PTKAY
I mentioned the ron brown crash much earlier in the thread.
AS TO : WHY NOT CLOSE THE AIRPORT? (from a new guy poster)
While I don't pretend to know russian procedures or polish procedures, I do know good old USA stuff.
AND a number of pilots don't know jack about what it means to "CLOSE" an airport.
Certainly some airline pilots will come over the PA system and say: folks, we can't land at Cleveland right now because the airport is closed due to bad weather.
WELL, that isn't really right.
ONE: Only the airport management can close an airport...for example, the Port Authority of New York for LGA. Like closing the runways to plow them to remove snow...ATC will relay management's closure, but ATC doesn't close the airport.
TWO: IF the TOWER SAYS: Airport Closed, it is probably due to an accident in which the crash/fire/rescue units are responding, and full response would not be available for another crash. This is usually done with a letter of understanding from the airport authority/management to act on their behalf in an accident situation.
THREE: ATC in the US can't "CLOSE" an airport due to bad weather. Certainly ATC might abandon the control tower if a massive tornado is approaching, but closing the airport ...NO.
SADLY, ATC may not actually say: For God's sake, don't land, the weather is awful. While a controller may act with MORAL AUTHORITY, they don't tell you that YOU can't land even if all hell is breaking loose.
So, airport closure isn't really a safeguard for anything.
And very sadly, there are airline pilots who don't know the above, and honestly feel that if they are cleared to land...the weather is good enough.
HA.