Aviation Specials – May 2018

GIBRALTAR

Challenging approach
The fi nal approach is also a li le unusual.
Most commercial fl ights originate in
the UK and they typically pass over the
northern Spanish coast near Santander.
Inbounds then let down southward to
the resort of Marbella, east of Gibraltar,
which they cross at around 10,000ft.
From there landings towards the west
make a wide right turn onto fi nal, while
the procedure for easterlies involves
fl ying further south and then making a
180 o right turn around the south of the
colony and the Rock to avoid overfl ying
Spain again. Positional accuracy is
required on the northerly right base to
Runway 09 due to its proximity of 2,500ft
hills on the mainland, and once an
aircraft is 3nm southwest of the airfi eld
it makes another 90o right turn onto a
short straight-in approach.
Surprisingly Gibraltar does not have
any instrument approaches. Inbound
traffi c is typically off ered a radar service
for the initial phase of the descent, and
then provided with an SRA (surveillance
radar approach) to a visual decision
point 3nm from touchdown. At that
point, pilots must be able to see the
runway or must execute a missed
approach. The typical lighting systems
found at many airfi elds are also absent.
However, there is illumination on the
extended centrelines, comprising a
DayGlo-painted fl ashing buoy 4,500ft

(1,372m) from the sea wall on Runway 09.

Single white fl ashing lights at 9,000ft

(2,743m), 6,000ft (1,829m) and 3,000ft

(914m) are available for Runway 27.

There are also strobes at both thresholds

that are switched off when an inbound

aircraft is on 2nm fi nal, and the runway

ends are marked with blue lights.

Turbulence

The wind can create turbulence and

shears on the airfi eld or on fi nal approach.

The offi cial guidance to pilots off ers the

following advice: “Turbulence around The

Rock is infl uenced by both the surface wind

and the 1,000ft wind. Generally, a 1,000ft

wind of less than 15kts does not produce

any signifi cant turbulence. However, with

a wind direction between 130o and 240o

and a speed in excess of 15kts the severity

of the turbulence increases as the wind

speed increases. In some cases, the

turbulence may make conditions dangerous

or impossible for landing. Wind speeds

above 25kts from 090o – 110o may cause

severe turbulence and marked variations

in airspeed during the la er stages of an

approach to Runway 09.”

The aeronautical charts add that

turbulence is likely across the entire airfi eld

when the winds are from the south (170o

• 220o) and will be more prevalent on the
  Runway 09 fi nal approach path when the
  wind comes from the southeast (130o – 170o).
  Should a south-westerly be blowing (200o


• 230o), up- and down-drafts are most likely
  on short fi nal to Runway 27.
  These issues have – perhaps unfairly


• led to Gibraltar Airport being rated as
  a diffi cult airfi eld to operate into and out
  of. Last year its CEO Terrence Lopez told
  Airports of the World that he does not
  support that view: “I do not agree with that
  position, although I am fully aware that
  under certain meteorological conditions
  some approaches can be challenging. The
  prevailing winds are from the east and
  west, and these have no adverse eff ect on
  fl ight operations.
  “Occasionally we get winds from the
  southwest, which creates a possibility of

turbulence due to the location of the Rock

and the runway, but the charts include all

the information and guidance for pilots. In

addition, airlines have their own limitations

which they adhere to, as safety is everyone’s

top priority. Thankfully south westerly winds

do not occur very often and when they do, it

tends to be only for short periods.

“Gibraltar is classifi ed as a Cat C airport,

similar to Funchal [see P28] and Innsbruck

[see P16]. This means additional training is

required before a fl ight crew can operate

here. These airports have their own

challenges, be it surrounded by terrain or by

large conurbations. We are no diff erent and

no more diffi cult to either of those.”

There are a number of issues currently

facing Gibraltar and its population, which

has remained resolutely pro-Britain for

more than 300 years. Not least is the UK’s

impending exit from the European Union,

but Spain also still lays claim to the territory

and it could yet become a bargaining

chip in the Brexit negotiations.

One thing is for certain – the

lack of open space in the

area means its airport

will remain challenging

to aviators when the

wind blows, even

if the problems it

creates are not

too extreme.

AIRPORT STATISTICS

IATA code: GIB

ICAO code: LXGB

Location: N36°9.07’ W5°20.99’

Elevation: 12ft (4m)

Runway: 09/27 5,840 x 151ft

(1,780 x 46m)

Frequencies: Approach 122.80

Radar 130.40

Tower 131.20

Website: http://www.gibraltarairport.gi

AIRLINES

British Airways

easyJet

Royal Air Maroc

ABOVE LEFT: A

British Airways

Airbus A320 about

to touchdown on

Runway 09 – there

is no space to

extend the runway

without reclaiming

further land from

the sea.

ABOVE: The Rock

can produce severe

turbulence when

winds are from the

southwest.

Extreme Airports // 93

BELOW: With wa-

ter at either end,

the airstrip looks

rather short from

the pilot’s seat in

an Airbus A320.

90-93_Gibraltar.indd 93 11/05/2018 11:08