Impact of today's weather at YSSY?

[Jack B]

Hi all,

Curious to know the impact of today's weather on operations at YSSY?

[Adrian B]

I think QF400 stayed in Melbourne for an hour, departed 0700 instead of 0600

[Rowan McKeever]

Looking at FA before there was a fair bit of late running but didn't notice many cancellations.

[Mick F]

Not working today, so I'm not entirely in the know, however from a pilot perspective, apart from the severe turbulence associated with the system, and the wind gusts, not a huuuuuge effect. It's blowing more or less straight down the runways, and the visibility and cloud height is still well above minimums. Perhaps some windshear around the place as well.

On ground operations may be another thing though, with the possibility of stairs getting blown around and other ground equipment that isn't secure, getting blown around.

So far, while there have been some cancellations, I think overall things have been running close to normal. That said, I'm sitting in a nice warm house and no where near the airport :-) (only going by what others have said at work).

Mick

[Grahame Hutchison]

I was listening to Approach and Departures for a while this morning, there was some holding on the northern, south-western and Tasman routes, plenty
of diversions requested due weather, and reports of turbulence at FL280. As Mick said, the wind was down the runway and there were no reports of any
wind shear (although the current ATIS has a wind shear warning). The ATC guys and Tech Crews were doing a great job.

This image shows all of today's flight, plenty of holding patterns, some delays, but not too bad considering the conditions. Traffic at the moment is quite
light.


SYDNEY (YSSY)
TAF YSSY 202305Z 2100/2206
17035G52KT 8000 LIGHT RAIN SCT010 BKN020
FM211200 19025G45KT 8000 LIGHT RAIN SCT008 BKN020
FM220200 22015KT 9999 SHOWERS OF LIGHT RAIN FEW010 SCT025
TEMPO 2100/2202 2000 HEAVY RAIN BKN008
INTER 2202/2206 4000 SHOWERS OF MODERATE RAIN BKN010
RMK FM210000 SEV TURB BLW 5000FT TILL220200
T 16 16 16 16 Q 1019 1016 1015 1015
TTF SPECI YSSY 210500Z 19029G40KT 4000 MODERATE RAIN FEW015 SCT020
BKN030 14/14
Q1016
RMK RF00.2/013.2
FM0545 18035G52KT 8000 LIGHT RAIN SCT010 BKN020
TEMPO 0545/0800 2000 HEAVY RAIN BKN008
FM0500 SEV TURB BLW 5000FT

ATIS YSSY M 210444
APCH: EXP ILS OR GLS APCH
RWY: 16L AND R FOR ARRS AND DEPS
SFC COND: WET
OPR INFO: PARL RWY OPS IN PROGRESS.
INDEPENDENT DEPS IN PROGRESS.
SYDNEY DME NOT AVBL.
HIGH INTENSITY LIGHTING ON.
TWY B1, BETWEEN BRAVO AND RWY 16R CLOSED
WIND: 170/30-50
XW MAX 15 KTS
VIS: REDUCED TO 3000M IN RAIN
CLD: FEW015, SCT021, SCT030
TMP: 15
QNH: 1016
+ SIGWX: SEV TURB FCST BLW 5000FT.
WIND SHEAR WARNING,
DASH REPORTED MODERATE UNDERSHOOT AND OVERSHOOT
WIND SHEAR AT 1500 FT ON FINAL RWY 16L AT TIME 0435.
YMMM SIGMET I02 VALID FROM TIME 0500.
YMMM SIGMET Q02 VALID FROM TIME 0500

[Michael R]

Things were not too bad in relation to cancellations but in regards to ground operations Mick F is 100% correct. We had major dramas on Bay 8 and 9 with the gantry on the Dash8 300/400. Belt loaders were bouncing up and down like a yo-yo and working out on bays 16,17, and 70 on Qantaslink flights were horrendous. At one point from the Qantas ramp you could not see the International ramp at all. Hat's off to the pilot's too keep the flights rotating.

[Rowan McKeever]

What do you mean by the gantry, Michael?

[Grahame Hutchison]

Williamtown would be interesting as they have 18033G50KT, which is a 60 degree crosswind on Runway 12 ie. crosswind gusts of 43.3kts

[Michael R]

Rowan, it's just a mobile staircase that we place into position on bay 8 and 9 only when Qantaslink are assigned those bays. It can only be used on the Dash8 300/400.Once we place the Gantry into place staff can then align the aerobridge with it. As the passengers step off the aircraft they pass through the Gantry and onto the aerobridge. Not difficult to use however it has to be 100% aligned with the aircraft door so the aerobridge matches.

[Grahame Hutchison]

VOZ1106 from Brisbane to Williamtown has done two sets of orbits north of Williamtown, and now looks to be heading back to Brisbane. The aircraft is E190 VH-ZPG.