interesting flight last night. Cruised 24000ft LGA/TPA
May 6, 2024, 8:41 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 776
interesting flight last night. Cruised 24000ft LGA/TPA
just more curiosity than anything, in case anybody can figure out what happened.
DL2963 on 5/5/24
we took off from LGA a few mins late but the circled the area for what seemed like 20 mins or so. The pilot made an announcement which was very difficult to understand but then we continued to tampa. But what usually is a 2 hr 15 min flight took over 3 hours. It seems like he was also flying very low. would be interesting to know what happened?
DL2963 on 5/5/24
we took off from LGA a few mins late but the circled the area for what seemed like 20 mins or so. The pilot made an announcement which was very difficult to understand but then we continued to tampa. But what usually is a 2 hr 15 min flight took over 3 hours. It seems like he was also flying very low. would be interesting to know what happened?
May 6, 2024, 8:45 am
#2
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: South Bend, Indiana
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just more curiosity than anything, in case anybody can figure out what happened.
DL2963 on 5/5/24
we took off from LGA a few mins late but the circled the area for what seemed like 20 mins or so. The pilot made an announcement which was very difficult to understand but then we continued to tampa. But what usually is a 2 hr 15 min flight took over 3 hours. It seems like he was also flying very low. would be interesting to know what happened?
DL2963 on 5/5/24
we took off from LGA a few mins late but the circled the area for what seemed like 20 mins or so. The pilot made an announcement which was very difficult to understand but then we continued to tampa. But what usually is a 2 hr 15 min flight took over 3 hours. It seems like he was also flying very low. would be interesting to know what happened?
Flight altitude looked normal and matched flight plan.
Circling LGA is more odd than other areas (based on NYC traffic), but when I've had this happen in the past, it's either 1) potential weather at/near destination (but this is shorter flights i.e. RIC > ATL), 2) testing for possible post-takeoff aircraft issue/MX (i.e. door lock/pressurization i.e. 767-300 or A330), or 3) possible military/president/other traffic in/around your flight path.
Getting off the ground is good for you, but an extra 45 minutes could almost negate that benefit, and/or put you in a low(er) fuel situation.
May 6, 2024, 8:46 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 776
Disclaimer - I'm an amateur.
Flight altitude looked normal and matched flight plan.
Circling LGA is more odd than other areas (based on NYC traffic), but when I've had this happen in the past, it's either 1) potential weather at/near destination (but this is shorter flights i.e. RIC > ATL), 2) testing for possible post-takeoff aircraft issue/MX (i.e. door lock/pressurization i.e. 767-300 or A330), or 3) possible military/president/other traffic in/around your flight path.
Getting off the ground is good for you, but an extra 45 minutes could almost negate that benefit, and/or put you in a low(er) fuel situation.
Flight altitude looked normal and matched flight plan.
Circling LGA is more odd than other areas (based on NYC traffic), but when I've had this happen in the past, it's either 1) potential weather at/near destination (but this is shorter flights i.e. RIC > ATL), 2) testing for possible post-takeoff aircraft issue/MX (i.e. door lock/pressurization i.e. 767-300 or A330), or 3) possible military/president/other traffic in/around your flight path.
Getting off the ground is good for you, but an extra 45 minutes could almost negate that benefit, and/or put you in a low(er) fuel situation.
May 6, 2024, 8:51 am
#4
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Seems like they had some mechanical issue, looped around for a bit while looking into it and talking with techops who eventually gave them the green light to proceed to destination.
Based on the hold at 10k ft for 30 min near LGA, guessing it was something with pressurization (perhaps a marginally functioning air pak) that got resolved enough to continue on. 25k ft is lower than usual for that route but not really low... typically I saw 30-35k although there was another flight a couple days prior that stayed at 25k.
Based on the hold at 10k ft for 30 min near LGA, guessing it was something with pressurization (perhaps a marginally functioning air pak) that got resolved enough to continue on. 25k ft is lower than usual for that route but not really low... typically I saw 30-35k although there was another flight a couple days prior that stayed at 25k.
May 6, 2024, 10:01 am
#5
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iirc there was a similar question on the Alaska board a couple months ago; someone replied that the 738/739 fleet is limited to 25000 ft if one A/C pack is inop
May 6, 2024, 12:42 pm
#6
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: South Bend, Indiana
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Posts: 1,579
There have been a LOT of AC or APU aux power unit issues recently (mind you, I'm amateur and don't fly as much as the rest of you).
I feel like "things were fine" with aircraft during the pandemic, but now all of these shorthaul aircraft (737, A319, A320, A321, etc.) are beginning to show issues from normal - or possibly slightly greater - usage.
And, yeah, 10k-12k (just about where you can jump out :-) is the altitude to test for pressurization.
If the aircraft was warm, that would be a sure sign.
(my last pressurization issue was "fixed" at the gate - 45 min delay - then we cruised at 13k and went back to the airport... resulting in my EU261 comp when we missed connections in AMS...)
I feel like "things were fine" with aircraft during the pandemic, but now all of these shorthaul aircraft (737, A319, A320, A321, etc.) are beginning to show issues from normal - or possibly slightly greater - usage.
And, yeah, 10k-12k (just about where you can jump out :-) is the altitude to test for pressurization.
If the aircraft was warm, that would be a sure sign.
(my last pressurization issue was "fixed" at the gate - 45 min delay - then we cruised at 13k and went back to the airport... resulting in my EU261 comp when we missed connections in AMS...)
May 6, 2024, 1:27 pm
#7
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,897
There have been a LOT of AC or APU aux power unit issues recently (mind you, I'm amateur and don't fly as much as the rest of you).
I feel like "things were fine" with aircraft during the pandemic, but now all of these shorthaul aircraft (737, A319, A320, A321, etc.) are beginning to show issues from normal - or possibly slightly greater - usage.
And, yeah, 10k-12k (just about where you can jump out :-) is the altitude to test for pressurization.
If the aircraft was warm, that would be a sure sign.
(my last pressurization issue was "fixed" at the gate - 45 min delay - then we cruised at 13k and went back to the airport... resulting in my EU261 comp when we missed connections in AMS...)
I feel like "things were fine" with aircraft during the pandemic, but now all of these shorthaul aircraft (737, A319, A320, A321, etc.) are beginning to show issues from normal - or possibly slightly greater - usage.
And, yeah, 10k-12k (just about where you can jump out :-) is the altitude to test for pressurization.
If the aircraft was warm, that would be a sure sign.
(my last pressurization issue was "fixed" at the gate - 45 min delay - then we cruised at 13k and went back to the airport... resulting in my EU261 comp when we missed connections in AMS...)
May 6, 2024, 3:02 pm
#8
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: South Bend, Indiana
Programs: Delta Death March, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat, Marriott/Hilton Gold Life
Posts: 1,579
I feel a lot of these sorts of streaks are just luck of the draw. It has probably been 10 years since I have had any issues with an APU on a flight (the aircraft stalled on taxi, all the emergency lights came on, we had to be towed back to the gate, they started the engines again with ground power and we were on our way). I had a ton on maintenance issues/delays over the pandemic though (maybe half my flights) and even a diversion after losing an engine. Have had zero maintenance delays/issues in the last year and a half though (knock on wood).
May 6, 2024, 3:40 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: Delta Diamond; Marriott Gold Elite
Posts: 172
I once was on a SEA-LAS flight where the plane was fueled as if it were going to Alaska, but got pulled at the last second and swapped to Vegas. The pilot mentioned we would be flying at an unusually low altitude to help burn off fuel. If I remember correctly we flew at about 20K.
Maybe something like that happened? The circling + low altitude was to burn off fuel that they didn't need?
Maybe something like that happened? The circling + low altitude was to burn off fuel that they didn't need?
May 6, 2024, 6:08 pm
#11
Join Date: Mar 2024
Posts: 29
Likely winner, almost all modern passenger jets are limited to about FL250 with an A/C pack out…and FL240 is correct altitude for direction of flight on the route taken (N and E Odd, S and W Even). It’s also often the lowest altitude for “High Altitude” ATC Sectors, and thus keeps frequency changes down due to larger sectors compared to the Intermediate and Low Sectors.
May 7, 2024, 6:45 am
#12
Formerly known as tireman77
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 5,656
There is a thread in here somewhere about flights in the BOS-WAS corridor flying at 10k feet because of ATC restrictions. Definitely the kind of flight I'd like to be on!
24k is lower than normal, but I wouldn't say overtly so. Given the circling after take-off sounds like running some check lists then conferring with company before deciding on continue or return. The A/C pack stated above seems like the most likely culprit to me.
24k is lower than normal, but I wouldn't say overtly so. Given the circling after take-off sounds like running some check lists then conferring with company before deciding on continue or return. The A/C pack stated above seems like the most likely culprit to me.
May 7, 2024, 1:11 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Brooklyn, NY
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Seems like they had some mechanical issue, looped around for a bit while looking into it and talking with techops who eventually gave them the green light to proceed to destination.
Based on the hold at 10k ft for 30 min near LGA, guessing it was something with pressurization (perhaps a marginally functioning air pak) that got resolved enough to continue on. 25k ft is lower than usual for that route but not really low... typically I saw 30-35k although there was another flight a couple days prior that stayed at 25k.
Based on the hold at 10k ft for 30 min near LGA, guessing it was something with pressurization (perhaps a marginally functioning air pak) that got resolved enough to continue on. 25k ft is lower than usual for that route but not really low... typically I saw 30-35k although there was another flight a couple days prior that stayed at 25k.
May 7, 2024, 8:46 pm
#15
Join Date: Mar 2006
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I just went through the LiveATC.net tape (https://archive.liveatc.net/klga/NY-...2024-2330Z.mp3) and it was a pressurization issue.
At 17:33 the flight checks in and is given climb instructions.
20:43 the pilots announce they need to stop the climb at 10k due to pressurization issues.
At 17:33 the flight checks in and is given climb instructions.
20:43 the pilots announce they need to stop the climb at 10k due to pressurization issues.