Runway overrun in thessaloniki

[FAStoat]

I agree with a previous poster,for I spent the whole of my initial flying career being informed runway behind you was a complete waste of concrete,so always a piano keys touchdown,was the correct recovery.When I had to go back to school and get my licences,it came with quite a shock to find there was a 300 metres sterile touch down area,which was now behind the socalled ILS Touchdown Point.However I was very relieved to find on my Command Training with a full load into Humberside ,it was SOP to deselect the ILS to stop the dreaded "To Low" and flying a nice safe approach and landing.Of course this was only when in full sight of the runway and confirmed able to land!!Again when on a 737,albeit 300 series,the Training Captain decided to have a bet on being able to pull off a landing at BMX 33 with an OM speed of 160Kts,I took him up on it and very red faced he opted to ask for an orbit to try again!!Familiarity tends to breed contempt,but when Manual Flying is now so frowned upon,it seems to me hand flyng should be much more of a priority,both in the Sim and Line Training.In a previous Airline it was the norm on Line Training to fly a visual approach on Finals at 3000 ft 210kts and only when the threshold was on the tip of the nose,reduce everything and stuka it down at 140 Kts and land within the normal touchdown parameters.You had to have a very Pilot Friendly Aircraft to achieve that which the 146 was in those days!!73s have to flown within the confines of a stabilised approach,even older ones.Pilots these days must be rigorously shown the results of not adhering to the appropiate Approach Profile for the Weight and Temperature and Landing Runway Available,so that it is forever hoisted into their skulls.Then these unfortunate incidents that bring us all into disrepute,would not happen.Do they not teach simulated double engine failure glide approaches,and flapless so the youngsters get the feel of such that can happen for real??That is when runway behind you is of NO use at all!!!!!!This relates to a time nearly 25 years ago,when Aircraft on the ground or just out of maintenance were used by Trainers for Training on Type in the air,with a hot shoe shuffle amonst Trainee Crews aboard! .We were given first hand experience of the full flight envelope of the aircraft,not just shown it in the Sim,hence the fact hoisted in the memory banks that 160 kts at the OM with little wind would not make a good recovery in 10 tenths blue!!That fact stuck!That also bred confidence on Type with which subsequent First Officers could be given confidence in handling,which now seems rare!!On the QFIs course we were told"Never Put Your Student In Awe Of His Aeroplane"This might stir some thoughts by some Training Captains that insist in trying to terrorise their captive audience in the Sim!Furthermore the incident at Humberside was 3 reds 1 white which in full visual conditions I would still maintain is fine,if it can reduce brake temps and make a smoother arrival,than a controlled dumping on the ground,followed by max braking and reverse 300 metres in.If you cant produce a spot landing from a visual approach ,and you cant assess high or low key points with an engine out landing,and you should not be in the seat.The early days of the CF Fan Engine 737s the richter scale frequently went past 4.1 ,which was a precautionary shutdown as I remember,and after Kegworth Full Engine out recoveries were taught by other Airlines!