Aviation Appreciation Station

[FLAME ENVY]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I'll miss the 'tin can' look, and their Mad Dogs when they finally get retired.

Mad Dog represent!


American Airlines MD-83 (N599AA) by BigtimeYYC, on Flickr

JT8 represent !!

Love the roar (especially in dense air) of the old low-bypass barrel in any iteration.

[Bigtime]

Apparently there was an Antonov 12 on the way here tonight, arrival eta was around 7:30pm.

[Bigtime]

The Antonov 12 did arrive yesterday evening, it is leaving for YWG at 0830.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov_12

Here she is on the cargo ramp last night:


AN-12BP UK-11418 by RAF-YYC, on Flickr


An-12bp by RAF-YYC, on Flickr

[Bigtime]

Looks like the AN-12 will be here a while longer, she just went mechanical. No idea on an updated ETD for YWG.

[Bigtime]

Damn I'm ticked off, Lufthansa flight 454 operating FRA-SFO diverted to Edmonton. This is operated by the A380.

I would have killed to have seen it divert here to YYC, no doubt us spotters would have been rushing to the airport to get pics of the arrival and departure. Heck I have my flightaware account setup to inform me if a A388 gets routed here (scheduled or diversion), so there would have been enough time to make it up there.

Damn you YEG!

[KelVarnsen]

I think YYC can't handle the A380. The taxiways aren't capable but 16/34 runway is capable.

[Bigtime]

Totally incorrect, YYC can easily accomodate the A388. While taxiing on the ground they would need to be aware of clearance issues with parallel taxiways and gates, but it can be handled.

[Bigtime]

Some pics of the A388 to YEG yesterday:





It was parked on the ramp at YEG instead of a gate because there is no towbar for the A388 in YEG. I wonder if we have one here in YYC?

[Bigtime]

Here's a really cool find on Youtube, in 1997 a Virgin Atlantic A340-300 making an emergency landing at London-Heathrow with only a partial main gear extension. Awesome job by the pilots keeping the plane on the one main gear for as long as possible:

[Madman]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Damn I'm ticked off, Lufthansa flight 454 operating FRA-SFO diverted to Edmonton. This is operated by the A380.

I would have killed to have seen it divert here to YYC, no doubt us spotters would have been rushing to the airport to get pics of the arrival and departure. Heck I have my flightaware account setup to inform me if a A388 gets routed here (scheduled or diversion), so there would have been enough time to make it up there.

Damn you YEG!

Great pics - was it a mechanical, medical or some other diversion?

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Madman

Great pics - was it a mechanical, medical or some other diversion?

Medical, sick passenger apparently.

[Bigtime]

Antonov 24 showing how it's done in the mud in Bodaybo, Russia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodaybo):



View from inside:

[Bigtime]

I know many here are probably familiar with Flightaware, for tracking flights online. Another one that is quite good and now features FAA/Nav Canada coverage (with a 5 minute delay) is www.Flightradar24.com

Excellent for watching arriving and departing traffic into YYC, and also seeing what flights those are that are overflying us.

[Byrns]

Do airlines move their planes from airports that are in the path of a hurricane? (ie Hurricane Sandy)

[Acey]

They try to, when possible. But it's a scheduling nightmare.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Byrns

Do airlines move their planes from airports that are in the path of a hurricane? (ie Hurricane Sandy)

I believe some of that have been in the case of Sandy.

[Bigtime]

A couple of cool 17x speed videos of the approach to London-Heathrow:

[Acey]

Said scheduling nightmare explains (in part) why US/UA flights to Chicago, Seattle, SFO, and Phoenix are all cancelled this morning.

[Bigtime]

So yesterday afternoon Cargolux came in from Seattle, the ceiling was pretty much down right to the minimums and they performed a full auto-land of the 747-800 on runway 34.

I'm wondering how common that is here at YYC? I can't remember the last time I had heard that procedure being announced by a crew, it was interesting to listen to how they had to be very clear about what they were doing and letting ATC know that the ILS protected zone had to be clear for them.

Of about 10 arrivals I was listening to and watching they were the only ones that requested this. Is that because they were the only crew that may have been certified and current in the procedure?

I'm pretty rusty with my knowledge on that stuff, another spotter buddy was also thinking that an auto-land counts as a landing for both members of the flight crew. Anyone know?

[Bigtime]

Also, this is awesome: