HKT safe??
my quote>>>>...Flight 269 should have never left Bangkok....>>>
Tbavprof response -
<<<<Would have to see the dispatch release for that. And the ops manual, with TAF and trended METARS. And all the updates from the dispatcher exercising his "operational control and flight following" duties.
Tropical weather is notoriously spotty and short-lived. Of course, if the AoT equipment is OTS and not NOTAM'd, and the AeroThai WX is not caveated, then the picture at departure might have been, if not rosy, then not unflyable. Airplanes operate in heavy weather all the time.
But for Pete, I've seen wx get included as a contributing factor, but don't recall it listed as the cause of any accident (not to say it hasn't, just that I can't recall). That's the call that the guys up front are supposed to make, whether a neophyte electing to "continue VFR flight into IMC" or an experienced big iron crew electing to continue an approach into more drastic wx. The SOP's, work limits, and training, combined with experience, are the things that are supposed to aid that decision making and prevent tragedies like this.>>> END Quote
I understand from your jargon that it is the pilot's responsibility for making the decision to land in bad weather and the airport remaining open didn't contribute to the crash .
But, I'm wondering if HKT isn't grooved for hard rain landing , as I'm informed by pilots on this thread , how is it that it remained open for landings in a monsoon?
I've always maintained that the last barrier to tragedies lilke 269 is a safety minded airport. Why is it in Key West Florida, USA would shut down at weather half as bad as the weather over the HKT runway on Sept 16th, 2007 ?
It's just my opinion, from observation - that Thailand is a nightmare for safety in aviation, and it is hidden quite delliberately
The newspaper , Phuket Gazette's new editor promised to be more forthcoming in reports on this subject ,but this past week released a full flegded HKT fluff piece that has nothing to do with safety and everything about tourist numbers .
THey even allowed the director to boast, unchallenged about the flight safety standards.
God forbid tourists should know the truth about Thai airlines or anyone insist that safety reign over money.
Last edited by ChristySweet; 5th Oct 2008 at 03:41.
Reason: Mistake