How has it been lately? We have had a couple of foggy days...whats the visibility like from your end? Couple from yyz.... Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
No pics sadly, but we couldn't see out the windows. Even the base of the tower was a half-visible! A couple of days of reduced-vis ops, one of low-vis (CAT 2 approaches), even a couple of CAT3! That usually doesn't happen until early April.
That's funny... Buss, busses, bussed means to kiss, kisses and kissed. They mean bus, buses and bused.
How is it going with the runway repairs and your job? I've experienced many delays lately including a couple of runway holds for slots. I have a feeling it's more stressful for me vs you!
Sorry for not answering earlier, I accidentally turned off notifications. The runway excursion could have been much worse We have bad crashes about every 8 years based on historical averages, so we were overdue for one. The pilots apparently didn't know they'd left the runway at first (15R is notoriously difficult to peg, due to not having the same lighting setup as others). Had they been dragged further into the mud, they would have been in a ravine...and we all know that that went last time (Air France). The runway repairs were a nightmare, mainly because we used the north-south runways much more. Nobody is used to them, so we always have many more incursions and such issues. I had a very close call on my last day before paternity leave, when a vehicle crossed 15L near the threshold without permission just as an arriving aircraft was crossing said threshold. Closest to a crash I've personally dealt with. I had another similar problem on my first day back, but it was nowhere near as close. As you thought, Tamas, it was not too bad overall for us, especially once the pilots got used to it. We had less traffic to deal with. My mother-in-law, who works in Air Canada operations control, told me that all flights were seeing a 20-40 minute delay on average due to this. Thankfully, they are now done with that, and won't even need to do the scheduled closure in October due to having worked faster than anticipated (who would have imagined that!). Now, though, we have a pretty big closure on the apron between terminals 1 and 3, which is really messing up everyone's flows. Lots more work because of that--but thankfully it'll be done in a week or so. Sorry again, I'll try to answer faster from now on!
Today's funny moment: just received a call from the regional police service. Apparently someone called 911 to report that a helicopter passing through our zone might be in distress, as "their tail rotor seems to be working intermittently". These are probably the same people who call to complain about airplane noise after moving in to the new development just off on of our departure paths.
Seems that you guys have your hands full up there. I read an article today about officials are going to look into incursions on the tarmac. https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/08/09/us-airline-involved-in-second-close-call-at-pearson.html
Yeah, that's been a perennial problem. I've personally handled 3 of those incursions, and was interviewed by the TSB as well about it. Apparently most of them happened with American regional carriers flying smaller rear-engined jets, who say it's hard to see the hold short line. It doesn't help that the lines are 75ft further from the runway than normal either (although the extra distance usually gives us time to tell them to stop). We're apparently getting a taxiway between the runways to help prevent the issue, like LAX has.
Waiting for a flight in the Air France lounge now. Headed to Nairobi via Paris for a Safari Image Unavailable, Please Login
Has some quick sideways turbulence shortly after takeoff, captain came right on, nothing to be alarmed about, just got in the wake of the plane in front of us. Oye
Flew in from Frankfurt today via Ottawa. It's been a while since I've had a window seat in the back of a widebody--all I notice is our taxiways are covered in weeds and caulking! Looks like a shoddy parking lot.
F22 did a lap of the tower today...apologies for the horrible video, it was very windy and raining hard... [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kPvbdESdtw[/ame]
Wow!! Thoughts: 1. Unbelievable! 2. How would the pilot ask permission of the tower to perform such a stunt on takeoff legally? Thanks!
Airshow weekend means we get a few interesting planes. We run a friendly competition each year for the best flyby--we are actually the ones giving the pilots the instruction to perform this maneuver, called a 'pitch' or 'break'. Many military aircraft do this kind of approach normally to bleed off speed before landing. In this case, they perform it upon return from the show area, before landing at YYZ. We simply ask them to do it around the tower instead of further back on the approach. If you look at the beginning of the video, you'll see the Raptor approaching from the south against the clouds. Sadly, they were quite high around the tower--usually, the fighter pilots go around us at cab height. We get a nice private airshow out of it More pics from last year, where you can see hos close they get: AIRIC Canadian International Air Show @ YYZ Control Tower
Runway 23 right? Airport road by the wendys just past vista cargo. still here aby tips would be great.
Yeah, 23--the only landers there will be the airshow guys. The F22s are coming out in about 20 minutes. Snowbirds in 80. You'll get better views from the infield, next to Air Canada Cargo, or even down on Convair/Britannia I'd think though. I finish at 14:00, if you like, I can take you up on the tower's outside ring to watch too! I'll PM you my cell.
