brian shrader: blog 
brian shrader's blog
going around?
Published Jul. 3, 2008
The AP tells that "go-arounds" could be dangerous.
Aircraft made more than 1,500 go-arounds at eight major U.S. airports in the last six months of 2007, the AP said. That's what happens when a plane is coming in for a landing, but the runway is obstructed or the airport is too congested. The crew has to power up, raise the gear, retract the flaps and go around. Well, this sometimes happens when a plane is taking off from an intersecting runway, the AP reports, and that raises the risk of mid-air collisions.
Well, I'd rather risk that than try to make a landing on an obstructed runway.
I experienced a go-around once. Landing in Charlotte on a 737, we were probably about 400 feet off the ground when the pilot throttled up suddenly. It was a great experience to feel the full power of those engines. We heard the gear retract, I saw the flaps retract and I had no idea what was going on. We remained in the pattern and were headed downwind when the pilot said the plane that landed before us hadn't cleared the runway quickly enough.
I'm a geek, but I thought it was fun. Oh, well.
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Believe it or not I can't qualify for GA. Never get past Medical. But, that doesn't keep me from getting in the back seat with other pilots at the stick and racking up time. SES and SEL are split down the middle of my 49 hours, little more towards SES. Mainly tailwheel on SEL, and only about 2 on low wing (Grumann). Pond Jumping (lake to lake on floats) is fun that a lot never get to do.
A lot think we are crazy when they hear the term "prop start". Yes guys, some of us, even TODAY manually start the planes, and it's legal (tie the plane to an object, i.e. anchor it); you can do it solo.
If you have a 3 hour drive, you'd be ahead to fly it. About 45-50 minutes most likely in a small bird. 6-10 gal/hr figure for consumption. Saves you 4 1/2 hours of driving RT.
July 3, 2008 4:34 p.m.
I love that kind of talk!!!!!!!!
It's good to hear from other fly guys! Didn't know there were so many on here. We ought to start our own Aviator's Group.
Every pilot has a bucket full of good stories. Most of them only interesting to other pilots.
GOLO member since May 2, 2008
July 3, 2008 1:19 p.m.
GOLO member since October 18, 2007
July 3, 2008 12:47 p.m.
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The Diesel-9 is still a viable possibility from RDU...NW flies at least a couple of -50s through here per day. Fancy going to MSP or DTW?
But you better act quick because once the DL/NW merger goes through, those DC-9s are likely headed to Marana in the desert. :)
If Aloha hadn't shut down operations earlier this year, that would have been your best chance to ride a Turbo Potato (737-200s were uniquely suited for inter-island hops...the JT8-Ds cool faster than the CFM-56s allowing for quicker turns which is critical in Hawaii and offset the higher MX of the -200s).
But my favourite will always be Jack Steiner's 727. The design is a classic and there was nothing like pushing the throttles to the stops knowing you've got 54K lbs of thrust coming out the tail.
She's like driving a Ferrari!
July 3, 2008 12:29 p.m.
Was once on final in a dinky Cessna 150. I was already over the runway when the tower called a go-around because an old DC-3 was on my tail and ready to land. :)
GOLO member since August 16, 2007
July 3, 2008 12:24 p.m.
Usually they don't bring them out to that area.
July 3, 2008 12:14 p.m.
GOLO member since July 3, 2007
July 3, 2008 12:09 p.m.
0100 in the morning...I was on a Delta 737-200/Adv on final for RDU when I felt a 25-knot crosswind push on the tail just as the rear gear hit the tarmac.
At the exact same time, the pilots throttled up the ol' JT8-Ds to the stops (those were the old low-bypass engines with the bucket reversers but no hush kits...i.e. very loud!) and we did touch-and-go with the nose gear never touching the deck. Witin seconds, we were airborne for a low pass over the Angus Barn and the neighbourhoods to the north of it to re-establish on the pattern and make another landing attempt.
Second landing was a grease job just off the piano keys.
Had the pilots not recognised the situation and took the appropriate response, there was a better than average chance the jet would have been pushed off the runway with the potential of breaking things with a subsequent visit from NTSB.
July 3, 2008 11:48 a.m.
GOLO member since August 16, 2007
July 3, 2008 11:39 a.m.
GOLO member since August 2, 2007
July 3, 2008 11:36 a.m.
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