Windshear and air fares war
 

EuropeTraveller The Comair pilot explained the go-around at the second pass was due to a windshear warning.

Air fares slashed by almost 50% even before airport certification.
HLE-LTN-HLE for May departure GBP 699 return :confused:

Although the British Airways livery was prominent on the Comair 737, there has been no mention by BA themselves of this event at a British Overseas Territory. It does feel as if BA nowadays want to distance themselves as much as possible from the Comair relationship.

I don't think so. As soon as the airport is certified flights will operate under BA flight number and also be sold by British Airways.

British Airways have an 11% share of BA/Comair according to the most recent shareholders report and do take an active interest in all activities of the airline.

I think this route is going to come across a horrible image problem. I'm the sort of person that would go there just for the sake of going somewhere unusual, but after Googling Saint Helena I'm thinking that:

a) I don't want to go to that sort of place just incase it is true
b) I definitely don't want to take the chance of being seen as the sort of person that would go to that sort of place

Clearly it's not in the same league as Pitcairn, but it's still more than damaging enough!

738 lands on St Helena Island
 

I guess this was a first? Empty 738 testing the runway?

Massive plane lands on tiny Atlantic runway - 9news.com.au

Aw c'mon, B737's (usually full of passengers) land on similar - and shorter - runways all the time. Unlike the example in this video, they usually touch down in the correct zone.

Looks like the wind will be a bit tricky around the approach end of that escarpment, especially if blowing straight down the runway at any velocity.

As one of the very few people who've landed at St Helena so far, I can say with some certainty that it can be rather sporty. There's a small matter of a big hill to the NW combined with a cliff in the undershoot which creates some interesting winds. I used to think Madeira was interesting. :ooh:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/news/wp-...pitfootage.jpg

I believe there is another thread telling the story of St Helena airport on here. But to summarise the airport was designed to cope with a 738 as the base case. It's in the middle of the south Atlantic and will only get one or two flights a week near term. Funded by uk tax payers to reduce dependence on aid it connects one of the last outposts of the world to the global airline network.
This was not the first flight as a King Air navaid calibrator did that but it is the first large aircraft. The single weekly scheduledflight is to Johannesburg and will see the retirement of the mixed pax cargo ship which has provided the only access for decades.
Can tourism work on a tiny island with few attractions except isolation and exclusivity who knows but the airport construction, an expensive task anyway was greatly complicated by lack of any flat terrain requiring extensive earthworks.
Diversion is back to SA or Namibia or closest of all the US airbase on Ascension Island St Helenas nearest neighbouring an hour's flight away but with a nice long runway.

CGB
Is that pic taken from the calibrator aircraft? Certainly looks an interesting approach, is it restricted daytime / captains only? Can't see any approach lights in the pic.
The calibration trip must have been an adventure in itself with such a long over water trip in a King Air. Bit out of the ordinary?
Great picture and thanks for sharing

Pax yes, that's from the S. African operated King Air which was chartered to undertake the calibration flights.

Not sure on the various limitations as far as commercial operators are/will be concerned. There are approach lights on both ends and 20 has a relatively significant displaced threshold.

Another image (ruthlessly lifted from someone else):

http://southcoastsun.co.za/wp-conten...j44helena2.jpg

TUI Fly is going to operate the LGW-HLE flights with a stop in BJL (Gambia): https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTo...ir_Travel.html

I think you'll find the flights originate in LTN:

Best value flights to St.Helena | Atlantic Star Airlines

I wouldn't mind having a go at St Helena, Madeira is getting a bit routine ;)

Mods can you merge?
 

Can the Mods merge this thread with:


http://www.pprune.org/images/misc/navbits_start.gif PPRuNe Forums > Misc. Forums > Airlines, Airports & Routes http://www.pprune.org/images/misc/na...allink_ltr.gif St. Helena Service

Please

Please don't, this thread is interesting.

Don't hide it away in the netherworld forums....

chimbu warrior

Totally agree. If that's one of the companies better pilot's, what are the rest like?


"Nerves of steel"? Gimme me a break

Nothing wrong with that landing, the touchdown was between the first touchdown zone marking and the aiming point marking. Back to school you two :*

Looking at the terrain I imagine that approach could be a bit sporty at times.

The cliff rising up to the runway makes it look a great rotor generator; and no doubt there is always a good wind 'over the deck'. Pax loads and reserve fuel calculations might be interesting especially if you fancy 30 mins hold and 2 approaches.
From the photo it is not easy to see why there is a displaced threshold, or is it just a PCN thing. Meaning that the touchdown point leaves a lot of tarmac behind you. I remember a couple of decades ago a shorter BHX R33 & MAD RW32L and when clear visual it was not unheard of to touchdown just over the numbers. Then came OFDM and to avoid tea & biscuits it became necessary to effectively shorten the runway. Not too comfortable on a wet day or 5kts tailwind. But hey, it was a safety technological progress, right?
If the guys want some real practice before hand they could load up the a/c and try their hands at: Jersey, Inverness, I.O.M. Blackpool, Southampton, Southend. Who needs a sim when the real thing can do it better. You might have to sit around for a strong X-wind day, but hey, you can't have everything at once.
The decision making might be interesting. I wonder if companies will add a 'point of decision' in their planning? To continue or turn back or divert?