What's the story with Melbourne airport?

[The Green Goblin]

News reporting it's closed and there is smoke billowing from the place?

Flights grounded, evacuations at Melbourne Airport - report | News.com.au (http://mobile.news.com.au/national/victoria/flights-grounded-evacuations-at-melbourne-airport-report/story-fnii5sms-1226823691090)

[Capn Bloggs]

I'd say there's a fire nearby.

[falconx]

Tower evacuated due smoke entering from outside

Interesting hearing a few of the bizjets and QF on en twr

[mickjoebill]

With a few hundred fires burning around Melbourne in the last few days there is smoke haze across the state.
No fire within 15k of the airport as far as I can see and the last of the emergency warnings was cancelled a few minutes ago.

One has to raise the question if the tower has a design issue.

But also a good opportunity to thank the airport fire service crews who assisted in fighting the local fires.:ok:


Mickjoebill

[atakacs]

Hmmm why did they evacuate the tower if there was no fire within 15miles ?!

[doug606]

because when the fire alarm sounds you do as you're trained and exit the building even if its a false alarm cause by a smoke detector picking up smoke from outside

[falconx]

Smoke entered the tower and terminal

[500N]

I read a report that the fire alarm actually went off.

[DeltaT]

They had to leave the tower for 20mins, thats all.
Article from the Age (http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-incidents/bushfire-smoke-causes-evacuation-of-melbourne-airport-control-tower-20140211-32fe5.html).

[vee1-rotate]

Was interesting listening to MEL become a CTAF mid afternoon on a Tuesday !!

Even more interesting listening to ATC scramble on portable radios trying to advise aircraft of the situation, with fire alarms blaring in the background.

[emergency000]

Were you out on a fire truck yourself?

[DancingDog]

When I departed at 0900 this morning there was a heavy haze but no one was going to suffocate. There must be more to the story :confused:

[fujii]

The amusing thing with threads like this is knowing what happened and reading the wild guesses.

[DirectAnywhere]

When I departed at 0900 this morning there was a heavy haze but no one was going to suffocate. There must be more to the story

Conditions presumably changed over that 5 hr timeframe.

[Wally Mk2]

All I know is that I looked at the fuel gauges instantly when the man on the other end of the radio said..............ML tower being evacuated expect holding & come back next week! Or words to that effect! Then it was holding, vectors slow down speed up cancel speeds the usual chaos etc & finally a Ldg around 20 mins or so latter so not to bad. Smoke haze was fairly thick, saw HIAL at around 2.5 to run to R16 threshold.
The new Twr toaster must have teething problems as has been mentioned:E

Wmk2

[Blitzkrieger]

"All I know is that I looked at the fuel gauges instantly"

And to think there are some out there who think traffic holding is optional-it'll never happen!

Well that's 5 times on my watch :)

[DancingDog]

The amusing thing with threads like this is knowing what happened and reading the wild guesses.

C'mon mate, spill the beans.....

[Wally Mk2]

What's traffic Hlg? :) This is Australia, worlds best practice:)


Wmk2

[waren9]

and who was the qlink tool that got on and asked if the smoke caused it and the likelihood it would happen again?

fwit. :hmm:

[underfire]

YMML RW16 1000m from threshold at 1400 yesterday. (right before evac of tower)

Cant see tower or terminal..all lights on..

EDIT: Wally, did you see some strange octogons, right on centerline inside the fence on approach?

http://i58.tinypic.com/10qfb78.jpg

[underfire]

RW16 from inside our enclosure..at about 1400 hrs

http://i62.tinypic.com/w2dc1i.jpg

[Capn Bloggs]

I can see 25 lights! Launch the fleet!

from inside our enclosure
Is that wire strong enough?

[underfire]

its for keeping them out, not us in!

EDIT: Yes, 25 lights....was wondering why the lull, then heard of the tower evac..after that, everyone was coming in fast, a few quite a bit low (whoever that A330 was, damn) and some pretty high and fast (ie jet*) One was so high, thought they were doing a GA....

[Hempy]

Pretty sure that fence was erected by the government to keep you out champ ;-)

[vee1-rotate]

@underfire that A330 would have been Cathay

@waren I had a good chuckle at the QFlink guy as well, TWR's response was perfect !

[underfire]

V1, thanks, didnt have the ADSB up yet, and was right on centerline...just saw wheels..

they keep us pretty contained there..

http://i58.tinypic.com/1zx3zme.jpg