AA 767 diverts to Stornoway!
Guest
Posts: n/a
Boing,
Very good idea. Last month while painfully listening to Air Canada behind us divert to Iqaluit (The capital of Nunavut) because of a sick passenger, I resolved to find out more about places like Iqaluit, Sykyvytar, Urumqi and Kangerlussuaq. To my pleasant surprise, the last mentioned airport has an excellent website http://www.greenland-guide.gl/kanger...rt/default.htm
Haven't found out a thing about Khabarovsk, though.
Very good idea. Last month while painfully listening to Air Canada behind us divert to Iqaluit (The capital of Nunavut) because of a sick passenger, I resolved to find out more about places like Iqaluit, Sykyvytar, Urumqi and Kangerlussuaq. To my pleasant surprise, the last mentioned airport has an excellent website http://www.greenland-guide.gl/kanger...rt/default.htm
Haven't found out a thing about Khabarovsk, though.
Guest
Posts: n/a
I had to make a similar choice last week en route LGW to Caribbean. Cab manager had advised that we had a sick passenger (terminally ill with cancer) whose condition was worsening. We were an hour past the Azores. A doctor on board recommended expeditious landing so we turned back. We asked Sta Maria which Azores airfield was better as far as medical facilities were concerned and they suggested Lajes was preferable to Sta Maria, so that's where we went.
Guest
Posts: n/a
I heard they left a trail of rubber from all the wheels on landing, and that once the problem was sorted they then had an additional problem of not being able to turn round, with no tug available and then used reverse thrust to the intersection, turned around, taxied back to the end and then did a 20 point turn using reversers again!!!!!!! Anybody got any clarification of this?
Guest
Posts: n/a
Brabazon regarding the hoist used in Stornoway I was one of the twin otter pilots based up in the fab Western Isles when the pan am airbus came in and the hoist we used then was a normal fork lift truck with a box attached to it for washing high up windows and it was probably the same they used for the 767.
p.s for the folks out there that think that the western Isles has very limited emergency equipment you really don,t know what your talking about. oh and they also have electricity !!!!
p.s for the folks out there that think that the western Isles has very limited emergency equipment you really don,t know what your talking about. oh and they also have electricity !!!!
Guest
Posts: n/a
Let us put something straight for the overly sensative northern contingent on this site. Nobody is knocking the islands of Scotland or anybody else in thse posts.
The fact is, though, that if you are flying an aeroplane over a place that LOOKS as though there is b----r all down there you are not going to associate that place with sophisticated medical facilities or handling capabilities for a large aircraft. With local knowledge, pilots may know that there is a superb hospital with a five star hotel next door complete with tall blond scandinavian masseurs (hopefully female) but you cannot tell that from seven miles up.
This reinforces the point I am trying to make. If airlines want us to fly in situations which will require us to land at an airfield we do not normally use in an emergency situation then we should be provided with information to allow a sensible decision. By the way, I checked my company manual it says Stornaway has handling facilities for both 767 and 777 aircraft! I suppose the pax. handling facilities for the 777 are a ladder mounted on top of the fork-lift!
Calm down jocks. I bet you would be more upset if, because of the wonderful facilities in the islands you boast about, I started shipping in thousands of sightseers every week!
1. The happiest man in the World is a scotsman with a grievence.
2. Captain, my engines will take no more of this.
The fact is, though, that if you are flying an aeroplane over a place that LOOKS as though there is b----r all down there you are not going to associate that place with sophisticated medical facilities or handling capabilities for a large aircraft. With local knowledge, pilots may know that there is a superb hospital with a five star hotel next door complete with tall blond scandinavian masseurs (hopefully female) but you cannot tell that from seven miles up.
This reinforces the point I am trying to make. If airlines want us to fly in situations which will require us to land at an airfield we do not normally use in an emergency situation then we should be provided with information to allow a sensible decision. By the way, I checked my company manual it says Stornaway has handling facilities for both 767 and 777 aircraft! I suppose the pax. handling facilities for the 777 are a ladder mounted on top of the fork-lift!
Calm down jocks. I bet you would be more upset if, because of the wonderful facilities in the islands you boast about, I started shipping in thousands of sightseers every week!
1. The happiest man in the World is a scotsman with a grievence.
2. Captain, my engines will take no more of this.
Guest
Posts: n/a
Doesn't the 767/777 have it's own extendable stairs under the front door like the 737?
Never flown one so no idea.
Boing-
I wouldn't have thought looking at the ground from 7 miles up was a very professional way to assess diversion capabilities in the first place, never mind if you can see bu***r all but sheep.
For all you know there could be a fully-equipped USAF base down there that you missed while trying to spot hospitals from FL370.
Talking to a knowledgable and helpful controller, even if he is sitting 150 miles away in Prestwick, would surely be your first priority.
------------------
You start off with an empty bag of experience and a full bag of luck. The trick is to fill the bag of experience before you empty the bag of luck.
Never flown one so no idea.
Boing-
I wouldn't have thought looking at the ground from 7 miles up was a very professional way to assess diversion capabilities in the first place, never mind if you can see bu***r all but sheep.
For all you know there could be a fully-equipped USAF base down there that you missed while trying to spot hospitals from FL370.
Talking to a knowledgable and helpful controller, even if he is sitting 150 miles away in Prestwick, would surely be your first priority.
------------------
You start off with an empty bag of experience and a full bag of luck. The trick is to fill the bag of experience before you empty the bag of luck.
Guest
Posts: n/a
I used to work for Loganair and did many Air Ambulance flights.
It may interest some of you to know that the 'Highlands and Islands' have, by far and away, the best underused medical facilities on offer. Sadly the pax did not make it, but, given the alternatives, the crew definately gave it their best shot.
And, bye the way, this has absolutely stuff all to do with ETOPS/EROPS.
It may interest some of you to know that the 'Highlands and Islands' have, by far and away, the best underused medical facilities on offer. Sadly the pax did not make it, but, given the alternatives, the crew definately gave it their best shot.
And, bye the way, this has absolutely stuff all to do with ETOPS/EROPS.
Guest
Posts: n/a
Someone else already brought the idea of asking ATC about which airports have medical help.
Does European ATC give this advice to enroute planes, knowing that that there is a medical emergency, and does a pilot have to specifically ask for the information? Can Air Traffic Control contact a given hospital, and does ATC have accurate info on how many sick/injured people could be treated?
What info does our US ATC have on whether a hospital is near a certain diversion airport, for example, Muddy Mountain, Wyoming, or Big Deer, West Virginia? By the way, I just read that our company suggests that any 747s to Asia avoid diverting to some Siberian airports under certain conditions. Luckily they don't operate two-engine trans-oceanic flights, at least not yet.
[This message has been edited by Ignition Override (edited 02 May 2001).]
Does European ATC give this advice to enroute planes, knowing that that there is a medical emergency, and does a pilot have to specifically ask for the information? Can Air Traffic Control contact a given hospital, and does ATC have accurate info on how many sick/injured people could be treated?
What info does our US ATC have on whether a hospital is near a certain diversion airport, for example, Muddy Mountain, Wyoming, or Big Deer, West Virginia? By the way, I just read that our company suggests that any 747s to Asia avoid diverting to some Siberian airports under certain conditions. Luckily they don't operate two-engine trans-oceanic flights, at least not yet.
[This message has been edited by Ignition Override (edited 02 May 2001).]
Guest
Posts: n/a
ATC (in Scotland) will have a direct line to the local police control centre, who will in turn be in touch with the local hospitals/paramedical services.
In most cases, a request for the level of medical facility available at a given airport could be answered within a few minutes (provided everyone is on the ball - of course - but I can't see any reason why they shouldn't be!).
Do not hesitate to ask ATC for this type of information in an emergency; it's why we're here.
In most cases, a request for the level of medical facility available at a given airport could be answered within a few minutes (provided everyone is on the ball - of course - but I can't see any reason why they shouldn't be!).
Do not hesitate to ask ATC for this type of information in an emergency; it's why we're here.
Guest
Posts: n/a
That's good. Here in the US, in a (always busy when unexpected problems occur: one pilot flies solo and communicates while the other sorts out what info/checklist is needed) two-person cockpit, we would be very busy talking to ATC about the nearest runways with enough concrete to stop on, and might be committed to a given airport by the time we get enough info from the flight attendants to know if there is a nurse, or doctor etc on board (a typically under-paid paramedic might be best!), in order to provide a more accurate diagnosis.
We can also use the plane's "flite phones" to directly contact the famous Mayo Clinic.
We can also use the plane's "flite phones" to directly contact the famous Mayo Clinic.
