Double bombthreat forces aircraft to land in Greenland
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: USA
Posts: 394
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
On a literary/ history note it is "Hostage to Fortune":
In Ernie Gann's autobiography he tells about hauling a load of electronics into Stromfjord (i believe) and the directions are to fly along until you get to the second or third fjord turn up the fjord and x miles up the airfield is on the left. When he asks about navaids Ernie is told they are very up to date, but they are in the back of the C-47 he is flying so they won't do him much good. And oh by the way, with his load there is no way to climb out of the fjord for a missed approach and please pick the right one, because the other fjords are all dead ends into glaciers and the navaids are very important and they don't want to lose the cargo.
Then there is the one about the Taj Mahal.....
edited for typos and to add Gann's biography title...really good book, but he told stories even better than writing them
In Ernie Gann's autobiography he tells about hauling a load of electronics into Stromfjord (i believe) and the directions are to fly along until you get to the second or third fjord turn up the fjord and x miles up the airfield is on the left. When he asks about navaids Ernie is told they are very up to date, but they are in the back of the C-47 he is flying so they won't do him much good. And oh by the way, with his load there is no way to climb out of the fjord for a missed approach and please pick the right one, because the other fjords are all dead ends into glaciers and the navaids are very important and they don't want to lose the cargo.
Then there is the one about the Taj Mahal.....
edited for typos and to add Gann's biography title...really good book, but he told stories even better than writing them
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Europe
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The development of this thread is amazing..
Just to add to it... Hjalmar Riiser-Larsen also wrote a great book about Greenland ferry ops during WW2. (Don't know wether it is availible in english). Hairy stuff!
Cheers.
Just to add to it... Hjalmar Riiser-Larsen also wrote a great book about Greenland ferry ops during WW2. (Don't know wether it is availible in english). Hairy stuff!
Cheers.
I think the Ernie Gann tale refers to Bluie West 1 (Narsassuaq?) which is a different place. Ref the change in this thread from the original theme, after expressing relief that it ended safely and admiration for an undoubtedly well done job by the crew, what else is left to say, beyond commenting on the geography?
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Vancouver Island
Posts: 2,517
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Now that we have everyone here , can anyone give me some info. on Fuel prices and availibility at Narsarsuak BGBW. Also where is the best place in Iceland for fuel.
I will be ferrying a PBY from England to the U.S.A. in June.
We burn 100LL.
I am having difficulty finding a contact in both places.
Thanks.
Cat Driver:
.......................
The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no.
I will be ferrying a PBY from England to the U.S.A. in June.
We burn 100LL.
I am having difficulty finding a contact in both places.
Thanks.
Cat Driver:
.......................
The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no.
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Arizona USA
Posts: 8,571
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Be careful at BGBW in June, Chuck, the weather can change in a heartbeat. And if you do the NDB letdown outside the fjord, be sure to turn LEFT at the sunken ship...turning right is a dead end.
Interesting place indeed, and well worth a visit.
Interesting place indeed, and well worth a visit.
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Narsarsuaq Airport web site:
http://iserit.greennet.gl/bgbw/
One strange thing (mistake?) is this line under Airport Information/Departures:
`Narsarsuaq is approved for landing only at nighttime, departure is prohibited after end of twilight.'
Don't know why they only want you to approach down the fjord at night! Must be a mistake.
http://iserit.greennet.gl/bgbw/
One strange thing (mistake?) is this line under Airport Information/Departures:
`Narsarsuaq is approved for landing only at nighttime, departure is prohibited after end of twilight.'
Don't know why they only want you to approach down the fjord at night! Must be a mistake.
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 330
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Mapleflot,
Daytime landings are certainly permissible at Narssarsuaq. I believe the English wording is faulty and what is meant is that, at night, landings are permitted but not takeoffs. I can't think why.
Daytime landings are certainly permissible at Narssarsuaq. I believe the English wording is faulty and what is meant is that, at night, landings are permitted but not takeoffs. I can't think why.
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Vancouver Island
Posts: 2,517
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Does anyone know the exchange rate for the Dkr to the USD?
100LL is listed as 12.50 Dkr per. litre
Need to know what that is in USD.
Thanks
Cat Driver:
...............
The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no.
100LL is listed as 12.50 Dkr per. litre
Need to know what that is in USD.
Thanks
Cat Driver:
...............
The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no.
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 606
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Gulf playing Golf
Posts: 1,141
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nothing wrong with Sønder Strømfjord guyes. You can take off in both directions. Done it several time on B767. Only landed from the fjord. Bit of a hill top runway, so you don't see the stop end in the flare. But thats history now since SAS doesn't fly there EITHER. The route was politically cut to give the local airline, which by the way it full of retired SAS pilots, all traffic rights.
I vote for greenland to be an independant country...let them pay their own bills..
Now lets get back to the subject on hand....what happened with the bomb threat.
I vote for greenland to be an independant country...let them pay their own bills..
Now lets get back to the subject on hand....what happened with the bomb threat.
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: London
Posts: 2,916
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
And it wasn't exactly easy to see in 1989.
All the helpful blurb at the time stressed the importance of looking out for the sunken ship to make sure you were flying up the correct fiord to find Narsarsuaq airfield. (These were pre GPS days!) I was expecting to see the bows pointing skywards out of the water, or perhaps a funnel or two.
Just when we thought we must have picked the wrong fiord, we saw a curious shadow in the water. By looking very carefully, and using some imagination, we could just about make out a boat-shaped outline below the surface of the water.
A wonderful experience nonetheless - our single engine took us safely all the way from Thruxton to Texas.
Happy memories!
All the helpful blurb at the time stressed the importance of looking out for the sunken ship to make sure you were flying up the correct fiord to find Narsarsuaq airfield. (These were pre GPS days!) I was expecting to see the bows pointing skywards out of the water, or perhaps a funnel or two.
Just when we thought we must have picked the wrong fiord, we saw a curious shadow in the water. By looking very carefully, and using some imagination, we could just about make out a boat-shaped outline below the surface of the water.
A wonderful experience nonetheless - our single engine took us safely all the way from Thruxton to Texas.
Happy memories!
Tsamaya sentle
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Germany
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Been there as a pax in summer 1980 on a Wardair 747 YVR-FRA when a lady fell down from the winding stairs - presumably had one drink too many in the bar upstairs and had to have medical treatment immediately. Those were the days - a couple of whiskys, sitting on the upper deck sofa watching the Sondre Strom Fjord cliffs to the left and the right, no seat belts, 2 minutes prior to touch down. Unbelievable today...