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On 3/19/2003 11:35:07 AM G4G5 wrote:
I am not so sure that this is the smartest idea. While I am sure the JB folks have looked into it and they know their equipment better then I do but take a look at the numbers.
http://www.airnav.com/airport/SAN
Taking off from in all reality a one way in and out airport in the hot summer heat(look at airport hours of operation) with a full load and having to travel 2,500 miles to JFK with a suitable alternate.
What about having to fly a full A320 JFK-SAN in the winter to an airport with only one ILS (one way in) facing 100+ kts winds then having to divert to your alt (LGB?) with legal fuel.
Can the aircraft do this without a weight restriction? Maybe one of the JB A320 experts could fill me in (not being sarcastic just trying to learn)
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Flying eastbound in an A320 from SAN should not be an issue. It does not get that hot at SAN in summer (a bad day in summer would be in the low 90s). In fact, you usually experience your hottest day in September. Nonetheless, 9,400 feet is a decent sized runway and the angles off Runway 27 arent that steep. Once you're up, the west to east winds should push you there.
As to east to west travel, I will point out that most airlines would divert well before the time they get to SAN. The weather in winter is not that awful (usually).
If a plane must divert near touchdown, and its low on fuel, flights into SAN actually used to land at Miramar MCAS and the airlines would bus passengers from Miramar. I'm not sure if that practice still exists post-9-11.
Finally, I'll point out that US flies Airbus craft all the time from PHL to SAN. A319s, A320s and A321s (although PHL usually gets A319s and A321s to LAX). US DOES fly A320s from PHL to LAX which is 2400 miles.