Faster Flights

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william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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Because I have been tracking and meeting a flock of flights lately, I notice that they are taking a faster route from the NYC area.

They used to always fly down the coast then cut over near the Bahamas to enter RD airspace.

All the recent flights - JetBlue, Delta and UAL that I have tracked now immediately swing out over the Atlantic from NYC and fly almost due south.
This results in about 3 hours airtime instead of 3 1/2 or 3 3/4 hours.

My wife's JB flight listed the flying time as under 3hrs.

Makes sense to me - less fuel, more on time performance.

Can someone knowledgeable enlighten me?
Is this a new phenomenon or just a quick fix for late flights and a crowded holiday schedule ??

I haven't tracked any northbound ones yet.

I'm using FlightAware - Flight Tracker / Flight Status / Flight Tracking for this.

Thanks
 
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william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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The last couple of flights have taxied/runwayed for almost an hour and still arrived on time thanks to this abbreviated flying time
 
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william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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ricky11 said:
the reason is that the flts are now able to use the airspace normally restricted to military aircraft. this has been done for several years now but will end sometime next month.
Click to expand...

Ricky,
I do these flights a lot..... several times a year and I remember ALWAYS flying down the coast before heading east out over the water........that's when you lose the TV signal.

These flights are going due east out of JFK and Newark then right turn for a straight shot down to RD

That JB flight was the JFK to Samana one.... 2hrs 58min was the stated air time - wheels up to landing.
My wife was on it - I tracked it

I hope it doesn't end soon
 
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SKing

Silver
Nov 22, 2007
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I fly JetBlue every week from Santiago to New York and back again....

The flights are definitely shorter.

I also hope that it doesn't end soon.

SHALENA
 
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peep2

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Oct 24, 2004
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I used to fly the NYC-SDQ route before I retired. The routing you describe is the route prefered by the airlines to reduce fuel burn. The route is not covered by inroute radar so that reduces the number of aircraft that can use it at any given time since they have to be spaced further apart than when the controllers can see them. If traffic is heavy or there is nasty weather on the atlantic route (known as an "AR" route) then the traffic is routed closer to the coast frequently comming in and out over the Carolinas or even further south where controllers can see them and provide better spacing and allow for deviating around weather.
 
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william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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Thanks peep, that might explain it.

As I said , they all arrived on time so it seems the passenger never knows anything different about the chosen flight path.
I was curious.
 
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bluemoonnyc

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Oct 4, 2007
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Derfish said:
Maybe the prevailing winds have changed recently.
Click to expand...

i think the prevailing winds go west to east or east to west for the most part,hence the term prevailing,,lol, so it would not have any effect on North-south travel,but I have noticed my flights getting quicker also..
 
cobraboy

cobraboy

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Jul 24, 2004
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Often the approved flight request has to be coordinated with available ramp/gate space at the arrival airport. It's somewhat of a coordinated ballet, because ramp, gate & baggage services have to be coordinated with contractors.

If there are plenty of space and services at the arrival destination it's not a problem in an early or ate arrival. But we've all flown where the plane just sits on the ramp, engines off, waiting for a gate.

Airports like El Catay are largely unused, with service personnel just sitting around, so early arrival is no problem. It happens occasionally @ STI. I suspect an early arrival @ SDQ is very rare.

ww, when you track the flights do you notice the planes flying at a higher altitude? Often they are more fuel efficient up there even at higher PLUS can save fuel with a loooong descent, exchanging gravity for fuel.
 
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bigbird

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May 1, 2005
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peep2 said:
I used to fly the NYC-SDQ route before I retired. The routing you describe is the route prefered by the airlines to reduce fuel burn. The route is not covered by inroute radar so that reduces the number of aircraft that can use it at any given time since they have to be spaced further apart than when the controllers can see them. If traffic is heavy or there is nasty weather on the atlantic route (known as an "AR" route) then the traffic is routed closer to the coast frequently comming in and out over the Carolinas or even further south where controllers can see them and provide better spacing and allow for deviating around weather.
Click to expand...

Thanks peep2, great information. Just as you said, nasty weather flight comes in over the Carolinas.

dyvrdg.jpg
 
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bigbird

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May 1, 2005
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william webster said:
I hope this works..

Here's what I'm talking about - the flight path and a 2hr 59 min flight.

My daughters are on the return leg to EWR

FlightAware
Click to expand...

I think peep2 post #7 explains it all. Here are two different flight patterns just one day apart. i can easily understand how the straight shot route saves flying time. I guess it all depends on what day and what route.

28rmogn.jpg
30ho3dh.jpg
 
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william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
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Actual flying time.... they were 30 minutes taxiing this morning in EWR

The return leg Flt 1484 is going back to the coast and will be 3hr 19 minutes

FlightAware

20 minutes longer in the air
 
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wrecksum

Bronze
Sep 27, 2010
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Entertaining reasons posted here for the difference.
Airlines always want the shortest route for obvious reasons and the factors affecting this are usually limited to traffic and/or weather.
Radar is not a factor as full radar is available throughout the Caribbean and military traffic has no priority unless NOTAMed which is highly unusual.Aircraft do not need radar coverage to navigate these days but traffic separation often requires it.

I have not checked the high level charts but it's more than likely that direct routing is granted by Oceanic control and Bahamas area ATC allowing the airlines to use the most advantageous flight level for the prevailing winds which can result in a much better flight time.
When our company used to do the the trans-Atlantic run, the ability to get the best altitude could be the difference between a direct flight or an extra fuel stop, so crews and dispatchers really fight to get the best route and flight level.
When the season changes it will probably go back to standard times.

I can't say for sure but I'd imagine that it's due to the seasonal winds.
 
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CaptnGlenn

Silver
Mar 29, 2010
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I thought that airlines always followed "great circle routes". whereby the geometry works out that flying in a big arc is shorter than flying point to point in a straight line, but having to follow the curve of the earth

Also.. pilots will sometimes "put the pedal to the metal" and speed up in order to make up for lost time on the tarmac etc... to keep the on time arrival stats up.
 
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Kyle

Silver
Jun 2, 2006
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it's funny you mentioned "petal to the metal". most people never think that planes speed during a flight to make up time.
 
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