering when someone posts that a flight has landed on this thread 🫢