Falklands Airbridge
Just heard a story that about 6 weeks back, the TAF produced by the MPA Met Office showed strong crosswinds and severe turbulence on a day when Omni Air were due in from the UK. Apparently the Omni crew contacted some met colleagues in the USA for a 'second opinion'; as requested, the USA-produced TAF made no reference to the bad weather, and the flight duly departed!
Last edited by TorqueOfTheDevil; 29th Oct 2008 at 15:35.
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Expect Delays
If it is Globespan that are doing the FI flights then you can expect hefty delays!!!! Their OTP is pants. You will arrive at Brize to find that it will be a 737-800 instad of a 767, that is what they did from GLA on their flights to America from Scotland.
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737 UK-FI...
christ almighty....
they can only just get to Lanzorote in 1 piece....!!!!!!
MPA was built in the wrong place !!
from those in the know, it should have been 15miles further than where it is now... a known fact the winds were not "as fierce" or were actually more favourable for crosswinds...
T* limit 23deg IIRC ??
christ almighty....
they can only just get to Lanzorote in 1 piece....!!!!!!
MPA was built in the wrong place !!
from those in the know, it should have been 15miles further than where it is now... a known fact the winds were not "as fierce" or were actually more favourable for crosswinds...
T* limit 23deg IIRC ??
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T* limit 23deg IIRC ??
Do you mean 23 kts? If so, no; it was (is?) 30 knots across, not taking gusts into account. Standby for top of descent met special.....
But it's not the wind strength, it's the rotor streaming from the mountains to the north that'll get you. Best you bone up on Windshear Go Around before winter starts to bite doon sooth.
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BBD,
for some reason when i did my Tristar Despatcher course 23 deg across the nose stuck in my mind. i stand corrected if it's 30 deg...
however, the grey cells may be losing storage ability...
safe landings
for some reason when i did my Tristar Despatcher course 23 deg across the nose stuck in my mind. i stand corrected if it's 30 deg...
however, the grey cells may be losing storage ability...
safe landings
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I think the 738 comment is a little extreme. We all know that wouldnt make it to ASI or MPN. Strange comments though, you talk of hefty delays and in the sentence after say a 738 was at GLA to operate the U.S routes. A hefty delay would have been turning up to GLA to find no aircraft at all, so at least they recover the program with something. 
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So speaks a man (or woman, Loretta) who has obviously never ventured forth into said 'amazing part of the world'!!
I bet you'll be bidding for LCY-JFK as you appear to be some sort of masochist!!!
I bet you'll be bidding for LCY-JFK as you appear to be some sort of masochist!!!
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"turning up and finding no aircraft at all would be a cancellation!"
Not strictly true Albert'. Turning up and finding no aircraft then waiting for a replacement would be a delay?
Happens all the time in the commercial world
Not strictly true Albert'. Turning up and finding no aircraft then waiting for a replacement would be a delay?
Happens all the time in the commercial world
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AMS
Indeed it was, and was meant firmly tongue in cheek - apologies if it came across in a manner other than that intended. It is a wonderful place, in a perverse sort of way! Definitely worth seeing, but not for too long and certainly not too frequently!
Indeed it was, and was meant firmly tongue in cheek - apologies if it came across in a manner other than that intended. It is a wonderful place, in a perverse sort of way! Definitely worth seeing, but not for too long and certainly not too frequently!
Wind, rain, goose ****, peat smoke, corrugated iron houses, Landrovers, wind, rain, more goose ****, Bennies who look like Charles Bronson, wool prices on the radio, darts on the radio, rain......
And did I mention the wind?
But worth a visit between now and about March. Beware of the wind from about 340-030 - it can be 340V030 05G55 with windsocks pointing in opposite directions at opposite ends of the runway - and don't believe any non-Falkland based met forecasts for the place.
Upland Goose and/or the Malvinas hotel are worth a visit. As most certainly is the museum in Stanley.
Watching penguins can be fun....but not all day!
And as for the mystery of why 216 took off to the west and then turned left when flying to ASI...
(everyone else phoned the TOC to check range status). Or always used the high speed exit at ASI the wrong way round....
And did I mention the wind?
But worth a visit between now and about March. Beware of the wind from about 340-030 - it can be 340V030 05G55 with windsocks pointing in opposite directions at opposite ends of the runway - and don't believe any non-Falkland based met forecasts for the place.
Upland Goose and/or the Malvinas hotel are worth a visit. As most certainly is the museum in Stanley.
Watching penguins can be fun....but not all day!
And as for the mystery of why 216 took off to the west and then turned left when flying to ASI...
(everyone else phoned the TOC to check range status). Or always used the high speed exit at ASI the wrong way round....
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BEagle
I took off last week from the westerly runway and turned left due to:
a) The high ground to the North West that causes the rotors.
b) ATC cleared us to "...take off with a left turn out..." after we had checked the status of the ranges.
Upon arrival at ASI, I too used the RET 'the wrong way around' (your words) because:
a) I didn't want to burn the brakes out.
b) The marshaller's truck is always positioned on the RET pointing towards the ramp (the opposite direction to us on the runway).As were are expected to follow the "Follow Me" truck I positioned the aircraft behind the truck.
Why the 'mystery'?
I took off last week from the westerly runway and turned left due to:
a) The high ground to the North West that causes the rotors.
b) ATC cleared us to "...take off with a left turn out..." after we had checked the status of the ranges.
Upon arrival at ASI, I too used the RET 'the wrong way around' (your words) because:
a) I didn't want to burn the brakes out.
b) The marshaller's truck is always positioned on the RET pointing towards the ramp (the opposite direction to us on the runway).As were are expected to follow the "Follow Me" truck I positioned the aircraft behind the truck.
Why the 'mystery'?
Well, having operated from ASI and MPA on many occasions on the VC10 since 1985, we always landed in the right place at ASI and used the high-speed as it was designed after the 1982 war.
It's only those who touch down long (beyond the bump)
who miss the high-speed and then have to come to a near halt to take the 90 left off the runway. The follow-me has got so used to certain people doing this that they tend to lurk in the entrance to the high-speed - the last time I was there in 2002 I told ATC that we'd be using the high-speed and to make sure that the follow-me wasn't blocking it....
But maybe it's become SOP to use the high speed the wrong way round now?
As for MPA, well, I'd have thought that you twin jet would have better performance then the TriShaw and would be able to turn right onto north - even in an old VC10K2 we could manage that.
Anyway, enjoy the experience - your operation seems to be getting some very positive feedback..
It's only those who touch down long (beyond the bump)
who miss the high-speed and then have to come to a near halt to take the 90 left off the runway. The follow-me has got so used to certain people doing this that they tend to lurk in the entrance to the high-speed - the last time I was there in 2002 I told ATC that we'd be using the high-speed and to make sure that the follow-me wasn't blocking it....But maybe it's become SOP to use the high speed the wrong way round now?
As for MPA, well, I'd have thought that you twin jet would have better performance then the TriShaw and would be able to turn right onto north - even in an old VC10K2 we could manage that.
Anyway, enjoy the experience - your operation seems to be getting some very positive feedback..
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On the contrary, BEagle, we elect to use the 90 degree turn off because the 'Follow Me' is usually parked on 'B'. After successfully catching the 'hump' & maximising efficient braking we prefer to follow the 'Follow Me'.... instead of 'jumping on the brakes' & risking running into the damn thing.
I don't know what weights you land at in the VC-10 however I think the B763 wields a little more inertia but I do know that as a private company we PAY for our spares, such as brakes, ... instead of letting the tax payer foot the bill, so we maximise their utility & efficiency.
It's a pity your photo doesn't show the downslope on '13'. There is no rule that states we must use the RET that way, in fact Wideawake Tower gives us the option of exiting at 'B' or 'C' & there is no advantage to using the RET either way, it comes down to the brakes & our optimum setting is 'Autobrake 2'.
As for the departure from MPN, we just follow the SID & do as ATC advise us. As for enjoying the experience, it's fun, however I anticipate the Falklands' winter conditions are to be respected. But the 30-40 kt crosswinds we encountered so far have 'blown away the cobwebs' & I like it but it isn't anymore demanding as night NPA's into the Greek Islands or from frozen runways in the Arctic Circle or into summer 'showers' in the Caribbean.
And yes, we must be doing something right- we've just been asked to take on the BZZ-EID 3x weekly run.
Happy Days!!
I don't know what weights you land at in the VC-10 however I think the B763 wields a little more inertia but I do know that as a private company we PAY for our spares, such as brakes, ... instead of letting the tax payer foot the bill, so we maximise their utility & efficiency.
It's a pity your photo doesn't show the downslope on '13'. There is no rule that states we must use the RET that way, in fact Wideawake Tower gives us the option of exiting at 'B' or 'C' & there is no advantage to using the RET either way, it comes down to the brakes & our optimum setting is 'Autobrake 2'.
As for the departure from MPN, we just follow the SID & do as ATC advise us. As for enjoying the experience, it's fun, however I anticipate the Falklands' winter conditions are to be respected. But the 30-40 kt crosswinds we encountered so far have 'blown away the cobwebs' & I like it but it isn't anymore demanding as night NPA's into the Greek Islands or from frozen runways in the Arctic Circle or into summer 'showers' in the Caribbean.
And yes, we must be doing something right- we've just been asked to take on the BZZ-EID 3x weekly run.
Happy Days!!