What Flight Is That?

[sydunipete]

Quite often I notice a set of vapour trails over Sydney, shortly after 6am flying South West to North East. It appears to be a 2 engine jet. Because it's at altitude surely it can't be a flight leaving Sydney before ascending to cruising height before heading out over the Pacific.

I can't think of a route or flight time that would make sense. (Too far North for Adelaide to NZ.) Maybe Melbourne to Adelaide to Pacific Islands, but that seems strange too.

Any thoughts to help solve this long standing mystery would be interesting.

Thanks.

 

[Undercover Brother]

Not sure about the 6am one, but depending on the daily winds some airlines fly Auckland to Bangkok/Singapore (and vice-versa) and Christchurch to Singapore directly over Sydney. Occasionaly the Perth to Auckland flight goes over as well. All of these flights are Boeing 777 or Airbus A330, so twin engine jets!

 

[kevrosmith]

Got an iPad? Try the app Plane Finder HD. It shows planes currently in the air. The free version provides Aircraft Rego. Paid version provides more details. There's probably websites with type of info too.

 

[sydunipete]

Great idea. I also found planefinder.net

Now I just need to be online next time I see one go overhead.

 

[markis10]

A SQ777

9V-SRN SQ0297 06/09/2011 04:38 Singapore Airlines B777-212(ER) Singapore-Christchurch

 

[serfty]

None of those make sense since the Aircraft the OP is referring to is flying at an ~45° heading.

 

[kevrosmith]

flying South West to North East .... Maybe Melbourne to Adelaide to Pacific Islands, but that seems strange too.

Auckland to Bangkok/Singapore (and vice-versa) and Christchurch to Singapore directly over Sydney

Singapore-Christchurch

:shock:

Just making sure I'm looking at the compass the right way...

 

[markis10]

None of those make sense since the Aircraft the OP is referring to is flying at an ~45° heading.

Why, its not unusual for a SIN to NZ aircraft to track inbound as if its from ADL heading to NZ and heading over SYD, at least not when I was working SYD arrivals at 4 in the morning, not sure where the 45 degree reference would come from given that would appear NNE to those on the ground if that were the case.

Dont think the winds have changed since then, nothing else has been tracked as far as overflights between 1 and 7 for Sept:

9M-MRB MH0131 01/09/2011 06:32 Malaysian Airlines B777-2H6(ER) Kuala Lumpur-Auckland
9V-SWD SQ0285 03/09/2011 05:52 Singapore Airlines B777-312(ER) Singapore-Auckland
HS-TJS TG0491 03/09/2011 06:43 Thai International B777-2D7(ER) Bangkok-Auckland
9V-SRN SQ0297 04/09/2011 04:33 Singapore Airlines B777-212(ER) Singapore-Christchurch
9V-SWK SQ0285 04/09/2011 06:00 Singapore Airlines B777-312(ER) Singapore-Auckland
9M-MRL MH0131 04/09/2011 06:34 Malaysian Airlines B777-2H6(ER) Kuala Lumpur-Auckland
HS-TJT TG0491 04/09/2011 06:51 Thai International B777-2D7(ER) Bangkok-Auckland
9V-SWE SQ0285 05/09/2011 06:12 Singapore Airlines B777-312(ER) Singapore-Auckland
9M-MRF MH0131 06/09/2011 06:27 Malaysian Airlines B777-2H6(ER) Kuala Lumpur-Auckland

 

[serfty]

... not sure where the 45 degree reference would come from given that would appear NNE to those on the ground if that were the case. ...

Given SW->NE quoted direction, ~45º seems quite reasonable.

 

[mannej]

These sorts of flights have made front page news in Perth from time to time

 

[markis10]

Given SW->NE quoted direction, ~45º seems quite reasonable.

True or Magnetic

 

[Mwenenzi]

The world is not flat :idea:
Great Circle Mapper

 

[markis10]

The world is not flat :idea:
Great Circle Mapper

Apparently it is in some other threads, but that would be going OT.

 

[sydunipete]

I was out for a run this morning and didn't have a watch or a compass with me. (But I did have my trusty iPhone which has both - so I'll get it out of my pocket next time.)

I did see it this morning. I'd be guessing it was about 06:10. From one angle it looked like heading due East (90 degrees) but after I rounded a corner I thought it was heading more in to the Sun which would put it close to NE.

 

[richie9x]

The only twin engine jetliners over 20,000 feet over Sydney this morning I could find were these. The time is when they were over Sydney.

6:10am SQ285 35000 feet, track 111 degrees
6:36am MH131 39000 feet, track 107 degrees

I use to fly on MH131 quite often. Often it would fly right over Singapore, Jakarta (or some other big city on Java), Sydney and then finished off with a big scenic loop over Auckland.

 

[sydunipete]

Bingo : 6:10am SQ285 35000 feet, track 111 degrees it is.

My dead reckoning must be a few degrees out.

But at last my mystery is solved. Thansk everybody for your help, and I've found a few cool websites / apps along the way.

By the way, and at the risk of going to far off topic, next month I have a bit of a trip booked. SYD-PVG-XIY-PEK-MXP-VIE-OSL-KEF-OSL-ARN-PEK-SYD.

 

[rechoboam]

Some interesting flights there. I like the Aerotaxi flying Spain-Hamburg via Essendon ??? Perhaps a private jet that hasn't has its info updated since the last holiday?

 

[serfty]

True or Magnetic

Knowing the Sydney declination of 12½° and relative accuracy of unassisted observation I used an ~.