Ok, so mistakes happen. A Boeing 737 makes a mistake and lands at the wrong airport at night. But now the challenge is getting it back in the air to the right airport and return to service: Source: A Southwest Airlines Pilot Lands At The Wrong Airport In Missouri - KMBZ So if you put 30 minutes of fuel in the plane; off load every other optional pound (perhaps the seats?), get the best trained and disciplined, minimum flight crew, and; wait for the strongest, coldest wind down the runway . . . it might work. But I'd really like to see some JATO units added. Not because they are needed but who wouldn't want to see a 737 taking off with JATO flames behind? Bob Wilson
There's an airport down near Rio that's alleged to be the smallest "real" strip that can handle a dash 500/700. IIRC, it's about 4300'. Since they have to deal with the niceties of MTOW and the vagaries of wind? I'm thinking that if you just stuff three beans and a little fuel into the one down in MO, you can get the bird back to the right strip. Granted...it wouldn't be as much fun as watching a JATO, but hey...they've already made CNN once too often. Of course, you could install a catapult system instead of the JATO boosters, and call it a green transportation project! There was a TACA flight that put down on a levee near New Orleans in the 80's after ingesting too many hailstones, which was a shame because it was a BRAND NEW 737. It still had the "new plane" smell. Even though 737-300s aren't considered to be rough strip capable, they just grabbed a crew with big bulging buckets of bright brass ones, and told them to go aviate. A "good" landing is one which you can walk away from... A "great" landing is one which you can use the aircraft again.
Good point! Perhaps the JATO units could be fitted to the landing gear. Just keep the gear down for the shuttle flight to the adjacent airport . . . Just make sure they all fire at the same time. Asymmetrical JATO thrust would be ugly. Also the timing would be critical. For maximum good and minimum runway erosion, you want the plane moving. Of course, they could try a zero-zero launch: But given an empty weight of 70,000 lbs, where do you get JATO units with that sort of thrust? Practical, not really. But it would be fun to watch. Bob Wilson
What's with all the fixed wing ATP pilots landing at the wrong fields lately? Is there a shortage of spectacles somewhere.... Us Rotorcraft guys would never do something like that
AC took off.sans passengers, luggage. Original pilots grounded pending with investigation results. DBCassidy
The short runway problem reminds me of the famous Aer Lingus joke. Racism and Irish swearing alert. Aer Lingus Flight 101 was flying from Heathrow to Dublin one night, with Paddy the Pilot, and Shamus the co-pilot. As they approached Dublin airport, they looked out the front window. "B'jeesus," said Paddy "Will ye look at how fookin short dat runway is.""You're not fookin kiddin, Paddy" replied Shamus."Dis is gonna be one a' de trickiest landings you're ever gonna see," said Paddy."You're not fookin kiddin, Paddy." replied Shamus."Right Shamus. When I give de signal, you put de engines in reverse" said Paddy."Right, I'll be doing dat" replied Shamus."And den ye put de flaps down straight away" said Paddy."Right, I'll be doing dat" replied Shamus."And den ye stamp on dem brakes as hard as ye can" said Paddy."Right, I'll be doing dat" replied Shamus."And den ye pray to de Mother Mary with all a' your soul" said Paddy."I be doing dat already" replied Shamus. So they approached the runway with Paddy and Shamus full of nerves and sweaty palms. As soon as the wheels hit the ground, Shamus put the engines in reverse, put the flaps down, stamped on the brakes and prayed to Mother Mary with all of his soul. Amidst roaring engines, squealing of tyres and lots of smoke, the plane screeched to a halt centimetres from the end of the runway, much to the relief of Paddy and Shamus and everyone on board.As they sat in the cockpit regaining their composure, Paddy looked out the front window and said to Shamus "Dat has gotta be de shortest fookin runway I have EVER seen in me whole life".Shamus looked out the side window and replied "Yeah Paddy, but look how fookin wide it is".
The U-tube: I've always wanted to see what a 737 could do if it really had to 'git it on!' Bob Wilson ps. Still would have been more fun with JATO units.
Don't let my Irish boss see that! But on the subject of Ireland, do you guys get Mrs Browns Boys? (Warning - language is colourful and it's taped live - enjoy)
Being one of the few Irish here, I take terrible offence to that joke! lol In fairness to Aer Lingus, I've never experienced an issue with them and I fly with them a few times a year. I really don't like Mrs Browns boys, never did , never will. I don;t find Brendan O Carroll funny at all, but for some reason, people think that he's hilarious!
I wasn't a fan at first but it grew on me. I know it's cheap laughs, but there's nowt else on the telly.
Couldn't really see how much runway that had left after rotation (you're committed at that point)...? Same with rear tires off the asphalt? Would have liked to been able to listen in on the cockpit conversations...
^ I'd also like to know what the winds were, how much fuel they loaded, how many pax and crew were aboard, etc. It would be interesting to see how short a strip you could fling a 737 into the air from. Bob's right. JATO would have made it a helluva lot more interesting to watch, and you might have sold enough tickets to pay for them.
I think I can get away with it because I've got an Irish surname. Yes, I don't get Mrs Brown's Boys either. They show it here. And before they did, my Dad was telling me how great it was and how I must watch it when it got to Australia. But I just don't find it funny. I'm all for old-fashioned comedy, and for swearing, but somehow it just doesn't work for me.
Southwest risked the hull on a 'performance' takeoff and won the bet. The 'landing pilots' are a bit more than grounded now, according to my understanding. Where are you? is often an important question en route. It is always an important question on short final. The landing pilots passed on their opportunity to ask it. That turns out to have been a career decision. I am not interested in hearing their shuck and jive. I would be interested to hear about procedures followed by the takeoff pilots. They know '37 engine and wing. Dang, that wing, I bet most PC readers have no idea. The hardware is superb. The maint (by most airlines) is darn good. The pilots, generally, are also darn good. Rarely do a few of them make a mess. Some PC readers may have no idea how well the system is managed.
It wasn't much of a gamble. 737's have been around for a while, and they're 50 to 80 mil (USD) a copy. I'm sure the folks in the front office (both of them) didn't break a sweat BECAUSE the hardware and software are good and both are effectively managed.
If it has been seen as a gamble I suppose they would have found a suitable 'tow-path' back to the big airport. Less thrilling video.
