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Old 18th Feb 2010, 09:02
  #255 (permalink)  
Data-Lynx
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Lowlevel UK
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The ASI Hump

Nomorefree and Farfrompuken set me looking for a bit more detail on ASI. The Typhoon stream to MPA report included:
Normally, a night landing is nothing to get excited about, but Ascension is unique in several regards. Firstly, there is no diversion airfield within a thousand miles, so ac are required to carry 60 minutes’ holding fuel, which means landing at an high fuel weight. This is exacerbated by the slope on the runway, which is uphill for the first 2000ft and generates an unpleasant visual illusion, which can result in firm landings for the unaware. The runway then has a pronounced hump, followed by a steep downhill slope – far from ideal when landing at a heavy weight, and making a blessing of Typhoon’s excellent braking system. The final complication was 2 steep-sided hills on either side of the runway, with a ¼ mile stagger between them. The hills generate some interesting local wind effects that require the pilot to be very alive to last minute direction changes
PS. My log book has one night landing at ASI - vertically onto floodlit concrete in Apr 82 and is therefore irrelevant.
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