Bomarc -re runway check shortly before. I understand Brazilian press reporting this check was only done visually as the usual measuring equipment not used for some reason. Perhaps Rippa could confirm. The instruction to TAM pilots not to land at CGH if they think unsafe is clearly compromised if the reports of runway state cannot be relied upon.
The oft quoted Infraero suggestion that the runway was safe because other a/c managed to stop is ludicrous. An unsafe condition will not result in a catastrophe on every occasion. Also, rain,drainage,wind,landing weights etc are not constants, and there should always remain a margin for error, particularly where the consequences of overrun will be disastrous and where there had been enough near disasters to warn even the thickest skulls of the consequences.
Last edited by Max Tow; 25th Jul 2007 at 23:06.