[FDOS_UK]

MrMichael – 20/04/2016 18:26 BST

Bearing in my my licence is a UK/US PPL, so I have not studied RSA air law, but

1 – I’d expect the diversion to the alternate to be dictated by either reaching a pre-determed fuel level or at the commander’s discretion (i.e. earlier.)

2- the alternate would be on the flight plan, so they would go there.

3 – there is always the option of turning around and returning to JNB, before getting ‘feet wet’, if the weather forecast detiorated – no point dropping everyone off at Ascension Island, when they want to be in St Helena, so the aircraft would need to refuel and wait for the conditions to improve, which might have bad knock on effects

4 – there is always the option to reschedule at JNB; I remember that BA would occasionally cancel Concorde flights if the weather looked dodgy in New York, as many business people were going across for very short visits (you could easily go to a lunch meeting and return the same night) and would not appreciate being dropped off at White Plains or some other field a long way away.

Comair pax for for St Helena, may prefer to eat a delay, as a flight to Ascenion and back would probably add 3-3.5 hours extra flying time, plus time on the ground. This may cause knock on effects, too.

I believe that Comair have only one other flight that goes over water (to Marititius), but that flies across the width of Madagascar, enroute, thus meaning there are planty of alternates enroute, so I’m not sure how much experience they have with long over water flights.

To avoid doubt, I’m not suggesting that Comair is any than a safe and cautious airline, just postulating that it may be a steep learning curve for them in the first few months, but I wish them every success in adding a new and interesting destination and it certainly adds a novelty to ba.com.

[FDOS_UK]

There is something appropriate about seeing a British Airways ++branded jet++ on the tarmac at St Helena.

I’ve fixed that for you, I agree. Perhaps you could have a whiparound and put a statue of a short and dodgy looking Frog with ‘Boney snuffed it here’ as the inscription?

“God Save The Queen.”

It may be the 40th anniversary of the Sex Pistols LP that spawned that monstrosity of bad taste, but really no need to post a reminder on here.

[Speedbird1994]

How come every other post on here is FDOS? Whenever I read a forum I can guarantee that 90% of posts will be from him! And what’s more, every post seems to be belligerently disagreeing with whatever anyone else has said!

[openfly]

Speedbird1994 +1

Takes us back to the VK days!

[GivingupBA]

SimonS1 – “I wonder whether there are any other cases of places that have a regular service and are so remote.”

Easter Island? The flight there from Tahiti was 6 hours or so, then on to Santiago [the nearest runway] 5 hours or so as I recall. The LAN 767 seemed to be full both times.

[FDOS_UK]

Speedbird1994 – 20/04/2016 20:58 BST

Oh, lighten up a bit, can’t you see that Simon and are having a bit of fun with each other?

[FDOS_UK]

SimonS1 – 20/04/2016 18:47 BST

LAX-HNL. At 2,556 miles it is a veeeery long way over water.

Re tankering, trying to think back to the days when I was on engagement at BA, I seem to recall a rule of thumb for the fuel burn for narrow bodies that said take the flown distance, divide by 10 and then use that as the decimal in a formula starting with 1, so for a flight of 2,300 miles, the fuel burn would be 1.23 the normal.

The other thing to bear in mind, from those same conversations, is that that fuel is going to get cold soaked for 4 and a bit hours at -50~/-, so the wing upper surface could ice over on the ground (depending on temp etc) and there might be quite a wait, unless they have deicing equipment.

Most of the pilots I knew were skeptical of the benefits of tankering fuel on long flights under most circumstances.

[SimonS1]

@GivingupBA – 5 hours over water, that’s a long way, you wouldn’t want an engine issue there.

I suppose Dubai to Mauritius is over water pretty much all the way, albeit with some diversionary opportunities.

[FDOS_UK]

DXB-MRU is a long way, but as you say (a little like a TATL crossing), the aircraft is seldom too far from land and a diversion at single engine speed is feasible

http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=dxb-mru

By comparison, LAX-HNL is scary

http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=lax-hnl

As is Tahiti to Easter Island (unless there are airports on some of those little dots enroute)

http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=IPC-PPT

[LuganoPirate]

Since Comair is operating a once a month onward service to the Ascension Isles I’m pretty sure that would be the first alternate. Otherwise Windhoek seems the best bet if they have to turn round.

[SimonS1]

To be honest if the plane got into difficulties I wouldn’t want to be on any of those trips. Having said that air travel is so reliable these days that the probability is miniscule.

Plus EK down to MRU is 4 engines so I suppose that gives some added protection.

[openfly]

Hi LP Interesting news that Comair…BA…is operating to Ascencion Island. I wonder why?!

Atlantic Star Airlines (TUI-Germany) have announced their flight dates to LTN via BJL from the end of May. Brilliant lead in fares, but ex ST Helena.

[ImissConcorde]

There was an interesting view of these islands o n BBC last night

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07882lk

[cottamweb]

They’re very proud of their new airport. 737-800 & Bombardier Challenger 300 have landed so far

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckYo13P7yWw

https://www.facebook.com/visit.sthelena/?fref=ts

My mum was on a P&O cruise due to call there last year and couldn’t land due to stormy seas.

[superchris]

Great call ImissConcorde – look forward to watching it.

Ive always been fascinated by Tristan in particular, which stemmed from watching a documentary many years ago on the place. Of particular note was the strange Bristolian accents sported by the locals, and my favourite moment was the sole policeman (who had trained with the Met), trying to conduct cycling proficiency tests with the kids shouting ‘no, no no, you will get run over if you do that’ with a subtitle stating that ‘there are only 3 cars on Tristan de Cunha’, and one paved road!

[Author]

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