CORK - 5

[Copenhagen]

As usual, the Cork thread dives into total rubbish, and has become, yet again, an embarrassment for the airport and its users on other forums.

Congratulations on the imagination behind the last conspiracy theory. You guys should work in theatre.

[ryan2000]

The word around the airport was that the CAT 2 couldn't and wouldn't be back untill September. Anyone who suggested otherwise was dismissed as ill informed. Then we had the events of Friday last and all that they entailed.

Once again we were told that there was no possibility of CAT 2 before next month and then lo and behold calibrator or no calibrator the CAT 2 suddenly re appeared yesterday evening.

[Jack1985]

ryan2000 I'll quote myself because your brain seem's to be incapable of doing that;

Posted 23rd Aug 2012 09:38

• The contractor who will be testing the ILS will be using its own aircraft to calibrate the system.

• It has been scheduled since late June to be carried out in early September. The failure that occurred in early August has had no effect on this and the ILS will not be fully calibrated until early September as was planned

• This is routine and is done as standard op to make sure there are no deficiencies in the system.

• The G/S failed so the calibration currently in use on 17 has to be reset, that cant be done until a full update which is why the IAA are waiting until early September.

23rd Aug 2012 15:48

• ''IAA have been allowed to re-introduce CAT II on 17 only because the full system will be fully re-calibrated in just over a week.''

The IAA originally consulted eurocontrol's safety division on the error's found and that they were working toward a solution - however eurocontrol informed the IAA the system would need to be fully re-calibrated before being allowed back into commercial service. The IAA then received approval from eurocontrol they were allowed to re-introduce the system as the system will be re-calibrated in less then a week and had also been approved by the manufacture of the ILS.

Can you now read my quotes above and point out were I was wrong? Or maybe now you don't believe the above either?

Ill now quote the IAA after they put the ILS back into service yesterday evening, ''Regulatory approval has been received for a restoration to Category 2 capability''.

[ryan2000]

I wasn't directing my comments towards your post Jack but at the view that that it was technically impossible to do anything about restoring CAT 2 until September.

From your latest post, Euro control have agreed to allow it back providing it's calibrated within a week. I'm not sure what's so significant about the period of one week but we won't complain.

Sometimes man made decisions can be changed. For instance the DAA has a policy of closing the runway in Dublin for 4 hours after a snow closure in order to allow staff to clear the runway. When this policy was implemented on the mornng of 23rd December 2010, airlines objected and pointed out the chaos it would cause given the day that was in it. The runway was reopened in a much shorter time frame.

From the various posts and press releases there appears to have been a greater urgency about getting CAT 2 back after the chaos of last Friday. Given that Cork is prone to low
cloud, it is important that any difficulties with CAT 2 are be resolved as quickly as possible

[Jack1985]

rom your latest post, Euro control have agreed to allow it back providing it's calibrated within a week. I'm not sure what's so significant about the period of one week but we won't complain.

Because there's no reason to complain? If any failure occurs to an ILS system it has to be re-calibrated just to rule out any other deficiencies. Its like when the text in a projector becomes unclear it needs to be re-calibrated, except in this case your dealing with aircraft and there is no room for errors of any nature. Basically eurocontrol is who the IAA report to in situations like this and there usually told get it re-calibrated before it goes back into service, the situation Cork can be put in without an operating ILS system causes serious disruption in bad weather, unfortunately like last Friday week. Eurocontrol however have left the ILS back into use as its going to be fully re-calibrated in a week and also due to the fact the manufacturer signed off on it, its pretty simple I don't really understand what all the fuss is about?

Anyhow that's my last comment on the matter its getting quite annoying and in future I'll think twice before I post information to the forum. To those of you who benefited from the information and contacted me via PM I'll be glad to provide any further details to you. Those who have consistently fired back at the information I gave have been wrong and maybe its too much for you guys to accept that.

[aer lingus]

@ Jack, it's a pity that you feel that way I think you are taking too personally, however the main point I can see from the complaining is the urgency or rather the lack of urgency that was evident in repairing the fault. Typical state/semi state lack of action. If ATC/IAA were a private company who was being paid for the work you could sure it would have been up and running, compleatly calibrated within a shorter time frame.

[ryan2000]

Jack, I appreciate your detailed information on the situation over the last few weeks. Once again I want to emphasise that none of the points I've made were directed at you.

It's great that Eurocontrol have allowed the CAT2 to be restored.

Over the years at Cork Airport I've seen decisions modified and changed once pressure was brought to bear in relation to many issues. This has caused me to be very reluctant to accept information at face value.

I'm sure safety was always the over riding consideration but sometimes common sense has a part to play as well.

[Tom the Tenor]

Jack, you need to take into account that Pprune can be interesting & informative all right, yes, but it is an ol' laugh as well - just imagine, if Pprune had existed for those of us at Cork Airport during the 1970s and the 1980s when Cork was undoubtedly a far more colourful place than it is now!

[ryan2000]

No CAT 2 in those days. I heard staff used to bet with each other on whether flights would land or not!

[Jack1985]

Expect a few headlines re: Cork incident last Friday involving FR9948

[aer lingus]

Heard there was something happened, baggage truck nudged a FR, replacement aircraft had to be brought in,,, is that correct?

[francis omahony]

yes plane struck by tug I understand that the plane used to take pax to faro was the plane that came in from Malaga. and not a plane flown in to op. the flight

[Jack1985]

Heard there was something happened, baggage truck nudged a FR, replacement aircraft had to be brought in,,, is that correct?

Yes, brakes failed and baggage belt continued forward into the AFT baggage door - Believe there was no real damage but the aircraft needed to be grounded until it received a maintenance check.

Available on the Indo now Ryanair flight delay after truck hits plane - National News - Independent.ie

yes plane struck by tug I understand that the plane used to take pax to faro was the plane that came in from Malaga. and not a plane flown in to op. the flight

Correct, EI-EFT when it came back from Malaga went back to Faro. Damaged EI-EVI then went to Stansted after swapping with EI-DCM on Saturday morning.

[Tom the Tenor]

Cork's airbridge story was resurrected again today when that now infamous broadcaster, Neill Prendeville, of Cork's 96FM, broached the subject and he had even an elderly lady on the air whom quoted from a reply she had received from, presumably the DAA, saying the airlines were not interested in using airbridges and that using them slows down boarding etc. A reply which conveniently puts the issue back in the airlines's corner. Prendeville was giving out again about the wettings passengers are getting when disembarking from aircraft rear steps and the unwelcome climb of a few flights of stairs to the airport immigration and baggage retrieval areas.

Well, there have been plenty of wettings this summer on Cork's ramp so maybe Prendeville has a point?

[ryan2000]

It's obvious that Ryanair has no interest in using Airbridges. Aerlingus uses them throughout the network but seems to have an issue about using the one in Cork. Fair enough if they want a speedy turnaround but why do they not apply the same logic at Dublin, Shannon and numerous foreign airports.

[Jack1985]

Prendeville was giving out again about the wettings passengers are getting when disembarking from aircraft

On his flight last Aer Lingus flight or during the bad weather

[840]

Aer Lingus seem a bit random on it too. I've seen their aircraft with the bridge attached. Yet 2 weeks ago, I arrived back on the late flight from Heathrow (so no turnaround concerns) onto the stand with the airbridge into pissing rain and no airbridge. So, if they have a policy, I don't know what it is.

[EISNN]

I'd imagine it may partly have something to do with staff training and whether staff know how to use it. That said there's nothing consistent about its use if it's being used only on occasion.

[ryan2000]

The terminal was designed on the assumption that aircraft parking in front of it would use airbridges . There have been numerous complaints in the local media since but the DAA like Margaret Thatcher are not for turning.

[BlueSki]

Cork? Emirates? Nooo
Emirates positive on prospects for Dublin - The Irish Times - Wed, Aug 22, 2012