Paper Tiger
I don't think that the tower contacted the press.. .I think they contacted the FAA.. .I also think that the crew new what happened once airborne.. .Follow this scenario with me.:. .Tower, CAL1011 ready for departure. Roger,CAL 1011, cleared for take off runway 32, wind calm, contact departure 118.6 when airborne, good night. Cleared take off 32 departure when airborne, CAL 1011.. .Then 1011 thunders down heading 240.. .Now, the SID for 32 says,fly rwy heading till 400 ft then turn LEFT heading 300.. .At 400ft pnf says 400 turn left 300, PF, left??. .300 is right turn, pnf SID says left, few seconds of confusion. PF, call departure.. .Departure, CAL 1011 passing 900 ft.. .Roger CAL 1011 identified, and uh uh your heading. .shows 240 ? Yes, we are turning now 300.. .Ok, uhh CAL 1011, you departed rwy 32??? as we picked you up heading 240.. .Yes, eh uh Affirm CAL1011. Roger then, further cleared as filed FL 200 expect higher in 10 minutes. FL 200 CAL1011.. .Ringg, phone rings in tower. Yellooh, hi departure here, did you send that CAL off on 24 i thought we had 32. Yes 32 it is why.?. .Well, we picked him up heading 240 and when we questioned him there was a bit of confusion seems to me. So we think he took 24. You better send ground ops down there at that intersection to check if lights and other stuff all ok.. .Yep, do that. Ringgg, phone rings at ground ops. Yellohh, hi, tower here, we have some confusion on that CAL that just left which rwy he took, so go to intersection K and roam around , see if you can get some clues, lights or signs or so. Ok, on our way.. .5 minutes later, tower, ground ops charlie 1 here, charlie one, go ahead, ok, we looked around and nothing wrong at the intersection so we drove twy 24 a while and then we saw that snow bank at the end had shaved its top of by big wheels or so, you think that was your CAL??. .Um eh not sure charlie one, you can come back now. Ringg, phone at departure rings, yellowh,. .hi tower here, we think your right, it seems he took off twy 24 and just made it, now what we do, are you still talking to him? No, I just handed him off, but maybe you call FAA, you know, yeah you right. So, tower calls FAA and NOT the press. By this time around 50 people at the airport knew what happened, so take your pick. And at the flight deck, there either was a stunning silence or a hefty debate, but sure they new.
What you think ?
Best regards. .A.V.