The idle musings of a former military man, former computer geek, medically retired pastor and now full-time writer. Contents guaranteed to offend the politically correct and anal-retentive from time to time. My approach to life is that it should be taken with a large helping of laughter, and sufficient firepower to keep it tamed!
Monday, July 13, 2015
An Irish pilot has a bad day
This Aer Lingus Airbus tried to land at what I understand was an Irish airport last week, in a strong crosswind. It almost landed permanently!
That got pretty sporty for a moment. I'm glad I wasn't aboard . . .
I was on a Hawaiian Airlines Dash 8 turboprop as it landed on Hawaiian's private strip on Maui in a crosswind. One wingtip almost hit the ground, but the crew handled it just fine.
Back in the days when I flew jets out of Loring AFB, I occasionally pulled "SOF" duty (Supervisor of Flying). Basically, for that 12-hour shift, I owned the airfield. Wintertime, that involved doing braking tests on the runways and ramps. But mostly, it meant sitting near the approach end of the active runway, and watching planes come in, with the authority to order the pilot to go around if I thought it necessary.
The SOF almost NEVER gave that order.
Windy Saturday in Spring, 1988 or so. Overcast at 1000 feet or so. About 25 knots of direct crosswind. Tanker returning from mission, breaks out of the overcast, about a quarter mile short of the approach end, and nearly 1000 feet to the left of the runway.
I sit there frozen for a second, then on Guard, "Foxtrot, Go Around, Go Around!", but he had already started throttling up, and was aborting the landing.
Mind you, I wore Navigator wings, and ANY time the SOF calls a abort, there's an IMMEDIATE hot-wash, and the Wing Commander and Deputy Commander for Operations, and the Tanker Squadron commander were out on the flight-line within 10 minutes.
Pilot came around for another landing, got the approach right this time, and said he'd started applying power just as I called the abort. . . But it was seconds away from a really bad day. . .
Flew into Amarillo TX on a typical afternoon (winds at 50 degrees to the runway, 20KT gusting to 30.) I happened to be sitting beside a flight instructor and we'd been chatting about things airplane. As we got ready to touch down, the pilot of the turboprop kicked out the crab and applied crosswind correction, landed, and reversed the correction! As the plane starts to lurch and tip, the other CRI and I both chanted "Wrong wing down! Other wing down!" Before it got too much hairier, the poor plane slammed back onto all wheels as the aileron inputs reversed. As we deplaned, the other CFI handed the captain his business card. "If you ever feel you need a refresher." Guy turned red and couldn't make eye contact anymore.
On Youtube, just look for Crosswind landing at the old Hong Kong International airport. Now there is an airport that's clearly NOT designed for modern jet aviation. It has a very weird approach instruction, and a 10 story building that the city tried and cannot level at the end of the runway that ALL planes MUST clear while landing. In the end, they just opted to build a new airport in the middle of the bay and move the whole operation over.
At least he was wise enough to not try and force the landing.
ReplyDeletePS. thank for the linkage the other day
Irish
I was on a Hawaiian Airlines Dash 8 turboprop as it landed on Hawaiian's private strip on Maui in a crosswind. One wingtip almost hit the ground, but the crew handled it just fine.
ReplyDelete[img]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/Flybe_dash8_g-jecl_takeoff_manchester_arp.jpg/450px-Flybe_dash8_g-jecl_takeoff_manchester_arp.jpg[/img]
"Uh, tower? Screw this S#!t! I'm gonna try this again, over."
ReplyDeleteAny idea what that big dark plane in backround is?
ReplyDeleteBack in the days when I flew jets out of Loring AFB, I occasionally pulled "SOF" duty (Supervisor of Flying). Basically, for that 12-hour shift, I owned the airfield. Wintertime, that involved doing braking tests on the runways and ramps. But mostly, it meant sitting near the approach end of the active runway, and watching planes come in, with the authority to order the pilot to go around if I thought it necessary.
ReplyDeleteThe SOF almost NEVER gave that order.
Windy Saturday in Spring, 1988 or so. Overcast at 1000 feet or so. About 25 knots of direct crosswind. Tanker returning from mission, breaks out of the overcast, about a quarter mile short of the approach end, and nearly 1000 feet to the left of the runway.
I sit there frozen for a second, then on Guard, "Foxtrot, Go Around, Go Around!", but he had already started throttling up, and was aborting the landing.
Mind you, I wore Navigator wings, and ANY time the SOF calls a abort, there's an IMMEDIATE hot-wash, and the Wing Commander and Deputy Commander for Operations, and the Tanker Squadron commander were out on the flight-line within 10 minutes.
Pilot came around for another landing, got the approach right this time, and said he'd started applying power just as I called the abort. . . But it was seconds away from a really bad day. . .
Flew into Amarillo TX on a typical afternoon (winds at 50 degrees to the runway, 20KT gusting to 30.) I happened to be sitting beside a flight instructor and we'd been chatting about things airplane. As we got ready to touch down, the pilot of the turboprop kicked out the crab and applied crosswind correction, landed, and reversed the correction! As the plane starts to lurch and tip, the other CRI and I both chanted "Wrong wing down! Other wing down!" Before it got too much hairier, the poor plane slammed back onto all wheels as the aileron inputs reversed. As we deplaned, the other CFI handed the captain his business card. "If you ever feel you need a refresher." Guy turned red and couldn't make eye contact anymore.
ReplyDeleteLittleRed1
Come on, that wasn't even close. I say that as one who has scraped a tip.
ReplyDeleteDoug, that hulk is a mock-up for firefighter training.
On Youtube, just look for Crosswind landing at the old Hong Kong International airport. Now there is an airport that's clearly NOT designed for modern jet aviation. It has a very weird approach instruction, and a 10 story building that the city tried and cannot level at the end of the runway that ALL planes MUST clear while landing. In the end, they just opted to build a new airport in the middle of the bay and move the whole operation over.
ReplyDelete