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"Weather" balloon near miss with KLM jet

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  • 05-06-2012 6:47pm
    #1
    Su Campu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,279 ✭✭✭


    Just posted on The Aviation Herald:

    http://avherald.com/h?article=450ab9a0&opt=0
    A KLM Boeing 777-200, registration PH-BQL performing flight KL-621 from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Atlanta,GA (USA) with 286 passengers, was climbing through FL150 about 40nm westsouthwest of Amsterdam when the crew spotted a balloon, presumably a weather balloon, passing their aircraft at an estimated minimum separation of 1 meter/3 feet vertical and 8 meters/26 feet horizontal. The aircraft continued to Atlanta for a safe landing without further incident.

    The Dutch Safety Board (DSB) rated the occurrence a serious incident and opened an investigation, the DSB reported in their quarterly bulletin.

    I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often!


Comments

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    #2
    Mr Benevolent
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,456 ✭✭✭✭Mr Benevolent


    Probably wouldn't have caused any damage, but the unknowns in that kind of collision are fairly high.


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    #3
    Stinicker
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 7,102 ✭✭✭Stinicker


    Confab wrote: »
    Probably wouldn't have caused any damage, but the unknowns in that kind of collision are fairly high.

    They usually have a radio device and some sort of measuring unit attached to them. I found a burst weather balloon a few years ago on top of a mountain and brough home the unit attached which was about the size of a brick. I would think if something similar got sucked into the engines of a 777 it would damage the engine.


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    #4
    phonypony
    Registered Users Posts: 1,316 ✭✭✭phonypony


    Rather than start a new thread I'll post this here. I observed today what I think was a weather balloon over Dublin, moving roughly East to West very slowly, shimmering in the sun. From its size I would estimate it to have been about FL400, it disappeared behind the BKN200 a few times. I've checked the winds aloft forecast for the period which suggested ESE ~15 knots, which tie in with its apparent track. I got a photo (not great) at about 13.30. I understand these are launched around midday, but does anyone know from where? And is there any facility to track what path they have taken?


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    #5
    Su Campu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,279 ✭✭✭Su Campu


    It could be the one out of Aberporth (EGUC), in Wales.

    http://weather.uwyo.edu/upperair/sounding.html

    Its 12Z ascent was showing upper winds of around SSE 10-15 knots up to 2-3 km, but then S-SW and stronger thereafter. It's unlikely that it would have made it all the way to Dublin in those slacker lower level southeasterlies.

    The Valentia and Castor Bay balloons would not also not have headed towards Dublin. I would say it was a normal balloon, which may have looked like it was heading behind the cirrus but with the white background of the cloud that could have been an optical illusion and I would say the balloon was a lot lower.


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