Random runway questions

[secretapproach]

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We had a wierd day yesterday in that we were about twenty minutes early on all six legs. The FA said that one passenger was complaining, "We can't be this early. Are they sure we're at the right airport?"

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And...were you at the right airport?

 

[A320_DUDE]

Didn't a TWA flight land at the wrong airport in Colorado a couple years ago? I heard it was going into Steamboat Springs and ended up landing at some GA field.

 

[A300Capt]

Three places you have to watch out for are OMA, SLC and OKC. There are large Air Force bases near each one of these cities (Offutt, Hill and Tinker) that can be mistaken for the airport you really want to land at.

I've had F/O's roll out and line up with the wrong runway or even a taxiway going into DFW without backing up what they see with the ILS or localizer.

I remember my first solo x-country in a C152 from Cape Girardeau Mo to a small airport near Memphis and back. You really couldn't get lost with a major highway (I-55) and the Mississippi River leading the way but somehow I did! I remember flying directly over the top of, at the time, Blytheville AF base on the way back and thinking I had somehow got turned around (Bermuda triangle type of thing) and was now looking at Memphis International. I remember looking down and seeing all these big airplanes (B-52's) on the ramp and saw a fighter takeoff. Thank gawd they weren't coming after me. I made it back to my departure airport, called my CFI and fessed up to my mistake. She said to remember to check my DG before T/O (it was off by about 30 degrees the first time), head North and follow I-55 back to Cape (what a novel idea!

).

I vowed to never get lost again after that and always know where I was and fortunately (knock on wood) I haven't been lost since). At times I haven't known "exactly" where I was but I've never been "lost" again!

 

[ready2fly]

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Three places you have to watch out for are OMA, SLC and OKC. There are large Air Force bases near each one of these cities (Offutt, Hill and Tinker) that can be mistaken for the airport you really want to land at.

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Add to that list (for GA aircraft) - TPF (Peter O. Knight Airport) in Tampa - MacDill AFB is just across the Bay and I cannot tell you how many a/c have mistakenly attempted to land at MCF before realizing - OOPS - this ain't TPF!!

(luckily, I'm not one of them

)

 

[sbe]

737dude - yep, a TWA MD80 landed at Craig, Colorado accidentally - was headed to Steamboat from St Louis. I heard the story as related by a local TWA mech - it was quite interesting the lengths they had to go to to get that aircraft out of there!

I do my training out of a class D field, but am also building x/c hrs, etc out of a uncontrolled field near my home (very cheap time). The rwy is 2700x20'. Trees off both ends, lots of undulations in the runway itself, and the alignment of rwy 36 is crooked. Definitely have to be on your game.

Sarah

 

[davetheflyer]

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And...were you at the right airport?

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I think so, but you know how they all look alike.

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Add to that list (for GA aircraft) - TPF (Peter O. Knight Airport) in Tampa - MacDill AFB is just across the Bay and I cannot tell you how many a/c have mistakenly attempted to land at MCF before realizing - OOPS - this ain't TPF!!



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There was an FSA student who actually did a touch-and-go at Knight.

 

[appel]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Three places you have to watch out for are OMA, SLC and OKC. There are large Air Force bases near each one of these cities (Offutt, Hill and Tinker) that can be mistaken for the airport you really want to land at.

[/ QUOTE ]

Add to that list (for GA aircraft) - TPF (Peter O. Knight Airport) in Tampa - MacDill AFB is just across the Bay and I cannot tell you how many a/c have mistakenly attempted to land at MCF before realizing - OOPS - this ain't TPF!!

(luckily, I'm not one of them

)

[/ QUOTE ]

You can add ELP as well.

 

[davetheflyer]

Also add MAC and Robins AFB.

 

[Snow]

I think the clasic one was when some 727 landed at a small regional airport somewhere in CA. As soon as it stopped the wheels punched through the pavement! They had to strip the plane almost bare to get it to where is could taxi again.

 

[SkyKingRon]

Here's another one for 'ya. A few years ago here at Portland Ore, we have Port Intl.(PDX)classC with three rwy's, two of them being 28L,28R. The rwy's are 11,000' and 8,000' respectivley, both sizable and easy enough for any big iron. On the ILS app. for those about 6nm out we have Toutdale(TTD)classD with rwy25 only 5400', and of course I guess the captain also had the rwy in sight and actually made the landing on rwy25TTD with full rev. thrusters and all and actually made the full stop.
He was also able to barely make the takeoff I guess doing a "short field" takeoff. The aircraft in question was a B707.Hard to hide that blooper! Hey Doug, I'll give 'ya a buck if you do that in your MD!

APPROACH PLATES? WE DON"T NEED NO STINKING APPROACH PLATES!!

 

[iceman21]

A student was on his solo cross country at night heading back to ARR (Aurora) and he got tired, and lost. Ended up turning off his transponder and landed on Zulu taxiway at ORD. The tower didn't see him land but a United A-320 maintanence crew saw reported it, as I listened on the scanner from the ramp tower. It was kinda funny to see all the FBI, Airport Security and whatever other government agents haul that guy out of the airplane at gun point.

I feel sorry for his instructor.

 

[MikeD]

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My second month as captain at Skyway, I was flying from MCI to OMA and wanted to be a stud and called OMA in site about 30 miles out from the VOR.

About 15 miles out, I started wondering where the other runway was and quickly determined that I had reported Offitt AFB! Doh!

When we got back on course towards OMA, KC Center said "Oh, Ok, I was just going to mention it but I guess you figured it out!"

Talk about seeing your career flash before your eyes!

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You shoulda just landed at Offut AFB, the home of SAC (or ACC now). The nuclear alert forces at STRATCOM love it when your thoughtful enough to help test the effectivness of their security systems. hehe

 

[MikeD]

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I think a couple years ago, a Continental 737 crew landed at and old deserted air force base, instead of the Corpus Christi airport. Wouldnt ATC see them and catch their error in time?

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Yup, the actually landed at Cabaniss NOLF (Navy Outlying Field), a practice field for Navy jets practicing touch and goes and patterns. They got the hint when they saw no terminal, just an ops building and MX hangar with Navy trainers parked all around, and the tower giving them light-gun signals.

 

[MikeD]

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[You can add ELP as well.



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ELP and BIF (Biggs Army Airfield) are a good one too, as well as Davis-Monthan AFB and Tucson International.