PERTH 6/12
Joker,
It is the safety of the ramp workers that is the issue, not the aircraft occupants. In the aircraft you are effectively in a Faraday cage; on the ramp with a headset lead or other equipment you may be a lighting rod.
It is the safety of the ramp workers that is the issue, not the aircraft occupants. In the aircraft you are effectively in a Faraday cage; on the ramp with a headset lead or other equipment you may be a lighting rod.
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Lisbon
Posts: 995
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nimrods and lightning rods
Thomas still not clarifying who's lighting rule it is: Unions or Qantas...
Unions don't impose 'lightning rules'. The process that is adopted with the 3 warning phases (I prefer to call them risk phases) came about through consultation between the aviation industry and the BOM in the 90's and agreed upon in principle. Hence the standard km/mile measurement. Mr Thomas can't clarify anything specific because he is not fully in the aviation loop, which is a good thing. There are some technical aspects of the industry that is better understood by and within the indsutry itself, and regardless of what Thomas writes he is and will only ever be an armchair critic, and a fd to boot.
At the end of the day the 'lightning' process or standard has been adopted by the aviation industry and agreed upon for the sole benefit of safety. If Mr Thomas is trying to draw a bow between lightning related delays and unions then he is an even bigger fd than I thought.
I am pretty fired up about this. Operational staff or matter of factly the airlines do not have to justify their actions or decisions to the media or any other arena of scrutiny, especially when a decision is based upon safety. Delays were encountered for a number of reasons in Perth, with safety being one of those reasons, these are the facts, that is all that needs explaining, the rest is history.
This thread along with the actual operational and technical knowledge is a good enough way to explain the facts publicly. More accurate and factual than Messr Thomas biased scribblings and uneducated gossip supplied shisen.
Joker89 - Are you fg serious. For your benefit, and I cannot believe you are so stupid, ask yourself this 'why are you safer inside a car than outside a car during a thunderstorm ?' If you can work that out, then apply the same principle to an aircraft. If after all that pondering the penny drops and you work out the answer please phone G Thomas and try to explain that to him, and explain it to the dopey ass selfish public too stupid to understand even the most basic safety facts. Why are all these nuptys complaining anyway, I bet they are the first to run for cover at home, at the beach or on the golf course when bolts start dropping from the sky??
Fing Nimrods.
My point was, the storm cells are far enough away in order to make a safe approach but to close for the ground handlers. Im not saying they should work when lightning is around. Having been struck by lighting when flying i can't say it was a fun experience. Heard a story once of a lightning strike setting off the fire bottles and causing a flame out.
Edit, calm down catus. Lightning brought down a chopper in the north sea. Pilots make loads of decisions regarding weather avoidance. I was trying to make a comparison to people's level of risk they are willing to accept. I've flown through weather when others have turned around. Am I right because I survived or were they making a better decision. Just food for thought.
Edit, calm down catus. Lightning brought down a chopper in the north sea. Pilots make loads of decisions regarding weather avoidance. I was trying to make a comparison to people's level of risk they are willing to accept. I've flown through weather when others have turned around. Am I right because I survived or were they making a better decision. Just food for thought.
Last edited by Joker89; 8th Dec 2011 at 00:57.
This thread along with the actual operational and technical knowledge is a good enough way to explain the facts publicly. More accurate and factual than Messr Thomas biased scribblings and uneducated gossip supplied shisen.
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
GT is back at it on the radio with his ramblings again this morning and unfortunately I think the general public will believe him. He even had the hide to insinuate it may have been industrially related.
However, after being amongst it on the taxiways and Tarmac on Tuesday his view is very naive and sheltered (pardon the pun).
Lucky he's only a commentator...... or attitudes like his will only increase the risk of injury and or fatalities.
I've never seen people scramble so quickly when a lightning bolt struck near the Tarmac while it was open at about 3:00pm.
However, after being amongst it on the taxiways and Tarmac on Tuesday his view is very naive and sheltered (pardon the pun).
Lucky he's only a commentator...... or attitudes like his will only increase the risk of injury and or fatalities.
I've never seen people scramble so quickly when a lightning bolt struck near the Tarmac while it was open at about 3:00pm.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
To be fair, one of my work colleagues was on a flight that was stuck on the ground, away from a gate, for 2 hours or so and he said that they saw numerous ground strikes in the vicinity of the airfield and the aircraft whilst waiting - spectacular and scary, were his words. So, they weren't ansty about sitting on their bums at all.
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Alabama, then Wyoming, then Idaho and now staying with Kharon on Styx houseboat
Age: 61
Posts: 1,437
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Apparently the virgin staff were threatened with dismissal if they refused to work outside.
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Past the rabbit proof fence
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I was talking to WAC's "safety one" (safety officer leader) he explained that whilst WAC considered the airport closed due to the lightning - they have no jurisdiction as to what aerocare etc do ie. continue working. He said it is entirely up to the companies own procedures.
To all not in the West - and to Geoffrey Thomas who obviously doesnt have a cubical near a window - it really was an unusually violent storm that hung over the city for ages. Perth recorded all its December rain in a couple of hours.
SAFETY BEFORE SCHEDULE - Qantas's own line - not any unions.
To all not in the West - and to Geoffrey Thomas who obviously doesnt have a cubical near a window - it really was an unusually violent storm that hung over the city for ages. Perth recorded all its December rain in a couple of hours.
SAFETY BEFORE SCHEDULE - Qantas's own line - not any unions.
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: I prefer to remain north of a direct line BNE-ADL
Age: 49
Posts: 1,286
Likes: 0
Received 33 Likes
on
10 Posts
Lightning took out the terminals PA system and even the runway lights for around 30mins, even when there was a break in the storms we left the aircraft, and as we were going down the stairs the aircraft on the bay beside us was struck. There was massive amounts of strikes around the airport. Yes a nightmare for sure but I wouldnt have wanted to be ramp staff working outside during the event.
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Bexley
Posts: 1,792
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I spoke to GT yesterday morning and explained that the TS policy is a Qantas policy not an award condition. He said he would correct the article and hasn't, is it true he was blaming us on radio today?
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Lisbon
Posts: 995
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ALAEA and GT dance a waltz !!
Steve, no offense but have you caught some 'cloud cuckoo land' from Joyce?
Thomas is a biased nupty. I told you to stop dialing 1800fwit, see what happens? You wasted your time phoning him as your version and 'straightening out of the facts' is not what he wishes to hear, it is too simple and wouldn't sell stories....embellished bulls#it sells stories.
I have said it before, journalists (excluding Phelan and Sandilands) are parasites. Bulls#it is the host that they feed off.
Thomas is a biased nupty. I told you to stop dialing 1800fwit, see what happens? You wasted your time phoning him as your version and 'straightening out of the facts' is not what he wishes to hear, it is too simple and wouldn't sell stories....embellished bulls#it sells stories.
I have said it before, journalists (excluding Phelan and Sandilands) are parasites. Bulls#it is the host that they feed off.
Apparently the virgin staff were threatened with dismissal if they refused to work outside.
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Steve, 882 6PR at around 9:15 to 9:20 on the 8/12.
Not so much blaming, but would not rule it out. From memory I think his reference was "grey", when talking about who was to blame.
Not so much blaming, but would not rule it out. From memory I think his reference was "grey", when talking about who was to blame.
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Look up and wave
Posts: 359
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well I hope GT is happy with himself.
The industry he loves (since going over a DC3 as a kid) is full of people who think this self proclaimed 'expert' is a tosspot.
I for one have boycotted the Australian Aviation magazine as long as this clown writes (rambles) for them.
I suggest any other self respecting industry person do the same.
The industry he loves (since going over a DC3 as a kid) is full of people who think this self proclaimed 'expert' is a tosspot.
I for one have boycotted the Australian Aviation magazine as long as this clown writes (rambles) for them.
I suggest any other self respecting industry person do the same.