Fly Me Friendly

As I mentioned in the previous Fear of Flying story, the folks at Flight Experience Melbourne are running a competition for their 737 flight simulator. Write up your scary flying story and you could win a free session in the sim. Woo hoo.

Here’s the second of my scary stories and it relates to heavy aircraft taking off short runways – always a “fun” time :)

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My other “scary flight moment” was when flying from Buenos Aires to Australia back in the late 90’s. At that time Aerolineas Argentinas had exclusive rights to the trans-polar route between Auckland & Buenos Aires and were using their 747-200 aircraft.

With the prevailing winds behind them, they were able to go from Auckland to Buenos Aires non-stop but couldn’t make it in the other direction with those same winds slowing them down. To make the flight to Auckland, the aircraft would fly south from Buenos Aires to Rio Gallegos way down at the bottom of Argentina. From here they would load up with fuel and continue their journey to Auckland. Due to being full of fuel, they couldn’t take on a full passenger load so you sometimes got some extra space. That was about the only benefit to the flight.

The first time I ever flew back to Australia from Argentina, I had a window seat and was watching the stark, rugged approach as we neared the airport. The screen on the wall was showing our progress and as I looked out the window, I saw a runway that looked a bit short for a 747. Sure enough, we turned final and landed on it. Oh great.

After an hour or two hanging out in the terminal waiting for fueling to be completed, we trooped back aboard and the real fun began. I couldn’t get the image of the runway out of my mind. It really did appear rather short.

Being too big & heavy to use the taxiway, we went onto the runway, turned right and headed to the end where we did a 180 and lined up to take off. The pilots stood on the brakes and ran up the engines, first to check they were running OK then beyond to much higher thrust levels. The aircraft was straining against the brakes with the engines howling when, finally, the pilots released and applied full power.

Rumbling down the runway, I split my attention between the view outside and the screen on the wall at the front of the cabin that was showing speed, altitude, temperature, etc. With the aircraft shaking along the runway, we’d gone past the mid-point where the terminal was and still weren’t near what I figured was VR.

Oh crap :(

Subconsciously my hands went to the arm rests of my seat and began pulling up on them as I thought “Come on you fat pig, lift! Fly!”

I was really starting to get concerned when I felt the nose lift and then the rumbling ceased as the mains left the ground. WHEW!

When you take off from a major runway in most large airports, the gear is probably already retracted before you’ve passed the end of the runway. Not this time. I’d only had a second to start relaxing when the end of the runway flashed by and the gear started to retract. Wow!

Once we were in the air and on our way I started breathing again and realised I was still holding the arm rests. Letting go I looked out the window, wondering how they ever got approval to operate fully loaded 747’s from Rio Gallegos. I wished I could have experienced it from the cockpit – the view would have been incredible.

I only did the Buenos Aires -> Rio Gallegos -> Auckland trip twice and both times I was stressing about getting off the ground before the runway ran out. Eventually QANTAS started flying the route and their 747-400’s could go non-stop between Buenos Aires & Auckland. Aerolineas Argentinas soon upgraded to A340s and Rio Gallegos was no longer required on the trans-polar route. These days QANTAS are using their 747-400ERs which can make it non-stop from Buenos Aires to Sydney so you don’t even have to stop in Auckland if you don’t want to.

I’ve got to say, there are some things from the “good old days” of flying that I really just don’t miss :)

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It’s interesting that QANTAS are using their 747-400ERs on the Buenos Aires route. I guess with the A380 on the SYD <-> LAX and MLB <-> LAX routes the -400ER’s were available to fly additional routes. It certainly makes getting to Buenos Aires a lot more comfortable :)

While returning from Nykolai’s scout camp I dropped into Avalon airport (YMAV) to check out Tanker 10, a converted DC10 that’s now used as a super-heavy water bomber. It’s parked in the keyhole and not easily viewed without a huge zoom lens, something I don’t have.

On the day I was there, a QANTAS 747-400 was also in the keyhole, possibly getting ready to depart after maintenance.

Over at Plane Crazy Down Under, we’re trying to get up closer to Tanker 10. If we do, I’ll be sure to get better images loaded here.

 

 

 

 

While I was there, I also grabbed a few photos of Canberra A84-232, now parked as a gate guardian near the entrance. I also grabbed a photo of QANTAS’ last 747-300, ex VH-EBU. Once painted in the Aboriginal “Nalanji Dreaming” scheme, it is currently stripped of engines and remains as just a fuselage & wings painted a base blue colour with a red tail. It was being used to provide spares and keep the other 747-300′s running. Now that they’re gone, it is probably going to get parted out into scrap.

The last official day of the Airshow and I left home early to arrive at 7am. I would have been on time, except I forgot to set my clocks back 1 hour before I went to bed (daylight savings ended last night). So, I wound up opening up the Green Room tent at 6:10am – no wonder there weren’t any other people on around. Oh well – the sunrise was great and the peace & quiet on the airfield was wonderful.

Soon enough the warbirds started to arrive and I put a few of them in on my own until some of the others arrived to help. A QANTAS 737 (painted in aboriginal designs) and 747 arrived and were squeezed into the keyhole. Not long after a BAe 146 from National Jet arrived and I wound up batting it into a tight space at Green-5. Lots of fun.

By now the whole team was on site and we were gearing up for another day much like yesterday. There were some slight changes to the schedule and a few additional shows, but otherwise it ran very well and everyone was happy. Early in the day we moved the majority of the light aircraft who wanted to leave at the end of the show down to modified holding areas near the Bravo holding point.

Kitt and Nykolai came down with UK Balloon Pilot Chris and his family in time to see the Super Hornet, B-52, RAAF F-18, F-111, USAF F-15 and the RAAF formation F-18s. They were all very happy to come on down and hang out – I even managed to get some time to join them when we had some quiet moments on the warbird tarmac.

All too soon the show was over and we had a mass exodus of lighties crossing over 18-Center to 18-Right, all the while charters were taking off from further down the runway (at Charlie or Foxtrot intersections). We slotted a number of warbirds in that were leaving and then just worked through the remaining lighties. It all went very well.

At the end of the day, Chuck Yeager came out to meet the F-15 and F-16 pilots so I managed to get some photos of him during these sessions. After this it was off to AGO for a couple of beers (light, unfortunately) then ASDU for dinner and home.

I’m back tomorrow to help remaining aircraft leave, then it’s all over for me.

Today started out chilly and with beautiful whispy fog clouds around 200′ – just below the tops of the hangars in the QANTAS maintenance part of the airport. We got to enjoy it for a little while then it was back to yet another day of marshalling lighties as the Regatta went out for a tour of the bay and then back in before the airshow started. One guy in a Texan had some radio problems, coming out, trying it, going back, etc. He eventually scrapped the flight and went off to have a chat with the reps of the company he was renting it from.

During all this, a number of RAAF Hornets came in along with the Roulettes. In between them (and the lighties) was another Atlas Air freighter who had to go-around before landing. Apparently Melbourne ATC had kept him at altitude for too long so he was too high to make a good landing. On his second approach the height was right and he landed. One of our marshalls was going to try to “bat him” as he came onto the taxiway – not a good idea, especially not when you’re standing about under where his outboard engine would be going – oops. I managed to get his attention and got him well out of the way.

HARS came in with their Catalina, DC-3, Constellation and Neptune. There was a bit of a pause while Connie sat on Bravo waiting for clearance to go behind the A321 – it was a tight fit, but they made it.

Once the show started, we got to relax again and I left early as I wanted to be back in town for Nykolai’s school “parent sports event.”

Day 3 of this airshow can be summarised by one thing: crazy lighties…

The day was running reasonably slowly so we took a break down near the entrance to Bravo. Soon enough, we had a number of light aircraft (Cessna’s, Pipers, Beechcraft and ultralights/RAAus aircraft) come in, most on runway 18R (the grass strip to the west) and many were classic “weekend flyers.” For every one that had read the briefing info, came in smoothly, taxied well and followed marshalling instructions, there were about 5 that were clueless. We had lighties that couldn’t figure out which one was 18R, didn’t know the approach procedures and lined up on 18C despite being told they were for 18R and that 18R was grass. Then there were the ones who came straight at you when you were trying to tell them to keep going the same way they were currently pointing, etc. Sure enough, it came down to us giving up on “normal” marshalling and just pointing them in the rough direction, often having to yell instructions.

Oh well, we survived and there were no crashes, collisions or injuries…

The RNZAF 757 came in to the usual collection of sheep & Kiwi jokes then the RAAF 707 came in, trailing more smoke than an aerobatic aircraft. The F-111 that had been doing engine runs yesterday evening went out for a test flight and came back shortly before an Atlas Air 747-400 freighter came in (under a QF7000 series flight number).

The freighter was here to pick up the Grand Prix Formula 1 vehicles and equipment. Quite amazing to see everything packed up and wrapped in cocoons.

Once the display started, we were able to take a break and have lunch. Part way through, the Atlas Air freighter left on the tail of a Jetstar A321 that was leaving their terminal.

After the show, the RAAF 707 fired up in the keyhole and wanted to come out ASAP but Jetstar refused to let them pass behind them on Bravo. They waited for a while in the keyhole while a Caribou once again waited at the Bravo holding point with the old Ansett DC-3 behind it (VH-ABR). They were both eventually cleared and then we managed to sneak a bunch of lighties before the Jetstar A321 at the terminal left.

The 707 came out of the keyhole and then wound up waiting at the Bravo holding point as a pair of lighties were allowed to land on 18C. One declared it couldn’t land on grass (a Rutan Long-EZ or something like that) and a RAAAus aircraft on floats that announced it was almost out of fuel due to being vectored a few times (possibly because they hadn’t read and/or understood the procedures info). They landed and then had to come off on Charlie, despite being told to go to Foxtrot, claiming they couldn’t go further. They then shut down still inside the runway boundaries, so had to be pushed further into Charlie. Eventually they were in and the 707 could go.

After another hour or two of marshalling lighties into fields there were no more, we’d hit 6pm and so it was time to call it a wrap. Another successful day completed but there’ll be a long one tomorrow. It’s going to be a busy time until next Monday :)

From Grand Prix to Airshow, what’s the link? Yesterday I was at the Grand Prix watching cars and aircraft. Today I’m down at Avalon directing aircraft. Perhaps the link is the F18′s? The Roulettes? A 747? Yeah, them too – but there’s also the fact that the F1 cars will be shipping out via 747 freighters from Avalon. So, cars and aircraft – yesterday at Albert Park, today at Avalon.

I arrived in the morning and signed in, picking up my credentials, uniform and meal tickets (they’re important!). Going over to Airshow Ground Operations, I signed in there, picked up my AGO gear and headed out to the Green Room (tent right next to the combat jet tarmac). We already had the F-15s, F-16s and a few F-18s on the tarmac (they arrived last night) plus their support C-17 over in the keyhole next to a pair of Super Pumas.

Down the other end of taxiway Alpha (a kilometer or so) the parked aircraft looked to include a P-3 and a C-130. A C-27 was parked in the static area at the intersection of Alpha & Charlie.

First aircraft in were a flight of 3 Hawks that checked in on the light-jet tarmac (aka Green 2) then a QF 747 heading up Bravo to the QANTAS maintenance base. An E-3 Sentry (707 AWACS aircraft) arrived and was held on Bravo waiting for the C-17 to reverse out of the keyhole (on its own power using reverse thrust). The E-3 came in and then the C-17 went out to practice its demo sessions.

A Victorian Police PC-12 came around the loop and parked in G2 for a while. After the C-17, the F-15 headed out to strut its stuff and the Hawks were prepped to fly over the city. After the Hawks left, the glider team got ready to leave (this one has a pair of micro-jets installed just above to cockpit – amazing stuff) while the F-16 prepped to head out. With the glider launched, the F-16 went out and did his practice (not very good – would be lucky to get a 5.5 on the ratings) then the glider came back in and did his show.

About this time, an F-18 was dragged out to the exit from the combat jet tarmac. This is where a departing jet is started and checked before they head out. We parked the F-15 at the intersection of Charlie & Bravo (the end of the “loop”) and shut it down for towing back into the combat jet tarmac as soon as the F-18 was gone. Unfortunately, this was not to be so – flying as passenger on the F-18 was the current Defence Minister, which meant a media-scrum and more “posing” photos than I’ve ever seen before.

During this time, a Jetstar A321 comes in and taxis up to drop off its passengers then the F-16 finishes, taxis up next to the F-15 and shuts down. A group of Navy helos drops into the keyhole (Sea King, Sea Hawk and Squirrel) then taxi out onto the loop (aka Charlie). An Army Blackhawk also comes into the keyhole and taxis out behind the Navy group. The RAAF C-17 comes overhead with a Hawk on its wing with both doing a break and landing. Then an F-111 with two Hawks come over and also break and land. Then two RAAF F-18′s come in and land.

Finally the minister’s photo shoot is all done and the F-18 heads out and another F-18 comes up for yet another media scrum as another VIP sits in the back.

About now, the tower sends the RAAF C-17 back down the runway to Bravo with the F-111 right behind it. Next thing you know, the C-17 is stopped because it can’t pass behind the Jetstar A320 as there wasn’t enough space for it. So, we have the A320 waiting to turn around and head out, the C-17 waiting to get past it, the F-16 & F-15 ready to be towed and the F-111 behind the C-17 with its tail still technically into the runway (it was inside the gable markers).

Tower winds up landing a number of aircraft “long” to avoid the F-111′s jetwash until finally another Jetstar A321 is on approach to land. The landing Jetstar crew decide that they’re not happy with the F-111′s position so they go-around – ouch – expensive.

During this time, the F-111 manages to do a 180 on Bravo and heads back up the runway to Charlie. Tower tells the F-111 to expedite its departure and to ignore any marshalls until he’s off the runway (actual words were “If a marshall tries to stop you before you’ve cleared the runway, run them over” – hmmmm). Getting the F-111 off the runway lets the new Jetstar A321 land and, while he’s rolling out, the C-17 backs out of Bravo to the runway and also taxis up to Charlie.

Tower takes the time to send the Hawks up to Charlie and the F-18s come up Bravo, getting a vehicle escort up to one of the parking bays near the QANTAS maintenance area. Once they’re through, the original A320 heads out and I’m kept busy marshalling commercial jets & light aircraft up Bravo and around onto Charlie (the loop). During this time I manage to grab a couple of shots of a Mil-8 helo landing on Charlie – big bugger – I’d seen it come into the general helo-pads over near the general public entrance – instant dust storm and brown-out as it came in.

Finally we had the RAAF C-17 come back up the runway to Bravo – I directed it onto Charlie and it went into the keyhole, along with a C-130 that I also “batted.” Eventually the Jetstar A321 went out and it all went quiet.

There’s more aircraft coming in this evening but I took advantage of the lull to head for home at 4pm, getting a great run in to Melbourne (40 minutes from start up at Avalon carpark to reaching the Kings Way in South Melbourne – not bad at all).

More news tomorrow – hopefully a little less chaotic (although then it’d probably get boring :)