Delta Incident at Savannah, GA

[safetypee]

let the "Heavy Thunderstorm / Rain" move elsewhere

Whilst avoiding a CB and rain is a good plan for the airborne phase of an approach and landing, the on-ground aspects must also be considered.

It may take 15 min for the runway to drain after heavy rain to achieve a reasonable condition for landing.

If 10/28 was used, note that it is concrete, which is not always the best surface, even though it is grooved; runway 01/19 is not grooved. Savannah-KSAV

Even if a runway is grooved it has to be clean to be effective. Google Earth shows a lot of rubber deposits on the main runway, especially on the 10 touchdown zone – the last chance 28 rollout braking area – which is also down hill.

[protectthehornet]

Silent Pressures

One of the saddest things I ever heard from a chief pilot: WE can't make a rule to avoid thunderstorms near an airport by 5 miles because it would impact schedule too much.

Now, think about that.

Whether it is in a book or not...there is a silent pressure to make schedule. That dumb ranking of airline on time performance is more of a detriment to safety than one might imagine. There isn't a column for weather delays, or mechanical delays...just delays.

why did southwest have such good on time performance? good weather areas...but their venture to the east will show them.

[Teddy Robinson]

That is of course a good point to consider. What I was looking at was the visibility jumping from around 2000m in heavy rain/ TS around the time of the approach to 16km / light rain by 12.43 .. personally I would prefer the latter ...

[Doors to Automatic]

Presumably waiting for the storm to clear and landing in a calmer less windy phase also means carrying less speed on the approach?

[Teddy Robinson]

Gust factor ...

From the Metars ... max adjustment to Vref I can see is 5kts .. so not really significant



12:12 PM 22.0 °C 20.0 °C 88% 1009.4 hPa 2.8 kilometers WSW 11.1 km/h / 3.1 m/s - 0.1 cm Rain , Thunderstorm Heavy Thunderstorms and Rain
SPECI KSAV 271612Z 25006KT 1 3/4SM R01/4500VP6000FT +TSRA BR FEW003 SCT012CB BKN030 OVC130 22/20 A2981 RMK AO2 TSE02B12RAB07 FRQ LTGIC SW-W TS SW-W MOV NE P0002
12:18 PM 22.0 °C 20.0 °C 88% 1009.7 hPa 1.6 kilometers WSW 24.1 km/h / 6.7 m/s 31.5 km/h / 8.7 m/s 0.2 cm Rain , Thunderstorm Heavy Thunderstorms and Rain
SPECI KSAV 271618Z 25013G17KT 1SM R01/3000V6000FT +TSRA BR FEW003 SCT012CB BKN018 OVC130 22/20 A2982 RMK AO2 TSE02B12RAB07 FRQ LTGIC OHD TS OHD MOV NE P0009 $
12:21 PM 22.0 °C 20.0 °C 88% 1009.7 hPa 1.2 kilometers WSW 13.0 km/h / 3.6 m/s 31.5 km/h / 8.7 m/s 0.4 cm Rain , Thunderstorm Heavy Thunderstorms and Rain
SPECI KSAV 271621Z 25007G17KT 3/4SM R01/2600VP6000FT +TSRA BR FEW007 SCT012CB BKN020 OVC130 22/20 A2982 RMK AO2 TSE02B12RAB07 FRQ LTGIC OHD TS OHD MOV NE P0017 $
12:30 PM 22.0 °C 20.0 °C 88% 1008.7 hPa 2.4 kilometers WSW 14.8 km/h / 4.1 m/s - 0.7 cm Rain , Thunderstorm Heavy Thunderstorms and Rain
SPECI KSAV 271630Z 25008KT 1 1/2SM R01/4500VP6000FT +TSRA BR FEW007 SCT012CB OVC029 22/20 A2979 RMK AO2 VIS 3/4V4 TSE02B12RAB07 FRQ LTGIC N-NE TS N-NE MOV NE P0029 $
12:43 PM 23.0 °C 21.0 °C 88% 1008.4 hPa 16.1 kilometers South 11.1 km/h / 3.1 m/s - 0.9 cm Rain Light Rain
SPECI KSAV 271643Z 19006KT 10SM -RA FEW007 SCT027 BKN037 OVC130 23/21 A2978 RMK AO2 TSE02B12E42RAB07 PRESFR CB DSNT NE-E MOV NE P0034

[Admiral346]

Sorry guys, but what does this group mean:

TSE02B12RAB07

Haven't seen it before.

Thanks
Nic

[gcap]

TSE02B12RAB07
Thunderstorm ended 2 minutes after the top of the hour
began at 12 after
rain began at 07 after

[Admiral346]

Thanks a lot, gcap.

I used to fly to the US a lot, but I don't recall seeing one of those before...

Nic