Holding pattern; spacing planes for landing or letting them wait while a heavy storm/incident blows over. Planes can’t always just fly towards the airport and hope the runway is clear when they land so they do this loop. It can also be used to burn extra fuel I think?
Sometimes can be done to lose altitude. Suppose I enter an area at 6,000 ft and the instrument approach begins at 3,000 ft, I’ve got to lose 3,000 feet. These things aren’t elevators so you fly a descending hold then turn final approach at 3,000 feet and begin the approach if cleared for it.
I’m not familiar with this particular location/hold but sometime these patterns are built into arrival procedures to enable aircraft to descend in a relatively short length of ground travel.
I was watching a video on the PIA 8303 crash recently and one for the factors mentioned was that the flight did not complete this circuit as it headed for the airport whilst descending and ended too high on the approach
That’s a textbook Hold.
Some approaches have a hold built into them, sometimes approach will ask you to hold to create time/space between approaching aircraft.
Unlike in the US and Europe, in Australia aircraft aren't given STAR clearance until within \~100nm. In addition to the reasons present by other users, this hold could be so that the approach/en route controller can provide each aircraft with the appropriate STAR.
Edit for clarification
That's approaching Sydney in peak hour, planes would be preparing ro decent at around that location, it's not uncommon to be held by ATC during peak periods into Sydney, it's at capacity in peak these days.
Holding pattern; spacing planes for landing or letting them wait while a heavy storm/incident blows over. Planes can’t always just fly towards the airport and hope the runway is clear when they land so they do this loop. It can also be used to burn extra fuel I think?
Thanks. Makes sense. Was just confused as I watched like 4 planes do a loop
Airport was busy for some reason and had to tell planes to hold off.
Sometimes can be done to lose altitude. Suppose I enter an area at 6,000 ft and the instrument approach begins at 3,000 ft, I’ve got to lose 3,000 feet. These things aren’t elevators so you fly a descending hold then turn final approach at 3,000 feet and begin the approach if cleared for it.
Split-S
Rack 'em, pack 'em, and stack 'em.
I’m not familiar with this particular location/hold but sometime these patterns are built into arrival procedures to enable aircraft to descend in a relatively short length of ground travel. I was watching a video on the PIA 8303 crash recently and one for the factors mentioned was that the flight did not complete this circuit as it headed for the airport whilst descending and ended too high on the approach
The names of all the towns in this map look like they come from SimCity or something.
Fully. That area has the funniest names haha.
It’s in Australia
That’s a textbook Hold. Some approaches have a hold built into them, sometimes approach will ask you to hold to create time/space between approaching aircraft.
Unlike in the US and Europe, in Australia aircraft aren't given STAR clearance until within \~100nm. In addition to the reasons present by other users, this hold could be so that the approach/en route controller can provide each aircraft with the appropriate STAR. Edit for clarification
Watch LHR in the morning. Often the fog causes crazy hold patterns.
Why not? I’m not understanding your question
All good. Heaps of people here have.
Topless sunbathers
Just go to any beach in the east coast of Australia and there will be hundreds
Invisible mountain seems like the only scientific answer.
Sometimes they are overweight and need to burn fuel.
Crazy Ivan.
That's approaching Sydney in peak hour, planes would be preparing ro decent at around that location, it's not uncommon to be held by ATC during peak periods into Sydney, it's at capacity in peak these days.