MCO-MAN Flight Path

Hello,

I flew from Orlando to Manchester on Sunday, I was interested to see once we took off we headed straight over the Atlantic on a direct path to the UK rather than follow the coast up the US and across Canada and under Greenland.
Can anyone educate me on when and why this option is possible, the aircraft was about 60% full so was wondering if weight played a part ?

Also once leaving US airspace what radio contact is available and what landing options there are in the event of a technicality ?

It's all down to the jet-stream (a very fast wind that flows Eastwards over the Atlantic). It's position varies daily & each day the "North Atlantic Tracks" are set depending on the position of the jet-stream.

Aircraft flying East (to the UK) want to use the jet-stream as it cuts their flying time. Aircraft flying West (to the USA) want to avoid it, as it increases their flying time. Increases / decreases in flying time can be significant depending on the speed of the jet-stream.

If you - for instance - depart Orlando and head out over the ocean heading for Ireland, you'll be out of radio contact in the middle of the flight for sure. Satellite comms must be the answer (but ISTBC). Aircraft always have to be within a set flying time of a diversion airport - this time depends on the aircraft type / number of engines etc. I think the normal maximum is 180mins (3hrs).

If by contrast you depart Orlando and head North up the US coast, then over Canada / Nova Scotia / Greenland / Iceland / then onto the UK, you're probably going to be within radio contact of somewhere for much of the flight.

Thanks for your response Kraken appreciated.

If you go via that route you'll have Bermuda and Azores as potential emergency landing spots, which are easily within ETOPS regulations (apparently so is 95% of the earth's surface).

ETOPS doesn't apply on a 4 engined aircraft such as a 747...

No I know that but if a 747 has an emergency it's still got to touch down on dry land

There's a website where you can find out what the planned transatlantic routes are: http://www.turbulenceforecast.com/

Also shows where there's turbulence expected, which may or may not be good for some people.

There's a good explanation of it on this Wikipedia page
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Atlantic_Tracks

Although the pilots follow the tracks they are allowed to deviate from the centreline by a random amount to encourage variability and reduce the risk of collision.

Today's paths are extremely north westbound to avoid a front, and straight through the front eastbound. Fast, but bumpy rides home today.

Thanks for the links, interesting reading especially Concorde having its own flight paths.

[honey lamb]

Thanks for the links, interesting reading especially Concorde having its own flight paths.

Indeed! Living on the south coast of Ireland as I do, one could almost set your watch by the sonic boom as it flew over twice a day in its heyday!

As to radio contact etc. The normal VHF radios have a range of approx 200 miles, after that crew can use Satellite phones to ATC , HF radio and even a form of text messaging. These are just about worldwide coverage.