Quite a story.
Remember when some elements of society thought it was great sport to lob half bricks off bridges spanning motorways (‘freeways’) onto passing vehicles, the potential for accident and carnage on a mega scale was huge. Deciding prevention was better than cure, fences and such like were, at great expense, put in place. If you thought the practice of ‘bombing’ cars was highly dangerous you were right – then the notion of illegally sending a loaded passenger aircraft ‘around’, from a short final to landing should fill you with terror.
At peak period the air traffic ‘pattern’ or ‘flow’ at major airports is a very, very carefully coordinated, heavily monitored and managed; even a small element of ‘upset’ can create a knock on effect which has implications – usually this sort of thing results in delay while separation standards are re-established. Before the disruption, ATCO have carefully ensured separation – which allows for unforeseen elements – there are plans in place to deal with even the worst case scenario’s – say even an accident on the runway. These folk are bloody good at what they do – provided – they have ‘control’ and everyone obeys instructions and rules. Same-same traffic lights; what would happen at a busy intersection if someone unauthorized, with malicious intent, had direct control of those lights?
An ‘overshoot’ or ‘go-around’ is a normal, routine, rehearsed event and it happens; relatively often. Strictly a ‘no sweat’ event, especially at controlled aerodromes where ATC automatically build in a ‘buffer’ to allow for the event – for every aircraft – every time. Pilots are tuned to ATC ‘control’ – a call such as SkyPie 123 – Go-Around – will be automatically and almost immediately complied with – bitching and cursing beginning once clear of the terrain. Despite the fluency of cussing at being sent around – these things usually happen in a safe, orderly manner, but the dynamics are scary. A passenger jet – (non specific) will, at Take Off power (TOGA) be doing somewhere between 320 to 500 KpH ‘forward’; and somewhere between 1500 to 4000 feet, per minute, - ‘up’. The thing is moving – very quickly - through a tightly packed, small airspace and nobody messes about on, or rarely questions a ‘go around’ instruction.
You do not need much imagination to see the potential for a real disaster happening.
Even the most bleeding of hearts would concede interfering with ATC operations is not just a mischievous ‘prank’. No matter the motive; this event should be treated as an act of terrorism, the perpetrator(s), shown no mercy and penalised to full extent of the law, and be grateful there is ‘law’ to protect their rights, from the likes of me. This crime has the potential to kill upwards of 400 people as a result of mid air collision, the many tons of falling debris over a city the potential to kill, maim and injure many, many more. This ‘game’ needs to be stopped, now. The ‘minister’ must throw every resource available at this event, before the unthinkable happens. No joke, the clock is ticking.
Toot toot.
Remember when some elements of society thought it was great sport to lob half bricks off bridges spanning motorways (‘freeways’) onto passing vehicles, the potential for accident and carnage on a mega scale was huge. Deciding prevention was better than cure, fences and such like were, at great expense, put in place. If you thought the practice of ‘bombing’ cars was highly dangerous you were right – then the notion of illegally sending a loaded passenger aircraft ‘around’, from a short final to landing should fill you with terror.
At peak period the air traffic ‘pattern’ or ‘flow’ at major airports is a very, very carefully coordinated, heavily monitored and managed; even a small element of ‘upset’ can create a knock on effect which has implications – usually this sort of thing results in delay while separation standards are re-established. Before the disruption, ATCO have carefully ensured separation – which allows for unforeseen elements – there are plans in place to deal with even the worst case scenario’s – say even an accident on the runway. These folk are bloody good at what they do – provided – they have ‘control’ and everyone obeys instructions and rules. Same-same traffic lights; what would happen at a busy intersection if someone unauthorized, with malicious intent, had direct control of those lights?
An ‘overshoot’ or ‘go-around’ is a normal, routine, rehearsed event and it happens; relatively often. Strictly a ‘no sweat’ event, especially at controlled aerodromes where ATC automatically build in a ‘buffer’ to allow for the event – for every aircraft – every time. Pilots are tuned to ATC ‘control’ – a call such as SkyPie 123 – Go-Around – will be automatically and almost immediately complied with – bitching and cursing beginning once clear of the terrain. Despite the fluency of cussing at being sent around – these things usually happen in a safe, orderly manner, but the dynamics are scary. A passenger jet – (non specific) will, at Take Off power (TOGA) be doing somewhere between 320 to 500 KpH ‘forward’; and somewhere between 1500 to 4000 feet, per minute, - ‘up’. The thing is moving – very quickly - through a tightly packed, small airspace and nobody messes about on, or rarely questions a ‘go around’ instruction.
You do not need much imagination to see the potential for a real disaster happening.
Even the most bleeding of hearts would concede interfering with ATC operations is not just a mischievous ‘prank’. No matter the motive; this event should be treated as an act of terrorism, the perpetrator(s), shown no mercy and penalised to full extent of the law, and be grateful there is ‘law’ to protect their rights, from the likes of me. This crime has the potential to kill upwards of 400 people as a result of mid air collision, the many tons of falling debris over a city the potential to kill, maim and injure many, many more. This ‘game’ needs to be stopped, now. The ‘minister’ must throw every resource available at this event, before the unthinkable happens. No joke, the clock is ticking.
Toot toot.