Landing approaches over the orange roofscape of Graz’s Old Town have become increasingly common lately. In Vienna too, a large number of aircraft are currently flying directly above the city area. The reason for this lies many kilometers further south.
What used to be an exception is now the rule: instead of flying to Graz via the sparsely populated south, as is actually the intention, passenger and freight planes have been approaching via the center of the Styrian capital for quite some time now.
‘Not so much air traffic for 40 years’
To the annoyance of many residents: “We have been living in the north of Graz for forty years, but we have never had as many planes here as in recent weeks,” a family from the Gösting district turns to the “Krone” for help. Other readers have also recently complained about the increase in aircraft noise and are wondering why.
Markus Pohanka of the state air traffic control authority Austro Control emphasizes that there is a strong reason for the changed habits: “There are a few basic rules when flying; One of them is that you always have to take off and land against the wind. Because we have often had to deal with the conditions in the southern Föhn in recent weeks, Graz must be flown from the north – and therefore over the city area.
A direct approach is mandatory
In principle, one would always try to act in the spirit of noise protection. Emitting as few pollutants as possible into the air, so choosing short routes, would also be the highest priority: “But of course there are strict rules,” says the expert. Thus, the last part of the landing can only be performed in a straight line. The scope in the Alpine country of Austria is therefore limited.
Vienna, with the largest airport in Austria, is also affected by the changed circumstances. “The easterly wind has clearly increased and that is why the federal capital is often flown into via the urban area,” reports Pohanka.
Large fluctuations “normal”
It would be wrong to quickly deduce a general trend from this, says Nikolaus Zimmermann from Ubimet: “The direction from which the wind comes is mainly related to the prevailing general weather situation. So far this year we have had an above average number of southern exposures, hence the frequent foehn from the south.”
In general, there are large fluctuations from year to year in this regard, with typical peaks recorded in spring and autumn. The current weather situation in the south of Föhn is expected to last at least until Thursday: “From then on, landing approaches must again take place from the usual direction, at least in Graz,” says Zimmermann.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
