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Old 8th Jul 2005, 04:03
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Uncommon Sense
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Brisbane, Queensland
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Let he without sin cast the first stone.

No company / operation is immune from missing a NOTAM.

The most memorable for me was when CS RWY was NOTAM n/a from midnight local to 0400 due lighting replacement.

A certain large domestic carrier - no longer with us - launched out of ML nonetheless. For some reason, the controller in CS noticed the Dep just out of ML and relayed down the line the status of the RWY.

Undeterred the 737 continued on.

Coy Ops in ML were rung and advised that the RWY was closed - not subject to recall. Acknowledged by Ops.

737 continues on.

Port Authority notified that traffic was inbound and about 90 minutes out. But we are closed - wires everywhere - no lights, and doing some resealing.

Message passed to aircraft - response: "Require Runway 15"!

Advised to divert to TL or BN. TL 'not suitable' (no ground handling), and insufficnent fuel for BN (WX).

Much scrambling of wires, contractors and earthmoving equipment.

Runway was operational 3 minutes before this idiot crossed the threshold.

After landing rang to complain about how he was handled - and.... requested track shortening on his departure to make up for lost time. Departure???

Response given was you can expect track shortening on request when you get airborne - after 0430.

Unbelieveable? I would have thought so - except the next evening...... same flight departed ex-ML again.

Port Authority delayed further works until a frank discussion with said company.
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