flying dog Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 Stareing death in the face. I'm listening to the radio and one of these "famous" news people are on. :csm: He's talking about when he and his crew were flying in a plane to Torres Straight islands. They were flying into the airport and had to be there before dawn. It was a night flight. He went on saying they were getting close and were starting to land but there was a problem with getting the airport to turn on the lights. Cutting to the chase, he was saying the plane wasn't capable of landing without the lights of the runway and they were pretty well thinking they were going to die. They were getting low on fuel, and all this stuff. "I said to the producer it's not worth waking the camera/audio guy. Let them die in their sleep." Errrr...... So the plane was flying below minimus - right? It didn't have enough equipment to land unless the runway lights were on. Would this be a legal flight? Military or otherwise?
Guest davidh10 Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 Fails, just on basics...not enough fuel to divert.
flying dog Posted February 3, 2011 Author Posted February 3, 2011 Well that is what "worries" me. This is a MILITARY flight. There was an Air Crash Investigation where a similar things happened. Ok, "it happenes", but this dork telling people in the real world about this? Maybe they shouldn't be doing it, but I think this is stepping over the line of what they should be talking about and what they shouldn't.
fly_tornado Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 does it sound like the AJs where winding up the journos?
flying dog Posted February 3, 2011 Author Posted February 3, 2011 The AJ's? The reporter has a big enough mouth that he makes mountains of mole hills quite well enough with no assistance required at all.
fly_tornado Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 You don't use the term AJ to identify ADF members? Its short for Army Jerk They told him that the plane was low on fuel and they couldn't land unless the strip was lit up? sounds like a typical AJ.
facthunter Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 Generally you can't land without RWY lights. In an EMERGENCY you could maybe get away with car headlights at the threshold facing along the runway. Your landing lights wouldn't be much help above 300'. You should carry alternate fuel depending on the reliability of the lights ( Power source ) I had the tower at Tullamarine "accidently" turn off the approach and runway lights when I was on final, and there was nothing but a big black hole. There is NO question of continuing the approach. You go-around.... Nev
flying dog Posted February 4, 2011 Author Posted February 4, 2011 The "reporter" was being interviewed on the radio about "looking death in the face"...... A bit of hype anyway. But he was recalling this occurence. Talking them through it. Just the detail given - to me - was a bit tooooo much. Though it was supposed to be about "close calls" and all that, I just can't believe it as he said. I can't belive the army/air force would allow such a flight with those limits. If it had to be done, they would have given them the plane with the needed systems.
Guest basscheffers Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 If it had to be done, they would have given them the plane with the needed systems. I very much doubt the aircraft didn't have the systems. Unless the runway has ILS, it's an emergency and you just decide to drive it onto the runway blind, you're going to need lights, which are on the ground, not the aircraft. On another note, the lack of precision approaches (ILS or GPS/WAAS) at many Australian runways is a safety issue that nobody talks about.
PapaFox Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 A bit hard to comment without knowing more details, but I've watched many Hercs doing night circuits here relying on their NVGs with all runway and aircraft lighting off. Though I don't know if any other AF pilots need this capability.
flying dog Posted February 4, 2011 Author Posted February 4, 2011 I shall try to get the "podcast" and include it here - if possible. That may remove the ambiguity.
dazza 38 Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 Hi FD, what ADF plane were they in did the guy mention it ?
flying dog Posted February 4, 2011 Author Posted February 4, 2011 Can't remember, It was on the radio and I just happened to overhear it. As I said, I will try to get the podcast.
Gnarly Gnu Posted February 5, 2011 Posted February 5, 2011 It was a reporter right? may or may not have even been in the Torres Straight. Could have been a civilian or military aircraft. Day, night, twilight or dusk take your pick. These people in the media tell so much tripe it is utterly impossible to believe even the basics of any story they put out.
727engineer Posted February 5, 2011 Posted February 5, 2011 Which Island? Who was it, someone in our company will know what EXACTLY happened, we have a base on Horn Island and one on Badu Island.
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