MAN power cuts 4/5/2001
 

As the FO of the only aircraft to get out of MAN during the power cuts this afternoon (and there goes any idea I had of a "secret" ID), I'd like to thank MAN ATC and everyone else who helped us get away.
The pax appreciated it- despite the delay, several stopped at the flight deck door on the way off to thank us.
See you next week!

MAN ACC did exceptionally well under the circumstances ..... well done.

Maybe a good idea to have a cash float available for the meter in future!! :)

Thank you for your kind words.

Ahhhhhh how we missed, briefly, the marvels of the modern age - light, power, radar http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/tongue.gif

I took a brief stroll through the terminal at the height of the cut it was like a scene from a dark and gloomy nightmare.

Yes, that's right.

The Deli was closed http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/frown.gif

Seriously though - glad to be of service ;)

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"Go around..I say again...go around"

So what happened? JCB cut through a cable?

Sounded like Servisair were having a fun time yesterday, they were in chaos when I spoke to them! Was EVERYTHING down? Forgive my ignorance, but I thought the airport had back up generators to cope with such difficulties if they arose?

What happened, well, as a passenger waiting for departure I sat in the terminal 2 as everything went down. It was more than entertaining in which rediculous and unproffesional manner some airport stuff tried to get people moving from the "dark" areas towards the end of the building. With totally inappropriate attitude combined with very abusive words they even used the terms of "Bomb alert" to get us out of the area while Air2000 continued boarding two aeroplanes as if nothing had happened.
After a short while ATC continued operation and we could observe aeroplanes taking off and landing again, incoming traffic was held at the gate with passengers to stay on board for up to 2 hrs. The Air2000 aeroplanes had been pushed off the stands to accomodate incoming traffic, the airport stuff advised that these Air2000 757 both would suffer from fuel leaks and the airport would remain closed. Only after some more than upset passengers challenged this rude stuff senior persons were called to the scene to calm down the situation and the airport stuff left in disgrace.
Poor performance Manchester Airport, the passenger announcement system was still operating, some information instead of the usual safety advises would have kept the people informed and calm.
If this would have been a real emergency I am wondering about the outcome.
Serviceair told the crew of one outgoing aeroplane that during work at a nearby railway station the main power line was cut, interesting to see that there is no back-up. During night this would lead to very serious problems, the whole lounge areas without any lighting, the terminal in less than required illumination.
Unprofessional and inappropriate for an "international" airport.

FL310

I agree to a certain extent with your comments. However, after the airport restored power it seems that Manchester ACC lost power and reverted to backup battery power. All aircraft in the MAN ACC coverage (i.e. EMA/MAN/LPL/LBA ... the list goes on) were grounded for this period. I have nothing but praise for the MAN ACC controllers as they were superb under what must have been extreme pressure. Thanks for your help guys!! :)

FL310,

If all that you say is true, then OK it was unacceptable, but I have to tell you that Airport and Servisair staff at Manchester are some of the best in the country at what they do, and are certainly superior thatn those at other UK airports. It must have been extreme pressure that they were under, and I think a job well done under the circumstances.

BPEC

The power cuts stretched lots of resources yesterday especially as all 3 terminals went off at the same time.

MAPLC staff were liaising with appropriate agencies to ensure that when power was restored they did not cause another failure by instantly overloading the system.

Servisair and the other agencies coped well for many hours afterwards restoring normality so 10 out of 10 to all concerned methinks.

Add to this a VS tech divert in the middle of it and anyone would think it was all a pre-summer team building exercise.

The various film crews which showed up (including the one filming Monarch/GHI) got loads of footage !

Our gear went over onto stand-by power, handsets and everything else almost straight away (I think there was actually a gap of about 10 seconds between the power being cut and lights on again, siganlled by a large and rather worrying "click").

The groan from the ops room must have been audible miles away when the lights flickered http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/tongue.gif

My break was extremely well timed :)

Thanks once again for your kind words - I shall make sure those "on watch" are fully aware of your appreciative comments.

Nice to know someone notices us when we do good ;)

On my break I walked throughout the terminals and along the walkway to T2 past the railway station - which had full power with no problems. Rather strange considering I heard the "JCB by the railway station" story too?

In the bits of the terminal I went through the staff seemed to be doing really well - the shops in T1 were closed especially quickly.

Ahhh for a window eh? ;)

I'm not aware of the AMM aircraft problems - "fuel leaks" you say? Hmmmmmm. I didn't hear anything of this when I returned to work. Any more details - just to satisfy my curiosity?

Apron Control - not ATC - are responsible for allocation and jiggery pokery with stands by the way.

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"Go around..I say again...go around"

[This message has been edited by niteflite01 (edited 05 May 2001).]

FL310, it may have looked from the terminal like "ATC continued operation and we could observe aeroplanes taking off and landing again,", but in fact, although aircraft were continuing to land, the departures were all held. Only 1 aircraft was allowed to cross 24R (the landing runway), to position for 24L (the departure runway), and even it was held for the better part of an hour before it was allowed off.
I know coz' I was driving it! 5 more minutes and we'd have had to go back for more fuel, and that would have stuffed us because we were almost out of hours...
Thanx again ATC. :) :)

Yeah Homesick, we noticed you there. We had just come in on a BRAL 145, on one of the last to be allowed to land. It's quite interesting when talking to 126.65 to be told that comms might be lost in a minute due to a power failure and issued with a clearance back to Mirsi if necessary! I think the controllers did a sterling job, but it didn't stop us getting a 21.00local slot to Berlin that night!!

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I want to die with the respect and dignity of my father, not screaming like his passengers !

Good 'stuff' FL310?

Well from what i heard the terminal 2 power station packed up, but why that should cut out power for all 3 terminals i don't know. The power was only out for about an hour but it took until 1.00am before all computers came back online, typical manchester mess and they say their a international airport the best in the world.. what a joke.....

<< typical manchester mess >>

Oh, please do elaborate.

Reading FL310's post I get the feeling that this is another case of not being fully honest with the pax. Why oh why airport ground staff (some of them not all) have to be economical with the facts of what is going on is beyond me. (I've seen it many times)Be honest, tell 'em whats going on and keep 'em informed. You get more understanding and paitence in return!

I was walking through T1 check-in that evening on my way to T3 at 1900hrs to catch the last glasgow,I could not believe what I saw!
ADI security placing piles of hold baggage down the out-of-gauge belt. Non of these bags had been screened !! The guy from ADI said that they had approval from the DETR to do this. DID ANYBODY ASK THE PASSENGERS IF THEY WERE WILLING TO BOARD AN AIRCRAFT WITH UNSCREENED BAGGAGE IN THE HOLD ? NO ! What a farce. Whats the point of security if they can change the rules when it suits !

Was in Terminal 2 when it all went wrong, everyone was under the impression that a storm caused the short out. However, whilst I am sure that under lots of pressure, lots of right things happened, the PA system did continue to work... 'cept all it gave was brief apology and standard security info.

Literally keeping us all in the dark, and what is that big generator thing that sits on a trailer at the service yard entrance for?

As I understand it airbuddie, it's only international baggage that legally has to be screened. Only UK airports routinely screen domestic bags.
(Of course, that is the situation as of my security course 2 years ago, if it's changed since then apologies...)

thanks for that capt homesick

The bags that were not being screened were international bound bags.
The current situation in the uk is that all hold baggage on every flight has to be screened. this is laid down by the DETR