Engine trouble forces flight to switch from O'Hare to Midway

Doesn't mention what model the plane is but looking on the UAL page it
says flight 1482 (PHX-ORD) is an Airbus A320. . Landing it is one
thing, getting it out may be another story?

Full article:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/4...dway29.article



Snip:
Russ Kuc said he briefly saw flames on the right side of the aircraft
and heard what sounded like an explosion. A man sitting next to Kuc
thought the plane had been hit by lightning.

"My heart was beating up into my throat," Kuc said. "We know what
planes do, and this was way out of the envelope."

Molinaro said it's possible that a blown compressor would cause the
kind of explosion Kuc described.

Even with a mechanical failure, air traffic controller Joseph Bellino
said, it was highly unusual for a plane scheduled to land at O'Hare to
go to Midway instead, where the runways are much shorter.

Bellino compared it to the difference between landing "on a football
field [versus] someone's front yard."

"It doesn't make any sense," he said.

Duh_OZ wrote:

Doesn't mention what model the plane is but looking on the UAL page it
says flight 1482 (PHX-ORD) is an Airbus A320. . Landing it is one
thing, getting it out may be another story?

Full article:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/4...dway29.article

Snip:
Russ Kuc said he briefly saw flames on the right side of the aircraft
and heard what sounded like an explosion. A man sitting next to Kuc
thought the plane had been hit by lightning.

"My heart was beating up into my throat," Kuc said. "We know what
planes do, and this was way out of the envelope."

Molinaro said it's possible that a blown compressor would cause the
kind of explosion Kuc described.

Even with a mechanical failure, air traffic controller Joseph Bellino
said, it was highly unusual for a plane scheduled to land at O'Hare to
go to Midway instead, where the runways are much shorter.

Bellino compared it to the difference between landing "on a football
field [versus] someone's front yard."

"It doesn't make any sense," he said.


I suppose an empty yard might be preferable to a crowded football field.

If the pilot felt in trouble response time might be important.

Duh_OZ wrote:

Doesn't mention what model the plane is but looking on the UAL page it
says flight 1482 (PHX-ORD) is an Airbus A320. . Landing it is one
thing, getting it out may be another story?

Hardly. The A320 is the same size as a 737 and hundreds of those land/takeoff
from MDW every day.


Even with a mechanical failure, air traffic controller Joseph Bellino
said, it was highly unusual for a plane scheduled to land at O'Hare to
go to Midway instead, where the runways are much shorter.

Bellino compared it to the difference between landing "on a football
field [versus] someone's front yard."

"It doesn't make any sense," he said.


Which esplains why ATC controllers aren't pilots. MDW runways are close to a
mile long. More than enough for a plane of this size. When you have engine
issues, the rule is to get down NOW while the other engine is still running,
just in case there's a systemic problem or an uncontrolled fire.

So, do you wait circling 20 minutes while the O'hare controllers clear a slot
and runway for you or do you take that nice straight-in approach to MDW?

--
"Tell me what I should do, Annie."
"Stay. Here. Forever." - Life On Mars

Doesn't mention what model the plane is but looking on the UAL page it
says flight 1482 (PHX-ORD) is an Airbus A320. . Landing it is one
thing, getting it out may be another story?

Presumably the same story that Northwest tells on its three daily MSP-MDW
round trips using 320s.

I see that Primaris says they'll be flying LAX-MDW-EWR with 757s,
which are a little bigger than 320s. MDW has a 6500' runway which is
adequate for fairly large planes, particularly if they're just making
short trips and don't need a lot of fuel.

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John L wrote:
Doesn't mention what model the plane is but looking on the UAL page it
says flight 1482 (PHX-ORD) is an Airbus A320. . Landing it is one
thing, getting it out may be another story?

Presumably the same story that Northwest tells on its three daily MSP-MDW
round trips using 320s.

I see that Primaris says they'll be flying LAX-MDW-EWR with 757s,
which are a little bigger than 320s. MDW has a 6500' runway which is
adequate for fairly large planes, particularly if they're just making
short trips and don't need a lot of fuel.

6500ft runway? more than enough. KSNA has about 800ft less, and
they have scheduled service with 757s, and heavy A306s. So getting off
a 6500ft runway should be no problem.

BL.
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Brad Littlejohn | Email:
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Web + NewsMaster, BOFH.. Smeghead! | http://www.wizard.com/~tyketto
PGP: 1024D/E319F0BF 6980 AAD6 7329 E9E6 D569 F620 C819 199A E319 F0BF

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