737 considered landing on Rottnest island
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737 considered landing on Rottnest island
Airliner's mid-air drama revealed - The West Australian
The pilots of a Virgin passenger airliner dangerously low on fuel considered landing at Rottnest Island or Jandakot after freak high winds forced them to abort a landing at Perth Airport.
The air drama, captured on audio transcript of conversations between Virgin Flight 697 and air traffic control obtained from Aviationadvertising.com, shows the 167-seat Boeing 737 was minutes from running out of fuel as pilots struggled to land the jet because of severe turbulence and cross winds at Perth Airport on January 3.
On his second approach to land that evening, the captain was asked by air traffic control of his intentions if unsuccessful.
He replied: "Er, we have to get on the ground on this approach."
Virgin Australia Flight 697 from Melbourne had been circling, unable to land, for at least 45 minutes.
Airservices Australia said pilots of many planes were forced to abort landing attempts that day because winds rolling off the hills from the east-south-east were gusting up to 158km/h just 80m above the ground and 60km/h on the runway.
Some planes were diverted to Geraldton.
Air traffic controllers offered the Virgin pilots Gingin, Pearce, Jandakot or Rottnest as options, because their runways were better aligned to the wind direction.
Because of the severe cross-winds, well above plane's design tolerance for landing, the main long Runway 21 was closed and planes were forced to use the much shorter Runway 06 for landing.
Strong winds also caused severe turbulence, making it difficult to get the plane stable for landing.
The freak conditions slowed the landing process, requiring controllers to put planes into long holding patterns, burning up fuel.
Planes burn considerably more fuel at lower altitudes and in holding patterns.
A Virgin Australia spokesman said that on arrival in Perth, Flight 697 had sufficient fuel to reach an alternate airport, although fuel to reach an alternative destination was not required to meet the regulatory requirement.
"However, the crew made the decision that the weather in Perth was not sufficiently adverse to warrant a diversion," he said.
"An extended holding period, due to traffic congestion caused by the weather, subsequently resulted in a circumstance where the crew was committed to landing at Perth."
The aircraft was scheduled to arrive at 9.40pm and landed at 10.27pm.
"There's also an east-west runway at Rottnest Island but it's pretty short as well," the controller says in the transcript.
"Yeah copied that, we had a look at Pearce, it's got about 1600m," the captain says.
During this period there were at least six other aborted landings by other planes.
Typically, planes must carry additional fuel to cover stronger than forecast headwinds, plus as holding fuel for about 45 minutes.
The air drama, captured on audio transcript of conversations between Virgin Flight 697 and air traffic control obtained from Aviationadvertising.com, shows the 167-seat Boeing 737 was minutes from running out of fuel as pilots struggled to land the jet because of severe turbulence and cross winds at Perth Airport on January 3.
On his second approach to land that evening, the captain was asked by air traffic control of his intentions if unsuccessful.
He replied: "Er, we have to get on the ground on this approach."
Virgin Australia Flight 697 from Melbourne had been circling, unable to land, for at least 45 minutes.
Airservices Australia said pilots of many planes were forced to abort landing attempts that day because winds rolling off the hills from the east-south-east were gusting up to 158km/h just 80m above the ground and 60km/h on the runway.
Some planes were diverted to Geraldton.
Air traffic controllers offered the Virgin pilots Gingin, Pearce, Jandakot or Rottnest as options, because their runways were better aligned to the wind direction.
Because of the severe cross-winds, well above plane's design tolerance for landing, the main long Runway 21 was closed and planes were forced to use the much shorter Runway 06 for landing.
Strong winds also caused severe turbulence, making it difficult to get the plane stable for landing.
The freak conditions slowed the landing process, requiring controllers to put planes into long holding patterns, burning up fuel.
Planes burn considerably more fuel at lower altitudes and in holding patterns.
A Virgin Australia spokesman said that on arrival in Perth, Flight 697 had sufficient fuel to reach an alternate airport, although fuel to reach an alternative destination was not required to meet the regulatory requirement.
"However, the crew made the decision that the weather in Perth was not sufficiently adverse to warrant a diversion," he said.
"An extended holding period, due to traffic congestion caused by the weather, subsequently resulted in a circumstance where the crew was committed to landing at Perth."
The aircraft was scheduled to arrive at 9.40pm and landed at 10.27pm.
"There's also an east-west runway at Rottnest Island but it's pretty short as well," the controller says in the transcript.
"Yeah copied that, we had a look at Pearce, it's got about 1600m," the captain says.
During this period there were at least six other aborted landings by other planes.
Typically, planes must carry additional fuel to cover stronger than forecast headwinds, plus as holding fuel for about 45 minutes.
"freak conditions"? Perhaps not but beware the easterlies at YPPH!
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No one was hurt, who cares.
Well done to the crew for making it happen.
As long as they used correct R/T procedures, I'm sure the rest would have just fallen into place.
For those suffering from insomnia or those who have a small pecker:
http://www.pprune.org/dg-p-general-a...dio-calls.html
Well done to the crew for making it happen.
As long as they used correct R/T procedures, I'm sure the rest would have just fallen into place.
For those suffering from insomnia or those who have a small pecker:
http://www.pprune.org/dg-p-general-a...dio-calls.html
This sort of thing will become more common as hand-flying skills reduce.
Read Shed Dog Tosser's new book "Threat and Error Management - Who Cares?", coming to a aviation bookstore near you soon!
SDT, perhaps you should ask the punters down the back how they felt with a few minutes fuel left.
I recall a recent Air India Express incident where a company had lower crosswind limits than what the aircraft was "demonstrated" to. Perhaps that needs to start happening here.
Disgraceful! 
Don't forget Busselton.
Read Shed Dog Tosser's new book "Threat and Error Management - Who Cares?", coming to a aviation bookstore near you soon!
SDT, perhaps you should ask the punters down the back how they felt with a few minutes fuel left.
I recall a recent Air India Express incident where a company had lower crosswind limits than what the aircraft was "demonstrated" to. Perhaps that needs to start happening here.
As long as they used correct R/T procedures, I'm sure the rest would have just fallen into place.
Er
Don't forget Busselton.
Can't speak for those guys but from being there that night the main problems were the shear and turbulence, I don't recall much crosswind.
There were a few missed approaches carried out.
There were a few missed approaches carried out.
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Perth storm in a teacup
Big deal. Aircraft took additional fuel as per S.O.P's to cover the usual possible ADHOC issues. He held over Perth due to weather and ended up holding for longer than expected. Then when he was low he diverted to the nearest diversionary port as a safety precaution. Case closed.
I may not be VA's number one fan but from what I heard there was nothing in this. Standard precautionary measure as per company procedures.
I could not stomach the thought of reading the news article but this sounds like the work of the world's worst aviation reporter Geoffery 'John' Thomas. Planes divert and break every day, worldwide. Big deal. Show's over everybody, nothing to see, time to go home. Click.
I may not be VA's number one fan but from what I heard there was nothing in this. Standard precautionary measure as per company procedures.
I could not stomach the thought of reading the news article but this sounds like the work of the world's worst aviation reporter Geoffery 'John' Thomas. Planes divert and break every day, worldwide. Big deal. Show's over everybody, nothing to see, time to go home. Click.
