Windhoek Eros

[George Tower]

Hi all,
I seem to recall that Eros Airport was closed to commercial traffic with a MTOW greater 5,700KGs a couple of years ago, and that the primary reason given was noise pollution and safety due to FYWE's prximity to mountains.
The real reason one suspects is that Air Namibia were losing too much business to Link/Express who operated from there.
My question is this to pilots that have flown into there is whether there is a genuine safety issue here in your opinion. If there is then have the Namibian Government mandated the use of EGPWS for the remianing commerial traffic?
Look forward to your replies
Rgds
GT

[I.R.PIRATE]

As you asked for an opinion, heres mine. Eros can get very very short in summer.....+40deg, density alt....etc etc, it gets a little toit some times.:E
Another thing I dont really like, is that theres not too much of a bail out area (not by 'chute) if the shayte were to hit the fan. In the middle of summer, I doubt most aircraft above 5700 would be able to go out of there at MAUW. Any takers??

[George Tower]

I remember a couple of years back I was quite interested in how Airlink managed to get their ERJ135s in there with full loads and fueld for FACT but they managed it no problem.

I know Innsbruck in Austria has an interesting situation - friend of mine operate 757s into there - Boeing developed a procedure series of steep climbing turns for the a/c which enable terrain clearnce to be maintained in the case of donkey being lost. Granted Innsbruck is nearer to -40degrees than Eros.

[ou Trek dronkie]

I have flown out of Eros and I agree with the Pirate. Also, IF ops were forbidden exclusively by law and if you lose an engine, there is hardly anywhere to land. Mind you, over the years, some of the pilots have pulled off magnificent emergency landings in this situation.

oTd
Edited by oTd to remove an ambiguous word
Edited again to make sense

[davidjh]

Hi there George Tower,

As an ex-Airlink E135 pilot, I thought I'd throw my sixpence worth in. The 135 only used runway 01 for take off at EROS (although there were figures for 19 at very reduced weights). Using max T/O power and flaps at 18, it could easily haul a full payload out of there, if memory serves me correct, at temps up to 35/37 degrees. Needless to say, this was a very popular service with pax, but of course it took business away from Air Nam. The answer was to prohibit it's use "internationally" if you were above 5700kg. It was never "unsafe" as the path to the north provided for obstacle clearance and space to manoever if necessary.

Hope that answers the Q.

[davidjh]

One more thing, EGPWS not necessary, as first of all ,as oTd said, no IFR ops. Secondally, I don't think that FYWE was/is in the EGPWS airport database for terrain. You therefore would have to inhibit your EGPWS before crossing the ridge to the south

[Voel]

Namibian AIP FYWE AD 2-11 states amongst others that only scheduled traffic below 5700kg are allowed to operate from/to Eros. Otherwise all other non-scheduled traffic can operate from/to Eros. We do have FA90 and DC6's operating there without restrictions.

[bigmanatc]

01 is not the problem....its 19 ....on a warm day.....
The only hassle with 01 departure is a landing place for a forced lob.........737 from Air Nam has done it comfortably....although it was a drop off and the dep was empty.....still....it shows what is possible....good stuff MK.