Runway too short at Belfast City
 

Apparently the runway at Belfast City Airport is too short too deal with larger carriers landing there now. One pilot told me they are having to use a lot of reverse thruster to get stopped. He added that it is "an accident waiting to happen".
Has anyone else heard anything similar?

I dunno the bmi Airbus drivers I have spoken to seem ok with it. If the runway were too short, the flights would be operating illegally.

Shall we stop the likes of JMC and MyTravel landing their A320s at Mykonos and Skiathos because the runway is of acceptable length performance-wise but the pilots are a bit iffy about it?

Sounds to me like a couple of disgruntled pilots used to 10,000ft+ runways getting a bit of a shock watching the runway end looming towards them when they're used to still doing 60 knots at that point... send em charter for a Summer :rolleyes:

Soooooooo, what length is the runway at Belfast City?

no AIP etc to hand, but believe about 1800m (so roughly the same as ABZ and a bit longer than JER, SOU - which both handle 320/757 size a/c aswell)

The distances for EGAC are: -
(All in metres)

RWY 04

TORA - 1829
TODA - 2029
ASDA - 1829
LDA - 1737

RWY 22

TORA - 1767
TODA - 1908
ASDA - 1767
LDA - 1767

RWY 22 is the preferred landing runway.
RWY 04 is the preferred departure runway.

Regards,

Shuttlebus

Edited for Brain Fade...

On the 737 reverse thrust doesn't make you stop any quicker......it just takes the pressure off the brakes and gives you the same programmed decel rate set on the autobrake.

Is the 'bus any different?

EGAC is slippery when wet. Dont be tempted to accept a tailwind just to avoid the 04 loc. only approach. "wet with water patches " can be VERY wet there.

FlapsOne,

The A320 is no different, Autobrake LO or MED are calculated deceleration rates and will apply adequate braking to slow the aircraft at a given rate. So yes r/t will simply reduce brake pressure slightly, but not stop you any quicker. Unless you brake manually of course....

BIK_116.80

Apologies to all :-) Extreme brain fade :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I did of course mean EGAC.....

(EGAA being the airport "up the road" from Belfast City)

Regards,

Shuttlebus

If you think that is short try LCY,
or for the more adventurous, DunstableDowns in a DC3 !:D

They both make you sit up and take notice. ;)