Dhl 727 Gets Attacked Trying To Land In Kandahar

[kbo415]

A DHL 727 crew was forced to do a go around when they received reports from the tower at Kandahar the field, runway and surrounding aircraft was falling under attack by either morters or small to medium arms fire. The crew obviously refused to continue for another approach and continued on to Karachi. The cargo must fly at all costs

[bostonpilgrim]

Or was it that the airfield was already closed and they were holding away from the airport and then diverted to KHI??. Only to return later the same day??.
But i guess that rumour wouldnt get them a bargaining chip for any more $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

All we seem to hear is DHL 727 gets targetted here there and everywhere, or pilots refuse to fly here there and everywhere.
Yet the crews still seem to be flying to these places, why??.
is it the $$$$$$$$$$$$
or can they not get jobs antwhere else

[time4parties]

'Plane flies into a WAR ZONE and gets shot at!!!!!!!!'

[BYALPHAINDIA]

Who in their 'right' mind would even attempt to fly into Kandahar??

DHL can't be that bothered, If they are sending in a Knackered old 727 in!!

Why do the flight crews even sign the flight manifest in the first place??

[TheInquisitor]

We do. Every day. And oddly enough, I'm still alive.

This is a non-event.

[Beer_n_Tabs]

Why do the flight crews even sign the flight manifest in the first place??

Possibly for the same reason that several thousand armed forces members, civilian aid workers, security contractors, allsorts of NGO's etc go there....its their job

[golfyankeesierra]

DHL can't be that bothered, If they are sending in a Knackered old 727 in!!

If DHL isn't bothered, then probably the insurance company is....

Desert is full of 72's. Just buying another one is probably cheaper then the premium for flying in there.

BTW, was the plane attacked, or was the airport attacked (while the aircraft was arriving)?

[philbky]

This is a non-event.

Exactly and, by the OP's own statement:

when they received reports from the tower at Kandahar the field, runway and surrounding aircraft was falling under attack by either morters or small to medium arms fire.

it wasn't the 727 that was under fire - no doubt the crew might just have realised!

Another sensationalist thread header.

[moosp]

Agreed. People who start and try to keep these threads going with their "Shock horror bullets fired" headlines have no concept of flying under fire or into areas of known combat.

Stansted-Malaga must get pretty heavy for these guys even on a good day.

Live with it. The professional pilots out there that do fly these unusual routes make a risk assessment on the day and they either go or no-go. Perhaps these softer people who think that a bullet five yards outside the flightdeck is a problem for their managers to solve haven't quite grasped the reality of threat assessment.

[L-38]

Another sensationalist thread header.

This thread header has merit . . it merely shows that there is still insurgent activity at a field where other carriers besides DHL are just now starting to operate into. Consider this headline notam as simply mild info.

[leftseatview]

Indain(now Air India) has a scheduled pax service to Kabul.
One of their A300s got hiacked to Kandahar just before 9-11 when that place was a taliban stronghold.
The fight against medival mindset of the likes of taliban isnt going to be just won by the milatary with everyone else watching it on TV.
DHL and their crew are doing a great service and they need to keep up the good work just like those Flying Tiger folks did years ago.

[Golf Charlie Charlie]

Sorry if a bit off topic, but the Indian A300 was not actually flying to/from Afghanistan when it was hijacked. The Indians caved in after a week and released to the Taleban some serious terrorists in exchange for the aircraft's release.

[philbky]

This thread header has merit

It doesn't. It's inaccurate and sensationalist. If the headline had been "DHL 727 diverts due to attack on airfield", then the headline would have been accurate and fulfilled your criteria.

[kbo415]

DHL Phane gets attacked

According to the crew involved in the incident, it is true. Just as they were on short finals, the airport did fall under attack.. As far as they are concerned in the future the Turks and Egyptians can fly in there from now on with their A300's.

[bostonpilgrim]

As far as they are concerned in the future the Turks and Egyptians can fly in there from now on with their A300's

.

Is that why the little B727 has been sat on the ramp in KDH most days since then??.
Obviously had a major impact on the crews.

Pure sensationalism

[leftseatview]

Not sure about mortar rounds,but the A300 can survive a shoulder launched missile hit.Hopefully wont happen and the UK/US/Coalition military soon get situation in hand, especially with parcels from home flown in by brave DHL crews (presumably Egyptian/Turkish now!)

[cessna24]

A Bright yellow aircraft with noisy engines is defo the best aircraft for the job!!!! I spoke to the crew of one DHL B727 and they said that sometimes in the dark they leave there lights off till late in the approach before swiching them on to avoid detection. How true, most probably pulling my chain!!

[JW411]

In similar circumstances in my flying career we didn't use any lights at all. It's much safer that way!

[kbo415]

DHL gets attached

yeah, that's what we normally do.. going into Iraq or Afganistan, we leave our lights off. Don't really know if that matters but that's how we were trained..

[fernytickles]

I've watched a movie or two - don't the "baddies" use heat seaking missiles or night vision goggles - in which case lights on or off will do nowt?