@ eliptic
Hi,
I am quite often flying Manila -Caticlan,what A/C would you say is "safe" to fly there??
I never fly Zest again thats for for shore
Seeing the pics I also would say so. I have never seen in my carrier - and i've about 15,000 hrs + - a Turboprop landing constantly like this, not even the MA60s in Laos! They will soon have a major nosegear malfunction. This type of landing is calling for it!
To the aircraft type to be operated into Caticlan I think the following aircraft are suitable without penalty under the present RWY conditions:
- BN2
- Do228
- Do328
- DHC6-300 and the new -400
- DHC7
- to a certain extend the ATR42
- to a certain extend the DHC8-300
But definetly not the Q400 and the ATR72-500 and surely not the MA60.
It is absolute stuoidity and ignorance on the part of your ATO to let these 3 types operate under real world conditions in Caticlan.
I have made - according to my logbook - 812 ldgs in Caticlan with one rejected take-off and man I tell you: I sweat blood rejecting that take-off at around 70 kts because of sudden power drop on both engines for unkown reasons!
The MA60 is not the aircraft you wanna be on whit PAX load to t/o or land in that strip. For the ATR72 and the Q400 it looks to me from the charts more possible but still risky. You have to drop your PAX load to about 50% to be somewhat in the safe area for these type of operation but not on full load in and definetly not on full load or even 60-70% load out.
But as in the good old times, money seems to get you anywhere and everywhere in the Philippines and what is the worth for a human life according to insurance premiums in the Phils? Pesos 50,000 (~US$ 1,000 or so)!
Guess you guys flying in the beautiful islands would know it better but from my viewpoint: In the spirit of safety I would dare flying into Caticlan with any of the birds above because McKillroy is watching you!
If it goes 10,000 times right there will be a 10,001 time when something goes wrong and than you hurt or even kill PEOPLE!
Btw. is the airstrip in Sicogon Island still operating and which airline/s are operating there? Was one of my favorite dirt strips in the islands.