C-17 lands at Peter O'Night instead of MacDill

[SteveCostello]

OK... just coming out of left field on this one. I've never flown a large transport aircraft. But I would expect that the visual of a 3,500 foot runway would be very different than a 10,000+ foot runway. At least, that's been my experience in the little econoboxes I've flown. Don't want to throw these guys under the nosewheel, but can one be seriously THAT situationally unaware that while on final, you don't notice that a.) gee that runway looks a little short... and not really that wide, and b.) where are all the USAF planes, and why are there GA planes all over the place?

I've seen it thrown around once or twice that by the time these guys noticed that things were not right, it was too late. Too late as in wheels on the ground, reversers out, or too late as in 1/4 mile final?

 

[bunk22]

Here is what used to happen to Navy aircraft that landed on the wrong carrier. Even if you landed on purpose on the wrong boat, you still got some graffiti. I landed on the USS Roosevelt when I was stationed on the USS Carl Vinson and got stickers everywhere, even in the intake

 

[mastermags]

My grandfather always told me a story about how he was giving a line check from the jumpseat to two guys going into HSV. The FO was flying, and the captain was an overbearing guy pretty much trying to run the whole operation alone. They line up for the runway, are cleared to land, and approach about a mile final. The tower calls back "Hey Eastern xxxx, turn on your landing lights!"

"Landing lights are on..."

"You guys better go around, I think you're lined up at Redstone!"

Three guys in the cockpit and not one of them caught the mistake. Fast forward to present times, and in my short career I've had TWO captains line up for Redstone on a visual approach at night. OKC and ICT are two other cities with similar looking airports.

Talking about setting up the localizer is all fine and well, but when you are VMC, staring right at the runway and stabalized and you get a LOC flag, how many people would just assume the localizer is acting fishy and continue the approach; Especially on the last leg of the day.

 

[mastermags]

Oh yeah, MGM is another city where I've seen multiple guys line up for the wrong airport.

 

[germb747]

Doesn't help that you could be established on the localizer for McDill and also be perfectly lined up for O'Knight Field as well.

 

[jtrain609]

OK... just coming out of left field on this one. I've never flown a large transport aircraft. But I would expect that the visual of a 3,500 foot runway would be very different than a 10,000+ foot runway. At least, that's been my experience in the little econoboxes I've flown. Don't want to throw these guys under the nosewheel, but can one be seriously THAT situationally unaware that while on final, you don't notice that a.) gee that runway looks a little short... and not really that wide, and b.) where are all the USAF planes, and why are there GA planes all over the place?

I've seen it thrown around once or twice that by the time these guys noticed that things were not right, it was too late. Too late as in wheels on the ground, reversers out, or too late as in 1/4 mile final?

It's a whole lot easier than you may think. While yes, things will look shorter in a situation like this, if they're used to seeing short fields while out in the middle of no where, it might not look that strange to them.

As was posted earlier, it's MUCH easier than you may think to land at the wrong airport where the airports are close together and the runway configurations are the same.

 

[mechan9]

Here is what used to happen to Navy aircraft that landed on the wrong carrier. Even if you landed on purpose on the wrong boat, you still got some graffiti. I landed on the USS Roosevelt when I was stationed on the USS Carl Vinson and got stickers everywhere, even in the intake

That picture is friggin hilarious. BTW, how does one land on the wrong carrier?

 

[msmspilot]

Oh yeah, MGM is another city where I've seen multiple guys line up for the wrong airport.

How the hell do you do that? MGM and Maxwell don't have runways with the same numbers and they're on opposite sides of the city.

 

[SteveCostello]

How the hell do you do that? MGM and Maxwell don't have runways with the same numbers and they're on opposite sides of the city.

Details, schmetials.

 

[Hacker15e]

Here is what used to happen to Navy aircraft that landed on the wrong carrier. Even if you landed on purpose on the wrong boat, you still got some graffiti. I landed on the USS Roosevelt when I was stationed on the USS Carl Vinson and got stickers everywhere, even in the intake

If that happened in the USAF, there would be Article 15s all around for destruction of government property or something.

 

[derg]

Here is what used to happen to Navy aircraft that landed on the wrong carrier. Even if you landed on purpose on the wrong boat, you still got some graffiti. I landed on the USS Roosevelt when I was stationed on the USS Carl Vinson and got stickers everywhere, even in the intake

I love the "FIRST" on there! That just never dies!

 

[Autothrust Blue]

If that happened in the USAF, there would be Article 15s all around for destruction of government property or something.

Another reason to Fly Navy.

 

[bunk22]

That picture is friggin hilarious. BTW, how does one land on the wrong carrier?

Not sure what they used back then but we normally use Tacan and GPS position to find the boat now days. Coming back from a mission, not paying attention, bad weather, combat damage back in the day, it happened.

 

[MikeD]

Not sure what they used back then but we normally use Tacan and GPS position to find the boat now days. Coming back from a mission, not paying attention, bad weather, combat damage back in the day, it happened.

Even legit reasons Id imagine, such as your own boat having a foul deck for an extended amount of time, and no land divert?

 

[bunk22]

If that happened in the USAF, there would be Article 15s all around for destruction of government property or something.

I think the Navy would be the same as well now days...

 

[bunk22]

Even legit reasons Id imagine, such as your own boat having a foul deck for an extended amount of time, and no land divert?

Of course and even back then, if it was scheduled, you would get the same treatment.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

I think the Navy would be the same as well now days...

As someone who would foot the bill for such tomfoolery, I also recognize the importance of blowing off steam - please, please, please do so. I'll happily pay for that.

 

[USMCmech]

If that happened in the USAF, there would be Article 15s all around for destruction of government property or something.

The brass love to talk about how we are supposed to be warriors in the mold of the guys who got it done in WW2.

Then when we act like those guys did, they throw everyone under the bus.

Stupid

 

[JordanD]

SDF and LOU used to have the same layout (1-19, about 4nm apart) and I've heard a ton of stories about Convair 990s and 727s lining up for LOU by accident and doing last minute go arounds with smoke pouring out over the neighborhood. Supposedly United accidentally got a 727 in there one time and had to take all the seats out in order to be able to take off again.

 

[mechan9]

Here's the video of that C-17 taking off from O'Knight. What an amazing plane.





Watch the nacelles jiggle when they put 'em in reverse.