G-VAST VS073 General Emergency

Looks like this aircraft is about to return to MAN. Currently at 14000ft circling over the Irish sea, maybe dumping fuel before returning?

Yes, MAN airport website says due to land at 15:05, let's hope it's nothing to serious!

[Neil]

She is on her way to land at LGW (ETA 15:40) - assume it is a tech problem and makes sense to have her at LGW rather than stuck at MAN - probably easier to find a replacement a/c from LGW also.

Scheduled to land at LGW at 15.40.

It can't be a mega emergency thankfully if they're going all the way down to LGW to land.

I was just on my iPad using the flight radar app and VS73 is red whereas all other planes are showing up in yellow, does that normally happen?

Hope all is OK onboard.

I think on FR red means it's 'sqwauked' .. currently she's over Godalming heading into Gatwick. This will be a mess to sort out ...

Oh dear

Thanks, maybe there will be a V-Flyer onboard who can spill the beans on what caused the curtailment.

The FB team say a minor technical fault and LGW for a repair - interesting to see that on FR ATC has held a fair few LGW bound plans back to allow G-VAST to land ...

I just got off G-VAST on the VS086 at Manchester this morning. During the LAS taxi, a passenger in UC had reported that the floor was excessively hot. A pilot investigated and an announcement was made that it was due to the aircon packs working overtime to keep the aircraft cool at McCarran. The flight went without problems.

I was just on my iPad using the flight radar app and VS73 is red whereas all other planes are showing up in yellow, does that normally happen?

Hope all is OK onboard.

The red plane on FR24 means its squawked as slinky says. It's code will show 7700 if you click on the info page for that plane. 7700 is the General Emergency code.

I followed it on FR and it appears to have landed safely at LGW

It shows as landed at 15:50 on the gatwick website

Wonder if they'll be able to put any of the passengers on the delayed vs15?

[Neil]

Wonder if they'll be able to put any of the passengers on the delayed vs15?

Doubt it - not only will the 15 likely be very busy anyway, it is due to leave shortly itself so would be far to much hassle to swap pax and their luggage over. Nice idea as can't be nice for those pax on the 73.

I was just on my iPad using the flight radar app and VS73 is red whereas all other planes are showing up in yellow, does that normally happen?

Hope all is OK onboard.

The red plane on FR24 means its squawked as slinky says. It's code will show 7700 if you click on the info page for that plane. 7700 is the General Emergency code.

Thanks for the hint.

Glad it's down safely, just a bad start to some peoples holiday.

Must be going to be sorted quickly, as its showing as leaving LGW at 6.00pm, still with VAST

Must be going to be sorted quickly, as its showing as leaving LGW at 6.00pm, still with VAST

Great news for those on-board looking forward to their summer holiday ^)

[Neil]

That's really good news and seems VS made a really good call bringing it to LGW rather than landing it back at MAN.

I do wonder if it will need a new crew though, surely the existing one most be tight on hours.

Doesn't sound good!

Everytime i've flown on G-VAST we've had long delays because of techincal problems! maybe its the aircraft itself? (getting old?)

I'm glad to hear that they're leaving today. It's not the best to have one's holiday interrupted, but you know what they say... "Better late that 'the late'"

Not a great start for us worried parents, who've just put their 2 kids on this VS073 flight as un-accompanied minors forthe first time!! Will be happy when they are on their way and even more happy when the've landed

[Neil]

Now showing as a 19:30 departure, hope they manage to get away tonight. Feel really sorry now for those waiting to come home whichever flight AST is due to operate (currently shows as both the 16 and 74)

You could be right Neil looks like she still hasnt left