canberra & fog

[parsonstrish]

I'm booking flt. to Canberra 8/6 and a bit concerned if fog is problem this time of year. (haven't flown there previously).

I am looking at flights arriving 10:25am or around 16:00. As I don't know the weather average there, which would you suggest to avoid a fog issue?
cheers

 

[pauly7]

4pm would be safer in general but with Mother Nature who knows!

 

[harvyk]

At 16:00 there will be no fog, it's rare that fog makes it into the afternoon...

Don't get too worked up on fog in CBR, I only take into account fog if I'm planning on connecting to an international flight where I only have one option per day... I never think about fog at any other time as whilst yes, it does happen here from time to time, the very foggy mornings which close the airport are fairly rare.

 

[Deleted member 9370]

If I have a meeting in Canberra that is due to start before 1000 I always fly from Sydney the night before.

 

[muppet]

Hi parsontrish

I disagree with harvyk.

I live in Canberra. And if I have to be somewhere I either leave the night before or before 8am (as those planes can take off in fog as they stay overnight in Canberra, after 8am new planes can't land in fog).

If you are coming to Canberra, and it's important, no brainer - come the night before.

Yesterday, I was flying into Canberra 7:20am from Melb; there was fog and we were circling - ALL (literally) was blue skies, except the airport.
Canberra is in a valley, and the airport is on the lowest and flattest bit - ipso fatso - fog.

On the other hand, afternoons - no issue and if it's not time sensitive - just hang around waiting for it to clear if it does.
But about 50% of my work trips have me late at meetings in SYD or MEL as my boss argues a short flight isn't worthy of an overnight (agreed in principle).

hope this helps.
m

 

[wingspan]

As another Canberran, I don't plan my flights around fog unless I have a really important connection or meeting to make. I fly in and out of CBR all the time and have only ever had one severe fog delay. Now of course, that's just luck, but if you're not too worried about being late for a meeting, go with the afternoon flight.

 

[Ewing]

In my experience having done a lot of flights into and out of CBR over the past few years with plenty of fog delays:

Flying out of CBR:

- Anything before 9am will always get out as the aircraft are on the ground the night before.
- Anything between 9-11am is at risk of being delayed due to inbound aircraft delays.
- Anything departing after 11am is usually fine.

Flying into CBR:

- Anything before about 10:30am is the greatest risk of delay.
- Anything after 11am should be fine.

Fortunately it was always easier for me being based in CBR as I'd be flying out in the morning and back in the evening.

 

[straitman]

In my experience having done a lot of flights into and out of CBR over the past few years with plenty of fog delays:

Flying out of CBR:

- Anything before 9am will always get out as the aircraft are on the ground the night before.
- Anything between 9-11am is at risk of being delayed due to inbound aircraft delays.
- Anything departing after 11am is usually fine.

Flying into CBR:

- Anything before about 10:30am is the greatest risk of delay.
- Anything after 11am should be fine.

Fortunately it was always easier for me being based in CBR as I'd be flying out in the morning and back in the evening.

As someone who flew out of Canberra airport for quite a few years (as an occupation) I have to suggest that what Ewing has said is pretty close to the mark.

 

[anchew]

Also, to add to the everyone's experience here, delays due to fog in the mornings causes knock-on delays for flights between CBR & SYD on DJ's ATR and (less so) QF's Dash-8s. This is generally because those planes just do CBR-SYD-CBR all day so delays in the morning causes the rest of the day's schedule to be out.

 

[mosanator]

All my travel is out of CBR and I agree with Ewing and straitman.

 

[amaroo]

Reading this I'm glad I didn't book that JASA through CBR before boarding my FASA to SIN next week!

Was going to do it but shy'd away from it at the last minute due to a gut feeling:-|

 

[TheStudent]

I'm also going to throw my hat in with Ewing. In my experience I find that if you avoid earlyish mornings then you should be okay. However I have known Canberra to be foggy all day - although not at this time of year. Try to fly in the night before, as previously suggested. However im my many mainly afternoon flights to/from CBR I have never once had a fog delay, with the exception of one many years ago.

 

[harvyk]

OK, new piece of advice, only fly into and out of CBR on the mornings that I'm flying... It appears I have some magic shield which means I don't get fog delays...
Of course I have now ensured my next 10 flights are delayed thanks to fog... :shock:

 

[Solid]

I live in Canberra. And if I have to be somewhere I either leave the night before or before 8am (as those planes can take off in fog as they stay overnight in Canberra, after 8am new planes can't land in fog).

Ive been delayed a few times due to fog at regional airports - being regional you can usually chat with the crew and even thought the planes overnight they say they won't take off inheavy fog because if there's an emergency they can't see where to land.

Is this not an issue for the big jets, and if not, why don't they land at Canberra in fog?

 

[harvyk]

Ive been delayed a few times due to fog at regional airports - being regional you can usually chat with the crew and even thought the planes overnight they say they won't take off inheavy fog because if there's an emergency they can't see where to land.

Is this not an issue for the big jets, and if not, why don't they land at Canberra in fog?

I believe it has more to do with the airport nav aids as to if they can take off or not in fog.
I expect they don't want to get a plane leaving MEL whilst CBR is still usable, and then have it close due to lack of visibility half way through the flight as that would make it very expensive for the airline.
In regards to aircraft taking off I would imagine that they look at the likelihood of the visibility staying the same for a certain period of time after take-off in which to land again if there is a problem. CBR is also somewhat blessed given we are not really all that far away from SYD as well as a few other regional airports if something did go wrong after take off and the fog prevented landing here again.

Of course this is my own assumptions and my be completely wrong.

 

[Boris spatsky]

The ILS at Canberra requires 800m visibility to land. Visibility in fog is frequently less than 800m visibility.

MEL has the only ILS in Australia that allows landings on less than 800m (CAT III), (as do plenty of other major airports around the world).