Boeing Dreamlifter lands at the wrong airport..

[DAL1850 51]

Derp.

 

How do you mistake an uncontrolled airport for a military base?

 

Will be interesting to see how they get a 700,000 lb aircraft back into the air with 6000' of strip. I remember when an MD-80 landed (safely) dead stick at KBCE back in 2000. They had a devil of a time trying to figure out how to safely get the lead sled back into the air at that altitude.

 

I'm guessing they don't take the risk and just tow it - much like they used to tow the space shuttle across the country.

[KevinAu 441]

It won't take much runway if it is empty. Pilots land at wrong airports all the time. Wichita is one of those cities with several airports close together that are easily mistaken if one is not careful, especially at night.

[Daveo 36]

They are going to fly it out of there in a few hours. Should be interesting. I'm sure there will be some live news coverage.

And for those of you that try it in the sim, let us know how it went. :-)

[FLEX1978 373]

Derp.

 

How do you mistake an uncontrolled airport for a military base?

 

Will be interesting to see how they get a 700,000 lb aircraft back into the air with 6000' of strip. I remember when an MD-80 landed (safely) dead stick at KBCE back in 2000. They had a devil of a time trying to figure out how to safely get the lead sled back into the air at that altitude.

 

I'm guessing they don't take the risk and just tow it - much like they used to tow the space shuttle across the country.

Aircraft actually weighs around 398,000 Ib, as discussed previously, not a problem doing a ferry flight to the correct field. The potential problem is moving the cargo to its intended destination.

 

Edit - Atlas have now confirmed that the aircraft is capable of departing without offloading cargo. So, job done, move on, nothing to see here.. was just a minor slip up.... Until a Korean air freighter crew do the same thing

[sascha 314]

And best Avsim reply for 2013 goes to Jim

+1

[simmerhead 885]

I've seen the C-5 do some damage to runways and parking areas, and I guess the Dreamlifter would be no different. Guess they'll have to unload and go for it - I'm sure there will be plenty filming it

[Don t moderate me this way 882]

They should just reset the flight and try again ...   :p0805:

[LAdamson 240]

It won't take much runway if it is empty. Pilots land at wrong airports all the time. Wichita is one of those cities with several airports close together that are easily mistaken if one is not careful, especially at night.

And one of these days, even the (or should I say, all)airliners will have GPS airport information, that my Garmin 696 handheld had. I would have to have my head "totally" out of the cockpit, in order not to notice a wrong airport, as the GPS automatically scales, to zoom in the airport as you approach. And FWIW, I do know a number of commercial airline pilots, 737, 767, 777 --- who have been impressed with the capabilities of todays handheld...........which can contain a lot of navigation information, that numerous commercial aircraft are still lacking. The "wrong, short, and deadly" runway for takeoff.....for instance.

[TurboTomato 90]

Can't they just slew it outta there?

 

Epic win  :lol:

[KevinAu 441]

And one of these days, even the (or should I say, all)airliners will have GPS airport information, that my Garmin 696 handheld had. I would have to have my head "totally" out of the cockpit, in order not to notice a wrong airport, as the GPS automatically scales, to zoom in the airport as you approach. And FWIW, I do know a number of commercial airline pilots, 737, 767, 777 --- who have been impressed with the capabilities of todays handheld...........which can contain a lot of navigation information, that numerous commercial aircraft are still lacking. The "wrong, short, and deadly" runway for takeoff.....for instance.

That Dreamlifter is a 747-400 with the glass cockpit and big fat mfd display with airport and runway icons available. And they were on the GPS approach to McConnell..........

[pinlifter 502]

It's going to be a long flight for the crew this afternoon on their 10 mile flight to McConnell. Hope they don't miss it this time lol

[DAL1850 51]

Aircraft actually weighs around 398,000 Ib, as discussed previously, not a problem doing a ferry flight to the correct field.

That's its basic empty weight (no fuel, no payload/passengers). MTOW is > 800,000 (granted they won't be anything near that). It didn't sound to me like they were going up dry - that they were taking her up "as-is" with whatever was in her belly. Maybe not 700,000 - but that's still a lot of bird for 6000' of airstrip.

 

Guess they're shooting for 12pm CST?

 

EDIT: If PMDG modelling is true to form, I got her up in FSX with 100,000lbs of fuel/payload and 20 degrees flaps in about 5000'. So...doable, if indeed art imitates life!

[N1G 88]

Someone said it needed 9000 foot of runway. I wonder if that is at max weight?

 

Bob

[mgh 89]

This remark amused me. Reporters....

 

It is not known why the plane landed at the smaller airport but it appears to have been a mistake.

[FLEX1978 373]

That's its basic empty weight (no fuel, no payload/passengers). MTOW is > 800,000 (granted they won't be anything near that). It didn't sound to me like they were going up dry - that they were taking her up "as-is" with whatever was in her belly. Maybe not 700,000 - but that's still a lot of bird for 6000' of airstrip.

 

Guess they're shooting for 12pm CST?

 

EDIT: If PMDG modelling is true to form, I got her up in FSX with 100,000lbs of fuel/payload and 20 degrees flaps in about 5000'. So...doable, if indeed art imitates life!

Guys, quick note about perfomance calculations in situations like this and pretty much every take off. It is not purely about getting the aircraft airborn or the speed it will lift off (Vmu).

 

It is about Vmcg/Vmca (minimum controllable speeds/engine out) and also being about the ability to maintain a specific climb gradient in the event of an engine failure.

 

So if you are using something as basic as PMDG or even a CAE level-D certified simulator you will find the aircraft can get airborn on a very, very short runway, however it is illegal.