Originally Posted by
FantomZorbin
Totally agree … it is easier to 'stand down' crews etc than to play catch-up!
............... or, the return is due more for operational reasons rather than safety reasons (ie it's easier to get a fairly minor thing fixed while still at Base rather than down the line). Returned once shortly after departure (in the UK) to have a sudden nav fault looked at ahead of a series of flights later that day as easiest fixed back at Base before down the line. Clear explanation to ATC as to why returning shortly after departure, not even a "Pan" declared (declined when asked if about to declare as simply not needed). Met by full F&RS on roll-out!!!!
Chatting to ATC while fault being rectified, reason for the welcoming committee? The F&RS boys and girls were bored and needed some "practice" apparently!!!
Maybe the question being asked in the US has more to do with the disruption of having, for no real problem, loads of extra vehicles scooting about on the field and how quickly it would be to return all Deps/Arrivals back to normal. Ultimately, the A/C Commander can make that call depending on various things incl nature of the emergency itself, whether now fully contained but duty-bound to return or anything else. Probably best to answer are the airfield operators/airline Ops as it should all be down in SOPs as to how individual fields/airlines respond.
As I said, some just like the excitement of chasing a live a/c down the runway ....... but, hopefully, not to roll the damn fire engine while on a practice shout as once happened!!!!
