Removing disabled aircraft from runway at very busy airports

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soaringhigh650

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soaringhigh650
Assuming someone had a collapsed nosewheel at a busy airport that is normally heavily utilized by big jets, understandably the runway will be closed and several flights many passengers may have to be diverted?

How long does it take for the runway to be cleared?
 
1. Possibly, if there aren't alternate runways at which to land. If it's a big jet airport, there probably are, so it's probably not going to be an issue.


2. Depends on the size of the plane and the extent of the damage. Could be 15 minutes, could be a few hours.
 
A Cirrus landed with the brakes locked and blew both mains as I watched a while back.

Runway was clear in about 20 minutes. Local mechanic has a couple low platforms on castors, so with three people lifting one wing at a time, we slid a platform under the flat tires, then towed it off the runway with a tug.

Two new tires mounted, and all is well.
 
In each large town/city, the tower has the 24hr emer phone number of a local crane company. They can usually be on the runway within about 20-30 minutes and have the plane on the hook shortly after. Of course, bigger GA planes could be an issue, but most singles and twins don't take long to get moving in the event of a gear up or other minimal problem that blocks a runway.
 
I had it happen at KABQ and KSAF, more often at KABQ than at KSAF, because of greater amount of traffic. Usually takes them less than 15 minutes to clear. I never had to go to alternate, because every time it happened, they used another runway and wind wasn't strong enough to make it untenable. At KSAF it may be more of a problem, because they only have 1 runway that accepts scheduled operations. Also, if the wreck stops right where all their runways intersect, suddenly the whole airport is closed. You're supposed to have VFR or IFR reserves that allow you to reach an alternate airport.

Edit: what I meant to say, if you hit a snag like that, don't try to wait it out in the air unless you've got hours of extra fuel onboard -- divert right away.
 
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zaitcev said:
I had it happen at KABQ and KSAF, more often at KABQ than at KSAF, because of greater amount of traffic. Usually takes them less than 15 minutes to clear. I never had to go to alternate, because every time it happened, they used another runway and wind wasn't strong enough to make it untenable. At KSAF it may be more of a problem, because they only have 1 runway that accepts scheduled operations. Also, if the wreck stops right where all their runways intersect, suddenly the whole airport is closed. You're supposed to have VFR or IFR reserves that allow you to reach an alternate airport.

Edit: what I meant to say, if you hit a snag like that, don't try to wait it out in the air unless you've got hours of extra fuel onboard -- divert right away.
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Another excellent reason to always be talking to someone FF or IFR, so you'll know the runway is closed ASAP.
 
"Albuquerque tower, mayday! Cessna 666 is experiencing a partial loss of power, any open taxiways available?"
 
Sac Arrow said:
"Albuquerque tower, mayday! Cessna 666 is experiencing a partial loss of power, any open taxiways available?"
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No, no, no! The engine is running a teensy, teensy bit rough. Sac, you've been here long enough to know that!:rofl:
 
It depends on whether or not it meets the official criteria for reportibility of Aircraft Accidents and Preservation of Wreckage. If you don't have to get NTSB/FAA permission to move it, you can clear it as fast as physically possible. See 49cfr830 and 831.
 
I always liked the USN use of Big Bertha to push any damaged aircraft overboard.

Cheers
 
It took 20 minutes to get my Fairchild off the runway.
 

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Tom - you need to burn that photo. Looks like a painful memory to me.

edit: I mean for you
 
At Sullivan, MO, a non-towered airport, it's the pilots responsibility to get it cleared.

There's a wrecker service about a quarter mile away. A 20-foot car hauler will do the trick for most small planes.
 
Jaybird180 said:
Tom - you need to burn that photo. Looks like a painful memory to me.

edit: I mean for you
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Put in the Shi- happens category, and remember I didn't hurt as bad as it may seem.
 
soaringhigh650 said:
2 hours?!? Is that normal for that size of airport or are they just being super slow?
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Dunno, that's just what I saw in the BBC report. Could be they had to be extra careful with that Spitfire, it being a genuine antique and all.
 
You should see how fast wrecks disappear and are out of public view at OSH. Wouldn't be good for biz...
 
The few that my dad and I have removed off the runway, all it took was a call to the FAA and get the green light from them.
 
steingar said:
Could be they had to be extra careful with that Spitfire, it being a genuine antique and all.
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That is exactly why. The last thing they wanted to do was further damage the aircraft while trying to hurry the process along.




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We had Kent clear of the runway at Mt. Hawley within a half hour; an hour at most. The difficulty was finding something to put under the DA-40 wheel pant that wouldn't damage it.
 
Depends on whether they can jack it or must lift it. A high-wing gear up can often be jacked (in two stages with cribbing in place while short-throw jacks are changed out for the longer variety until the wheels drop out and lock into place. If the shop is close and has spare jacks and a truck handy, it can go pretty quickly.
 
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