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767 300 diverts to Shemya-Alaska for Engine Issue
Delta flight from Beijing to Seattle lands on Alaskan island due to ‘potential engine issue’Originally published December 24, 2018 at 11:22 am Updated December 24, 2018 at 1:02 pm https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle...media-reports/ The carrier sent another aircraft to pick up the 194 passengers. The flight back to Seattle is scheduled to land at about 9 p.m. By A commercial passenger flight by Delta Airlines flying from Beijing to Seattle landed on a remote Alaskan island out of caution after notification of a potential engine issue, according to the airline.The carrier sent another aircraft to pick up the 194 passengers, Delta spokeswoman Savannah Huddleston said in an emailed statement.The diverted plane, flight DL 128, is a Boeing 767-300ER. The plane on the way to pick up the passengers is flight DL 9950 and is scheduled to land at about 1:15 p.m. Seattle time, according to data from FlightAware, a flight-tracking website.Asia FieldsSeattle Times staff reporter |
Hope they kept the blinds down! Used to be some secret/sexy Boeings there. Maybe still are? Be lucky David |
That's really a lovely place.
Eareckson Air Station on Shemya Island: https://goo.gl/maps/FkMq21BZHFm Alaskan Island does not do it justice. More like the middle of absolutely nowhere. |
Wikipedia article on the air station:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eareckson_Air_Station |
Isn't that where the spooks went up in 135's to capture "images" of sov re-entry vehicles?
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Hope the weather was good . Every time I went past , the wind was usually blowing 30 knots plus , low vis and cloud base 200 feet or thereabouts .
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I keep thinking of a couple hundred people - boarding in Beijing from a heated loading bridge (with OAT around freezing), planning to exit via a heated loading bridge in Seattle (with an OAT around freezing), suddenly finding they have to exit the airplane on an outdoor stairway with an OAT around -40.:eek:
Brrrrrr |
Originally Posted by tdracer
(Post 10344427)
I keep thinking of a couple hundred people - boarding in Beijing from a heated loading bridge (with OAT around freezing), planning to exit via a heated loading bridge in Seattle (with an OAT around freezing), suddenly finding they have to exit the airplane on an outdoor stairway with an OAT around -40.:eek:
Brrrrrr |
The average December temperatures in Shemya are 2 degrees high and -2 degrees low. The record December low was -14, all temps Celsius. Its still a good distance from mainland Siberia so the temps are moderated by the surrounding seawater. Sitting here at -14 it might be a welcome reprieve.
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Originally Posted by weemonkey
(Post 10344343)
Isn't that where the spooks went up in 135's to capture "images" of sov re-entry vehicles?
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A Cathay Pacific 777 also diverted to Eareckson about three years ago after smoke appeared in the cockpit. I suppose there's not much that can be done with a plane that has 200-300 pax on board at a place like that other than keep them there until a relief craft arrives. But I guess at times like that it's good that the place is there.
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Originally Posted by Carbon Bootprint
(Post 10344537)
A Cathay Pacific 777 also diverted to Eareckson about three years ago after smoke appeared in the cockpit. I suppose there's not much that can be done with a plane that has 200-300 pax on board at a place like that other than keep them there until a relief craft arrives. But I guess at times like that it's good that the place is there.
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I guess the pax are given a hotel for the night until the rescue aircraft arrives? |
Originally Posted by aterpster
(Post 10344749)
Under the ETOP rules isn't a planned diversion airport supposed to have facilities in place to reasonably accommodate the passengers and crew?
Actually, no. For an etops enroute airport to be “adequate” you do not even need fuel at the airfield.(theoretically) It is one of the trick questions presented to us during command training. |
Originally Posted by fox niner
(Post 10344773)
Actually, no. For an etops enroute airport to be “adequate” you do not even need fuel at the airfield.(theoretically) It is one of the trick questions presented to us during command training. I suppose you know the history of Shemya, as it relates to the beginning of airline service to the "Orient" - by what was then called Northwest Orient Airlines. They leased the entire island for use as a maintenance, staging and refueling point, and using it as an ETOPS alternate is quite common in today's trans-Pacific operations. Reading the article, it sounds as though Delta *may* have left those poor people on the airplane for 12 hours. Whether or not they did, the airline is *supposed* to have all logistics arranged in advance for just such a diversion - including de-planing, food, lodging, etc. I flew several trips with a guy who had once had to divert to Cold Bay, population ~80 - at least at the time of year of their diversion. They all stayed on the island ~24 hours, with the passengers "accommodated" (cough!) in a gymnasium or similar. I once flew over the Aleutians on a quite rare clear, moonlit night, and those mountain peaks stick up awfully close to the various diversion airports. Sure glad it wasn't me! |
Air regulations (ETOPS etal.) typically provide for air-safety while aboard an airplane. They can't foresee living accommodations on the ground or the presence of unwelcoming citizenry
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Originally Posted by lomapaseo
(Post 10344824)
Air regulations (ETOPS etal.) typically provide for air-safety while aboard an airplane. They can't foresee living accommodations on the ground or the presence of unwelcoming citizenry
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Originally Posted by aterpster
(Post 10344858)
That's basically the same claim the Secret Service makes when insisting on a 4-engine airplane for Air Force One for international flights.
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Shemya differs from most Aleutian Islands in that it is not mountainous. Its a plateau about 30 meters above sea level. Temperatures moderated by the ocean but it is in the Aleutians so I assume ice fog quite often this time of year. No 5 star hotels but could be worse alternate sites. Leaving the poor people on the plane for 12 hours - what is the longest passenger flight today? I believe it is around 18 hours. I've been forced to leave planes delayed the weather and wished I was still in my seat watching movies rather than lying on a concrete floor. I know a lot of others on those flights didn't feel the same way but its all in the attitude you take.
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Originally Posted by Airbubba
(Post 10344862)
And since one of the VC-25A's is still in the shop, C-32A (B-752) 09-0015 is being used as a backup for today's 'stealth' AF1 mission (Reach 358 ;)) to the Middle East.
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