In message , JPG
writes

Anyone had any go-arounds? I thought we were up for one once approaching in a
strong and gusty south-westerly at Heathrow with the plane seeming to almost go
sideways, but we bounced three times, seemed to mow the grass at the
side of the
runway with the wingtips and eventually landed ok. When leaving the plane some
wag in front of me said to the pilot - "your third landing was the best!"

JPG


A bit off-topic but I remember a go-around at New Delhi in a BOAC (or
was it BA by then?) Boeing 707 due to cattle on the runway.

Norman.
--
Norman Lynagh Weather Consultancy
18 Kings Road
Chalfont St Giles
England tel: 01494 870220

Anyone had any go-arounds?
Yes, regularly at Edinburgh before they built the (now) main runway, which
is more aligned with the prevailing winds, and installed ILS.

I recall one such, in fog, when the pilot aborted the attempt to land and we
wound up in Glasgow. I asked how low we had been and was told they couldn't
tell because the fog was so think, but the altimeter suggested the very low
hundreds of feet.

When leaving the plane some
wag in front of me said to the pilot - "your third landing was the best!"
As treasurer of a gliding club, I keep threatening to charge people by the
number of times they touch down, not the number of times they take off. It
would certainly improve the cash flow g

Anne

"JPG" wrote snip Anyone had any go-arounds? I thought we were up for
one once approaching in a
strong and gusty south-westerly at Heathrow with the plane seeming to
almost go
sideways, but we bounced three times, seemed to mow the grass at the
side of the
runway with the wingtips and eventually landed ok.

That has now become even more hair-raising with the advent of new
technology: I noticed in the Airbus I flew on to the Carribbean a few
weeks ago, they had a forward camera on the nose of the aircraft (and one,
pointing downwards under the belly), which they turned on when they were
taking off and landing. This then fed into the screen that each passenger
had on the headrest in front of them.

Not too bad, until you came in on the final approach to landing and saw,
first-hand, just how much the plane can yaw from side-to-side, as the
Pilot tries to keep on the centre-line of the runway. I noticed a number
of passengers who looked away, as the plane touched down.

- Tom.

A bit off-topic but I remember a go-around at New Delhi in a BOAC (or was
it BA by then?) Boeing 707 due to cattle on the runway.
Norman.

Puts a whole new meaning into "Better on a ... Cow"?

Anne

Alan White wrote in
news
As we were about to touch down the captain
declared a go around and, to my horror, we zoomed skywards.
Fortunately, there was no more semi-digested breakfast available and
we completed the circuit and landed without further excitement.

One of my last flights was into Chambery (which apparently isn't the most
popular with pilots) which involved an aborted landing and a quite
impressive pull away from the runway when at probably about 100m. "Sorry
ladies and gentlemen, we're having a little difficulty seeing the runway
owing to the low cloud". Landed safely second time although we were thrashed
about and even some of my friends who are seasoned fliers looked a bit
worried.

Upon landing the BA pilot (replete with the de rigeur BA Home Counties
Accent™) merely apologised for "having to take the scenic route".

Looked on the METARs for Chambery when I got back afterwards to see that we
were landing in to a 30kt wind gusting to 45kts IIRC. The next flight in was
apparently diverted to Geneva!

Richard

================================================== ==================
This posting expresses the personal view and opinions of the author.
Something which everyone on this planet should be able to do.
================================================== ==================

OK here's my "stained trousers" story.

It was November 1979 and I was flying to Shetland for a 3 week stint forecasting
for the oil tankers coming into Sullom Voe. I flew to Aberdeen no problem and
then boarded a "Logan air" small plane for the short flight north to Sumburgh.
Daylight when we took off but frontal cloud ahead and it soon got dark. Mostly
hard oil men on board all drinking whisky and such and laughing and telling
jokes with each other.

On approach to Sumburgh you have to head in over a cliff with not a lot of
leeway. We went down to land, bit bumpy but OK, about to land and then whoosh
off she took again to do another circuit. It got a bit quieter, but clearly
these folk were used to it. Then down again a second time, this time very bumpy
and what felt like a rapid abort and turn round again for a third time - you
could hear a pin drop, everyone was deep in their own thoughts. My mind was just
blank IIRC. Third time down and in, a rough landing but down in one piece.
Noticeable relief all round. Got off the aircraft into a force 6 wind and
driving rain. Welcome to Shetland :-)

Will.
--

" A cup is most useful when empty "
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Tom Bennett wrote in message ...

"Succorso" wrote You haven't lived until you've been through turb strong
enough to pop
open the overhead lockers and shower the folks in bags.

snip

The funniest episode I've had of this was in 1992 when a plane I was in
was about to take off from Ibiza. The pilot sat on the runway to allow a
thunderstorm to pass over before he took off but it was possibly more
severe than anyone had anticipated: Rain cascaded down, lightning
repeatedly struck to runway and the wind rocked the plane so much that
there were screams, shouts and gasps from most of the passengers. Such a
commotion, and we hadn't even left the ground.

We then took off between thunderstorms and I was treated to the sight of
lightning below us as we climbed rapidly away from the island. It was
quite unforgettable.


- Tom.