Is a Picture Worth a Thousand Words?
.
Chirp Report Text: Having just landed at ###, an Island with a short, narrow runway, I noticed to my amazement aircraft tyre tracks which continued beyond the end of the runway onto a small area of stopway.
The tracks were made quite clearly by all 4 mainwheel tyres skidding, leaving dark black lines, and even the nosewheel tyre marks could be seen, the skid marks commenced approximately two thirds the way down the runway from the threshold, veered sharply off to the left of the centreline, returned to and crossed the centreline at the end of the runway and stopped in a curving arc, with the final nosewheel imprint roughly 5 metres before the end of this small piece of stopway.* Beyond this point there is a steep drop onto a small beach.
.
On enquiring as to what had happened to cause this near disaster, I was told that the aircraft in question was a ### (twinjet) operated by a non-UK airline on charter to a UK company and routing from AAA (a UK regional airport).* The aircraft had been seen landing 'half-way' down the runway, then (as the end of the runway is not visible from the apron) had re-appeared, with smoke pouring from its brake units, as it back-tracked the runway to the apron.* I was also told that this aircraft came in each week with a different Captain (of differing nationalities) and always had some sort of technical problem!
.
In my company this destination is classed as one of the most challenging and requires special training and recency, with Captains only landing, and experienced Captains at that.* In my judgement, from the evidence available, this was an extremely serious incident that only narrowly avoided becoming a disaster!* Should British subjects be unwittingly exposed to the dangers of non-UK registered, third-party operators such as these, who may not have the rigorous training and standards that traditional British airlines enjoy?
