Tapes show pilots calmly averted D/FW collision
Posted on 01/01/2003 4:35:51 AM PST by MeekOneGOP
Tapes show pilots calmly averted D/FW collision
Airport worker failed to get OK to cross runway in November
01/01/2003
American Airlines pilots calmly averted a collision in November when a convoy of vehicles crossed a runway in front of a Boeing 777 preparing to take off at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, audiotapes released Tuesday show.
"American 2421 heavy is aborting. You got trucks on the runway," the pilot told air traffic controllers.
The runway incursion occurred Nov. 21 when an employee led four vehicles across a runway at the same time American Airlines Flight 2421 began its takeoff roll.
The captain aborted the takeoff, the pilots applied the brakes, and the plane stopped about 4,000 feet from the vehicles. None of the 146 passengers or nine crew members was injured.
D/FW officials could not be reached Tuesday to comment on the Federal Aviation Administration's release of the audiotapes.
The incursion came after an effort by airports and federal officials to reduce the number of near-collisions nationwide.
Two of the five most serious close calls in 2001 occurred at D/FW Airport.
Two air traffic control towers are anchored on the airport's east and west sides, where workers have full view of the runways. Cars and trucks are a regular sight around the tarmac, but drivers must obtain permission before crossing one of the airport's seven runways. And they must remain in contact with controllers until they clear the runway.
Officials said the driver involved in the November runway incursion did not radio air traffic controllers as required before he crossed the runway.
The incursion marked the first time a vehicle had improperly crossed a D/FW Airport runway since 1997, when a vending company's delivery truck crossed an east runway while going to a Delta Air Lines hangar.
The airport's last near-collision before the November incident was Aug. 16, 2001, when a west tower controller at D/FW Airport gave clearance to a taxiing plane and one about to take off. They came within 50 feet of colliding.
E-mail hwarren@dallasnews.com
The term 'HEAVY' is actually used to warn other aircraft of possible
hazards because of wake turbulence. The term is used to remind
controllers and pilots to allow for adequate separation of aircraft
using the same routes. FAA definitions are:
Term: Take-off weight: Examples:
----- ------------------------- ---------------------
HEAVY greater than 300,000 lbs. 747, DC-10, B-52, C-5
LARGE 12,500 - 300,000 lbs. C-130, 727, 737, 757
SMALL less than 12,500 lbs T-38, C-12
There are complex rules about the amount of separation based on what
type is following what type (HEAVY following HEAVY, LIGHT following
HEAVY, etc.) and in what environment (ground taxiing, IFR final
approach, straight VFR flight, etc.). Basically other planes follow
HEAVYs with more separation than SMALLs.
A Boeing 727-231 has a take-off weight of 142,000 lbs., in the LARGE
category.
I am reminded of the time when Hillary! was making one of her junkets overseas. She and her other beauties were set to depart Andrews when they were told they had too much baggage. When they finally got going, the airplane had to abort a take-off due to engine problems (flames were observed at the exhaust of one of the engines). The headline on Free Republic was:
Hillary Overweight - Blows Flames Out Rear!
Why post an answer when you haven't the slightest idea what you are talking about?
When I take off in two-seat Cessna single engine trainer with a second passenger and full fuel, do you think I should alert the tower that "Cessna-two-eight-zero-heavy is ready for takeoff"? LOL!
(As others have said here, "heavy" originally identified 747s, 1011s, and DC10s, and has grown to include other wide body aircraft that generate substaintial wake turbulence.)
ML/NJ
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