V-Flyer

Posted: **07 Feb 2008, 19:22**

This seems to be have doing the rounds on the old email but felt that you guys would appreciate it. It was taken a couple of weeks back at Leeds Bradford and involves a Flybe Jungle jet. Must have been one hell of a white knuckle ride

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAljM7CaY10

Posted: **07 Feb 2008, 21:32**

ok, it's a good cross wind landing, probably close the limits as well.

However....

My favorite landing place is this one, having flown into there I can tell you, it is not fun if you are scared of flying.

Posted: **07 Feb 2008, 22:10**

Originally posted by Scrooge
ok, it's a good cross wind landing, probably close the limits as well.

However....

My favorite landing place is this one, having flown into there I can tell you, it is not fun if you are scared of flying.

O wow- I Want to go and do that. Sure VS75 would join me as well!

Posted: **07 Feb 2008, 22:12**

[:$] x[:$]

Posted: **07 Feb 2008, 22:33**

Mrs D and I have done this one

To quote

The locals claim that Saba's runway is the shortest commercial airport runway in the world. It is 400 meters (1300 feet) in total length. The span of runway between the white lines demarking the 'usable' runway length measures just under 1000 feet. There are not any overrun areas on either end of the paved runway where shear cliffs immediately drop off over 200 feet into the sea. Officially, the runway is permanently closed to all air traffic as is designated by the 'X' on each end. However, aircraft are permitted to operate on Saba by obtaining waivers from the Netherlands Antilles' Civil Aviation Authority.

Posted: **07 Feb 2008, 23:00**

There is this fantastic (and quite well known) video of a TAP A321 getting very out of shape in a crosswind, which resulted in the pilot going around at less than 50ft:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id4jeEfhBiE

...and a whole string of dodgy crosswind landings, including an Avro RJ go-around on what looks like the same manky day at Lisbon:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoYVOJLkTw0

Mike

Posted: **07 Feb 2008, 23:22**

Decker, it's worth the trip to SXM just to do that short hop.

The take off's are fun as well

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4CyL8vOEwk

Posted: **07 Feb 2008, 23:47**

For me what makes the LBA Flybe is the fact that the pilot lands it, the two TP 320's that manage to land are also impressive.

Personally the worse crosswind I have ever had was landing at Wellington Airport in NZ- its known across the world for being one of the toughest airports to land at- something to do with different air pressures and the cook strait.

Being a bit sad- a trip around the delightful little airports of the caribbean with approaches like SXM and the one Decker and SCrooge posted are on my list of things to do. the skill involved is amazing.

Posted: **08 Feb 2008, 00:07**

Originally posted by willd
Personally the worse crosswind I have ever had was landing at Wellington Airport in NZ- its known across the world for being one of the toughest airports to land at- something to do with different air pressures and the cook strait.

I can go and ask my retired ANZ pilot friend to tell us all about WLG if you like!

I was pretty lucky when I was in WLG, it wasn't too bad at all. The challenge is that the airport is tucked in between two pieces of high ground, and the whole area is surrounded by high terrain, except for the runway ends which are both over water.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/-/-/1066283/L/

You can also get changes of wind direction on short final, as the wind is funneled through the gap where the runway is.

As an example, here's the current weather report (METAR) for Wellington:
NZWN 072200Z 18008KT 60KM SKC 17/12 Q1012 NOSIG RMK KAUKAU 36011KT

Here wind down the runway is 180 degrees opposite from that on the top of Mount Kaukau which is the large mountain directly to the west of Wellington.

Therefore, as you're descending on final, you can expect significant change in windspeed, which affects your approach.

Regards,
Mike

Posted: **08 Feb 2008, 00:12**

Makes you wonder what loon decided to build a runway right where they did? Airport designed by committee perhaps?

Posted: **08 Feb 2008, 00:21**

Originally posted by Darren Wheeler
Makes you wonder what loon decided to build a runway right where they did? Airport designed by committee perhaps?

Nope. 'Needs must', I think.

It's just about the only place you can put any sort of sizeable airport around there (it's actually mostly landfill, I think).

Wellington being the capital of New Zealand, it would look a bit shoddy if they didn't have an airport.

Mike

Posted: **08 Feb 2008, 02:13**

it kind of reminds me of SLU link

Posted: **08 Feb 2008, 10:33**

Originally posted by Scrooge
ok, it's a good cross wind landing, probably close the limits as well.

However....

My favorite landing place is this one, having flown into there I can tell you, it is not fun if you are scared of flying.

[:0]

Posted: **08 Feb 2008, 12:26**

My particular favourite is this one.

FM

Posted: **08 Feb 2008, 12:33**

Originally posted by FamilyMan
My particular favourite is this one.

FM

[:0]OMG - that is scary. Surely it can't be safe to have people on the beach that close?

Posted: **08 Feb 2008, 12:40**

Nice cooling breeze I suppose?

Posted: **08 Feb 2008, 16:32**

Yep, sitting under the landing path of any heavy is fun, SXM is great..there is an airport in the med that is pretty similar..the name escapes me right now

Posted: **08 Feb 2008, 17:04**

Yeh SXM is fantastic. There is a 744 pilot at KLM that is currently posting approaches of landings/take off he makes at airports around the world. HE includes a pretty full description of what is required for each landing also.

Here are his videos of both a SXM landing and take off. The take off is clearly weight restricted as the flight only has enough fuel to go onto Curarco

Landing at SXM

Take off from SXM.

Not sure where you mean Scrooge bit GIB is pretty spectaculor.

O and as a side there is a video also on You Tube from the flight deck of what I persume is a VS 744 landing at LGW.

Of course back in the day Kai Tak was the best airport in the world for HEavy landings.

Posted: **08 Feb 2008, 19:42**

Defintely want to try SXM and would have liked to land at Kai Tak. Lugano is another 'white-knuckle' landing for some I think.

45.

Edit - just looked at Lugano on youtube and it doesn't look that bad; maybe it's just a particular approach that's a bit tricky. I read an article once (and this is where I run to fetch my anorak) where the author was jump-seating into the airport and described it fairly dramatically.

Posted: **08 Feb 2008, 20:21**

Try sitting under a fully loaded C5 Galaxy on finals into Greenham Common!!! Especially when you found out the next day it was carrying nuclear warheads [:0][:0]

Got a nice wave from the flightdeck crew though.

Posted: **10 Feb 2008, 18:08**

I've got some video footage from the flightdeck of a VS 744 going into JFK on the 'Canarsie approach'. That was pretty good to watch - I must stick it (along with a few other bits) on You-tube sometime.

John

Posted: **10 Feb 2008, 18:12**

Originally posted by JAT74L
I've got some video footage from the flightdeck of a VS 744 going into JFK on the 'Canarsie approach'. That was pretty good to watch - I must stick it (along with a few other bits) on You-tube sometime.

John

As it happens, I have just been re-visiting some of your fantastic interior shots of VS cabins[oo][oo]

With that great quality, I cannot wait to see your video footage[y][y]

thanks

buns

V-Flyer

Spectacular Landing

Spectacular Landing