Pilots warned over magnetic problems
12.01.08
London City Airport has warned pilots using the hub that their instruments may be affected by magnetic interference from metal structures found below the runway. The warning comes after a report carried out because an plane was forced to turn back when its autopilot system failed found that railway lines and other metal structures left from the days when the airport was a dock were causing 'significant interference'.
An investigation was launched by the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) after a business jet was unable to follow a standard departure route because of an autopilot problem after taking off on 31 October 2006. The Raytheon Hawker plane, which had two crew onboard, had to turn back to the airport 10 minutes after take-off.
A site survey was carried out which revealed a series of metal structures beneath the runway. They were found to be causing significant interference to the magnetic fields that aircraft compasses and some navigation equipment rely on. The airport has been ordered by the AAIB to address the problem, which sounds expensive.
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