• A man stand on the edge of a seawall during Storm Ciara in Harlingen which has brought unusually high winds across Europe with many countries cancelling national and international sport events. AFP
    A man stand on the edge of a seawall during Storm Ciara in Harlingen which has brought unusually high winds across Europe with many countries cancelling national and international sport events. AFP
  • A journalist covers his equipment during heavy rain prior to the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Lyon (OL) at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. AFP
    A journalist covers his equipment during heavy rain prior to the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Lyon (OL) at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. AFP
  • A flooded street is seen after Storm Ciara downpour in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, Britain. REUTERS
    A flooded street is seen after Storm Ciara downpour in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, Britain. REUTERS
  • A flooded street is seen after Storm Ciara downpour in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, Britain. REUTERS
    A flooded street is seen after Storm Ciara downpour in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, Britain. REUTERS
  • A child plays on a fallen tree after the passage of storm Ciara, in Namur, Belgium. EPA
    A child plays on a fallen tree after the passage of storm Ciara, in Namur, Belgium. EPA
  • A man wades through a flooded street due to Storm Ciara in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, Britain. REUTERS
    A man wades through a flooded street due to Storm Ciara in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, Britain. REUTERS
  • Cars drive through floodwater as hurricane-force winds and rain affected the country's transport network leading to disruptions and prompting warnings of power cuts and a risk to life, in Manchester, Britain. REUTERS
    Cars drive through floodwater as hurricane-force winds and rain affected the country's transport network leading to disruptions and prompting warnings of power cuts and a risk to life, in Manchester, Britain. REUTERS
  • Cars drive through floodwater as hurricane-force winds and rain affected the country's transport network leading to disruptions and prompting warnings of power cuts and a risk to life, in Manchester, Britain. REUTERS
    Cars drive through floodwater as hurricane-force winds and rain affected the country's transport network leading to disruptions and prompting warnings of power cuts and a risk to life, in Manchester, Britain. REUTERS
  • The roof of a submerged car is pictured in a flooded street in Mytholmroyd, northern England, after the River Calder burst its banks as Storm Ciara swept over the country. AFP
    The roof of a submerged car is pictured in a flooded street in Mytholmroyd, northern England, after the River Calder burst its banks as Storm Ciara swept over the country. AFP
  • People take a photograph as Storm Ciara arrives in West Bay, United Kingdom. Getty Images
    People take a photograph as Storm Ciara arrives in West Bay, United Kingdom. Getty Images
  • A kite surfer rides in the water during stormy weather off the Wissant's Bay, northern France as Storm Ciara sweeps across western Europe. AFP
    A kite surfer rides in the water during stormy weather off the Wissant's Bay, northern France as Storm Ciara sweeps across western Europe. AFP
  • A woman tries to protect herself from the high winds and rain in Sheffield, northern England as Storm Ciara swept over the country. AFP
    A woman tries to protect herself from the high winds and rain in Sheffield, northern England as Storm Ciara swept over the country. AFP
  • Geese take advantage of the conditions as floodwater fills the streets of Hebden Bridge, northern England as Storm Ciara swept over the country. AFP
    Geese take advantage of the conditions as floodwater fills the streets of Hebden Bridge, northern England as Storm Ciara swept over the country. AFP

Europe

Storm Ciara: videos show incredible skill of pilots landing at UK airports

Pilots from Emirates, Air New Zealand and British Airways showed their skills in tough conditions

The National

February 12, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

Storm Sabine raged around northern Europe on Sunday and Monday, leaving more than 200,000 holidaymakers stranded as flights were cancelled.

But those already in the air when the storm – also called Ciara – hit were in for a bumpy ride on reaching the UK, where gusts of up to 144kph and heavy rain made for difficult or aborted landings at airports across the country.

As jets large and small tried to touch down and disgorge their passengers safely, videos showing the shaky landings were shared online.

In one video, an Emirates plane is brought under control by its pilot as heavy winds and a wet runway cause it to move sideways.

Many of the attempted and successful landings were captured on video by Big Jet TV, a live-streaming service dedicated to planespotting. The enthusiasm of host Jerry Dyer at London’s Heathrow airport added to the excitement for many viewers.

Mr Dyer explained the “shed effect” in which strong winds roll over warehousing surrounding the runway, creating a vortex effect. This, he said, caused the airport to divert flights to a different runway where it would be safer to land.

Birmingham airport was also battered by high winds, with a Wizz Air jet making a spectacular landing in heavy crosswinds. The plane appeared almost horizontal to the runway at points, eventually bumping along the surface to safety.

Lebanese pilots received thanks for their role in landing a Middle East Airline Flight in London. The host of the live stream praised their skills.

Not all landings were successful first time. The Big Jet TV stream showed a British Airways flight conducting a “touch & go” – in which pilots are trained to touch the ground briefly in dangerous conditions before taking off.

One pilot felt so inspired by the commitment of ground workers at UK airports she took to the tarmac to deliver a message of thanks as rain lashed her face.

She wasn’t alone. Countless comments on social media noted the skill of the pilots in managing landing in such difficult conditions.

“These pilots certainly deserve a lot of respect,” Dr Sandeep Parwaga wrote beneath the Big Jet TV live stream.

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