Few days ago CLT had fog in the morning all the boeing and airbuses left and got in CLT and all the CRj’s would not leave because of the weather had to try to explain to about 300 hundred customers why CRJ’s and crew could not fly and mainline could. Could someone(BoeingBoy) enlighten me so I can better explain this to our customers the difference between mainline operations and express operations
Mainline and Express operating in weather
- Thread starter john john
- Start date
Crzipilot
Veteran
- Mar 23, 2004
- 906
- 254
Simple explanation is the visibility was low enough that CLT was only allowing CAT III capable a/c/crew to depart for CLT. CAT III allows the crew to fly an approach with lower visibility requirements than what is standard. In addition the Aircraft has to be CAT III capable/certified (extra equipment etc etc.) As well as the crew (they require a little more additional training and such.) Sure it could be explained better but that's the jist of it.... simply the visibility requirements are different for different airplanes and crew combinations... Express usually needs 1/2 mile. In CLT the other day vis went down to 1/8.
I was going from Clt to Phl last Sat. morning when the fog was in Clt. Our Capt. was commuting in from Knoxville and deverted to Avl. He should have come in the night before. The F/O made the PA about what was going on. US tried to get another Capt. and actually found one(pulled him off of his trip). We pushed back and were starting up, when the new Capt. came on the PA and said we were going back to the gate. Seems he was a International Capt. and there weren't any other Int. Capts. to take his trip later. So we went back to the gate while they tried to find another Capt. It was pretty embarrassing. After another 30 minutes, we finally got another Capt. I won't type the comments that were said around me. Hopefully, the original Capt. will get a good talking to about not being there the night before and not having a back-up flight.
ItsJustAJob
Advanced
- Oct 31, 2003
- 117
- 2
That would make his flight on Fri. night his primary(very doubtful). The Sat. morning flight was the only one that would have gotten him in early enough for the flight to Philly.
Onto the same topic different concept, why is it that Dash-8s seem to go out in the lull between thunderstorms when 737s either sit at the gate until a BIG pause or get cancelled? That was my experience CLT-ORF for 3 years, but maybe I was just 'lucky.' Often I'd jump on the Dash 8 (the next flight) while the 737 still sat around delayed.
Probably because that was back when ORF was a crew base for PDT and those mofo's were ready to get home, and didn't mind the work of zig zaggin around thunder boomers!!!
robbedagain
Veteran
heres one for a similar. today the pit saab colgan air flt 4943 was the only one to take off today from abe to pit. they had guts to take off but the visibility was about 1/4 mile. the airbus had a slight mtr delay and of course the second phl took an hr's delay. all the while we had 1/4 visibility. dont know what phl had
Dog Wonder
Veteran
Regardless of any other factors, when it is not safe to fly on a particular plane be thankful you are on the ground.
- Thread Starter
- #13
Mesa & Air Wisconsin both are financially capable to certify CAT II & III approach the CRJ200 is capable if equipped right if any thing mainline is/was cash strapped
- Thread Starter
- #14
Make sure your commute is on mainline lot more reliable just ask any commuter. All the commuters(express and mainline) ran down to mainline to get to work
The crew wanting to get back to base(home) has a lot to due with it
From what I have heard, the cost to equip any 50-seat aircraft (prop/RJ) with CAT II &/or CAT III costs the same to equipment a Airbus 380. CAT I capability is your basic ILS approach (200 ceiling with 1/2 mile). Also the airport's runway must be equipped with with runway centerline and touch-down zone lighting and the highest level of approach lighting. The airport must also have runway visual range equipment. Typically, the runway lighting is often the responsibility of the airport sponsor while the RVR and appoach lighitng is FAA. Not many non-hub and even small-hub airport have CAT III, CAT II equipped runways.
