Rough landing...

[harrogate]

I flew back into Leeds late on 2nd Jan from Dublin with Ryanair (737-800), a flight I've done a fair few times.

As we approached over the city from the south I could tell we were going significantly faster than usual and a quick check of my watch revealed we were running really early, which is no mean feat in a flight that's only about 45 minutes anyway!

Anyways, we absolutley clattered into the runway, far further along than usual, and the plane used every last inch of runway to stop. As we turned to track back up the runway, I noticed we were turning literally at the loop at the very end of the runway, although the pilot spun on the spot rather than sing the loop itself.

Upon disembarking, we noted that the weather was very clear and there was a slight breeze (which the pilot confirmed in the weather brief to passengers during the flight).

I've seen many planes landing at LBA over the years, but very rarely have I seen a plane use the whole of the runway like this (not forgetting it was only a 737!). When the doors opened, the pilot was the first off and very hurriedly disappeared into the terminal.

Is there any way I can find out if this landing was reported or is being investigated? Like I said, this landing was notably choppy.

[Rainboe]

Don't make a complete fool of yourself! You cannot tell in the cabin where the aeroplane landed. You don't know which approach technique the pilot used. The touchdown would have been a 'Boeing' recommended landing. Maybe he didn't want to overheat the brakes by hammering them to turn off earlier than you did, despite you not liking it. In your extensive aviation experience at LBA, you may be an expert on the passenger side of things, but if you are out to make trouble for the pilot on your flimsy 'evidence', then you are a busybody. He was probably in a hurry to get a newspaper/lunch sandwich/meet his girlfriend groundstaff/phone Mum- it's not illegal to get off quick! If you're not happy, fly someone else next time- I'm sure Ryanair won't miss you.
(PS Really, I think Ryanair is totally to blame. Not sure what for, but it is obviously their fault......whatever it is....which might not have happened....but it's that O'larey bloke that does it)

[FLCH]

, the pilot was the first off and very hurriedly disappeared into the terminal.
Is there any way I can find out if this landing was reported or is being investigated? Like I said, this landing was notably choppy.
Course his landing was choppy and clattered , he was in a hurry to get his flaps down after last nights Vindaloo special !!!

[harrogate]

Don't make a complete fool of yourself! You cannot tell in the cabin where the aeroplane landed. You don't know which approach technique the pilot used. The touchdown would have been a 'Boeing' recommended landing. Maybe he didn't want to overheat the brakes by hammering them to turn off earlier than you did, despite you not liking it. In your extensive aviation experience at LBA, you may be an expert on the passenger side of things, but if you are out to make trouble for the pilot on your flimsy 'evidence', then you are a busybody. He was probably in a hurry to get a newspaper/lunch sandwich/meet his girlfriend groundstaff/phone Mum- it's not illegal to get off quick! If you're not happy, fly someone else next time- I'm sure Ryanair won't miss you.
(PS Really, I think Ryanair is totally to blame. Not sure what for, but it is obviously their fault......whatever it is....which might not have happened....but it's that O'larey bloke that does it)


... it's "O'Leary".

How defensive. How curious... you've roused suspicions in me about Ryanair, which I didn't have previously.

I like Ryanair and continue to fly with them. I flew with them only yesterday and will again on Friday. I encourage all my staff to do the same and even go as far as incentivising use of Ryanair through our company, for both business and leisure. I'd like to think they would miss my custom - in fact, they would, I'm sure of it - otherwise they wouldn't write to me as much as they do. Maybe I should reconsider my loyalty...? Such heat under the collar suggests there's something to hide.

Found out (thanks to some very useful and knowledgeable members of the pprune community - thanks chaps) that this incident was looked at, but no further action taken. I imagine these guys are covert informants, so I'll be preserving their identity in case they get a visit from the unofficial Ryanair police in the dead of night. Herr Rainboe will no doubt have a bounty on them.

I apologise for asking the question, for stating a few facts from a consumer's perspective, for being curious and for attempting to prompt reasonable discussion.

I will, however, continue to do so, despite the pompous scoff in the response to my thread.

[FLCH]

Aw, Harrogate lighten up, I don't know if you know but the 737-800 can sometimes be difficult to plonk down at the right time and place, sometimes Vref (final approach speed) can be as much as 140+ Kts. at heavy weights Typically a 737 (besides an 800 or 900) is much less maybe 130 +. Everyone can screw up their "planned" perfect landings... I've done it plenty of times myself and so has everyone else. I find it hard to believe unless metal was bent or skin was broken that this landing is being "investigated". (however I am in the US and maybe you do stuff a lot differently in Europe.) As Rainboe said it is very difficult to figure out whats happening at Row 0 when you're sitting in Row 9. I must admit though when I was a brand new F/O on the 737 (after being a Flight Engineer for 7 years prior) I really hammered one in at Charleston South Carolina....a very elderly passenger came up to me and said: "Son did we land or did we get shot down ?" Then he said "You're not an ex-Navy pilot are you ??" Talk about embarrassed...my Captain had already hurriedly left as he wasn't going to take any heat over my "arrival"... :)

[Rainboe]

"Pompous scoff". Listen to you! Sitting in the cabin looking sideways out of the window and you know enough to try and stir trouble!
"this incident was looked at, but no further action taken."....er.....what 'incident'? There was no 'incident'......what does 'no further action taken mean'? It means there was no incident on which to take further action!

I know the gentleman's name. He sues anything that moves. Bad man that Mr. O'Larey. It's his fault. You've got to learn that aviation is not a breeze. Sometimes things don't go perfect, landings can be 'firm' (but perfectly safe). Aeroplanes can bump into things, bump into the ground, catch fire, engines fail. If you can walk out of the aeroplane (through a door) rather than climb (or be carried) out of a split in the fuselage, you're onto a good day. Don't try and be a 'cabin' pilot monitoring expert!
Rainboe (8 years 737.....and it can be a right little bugger sometimes)

[harrogate]

"Pompous scoff". Listen to you! Sitting in the cabin looking sideways out of the window and you know enough to try and stir trouble!
"this incident was looked at, but no further action taken."....er.....what 'incident'? There was no 'incident'......what does 'no further action taken mean'? It means there was no incident on which to take further action!

I know the gentleman's name. He sues anything that moves. Bad man that Mr. O'Larey. It's his fault. You've got to learn that aviation is not a breeze. Sometimes things don't go perfect, landings can be 'firm' (but perfectly safe). Aeroplanes can bump into things, bump into the ground, catch fire, engines fail. If you can walk out of the aeroplane (through a door) rather than climb (or be carried) out of a split in the fuselage, you're onto a good day. Don't try and be a 'cabin' pilot monitoring expert!
Rainboe (8 years 737.....and it can be a right little bugger sometimes)

... I wish I'd known that you'd been fired by Ryanair before writing my last post, I'd have saved about 10 minutes of my time.

Your anger is understandable. Personally, I'd move on and retain my dignity, but I appreciate it's hard to let go sometimes.

Good luck.

[Engine overtemp]

Harrogate, your original post at 22.42 yesterday asked if this "incident" was being investigated.

How powerful the world of PPRuNe is that by the time of your following post, barely 90 minutes later and in the dead of night, that you had found out that not only had it been "looked at" but no action taken!

[Rainboe]

Harrogate, boy did you pick up the wrong end of the stick! I have never applied to, or worked for Ryanair. I have no 'anger' but irritation at an 'ordure' stirrer trying to stoke up trouble out of a non-event, so I assure you, whatever it is you think I am supposed to be holding onto, it doesn't have me at one end of it!

Now, be truthfull- you weren't just ".....and for attempting to prompt reasonable discussion." were you? You were trying to see if you could nail the pilot for what you perceived from the back cabin as unsafe practices....because the pilot may have thumped it in a bit (haven't we all), and he didn't turn off where you usually think you should have turned off? It's a bit sad, isn't it? Why not delete the whole thread- there was no incident!

[BOAC]

OK boys and girls - time to throw a bucket of water over the scrapping cats here, I feel!

Harrogate - let's accept you appeared to be stirring up yet another anti-Ryanair thread - you are, of course, by no means alone:{

Rainboe - ok - you did not work for Ryanair nor get fired by them. You have made your point.

Any more of this and we close or can the thread.

FWIW ATC often ask for a turn to be made at the end of the runway rather than elsewhere. It would not be unusual for a pilot to keep a high speed to get to the end if that was the instruction. The '800 can be slippery'. Landing qualities 'vary'! It is extremely difficult to judge approach speeds from the cabin.....and if he has a 20 minute turnround he would have to be first off and 'hurry' to sort out whatever is required. If ?as you say? the incident was looked at, but no further action taken then that is it!

[Rainboe]

Yellow card accepted Boss! Apologies

(I'll nut him in the changing room)

[INLAK]

Rainboe...I'm with you 100%

It does really p*ss me off that pax assume hard landing = bad.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

[michaelknight]

Utter garbage.

Who? What? Rainboe - Harrogate- Inlak - you?

This thread is going nowhere, so bye-bye!

[PPRuNe Pop]

Just to add a little twist here, as my esteemed colleague has closed the thread, but as you see I can post anyway. ;)

One of my aeroplanes, a C404, made an approach on then 26 in the late 70's and landed a fair way down as well, but it did NOT stop and went through the fence into the road.

No pax on board but there was over 300g of Avgas on board which spilled into the road after a wing came off. It was not nice but ended without further incident. It even ended with a bit of humour but I'll keep that to myself. :D