QF flyover of Melbourne last night? (31/7/09)

[Will]

Hi all

Did anyone else see a QF branded jet fly over Melbourne CBD at very low altitude on Friday night at about 7.30 (31/7/09)? It was so low you could see the rivets of the undercarriage compartments - must have been less than 2,000 feet. Heading about 300 degrees.
Seemed a bit strange - anyone seen/read anything that might explain it?

 

[straitman]

A fly past for AFF Melbourne drinks perhaps :!:

 

[mvjs]

I saw an extremely low aircraft fly over at about that time last night. Couldn't make out the airline though.

 

[markis10]

Emirates went over the CBD at 7.40PM at 919m followed by QF30 three minutes later at exactly the same height.

 

[Flashback]

Emirates went over the CBD at 7.40PM at 919m followed by QF30 three minutes later at exactly the same height.

Was there a reason for it?

 

[straitman]

Was there a reason for it?

If there was more than one I would suggest that they were there because ATC put them there.

 

[Will]

If there was more than one I would suggest that they were there because ATC put them there.

Sounds reasonable enough. But, given general nervousness (witness the furore over the recent Air Force One NYC fly-over), and noise reasons, low-altitude city fly-overs are probably best avoided, and usually are. Any idea why it was considered necessary last night? Is it a regular occurrence?

 

[wandering_fred]

Depending on the wind direction, arrivals at PER when landing (from the west) can come very close to the CBD.

I remember waiting for a bus with a 743 almost overhead - obviously on landing approach. The AB seat passengers would have gotten a birds eye view of the CBD.

Given the prevailing wind patterns - this does not happen very often.

Fred

 

[NM]

Sounds reasonable enough. But, given general nervousness (witness the furore over the recent Air Force One NYC fly-over), and noise reasons, low-altitude city fly-overs are probably best avoided, and usually are. Any idea why it was considered necessary last night? Is it a regular occurrence?

The NY event was a little different. None of the aircraft flying over Melbourne were being "escorted" by fighter at the time. Me thinks it was sight of the fight escort that made NY-ers a little nervous.

 

[straitman]

The NY event was a little different. None of the aircraft flying over Melbourne were being "escorted" by fighter at the time. Me thinks it was sight of the fight escort that made NY-ers a little nervous.

If it was after 1pm Friday the Fighter Jocks would all be in or under the bar :!:

 

[markis10]

It was just a normal approach and sequencing, no big deal with heavy traffic reserved for the longer runway.

 

[Saab34]

In most cases:
-Runway change, from 27 to 34 is common sometimes, especially with heavies. Congestion can also play a part in this.

Otherwise it is a common R34 approach, especially for traffic coming from that Direction, ie-SYD,NZ etc..

It also could have just been a longer approach, most traffic will track over Preston, Essendon Airport then onto Finals for a 34 landing, but depending on winds, larger aircraft obviously dont want to risk a missed approach and will track over Richmond then right over the city.