WHY DON'T PLANES STAY ON TRACK?

Flight procedures on approach

  1. Aircraft are guided to the final approach using standardised procedures. These so-called transitions allow for an orderly flow of traffic even when there is a lot of traffic.

  2. Aircraft fly accurately – but not down to the nearest metre. In curves, the radius may vary depending on the weight, speed and pitch angle of the aircraft.

  3. If traffic permits, air traffic controllers can assign a slightly different route to the aircraft and thus shorten the flight path. This saves fuel.