Extremely high winds in northern Spain on Wednesday tested the skills of pilots as they landed in extreme conditions that swayed planes and frightened passengers. Video footage captured planes landing at Bilbao's Loiu Airport in sweeping winds which forced some pilots to abort the landing process. The Basque country registered winds of over 81 miles per hour (130 kilometers) per Reuters. (www.reuters.com) More...
That's probably the worst crosswind I have ever seen. Having a good pilot can aid the situation but when it comes down to it- it's all up to mother nature.
Saw this a couple of days ago when it was posted in another story, but the feeling is the same; that's what makes the difference between a pilot and a button pusher. That is bad and looks pretty close to limits for about anything.
Well, I never could get this story link to load but the one I saw a couple of days ago and what was showing on CNN was an RJ of some type I believe. I really don't think it would have mattered that much in that kind of wind. It would have been a handful for anybody in anything. Like I said, I am surprised that it wasn't above limits for anything if it was as bad as they said. I'd have sure had to take a strong look at it.
I finally got this one to load. The one that actually landed was an Airbus A320 I think, 737 size. The other that went around was an RJ of some type. Details in another comment here.
Not just experience level cause I am sure the larger jets (ie more experienced pilot) also have a greater crosswind component due to larger control surfaces.
Amen, Preacher. Gusty conditions evident in this video can ruin a pilots day. The biggest worry I had with the 737 was dragging an engine. It's hard not to overdue the wing down top rudder in situations like that.
I meant to send this earlier but guess I forgot to hit post.You are right about ruining a day.LOL. Wind like that can cause a pod scrape real easy, but as I was corp. I had 'em all on board with me and I'd generally tell them they just had a few choices; either buy a little paint, go somewhere else or have their aiplane in pieces, with them in it.LOL. I didn't hear much after that. Never had but a couple but the last one I remember was coming back into home at KFSM on our 57, with a little to much off the starbord side, and you are right, it was bad ugly. We didn't have but 8 grand up there and normally I'd be lucky to use 1/2 that and not even be breathing hard if we were light but that day, the way we got tossed around, I was lucky to make the last turnout.It's deals like that you remember.LOL
My Dear Roland: In reference to what Richard is talking about above, when you are having to CRAB in like that with any aircraft that has a low hanging engine like the 737 or any of the bigger twins, there is always the chance that you'll drop one wing too low or that if you're as close as you dare, that a gust of wind will help you out and take that low side further down for you. In that case, a pod scrape(engine pod)can be any where from a glancing blow, requiring no more than a little paint, to some metal replacement around the engine, to a mell of a hess, depending on how hard it hits. Seems like somewhere a couple of years back, that a bad gust caught a FedEx DC-10 I think. I'm thinkin it was at KPDX but not anywhere sure, and turned it completly over right about touchdown. Now, I ain't been boozin' but after one of them type landings, a drink is in order, and depending on how bad it is, probably something to take the pucker out of the leaft seat.LOL
The USAF had the best idea on the B52's with the gear. You line the gear on the runway heading and set the plane for the wind, trying to do level wings. As big as the 52 was, especially that tall tail, they really didn't have much choice as BUFF pilots tell me it's still a hanful with a strong crosswind. I'm thinkin' that gear will go 45degrees in either direction.
Wunnerful solution. Wayne have you watched the landings of the A380s on youtube? When the main gear comes down it makes a really loud noise. When the main gear touches the runway there is another really loud noise and a shudder. It would be interesting to see the differences between machines built for weights over 500 tons. I suppose they wanted the gear to do the job with a good margin over at the minimum mass taken up in the gear design as possible. To me something is just not quite right but maybe I am just too suspicious..I don't know.
Haven't paid that much attention to to it, but they haven't had a problem as far as I know; and they been around for awhile now. You're just too suspicios.LOL
I have had the same experience when we came back from Ghana, we were in a storm and it was a frightenend experience it was with Lufthansa en we had a great crew and pilot.We took of in Ghana at 18.00 hours pm and we were in Belgian the next day at 21.00 pm, with 2 stops, one in Nice for a new crew.
This is so wonderful. I so glad to share this planet with men and women that can fly planes. Some do better than others but still they are all very strong people.
Usta go into Vitoria out of Harare a lot, but never experienced anything like that. Vitoria is a few miles south of Bilbao. Used to commute out of there a lot getting home.
Why don't they have runways at a another angle. I don.t fly big aircraft but it makes sense to me that an investment in some concrete would be a whole lot cheaper than a lawsuit for a fatal crash. Great piolets but a poor way to run an rail road
That is why they call it a "Demonstrated Crosswind Componet". As shown hear the plane can handle more but you just become a test pilot ... Only difference is you have live people or real cargo on board.
Don't know the speed but they also had some on there from the old KaiTek. i never made the videos I don't guess, but I can't ever remember calm winds in there.LOL
Last week one of our flights to SDR on Spains northern shore had 30 knot wind with gusts of up to 50 on the forecast meteo. All i can guess is that the situation was pretty similar on those BIO flights.
That was pretty nasty!! Did any body notice the screwed up edit? they show an A320 from vueling airlines on short and then an Airnostrum CRJ giving it a try but having to set TOGA thrust. Then they show the CRJ on Short and the A320 actually landing.
Skilled pilots. However the video editing is imperfect. The approaching aircraft is not what shown next when it attempts to land. It would have been better otherwise.
the pilot has done a very good job. he has shown his airman ship. but i feel that he should have not taken such a discussion to land in such a gusty condition. i'am not sure if he followed the landing procedure for a b737 laid down in the flight manual.
That's whay they hire pilots with lots of experience. Everybody knows that the flight manual is the framework...the foundation is the human skill of commanding the machine.
