Low vis to USA

[wiggy]

As BA/BY has said initial qual for the average modern widebody is probably involves only an hour or two in the sim, annual recurrent requirement is usually three approaches in the sim...can't see that breaking the bank.

OTOH the ground installation might well be a deal breaker cost wise, in the civvie world at least isn't just a case of a super duper ILS, there's all the added expense of CATIII runway and taxiway lighting, ground radar, even mundane stuff like secure fencing (perhaps not a issue at BZN)..

[Heathrow Harry]

ahhh - but they'd have to form a committee, and then specify something unknown to the commercial world and give a cost plus contract to BAe to build it... say 10 years Minister???

[Always a Sapper]

Originally Posted by RetiredBA/BY

One would think that with all RAF tanker and transport assets on just one runway, that. BZN would be kept as operational as technology allows.

With all the RAF tanker and transport assets on just one runway, One would have thought they would have kept the spare flying....

But then that is another matter all together and has already been done to death on here before and a gert big streak of paint down the centre line....

[Bing]

Or just enter the 21st Century and put an RNAV approach in at BZN...

[deltahotel]

Even if Brize can't be configured for Cat 3, why not maintain the ac to Land 3 and keep the crews low vis qualified? The lo vis qualification would allow for departures below 400m and landings worldwide down to 0/75.

[wiggy]

Originally Posted by Bing

Or just enter the 21st Century and put an RNAV approach in at BZN...

This is being done to death elsewhere ( MLS thread). Would publishing RNAV approaches to BZN be any improvement over what they have now ( by way of comparison the minima down the road at LHR for RNAVS are way higher than even CAT 1 minima, typically around 500 ft DA and required RVRs over a kilometre.)?

OTOH there are trials going in the US at the moment are aimed at using GPS/GBAS for auto lands with 50 DHs...., so I'm sure GBASS CAT III low vis ops are on the way, even in the U.K....

However the problem is using GPS/GBAS for low vis ops still leaves the requirement to upgrade the airfield ground infrastructure.

[Airbubba]

The Prime Minister came back from Ankara Saturday night, landing at LHR at 2130Z. The plane was then repositioned to BZZ 90 minutes later.

Is it normal for the PM to depart and arrive at Heathrow? This does get around the low vis issues discussed here but I would think that security would be simpler at BZZ.

I can't recall Air Force One operating into Dulles instead of Andrews for example.

[West Coast]

I can't recall Air Force One operating into Dulles instead of Andrews for example.

Obama Switches Airports For Trip Abroad - CBS News

[Airbubba]

Thanks West Coast, I missed that one.

I'm guessing AF1 has never done inflight refueling with the President onboard.

I remember SECDEF Perry used to take an E-4B and refuel inflight 'to save time' a couple of decades ago.

[Bigbux]

A330s were PFI'd because it was a politically easy, off-the-books deal

and how does that work exactly.....never quite figured it out. Is it like still having cheques in your chequebook?

[Wander00]

Keeps the capital cost off the books - just a massive revenue spend......same with schools and hospitals

[Airbubba]

You folks are getting good use of your A330 tanker at Red Flag today.

ZZ335 callsign SNOW 01 is refueling Typhoon ZK333 callsign BLEED 31 north of Nellis at the moment:

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/a...zz335/#c51455e

ZJ692, a Global Express bizjet radar platform is doing a track at the south end of the Range at FL430 as TAN 07.