Flights taken off and immediately landing at the same airpor

[westhamtim]

There have been a few flights taking off from Stansted and landing minutes later at the other end of the runway. Can anybody tell me what's going on?

Examples are fr911 & fr301.

[ninja-lewis]

Maintenance flights and crew currency. Seals, bearings etc aren't designed with an aircraft sitting on the ground indefinitely in mind. Manufacturers define maximum periods between flights beyond which extra maintenance work is required before returning to flight. For airlines, it's cheaper to do some circuits every so often in each aircraft and avoid the extra maintenance work that would otherwise be incurred.

This applies to everything from A380s down to Cessna 152s. So the DfT permits engine maintenance flights for light aircraft too.

Same with the aircrew, they have to do a minimum number of take offs and landings every so often to remain legally currently (and realistically probably a full sim check too if they haven't flown properly in several months). So the flights help keen some of the aircrew current and make it easier to resume operations when lockdown eases.

[eharding]

westhamtim said:

There have been a few flights taking off from Stansted and landing minutes later at the other end of the runway.

That would be a neat trick in a 737. You would probably need a headwind that would leave the terminal buildings in the next county.

Seen it done at Waltham in a Jodel D9, by the late and much missed Jim Beagley.

[mybrainhurts]

eharding said:

westhamtim said:

There have been a few flights taking off from Stansted and landing minutes later at the other end of the runway.

That would be a neat trick in a 737. You would probably need a headwind that would leave the terminal buildings in the next county.

Seen it done in a Jodel D9, by the late and much missed Jim Beagley.

Is that really what you think he meant?

[eharding]

mybrainhurts said:

eharding said:

westhamtim said:

There have been a few flights taking off from Stansted and landing minutes later at the other end of the runway.

That would be a neat trick in a 737. You would probably need a headwind that would leave the terminal buildings in the next county.

Seen it done in a Jodel D9, by the late and much missed Jim Beagley.

Is that really what you think he meant?

Probably not. His grasp of English leaves it open to interpretation though. Much like your grasp of your own username, MBU.

Jim was a legend in that D9, regardless.

[westhamtim]

Thanks Lewis for the great reply.

And apologies for the poorly draughted title which may have set a poor tone for the ensuing question