Storms in BNE tonight (Mon 8 Oct)

[QF WP]

Thanks, markis10, pleasing to know. At least I get to come home in comfort as I snagged a Y>J upgrade on this sector. Well worth the 5K points spent as it's a dinner flight - excellent!

 

[NM]

Ahh, another misconception , I have never closed an areodrome because of the possibility of a lightning strike, its the turbulance (read down and up drafts) thats an issue, especially on short final.

In many cases (and regularly at places like DFW in the USA) they close the ramp (not the airport) when there is lightning around. So even though flights can land and take-off, aircraft cannot get to and from the terminal, luggage and other services cease, refuelling does not happen etc. That has the affect of delaying passengers.

The average airline aircraft suffers one strike a year, the last crash that lightning played a part in according to ICAO was in 1988, there are only 9 such crashes on record according to ICAO.

Its not the aircraft that are the concern when there is lightning around. Its the ground staff trying to service the turn-around. That is when lightning causes delays. I was just being too general in my comment about storms and airports.

 

[NM]

Flew up in an international config 767-238

Now there is a blast from the past. And here was me thinking all the 767-238s had been removed from QF service several years ago (some still flying, like the one now owned by Google). Perhaps one too many HPs while "managing" the delays

 

[markis10]

Its not the aircraft that are the concern when there is lightning around. Its the ground staff trying to service the turn-around. That is when lightning causes delays. I was just being too general in my comment about storms and airports.

No worries NM, I was looking at it from ATC's perspective I must say !

 

[QF WP]

Hmmm, I could have sworn looking out the window now it was VH-OGO - is that a 338?? Unfortunately, no HP's for me at MEL QP

Dave Noble has just rung me to say that it was a 338 as there were two overwing exits at Row 34 & 35.

 

[NM]

No worries NM, I was looking at it from ATC's perspective I must say !

I am glad someone does! There are plenty of us looking at travel from a pax perspective already

 

[QF WP]

You know it's a bad night when QF544 gets called before QF542 (and you can't change as you checked in baggage )

 

[NM]

Hmmm, I could have sworn looking out the window now it was VH-OGO - is that a 338??

yep, the 200s were VH-EAJ through VH-EAQ (from memory). They were all P&W engined. The GE engined -300s are the -338s. The RR engined -300s are -336 (ex BA).

 

[QF WP]

Dave has also given me the bad news that I got the only 734 to be operating this afternoon - here I was looking for a 738 Millenium Seat.

 

[NM]

Dave has also given me the bad news that I got the only 734 to be operating this afternoon - here I was looking for a 738 Millenium Seat.

Things may yet change

 

[markis10]

Storm going over Redcliffe at present but BOM are still saying its clear for YBBN, good rain all around though which we need!

 

[straitman]

Storm going over Redcliffe at present but BOM are still saying its clear for YBBN, good rain all around though which we need!

...although the current radar image has quite a lot of movement from west to east.

Even more imteresting if you look a 'little' further north to the Gympie (weather watch) Radar Image :!:

 

[Shano]

A little OT but I hope this storm activity is running some water into Wivenhoe for you guys. The prospect of Level 6 water restrictions is getting pretty dire. Just won't want to be sitting next to any of you northeners when they ban your showers

 

[Mal]

A little OT but I hope this storm activity is running some water into Wivenhoe for you guys. The prospect of Level 6 water restrictions is getting pretty dire. Just won't want to be sitting next to any of you northeners when they ban your showers

Nah, pretty much still nothing flowing into the dams that supply Brisbane. Going to be an interesting Summer.

This should be in a separate thread, but home users aren't the ones consuming/wasting water. Level 6 is due pretty soon, but it shouldn't affect home users too much I believe.

 

[oz_mark]

This should be in a separate thread, but home users aren't the ones consuming/wasting water.

It's those breweries. And Water must be getting expensive - beer prices seem to be going up here all the time...

 

[QF WP]

Well, it was a flight to remember...

The precursor was the delay of the flight by over an hour (firstly late arrival of operating aircraft, which subseqeuntly went unserviceable but they managed to fix it - pity, changing a 734 to a 738 would have been a welcome relief). Then the BP readers at the gate weren't working (Gate 7) and finally waiting for transferring pax from another flight that was also delayed. We left just after 6.33pm (as I sent a text to Mrs LW at that time, explaining my delay).

After some turbulence on approach and a wide berth out to sea after the gold Coast, we landed in over the Gateway (19-01?). We were advised by the captain that we could land as the storms had passed the airport. We had a really bumpy landing (I'm sure we slewed a little bit due to the water in the grooving). This is better explained by meloz:

grooving is provided to allow water to run off during wet weather. Rubber build up fills the grooves and negates the macro and micro texture of the TDZ reducing the friction values when wet

Whilst we had landed, we weren't out of trouble yet. We had been told we could put our mobiles on, so I'll allow my sent text messages (to Mrs LW, Dave Noble, NM and IainF) and my thoughts/explanations, in {}, to tell the story:

8.12pm - Landed and taxiing to Gate
8.21pm - Sitting on the taxiway unable to approach aerobridge as lightning is prohibiting ground crew from working. Capt anounced that we were insulated!
{Capt explained about the blue light on top of airport structure somewhere operated by BoM and that as soon as it stopped flashing, we were good to go}
8.42pm - Finally started towards Gate but now told we can't dock at aerobridge so being taken to QFLink area near Gate 16 for off-loading via the old (manual) metal stairs
8.55pm - I've arrived and on my way to pick up bags
9.11pm - Still the story doesn't end. Baggage handlers have only just gone back to work & they are having to load the outgoing flights so they make curfew. 30 min delay
9.40pm - Bag has arrived {but on wrong carousel without any advice/warning - lucky I saw my bag out of the corner of my eye}

Still, I consider myself lucky, as IainF also had a story from last night - he was flying back (a little earlier than me) from Hervey Bay on QFLink, they hit major turbulence on the way and of the 11 pax, 8 were sick. The flight attendant was serving down the back and couldn't make it to the front of the plane and into her crew seat, she ended up sitting in a pax seat for the rest of the journey. That must have been disconcerting for the pilot(s) who were trying to raise her from the flightdeck via the phone/intercom. They must have finally tweaked that she was either injured/dead or unable to respond...so just kept flying. IainF said she was looking worse for wear by the time they parked the plane.

To add insult to injury, they incorrectly posted the flight in my account by allocating 0 points and 0 SC's


10 OCT 07 QF 542 BUSINESS 10OCT07 SYDNEY/BRISBANE - - - 0 0

 

[Hvr]

And there is another storm warning for BNE tonight (11 Oct). Flew out this afternoon (1445 hours) and while there was a bit of cloud about nothing too bad. However, CBR is now getting ready for a few storms. Hopefully not too many FFers will be delayed. Am glad I got in early enough to sit at home and enjoy the storm here.

 

[Mal]

It's those breweries. And Water must be getting expensive - beer prices seem to be going up here all the time...

Well I read somewhere that the top 10 commercial water users in South East Queensland use something like 70% of all water used.

Out of those, one is a softdrink manufacturer, there are two breweries and a fertiliser company. Will have to try and track down the newspaper article.

 

[NM]

And there is another storm warning for BNE tonight (11 Oct).

And more predicted for tomorrow as well.

 

[Nathan75]

Passed the time by meeting Nathan75, as he noticed I was posting from the QP. He came and found me and he had an awesome F1-11 DVD. Made me think of meloz "scrubbing the rubber"

Well I made it to my plane dead last as I was drinking with LW. Just made it.

Worst flight ever. Dash 8 to MKY and spent half 3/4 of the flight with the belt light on and heaps of turbulance. Not that it worries us glider pilots, we look for turbulance (best thermals). They even had to stop the in flight service and didn't get to finish it.

Longest 2 hours of my life to date.

Didn't think I'd get home after all the afternoon storms hanging around and when I heard thunder in Rocky this morning I thought I'd be stuck.

Anyway I'm finally back in BNE (got the 1520 out of Rocky).

There's no place like home.

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: