Ask The Pilot

[Saab34]

Australian domestic airports that have the poorest quality runways and taxiways?

I was recently in the pacific and some island airports certainly appeared questionable, which got me thinking.

Anything locally there that is a big ‘rough’ and needs taxpayer dollars?

 

[ksksks]

@Sprucegoose points out to.me that several flight including Nancy Bird operating QF2 have done a circuit today while travelling from Europe to Asia.

I could surmise, but will ask the pilots here what may be going on.

View attachment 428479

Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map | Flightradar24

View flight QF2 from London to Singapore on Flightradar24

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Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map | Flightradar24

View flight BA2231 from London to Bangkok on Flightradar24

fr24.com

Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map | Flightradar24

View flight MH1 from London to Kuala Lumpur on Flightradar24

fr24.com

Afghanistan is one big TIBA (uncontrolled), which requires adjacent FIRs to setup 15 minutes of separation prior to entry. The QF2 hold was for this purpose, with SQ325 not far ahead at the same level (F370). Similar with MH1 and AI156 (F390).. and BA2231 with OS25 (F370).

Other restrictions also apply when overflying Afghanistan.. eg no changes in mach or cruise level, plus requirement for the pilot broadcasts which come with TIBA.

(edit: added notes for MAS1 and BAW2231)

 

[RSD]

Afghanistan is one big TIBA (uncontrolled), which requires adjacent FIRs to setup 15 minutes of separation prior to entry. The QF2 hold was for this purpose, with SQ325 not far ahead at the same level (F370). Similar with MH1 and AI156 (F390).. and BA2231 with OS25 (F370).

Other restrictions also apply when overflying Afghanistan.. eg no changes in mach or cruise level, plus requirement for the pilot broadcasts which come with TIBA.

(edit: added notes for MAS1 and BAW2231)

I think the key word with Afghanistan generally is "uncontrolled"

 

[AviatorInsight]

Australian domestic airports that have the poorest quality runways and taxiways?

I was recently in the pacific and some island airports certainly appeared questionable, which got me thinking.

Anything locally there that is a big ‘rough’ and needs taxpayer dollars?

Nothing really jumps out at me from the capital cities. MEL would have to be the worst for taxiways, especially at the 27 end. I’m hoping with all the works they’re doing around the runway they can just smooth over the concrete slabs.

Darwin has the giant dip which can be a real pain but the quality of the tarmac itself isn’t bad. Even BNK is/has upgraded to a grooved runway so braking is now noticeably better in the wet.

DPS would be the worst for me on the current network followed by NAN. I haven’t been to APW or VLI yet to make a comparison.

 

[jb747]

@Sprucegoose points out to.me that several flight including Nancy Bird operating QF2 have done a circuit today while travelling from Europe .

Just timing adjustments. Smaller changes can be done with a jink of a minute or two.

Australian domestic airports that have the poorest quality runways and taxiways?

I was recently in the pacific and some island airports certainly appeared questionable, which got me thinking.

Anything locally there that is a big ‘rough’ and needs taxpayer dollars?

I don’t recall any that were especially rough, but a couple could have been a bit longer.

 

[serfty]

Just timing adjustments. Smaller changes can be done with a jink of a minute or two.

Suggesting advantageous "winds". I note shortly after the time of the holding Nacy Bird was still looking to arrive into SIN 45.mintes early.

Im surprilised they'd do such so far in advance.

 

[jb747]

Suggesting advantageous "winds". I note shortly after the time of the holding Nacy Bird was still looking to arrive into SIN 45.mintes early.

Im surprilised they'd do such so far in advance.

Not for the destination. They’ll fix that with holding within the last couple of hundred miles. You can’t slow down enough, especially at altitude, to make much difference. This would just be for Afghanistan.

Holding patterns waste from 6-12 or so minutes, per pattern. It’s a little unusual to get hit with that much of a delaying action en-route. As you can imagine, the aircraft behind are catching up whilst this is happening. Often when it was required, the aircraft that was being slowed would be pulled right out of the stream…and good luck getting back in.