Aircraft Storage at the Alice? A long way to tip a rary.
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Pharcarnell
Do your homework!!
Alice Springs: RWY 12/30 = 2,438m
Melbourne: RWY 09/27 = 2,286
I witnessed the QF dugong landing on 27 in the wee hours the other night. It was at at a guess 60 knots at the intersection of RWY16. I am sure it was well assisted however. The dramas after landing were entertaining. No QF tug to tow it back on to runway (as it the parallel taxiway was closed and once exiting the RWY could not re-enter). And because the outboards hang out in the grass, a full RWY inspection was required before I could depart.
Do your homework!!
Alice Springs: RWY 12/30 = 2,438m
Melbourne: RWY 09/27 = 2,286
I witnessed the QF dugong landing on 27 in the wee hours the other night. It was at at a guess 60 knots at the intersection of RWY16. I am sure it was well assisted however. The dramas after landing were entertaining. No QF tug to tow it back on to runway (as it the parallel taxiway was closed and once exiting the RWY could not re-enter). And because the outboards hang out in the grass, a full RWY inspection was required before I could depart.
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neville, land around YBAS is not an issue for the airport as there was a considerable swag of it put aside for the airport to the east and north of the existing area. The land from the junction of the Stuart Hwy. to past the existing terminal is also zoned "industrial" so also no problems there.
Don't think the area is as dry as Tucson or Mojave, especially during the summer when you can get some spectacular storms and any aircraft stored will need to be very tightly secured as the dust there is very, very, fine. In fact, I was told that P & W advised the RFDS, following problems with blade erosion in their PT6s' that it was the finest (and therefore very abrasive) dust that they had encountered anywhere in the world and "The Alice" is subject to dust storms.
Incidentally, the airport was planning for A380 diversions back in 2006 as both QANTAS and Singapore were planning on using the place as an alternate/diversion. The planning involved where they would park the thing and where the aircraft which would need to collect the pax off the 380 would park without interfering with regular RPT traffic.
Don't think the area is as dry as Tucson or Mojave, especially during the summer when you can get some spectacular storms and any aircraft stored will need to be very tightly secured as the dust there is very, very, fine. In fact, I was told that P & W advised the RFDS, following problems with blade erosion in their PT6s' that it was the finest (and therefore very abrasive) dust that they had encountered anywhere in the world and "The Alice" is subject to dust storms.
Incidentally, the airport was planning for A380 diversions back in 2006 as both QANTAS and Singapore were planning on using the place as an alternate/diversion. The planning involved where they would park the thing and where the aircraft which would need to collect the pax off the 380 would park without interfering with regular RPT traffic.
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because the outboards hang out in the grass, a full RWY inspection was required
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I went to the Boneyard in Tucson last year. Biggest problem there right now which some would say is due to global warming is the amount of rain they have been having. They are having to regularly mow the grass under the aircraft. If the Alice doesn't have grass they are good to go. I can't see any major non-Aus airlines bringing their aircraft over here unless there are significant benefits, such as cheap storage and cheap labour - we know only one of those could ever be true.
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Beaver
Ok I'll give you Alice is getting close to 200M longer,
BUT
Tulla/Avalon HMSL= not a lot
Alice=1700+
Melbun hot day can get up into the 30s
Alice on a hot day can be WELL into the 40s
Have been there when the air is so hot it's almost too thin to breathe.
Never have known an emergency landing with a well configured and adequately light, heavy anything. They tend to be, as per the requirements of Murphy's law, exactly when the sh*t is deepest.
If anyone can put a Dugong on the hard stuff at Alice AND keep it there in an ISA + 30 day with 500 bodies on board I will definately congratulate you.
Have seen the result of a MAC C141 booboo there some years back. Took ages to get the runway clear again.
Length is definately a consideration but it aint the whole story.
BUT
Tulla/Avalon HMSL= not a lot
Alice=1700+
Melbun hot day can get up into the 30s
Alice on a hot day can be WELL into the 40s
Have been there when the air is so hot it's almost too thin to breathe.
Never have known an emergency landing with a well configured and adequately light, heavy anything. They tend to be, as per the requirements of Murphy's law, exactly when the sh*t is deepest.
If anyone can put a Dugong on the hard stuff at Alice AND keep it there in an ISA + 30 day with 500 bodies on board I will definately congratulate you.
Have seen the result of a MAC C141 booboo there some years back. Took ages to get the runway clear again.
Length is definately a consideration but it aint the whole story.
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Phar, A380 @ MLW. 391 tonnes, ISA+40, 5 knot tailwind. autobrakes 2, Conf Full= 418m runway margin remaining on 12/30. (Vapp 143 knots)
Peace O' piss - could even do it with another 60 tonnes over MLW
Peace O' piss - could even do it with another 60 tonnes over MLW
Tried in the past to get into that airliner boneyard north of tucson, complete with airline ID(not the one at pimal? with the military stuff). Fat slob of a septic at the gate chewing gum just shook his head with not a word. dont bother!
Ms Cooper says Alice Springs not only has the perfect climate for the storage and preservation of aircraft but also a runway capable of catering for planes as big as an A-380. "We have the ability to take that aircraft here," she said.
In any way, shape, or form.
Last edited by Arnold E; 27th May 2011 at 12:46.
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Moderators
Moderators,
Last night I added a post.
This post, although somewhat controversial, was well written, informative and provided opinions on what is regarded as one of Australia's biggest social challenges.
However......one of you deleted it.
Now I must admit that I did fail to censor the word bulls
t .
Now I would certainly hope that this is the main and ONLY reason why you deleted my post.
I very much hope that it wasnt due to the controversial nature of my post coupled with your occasionally apparent halfwit kingdom building attitudes.
Eternity
Last night I added a post.
This post, although somewhat controversial, was well written, informative and provided opinions on what is regarded as one of Australia's biggest social challenges.
However......one of you deleted it.
Now I must admit that I did fail to censor the word bulls
t .Now I would certainly hope that this is the main and ONLY reason why you deleted my post.
I very much hope that it wasnt due to the controversial nature of my post coupled with your occasionally apparent halfwit kingdom building attitudes.
Eternity
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I'll give you the drum, aint gunna happen. In any way, shape, or form.
Aircraft 'boneyard' plan for Alice Springs | First outside USA
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apart from an emergency,i dont think an A380 on its way to the boneyard will be landing anywhere near MLW.. no pax, no cargo, and minimal fuel... no problem for the alice runway
bzzzzzzzz...
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Tinpis - No worse than pigeon poop in the U.S. I have memories of one of the QF engineers that restored "Connie", telling me that they spent nothing short of weeks, crawling into the nose of Connie to scrape out what seemed like tonnes of pigeon poop, before they could even begin to re-install instruments.... 
Sorry to ressurect an ancient thread, but a search only gave me this...
It was announced that construction was complete and the place open for business back in Jan 2013 but I haven't heard a word about it since. Is anyone aware if they are storing any aircraft yet? I read they were in a partnership with SIA Engineering for the maintenence work. How sustainable is it to have the facility open without any work?
It was announced that construction was complete and the place open for business back in Jan 2013 but I haven't heard a word about it since. Is anyone aware if they are storing any aircraft yet? I read they were in a partnership with SIA Engineering for the maintenence work. How sustainable is it to have the facility open without any work?
