Communication breakdown on A380 QF32

[Jobu]

Approaching Singapore on QF32 A380 on Saturday morning (14 May), as the plane was smoothly approaching the runway for landing, it suddenly took what felt like evasive action, accelerating very rapidly (could feel the g-force and hear the engines power up loudly) and ascended very fast, banking to the side.

Captain came on a minute later, announcing that there was a lot of traffic in the area and there had been a breakdown in communication (something to that effect).

Pretty much one sentence and left us all in mystery.

Is there a way to find out what really happened?

 

[milehighclub]

Was this the first time or second time you approached Singapore? - Didn't it divert to Kuala Lumpur for weather?

In short, no there is no way you could find out.

However it sounds like the aircraft to land before you had not cleared the runway (or possibly one was ready to take off but hadn't yet). As such, the aircraft has to perform a go around - which is as exactly as you described, when the engines rev up and you turn or go up very quickly.

Go arounds for this particular reason a very common, and wouldn't be to concerned about it.

Naturally the closer the aircraft is to landing, the more "evasive" action it has to take as it has less time to get out of the way.

 

[oz_mark]

I guess that it suggests that the crew had not received a clearance to land. But what lead to that situation (plan in front still on runway, someone on the ground being in the way etc etc), may be hard to find out.

 

[Sifor]

I agree with milehighclub. It would have been a simple go around since the aircraft before you had not cleared the runway.

I highly doubt the crew did not receive clearance to land... clearance is given around the outer marker.

 

[markis10]

I guess that it suggests that the crew had not received a clearance to land. But what lead to that situation (plan in front still on runway, someone on the ground being in the way etc etc), may be hard to find out.

Not that hard, pilots normally let the tower know when they see something the tower does not, and if the feed was up it will be available for review at live ATC, under the airport code WSSS.

I highly doubt the crew did not receive clearance to land... clearance is given around the outer marker.

Clearance to land is given when its clear to land, there is no set point where its given geographically, I have myself cleared a 747 when it was at short final in SYD, with the obvious "acknowledgement not required" added!

 

[russ]

a breakdown in communication (something to that effect).

Could the pilot have said "breakdown in separation"? That would make more sense.

 

[Jobu]

Could the pilot have said "breakdown in separation"? That would make more sense.

Actually, yes I think thats what he said. What does that mean?

 

[Jobu]

Was this the first time or second time you approached Singapore? - Didn't it divert to Kuala Lumpur for weather?

It was the first approach. We landed safely and smoothly in Singapore on the second approach.

 

[russ]

Actually, yes I think thats what he said. What does that mean?

There are standards for the minimum distance between aircraft, ie their "separation." A breakdown of separation occurs when two aircraft come closer than that distance.

 

[Jobu]

There are standards for the minimum distance between aircraft, ie their "separation." A breakdown of separation occurs when two aircraft come closer than that distance.

Is that a common occurrence? First time I've noticed it in an A380 (and really felt it).

 

[harvyk]

Is that a common occurrence? First time I've noticed it in an A380 (and really felt it).

Go arounds are not common, but not that uncommon... (I've read a stat that says a pilot will probably have a go around once a month, but it didn't say what sort of pilot, obviously a shorthaul pilot would experience more go arounds than a long haul pilot)

I expect that most people here have been in a go around at least once (myself included)

Yes you do feel it, although it's more because you don't expect it.

 

[oz_mark]

I expect that most people here have been in a go around at least once (myself included)

Not yet But I do know plenty of people that have.

 

[Jobu]

Go arounds are not common, but not that uncommon... (I've read a stat that says a pilot will probably have a go around once a month, but it didn't say what sort of pilot, obviously a shorthaul pilot would experience more go arounds than a long haul pilot)

I expect that most people here have been in a go around at least once (myself included)

Yes you do feel it, although it's more because you don't expect it.

Are those go-arounds for a "breakdown in separation" or can they be for lots of other reasons? Certainly I'm sure I've been in a go-around due to weather conditions, but I don't recall it being so sudden.

 

[markis10]

They happen when it's not safe to land, no big deal.

 

[TonyHancock]

I expect that most people here have been in a go around at least once (myself included)

Twice at CVG in a year for me. :shock: In both cases the runway had not been cleared.

 

[nlagalle]

Are those go-arounds for a "breakdown in separation" or can they be for lots of other reasons? Certainly I'm sure I've been in a go-around due to weather conditions, but I don't recall it being so sudden.

They can be for any number of reasons Jobu. I've not been a pax during a Go-around, however I have performed a go around twice as a pilot (aircraft slow at vacating the active runway). No big deal, it's part of pilot training.

 

[serfty]

"Go arounds" happen - they are a part of basic training and regular accreditation.

Simplistically, an aircraft landing is a controlled high speed 'collision' with the ground; generally designed to do as little damage to (in no particular order):

• the Aircraft itself,
• it's passengers,
• it's crew
• the aerodrome,
• it's buildings,
• other aircraft in the vicinity and
• anything else for that matter.

The role of pilots/ATC's/etc. is to ensure such damage is minimal; they proceed using a set of strict rules/limits.

If anything happens that might increase possible damage to any of the above by exceeding said limits the process is to "go around" and try again.

 

[Alanslegal]

I was on a CX flight last year approaching into JFK which did a 'go around'. Luckily the plane had a live-cam just behind the front landing gear so we could see what was happening during the landing process.

Anyway, landing gear was down, on final approach, and I see land [and I'm making a wild guess it was around the 1,000 feet mark]... and me being the 'scaredy' flyer I am was thinking "where's the runway?! I bet the pilots got it wrong" and whilst the other half of the brain was telling me "its impossible, the pilots are the best of the best and they dont get these things little things wrong" .... and before we knew it, landing gear is raised (yes I see it all on the live cam), engines come to life and up and away we go ..... and in the next 30 seconds I'm persuading myself "the pilot really got it wrong" LOL

About a minute later, pilot comes on and advises the go around process and why he had to do it ie. another plane didn't vacate the runway fast enough and he felt it was unsafe to land.

 

[futurism]

I have been in a number of go rounds
normally for the same reason, plane hasnt vacated runway
on 2 occasions into Sydney in the morning this was the same Asiana flight, just weeks apart if i recall.

But the only scary flight was an a380.
Coming from London via Singapore into Sydney, the airport was basically closed and 737's were diverting to Canberra and Newcastle
The captain on our a380 didnt want to divert here, and made 2 failed attempts at landing into Sydney
We did eventually land in Sydney, but well over 90 minutes late.
This meant I missed my connecting flight into Adelaide that night, which was dramatic, people were screaming and the police were called etc.

The next morning was the great Sydney dust storm
I sat in the domestic business lounge from 5am until 6pm.

Far scarier is a rejected take off, only been in one of those. On Ansett.

 

[markis10]

My most interesting go around was in a NWA 747 inbound from SYD/Osaka to JFK, we were on short final with the Tristar aborted take off in front of us (TWA Flight 843 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) shutting down the airport, I caught the wrong plane in the first place so it was a lot of fun explaining what happened to NW staff at Newark!