a few red faces ?

[britfrog 180]

During approach from the northeast in darkness but in good visibility, the aircraft (a 747 Dreamlifter) missed its destination airport,( McConnell AFB in Wichita) , but for whatever reason, headed instead to the much smaller Jabara Airfield (KAAO), located about 4 miles to the north of the air base. The 747 made a normal landing  at the small airport but due to its  dimensions and weight, became disabled on the runway. Both landing runways have roughly the same heading, but Jabara´s runway is only 1.860 meters in length wihch is insufficient for getting a loaded 747-400 off the ground again. The aircraft was part of the global Dreamlifter fleet to carry components for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner program from factories in Asia and Europe to the final assembly lines in Wichita and Seattle.  

 

 

OOPS!!

[stu7708 244]

Oops indeed...

 

I do seem to recall a US Airforce pilot doing something similar a few years back..

Can't remember where it happened or what type of plane that was involved, other than it being of a fairly large size

[dodgy-alan 1,587]

A C-17 of the USAF did the same thing a while ago. they had to unload and partly de-fuel the C-17 to get her out. Not sure what they'll do with a B747 as it doesn't have the high lift devices that the C-17 has.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wi58Ds3Krgw

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHMhClzfoi8

[brett 2,315]

Can't do much for the pilot's reputation, I'm sure.

[hifly 925]

FO to Captain.

 

Wichita airport do you want me to land at, disa one or data one?

[ddavid 149]

FO to Captain.

Wichita airport do you want me to land at, disa one or data one?

Had to laugh at that, Geoff - Thanks, Mate!

Cheers - Dai.

[allardjd 1,853]

This may not be as easy as getting the C-17 out of the wrong airport down near Tampa a while back (it was going to McDill AFB).

As Alan points out, the military trash haulers were designed with marginal airfields in mind with the full knowledge that they'd be called upon to do that. I doubt the 747 has all the advantages the C-17 has in that respect. I don't know what the field length is or exactly how marginal the situation may be, but I'm glad I'm not the one who has to make the decision.

This being a civil aircraft, the FAA is going to be in the picture as well.

I wonder how many layers of Marsden Mat it would take to support a 747?

John

[J G 927]

The required runway length at MTOW for a 747 varies on the mark, The 747 - 400 is the shortest at 9.902 feet.

 

The runway at Jabara Airfield is 6,101 feet. Which ever way you look at it that is just not going to work.

 

With minimal fuel and everything that can be stripped out removed, such a reduction is still a big ask. I guess you could test it with a similar air frame on a long runway, but think of the cost, and if the test fails, the Jabara 747 becomes a pile of scrap.

[flybytes 34]

Surely Boeing will have the flight dynamics for the Dreamlifter programmed into a 747 simulator which can be used to test the very short takeoff without endangering the pilot or aircraft?

 

Ray.

[Andrew Godden 943]

The required runway length at MTOW for a 747 varies on the mark, The 747 - 400 is the shortest at 9.902 feet.

The runway at Jabara Airfield is 6,101 feet. Which ever way you look at it that is just not going to work.

With minimal fuel and everything that can be stripped out removed, such a reduction is still a big ask. I guess you could test it with a similar air frame on a long runway, but think of the cost, and if the test fails, the Jabara 747 becomes a pile of scrap.

John,

Those figures must include a generous margin and she wasn't near MTOW, because they got it off in the 6,101 ft and with room to spare from the looks of things. About all they could have done to reduce weight was defuel to the minimum requirement.

I dare say they had some top pilot for the take-off.

Cheers

Andrew