A British Airways A380 was forced to perform a go-around after an impressive crosswind landing attempt at London Heathrow Airport on Saturday, July 15th, 2023. The aircraft (Reg. G-XLEA), which was performing flight no. BA286, from San Francisco, was attempting to land on runway 27L when it encountered strong crosswinds. The pilot was able to keep the aircraft under control, but the plane was drifting sideways as it approached the runway.
The pilot decided to perform a go-around, which is when an aircraft aborts a landing and takes off again. The A380 successfully completed the go-around and landed safely on its second attempt. The video of the landing attempt has been viewed millions of times on social media. Many people have praised the pilot for their handling of the situation.
Strong Crosswinds
The strong crosswinds at London Heathrow Airport were caused by Storm Evert, which brought high winds and heavy rain to the UK on Saturday. The storm also caused travel disruptions across the country, including the cancellation of flights and train services. Emirates flight no. EK29 from Dubai diverted to Glasgow after two attempts to land.
What is a Go-Around?
A go-around is a procedure that pilots use when they are unable to land a plane safely. The pilot will typically increase the throttle and pull up the nose of the plane, which will cause the plane to take off again. Go-arounds are relatively common, and they are usually performed when there are strong winds or other conditions that make it difficult to land the plane. In the case of the British Airways A380, the crosswinds were too strong for the pilot to land the plane safely, so he performed a go-around.
Safety First
The decision to perform a go-around is always a safety-first decision. Pilots are trained to abort a landing if they feel that the conditions are not safe. In this case, the pilot made the right decision to perform a go-around, and the passengers landed safely on their second attempt. The British Airways A380's impressive crosswind landing attempt is a reminder of the skill and professionalism of airline pilots. In difficult conditions, pilots are able to safely land their aircraft, even when it is not easy.