Taxiway take-off at YBBN

[VH-FTS]

I haven't seen this elsewhere, but any truth to the rumour Elton John's corporate pilot attempted a take-off at Brissy's taxiway 'A' recently? Might have gotten to a fair old speed before being questioned by controllers...

[Jabawocky]

Funny you should ask......

A few years ago, sitting in the QF lounge at the International terminal on the way to NZ with the Mrs and kids, I swear I saw an RFDS King Air wiz past the windows. Now we all know that 01/19 starts well to the North of the Int Term so how on earth did this happen?

I can only assume that for "speial cases" that there is enough length and space for a non runway departure, especially if its not going to hinder and may help the normal traffic.

To be honest, if properly managed it could work well for lighter a/c.

Look forward to the well informed folk making comment on what you heard and I saw.

J

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

I have taken off in a C172 from a high speed taxi-way at Auckland Int. Cleared for immediate TO on the main Rwy but by the time I got to the Rwy I was airborne - turned left onto the Rwy heading and climbed out!

Asked for a taxi-way departure at Amberley once - got told in no uncertain terms what to do with that suggestion!

Dr :8

[Islander Jock]

Once saw a Caribou land on twy bravo and onto the apron at Learmonth :ok: That was back in the good ol days before internet, emails and digital cameras where today's indescretions are tomorrow's Youtube entertainment.

Now that I think about it.... it was probably about 20 yrs ago. Bugger I am getting old.

[gaunty]

And it wont be the first or last time, notwithstanding the high professional standards maintained by these crews.

Unlike airline pilots who have to be qualified and current on the route and airport before they can operate, these crews are maybe in and out of a dozen different airports with different runway widths and lengths over the course of any given week or so.

I would venture that as a result professional corporate pilots have a much more demanding job than airline pilots. That'll get some egos in a twist.

The very latest big screen glass cockpits with Jeppview etc make it lot easier as the position of the aircraft on the airport taxi/runways is displayed along with the latest runway incursion hot spot warnings to make life a lot easier. But if you dont yet have the gear there is a higher probability that you will get trapped. :)

[slackie]

Fork...I did similar at AA once in a C152...was #1 with B747 #2 and was instructed to...
"Keep speed up, take the first highspeed taxiway, cleared to land"
...at the time I was doing 120kts down finals, throttle open, looking back at the 74 getting bigger, and flew down the runway to the first highspeed and landed about the holding point...after which I heard...."Thank you!"

Remember...you gotta keep those air traffic controllers happy!!!!:}

[equal]

interesting...

http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2007/AAIR/aair200707268.aspx

[Creampuff]

It never happened, and I deny that on 0711260311 I was on HB-IKR which wasn’t anywhere near YBBN taxiway Alpha.

Signed

Elton's pilot

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

Oooppps!

(plus a few extra words)

[NZScion]

Come and take a look at Christchurch. People (usually from out of town) regularly land on grass taxiways C & D (parallel to Grass 02/20), as well as touching down on sealed taxiway E (just south of the Grass 02 threshold).

There was a classic a few weeks ago... A particular a/c landed on taxiway D, turned around and backtracked, while being told off by tower for landing on D. After running up again, they were cleared immediate and took off...

... from taxiway D...

I guess some people will never learn...

[Jabawocky]

If its long enough, wide enough and hard enough it's..................:}

Its a runway:E

J:E

[slackie]

Trouble is they usually find out that it's neither long enough, wide enough nor hard enough....when it isn't!!!:eek:

[equal]

Trouble is they usually find out that it's neither long enough, wide enough nor hard enough....when it isn't!!!

amen to that

[Jabawocky]

I am surprised KC has not posted a smart remark yet....:}

[Jamair]

I recall the 'good old days' at YTWB when the airfield really WAS a field......the paddock was bounded by Greenwattle, Bridge and Boundary rds, with a windsock in the north-eastern corner and a 3-strand barb-wire fence all round (to keep the livestock out, not the nosey kids like moi....:E) Taxiway?:confused: Wots that??:)

Landings and takeoffs were made in the most suitable direction as determined by the prevailing wind at the time (or the pilots inclination). The terminal and the aeroclub were a coupla sheds next to the windsock. The aircraft (Chippies and Tigers for the most part, with a few 'flash' Cherokees and Cessnas) were parked up next to the northern fence.

No bloody suburb around there then either, so no johnny-come-latelies whining about aircraft noise!

[werbil]

One of the joys of seaplane flying - no defined runways, no defined taxiways - just select suitable water, avoid boats / other seaplanes / swimmers / shallow water / other objects and go. :ok:

[yowie]

Which way where they going? Out of the GA for a 19 Dep I can sort of get, anything else OMG!
Gaunty, Have to agree to a point, I hate getting pulled from my mundane route structure to do a 'special op', way to hard, but these guys do this stuff all the time. :hmm:

[flyhardmo]

Had a mate in Kenya and on his first flight as an F/O (fresh 200hr pilot) in a twotter and the captain asked him are you a man or mouse. He obviously replied he was a man so the captain set flaps 20 and took off from the apron.
Needless to say you even get fired in africa for pulling stunts like that. :=

[Stationair8]

I can recall an incident at Brisbane with a Baron landing on a disused taxiway and hitting a light pole. It was just after the new runways were open circa 1987/8. Anyone else remember the incident?

[Jamair]

Yep....I was one of the attending paramedics at the time. Was a B55 I think, wasn't a taxiway though - it was the old BN runway, which had a fence built across it:uhoh: Punters were not too badly hurt from memory. More plane damage from the rescue than the prang.....:hmm:

[Tmbstory]

gaunty,

This section of aviation needs to have the high professional standards that you speak of, otherwise you will not be a survivor in the business.

A corporate pilot has to be able to think on the "go", use common sense and be aware of the situation at all times. One day you may be at say Alice Springs and the next, at Petropavlovsk Kamchatskiy (with an 11339 ft mountain about 2nm from abeam the runway). It certainly pays to keep the ILS in the centre. A little further up the track, towards Nome, is a perfectly dome shaped Volcano at 16098 ft which is the resting place for quite a few aircraft.

In all, airline Pilots sometimes may get bored with doing the same routes all the time,that does not happen to the corporate pilot.

Tmb

[Tmbstory]

Werbil,

I was lucky at one stage to spend some time in Anchorage. There is a water airport called Lake Hood, not far from the International Airport. The water airport, at that time, was home to about 400 float planes, a most picturesque scene & busy! A sight to see, if you are in the area.


Tmb

[Poto]

Taxi way at Port Keats was great for quick getaway;)

[Max Dover]

What do the words...." Clear for take-off " mean from the tower.
It's not just airline pilots who get bored doing the same thing everyday.

[Oz_TB10]

Seem to remember seeing a C-150/152 going down in the Modbury area a few years ago. Apparently someone decided to knick it at YPPH (Parafield) and took off from the taxi-way. Said bloke did come up on criminal charges but atleast he survived. Crashed on Kelly Rd or nearby from memory ( didnt really check the street name out when i ran for the car for a drive to oogle. It was VH-UGL or UGLY as few of the students called it. TP the owner was pissed off at the scene. Feel free to correct any info guys.

[MrApproach]

According to mate who still works in BNE HB... was cleared for T/O RWY 01 from A7, rolled on A, was spotted by safety vehicle, TWR ordered stop, pilot abandoned T/O stopped near A3.

A has centreline greens, 01/19 has sideline and centreline whites. Mind you in Lexington Blue Grass incident there were no lights at all and that was an airline crew!

[equal]

wow, A7 and finally stopped at A3. that`s a fair distance down the taxiway!