BA/Comair in Durban
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Nationwide standards
These spurious comments about Nationwide - in 2006 NTW was awarded the best domestic airline award. The cabin staff were the best trained in the country, and were constantly being poached by other operators.
Concerning, more seriously, the flight deck crew - they were excellent professionals who did everything required of them in every way. I saw them operate from close-up.
Yes, the top management let them down, but the same thing happens in SAA and Airlink.
And Nationwide never lost a passenger, and now, never will!
Concerning, more seriously, the flight deck crew - they were excellent professionals who did everything required of them in every way. I saw them operate from close-up.
Yes, the top management let them down, but the same thing happens in SAA and Airlink.
And Nationwide never lost a passenger, and now, never will!
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: In Denial
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I was stranded, but got to watch!
Yes, I was one of those stranded the other day with the comair saga.
Was in the viewing deckm pasing the time when I saw the approach. Herewith the best description I can offer Judgement free:
Final approach on RWY 06, still looked pretty high which caught my attention. From my position it looked like it touched down a little short of Taxiway "C", about 2 thirds down the runway. Almost immediateyl after there was huge amounts of spray obscuring almost the entire aircraft except the top of the tail. Was just able to see that spinning around. Once everything settled, it was in the mud facing the opposite direction.
The weather all morning was horendous and there were a good number of acft that diverted before even trying the approach.
For interest, a little later, in a last dying attempt to get people out of there, an A319 departed, RWY 24 direction, from Taxiway "C", with what looked like a 15kt tailwind at least. Very impressive. Phoned a mate of mine in the know who said they spent hours doing the calcs and it was all above board.
Was in the viewing deckm pasing the time when I saw the approach. Herewith the best description I can offer Judgement free:
Final approach on RWY 06, still looked pretty high which caught my attention. From my position it looked like it touched down a little short of Taxiway "C", about 2 thirds down the runway. Almost immediateyl after there was huge amounts of spray obscuring almost the entire aircraft except the top of the tail. Was just able to see that spinning around. Once everything settled, it was in the mud facing the opposite direction.
The weather all morning was horendous and there were a good number of acft that diverted before even trying the approach.
For interest, a little later, in a last dying attempt to get people out of there, an A319 departed, RWY 24 direction, from Taxiway "C", with what looked like a 15kt tailwind at least. Very impressive. Phoned a mate of mine in the know who said they spent hours doing the calcs and it was all above board.
Join Date: Jan 2000
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Touchdown just before Charlie (<500m avail from there)? Holy smoke, by that time you should have gone around long ago. You sure you dont mean Golf?
Join Date: Mar 2008
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<<Sure you don't mean golf?">>
If I had a buck for everytime I get asked this from people who know the airfield layout. Yup, I'm afraid I definitely mean Charlie! Must have been pretty close to the touchdown markings for RWY 24 though
If I had a buck for everytime I get asked this from people who know the airfield layout. Yup, I'm afraid I definitely mean Charlie! Must have been pretty close to the touchdown markings for RWY 24 though
Join Date: Apr 2007
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SAA company limit is max. 10kts tailwind. The guys would never have taken off with more than this. We have to many monitoring devices on board, especially on a A319 to try this trick.
Remember it might have been blowing 20kts, but off to one side, so the wind component down the runway would have been way less.
Remember it might have been blowing 20kts, but off to one side, so the wind component down the runway would have been way less.
Join Date: Mar 2005
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Bliksem. Just so those not familiar with the airfield can see:
http://www.caa.co.za/resource%20cent...D_01/AD-01.pdf
http://www.caa.co.za/resource%20cent...D_01/AD-01.pdf
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<<SAA company limit is max. 10kts tailwind. The guys would never have taken off with more than this. We have to many monitoring devices on board, especially on a A319 to try this trick.
Remember it might have been blowing 20kts, but off to one side, so the wind component down the runway would have been way less.>>
Hey Gyro Nut... I concur, I know all about the max tailwind for the SAA guys which is why I was amazed. Taking off from Charlie no less. But I assure you it was definitly a tailwind straight down the RWY, Metars for the morning all quote North Easterly upward of 15kt. Avcom have all the METARS.
Anyway, I'm gonna check the archives through liveatc.net and see if I can get the wind the controller reported. Maybe if you're someone in the know you can find out more...? Departed about 1310 local time...
If it turns out that I'm mistaken (happens often enopugh) I shall hang my head in shame for contributing to the rumour mill
Remember it might have been blowing 20kts, but off to one side, so the wind component down the runway would have been way less.>>
Hey Gyro Nut... I concur, I know all about the max tailwind for the SAA guys which is why I was amazed. Taking off from Charlie no less. But I assure you it was definitly a tailwind straight down the RWY, Metars for the morning all quote North Easterly upward of 15kt. Avcom have all the METARS.
Anyway, I'm gonna check the archives through liveatc.net and see if I can get the wind the controller reported. Maybe if you're someone in the know you can find out more...? Departed about 1310 local time...
If it turns out that I'm mistaken (happens often enopugh) I shall hang my head in shame for contributing to the rumour mill
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
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Aircraft Type
There were 87 passengers and 6 crew on board the Boeing 737-300 and no-one was injured. Passengers and crew have disembarked and are being debriefed by the flight crew and have been offered Lifeline counselling. Most passengers have now left the airport and continued on their journey, even though road traffic has been gridlocked outside the airport due to the bad weather.
Glenda Zvenyika
Communications Manager
Comair Limited
Glenda Zvenyika
Communications Manager
Comair Limited
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Quote:
Touchdown just before Charlie (<500m avail from there)? Holy smoke, by that time you should have gone around long ago. You sure you dont mean Golf?
Heard the same from other witnesses. Touchdown close to "C".
Touchdown just before Charlie (<500m avail from there)? Holy smoke, by that time you should have gone around long ago. You sure you dont mean Golf?
Heard the same from other witnesses. Touchdown close to "C".
HansFlyer
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I don't want to speculate, but I have had a word with people in the ATC system. Seems that this may be the 1st accident in SA that is directly attributable to WINDSHEAR/MICROBURST.
It is reported that there was a large cell just beyond the upwind threshold. While the aircraft was on final approach, the tower reported winds pretty much 180 degrees apart at the thresholds at either end of the runway. The anemometers reported a headwind for BOTH runways.
Can you imagine the mess had they elected to go-around/reject the land and flown into a microburst?
For my 5 cents worth, nobody injured and the paint only slightly scratched, the crew did a fine job in a trying situation.
Hope the Met Office keeps all the parameters and it get programmed into a sim model for us all to learn from.
It is reported that there was a large cell just beyond the upwind threshold. While the aircraft was on final approach, the tower reported winds pretty much 180 degrees apart at the thresholds at either end of the runway. The anemometers reported a headwind for BOTH runways.
Can you imagine the mess had they elected to go-around/reject the land and flown into a microburst?
For my 5 cents worth, nobody injured and the paint only slightly scratched, the crew did a fine job in a trying situation.
Hope the Met Office keeps all the parameters and it get programmed into a sim model for us all to learn from.
Join Date: Jan 2000
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Seems that this may be the 1st accident in SA that is directly attributable to WINDSHEAR/MICROBURST.
paint only slightly scratched
Finally. The 180 at the end was unintentional.
, lightning strikes
, anemometers giving same directions
, ATC having opposite ones... I can't wait for the final report to come out...
