Strange landing at SJC

Hello,

I just came back from a walk outside my office in Santa Clara. Around
3:00pm I saw something quite unusual - while all the planes from San
Jose International were taking off in N-W direction, there was a
single plane (something that looked a bit like MD-80) that seemed to
_land_ coming from N-W, exactly opposite the rest of the traffic.

I noticed the strange plane because it was going quite low and what
looked to me way faster than the usual. I can't see the airport from
here, but shortly after I lost the MD-80-like thing from sight I saw a
737 taking off - it looked like while one was landing on the west
runway, the 737 was taking off the east one in the opposite direction.

I've never seen anything like that. It's possible that the plane
didn't land on SJC, but it was awfully close to the regular flight
path. Is such "backward" landing normal? Was this guy having a
problem?

- Alex

"Alexander Avtanski" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I just came back from a walk outside my office in Santa Clara. Around
3:00pm I saw something quite unusual - while all the planes from San
Jose International were taking off in N-W direction, there was a
single plane (something that looked a bit like MD-80) that seemed to
_land_ coming from N-W, exactly opposite the rest of the traffic.

I noticed the strange plane because it was going quite low and what
looked to me way faster than the usual. I can't see the airport from
here, but shortly after I lost the MD-80-like thing from sight I saw a
737 taking off - it looked like while one was landing on the west
runway, the 737 was taking off the east one in the opposite direction.

I've never seen anything like that. It's possible that the plane
didn't land on SJC, but it was awfully close to the regular flight
path. Is such "backward" landing normal? Was this guy having a
problem?

From the description, the MD-80 was probably an emergency coming in for a
landing and was allowed to land opposite direction for expediency. He could
have had a mechanical problem, a fuel problem, or a medical emergency. It
happens all the time.

Hello,

On Aug 19, 5:14*pm, "Mike" wrote:
"Alexander Avtanski" wrote in message
[...]
I just came back from a walk outside my office in Santa Clara. *Around
3:00pm I saw something quite unusual - while all the planes from San
Jose International were taking off in N-W direction, there was a
single plane (something that looked a bit like MD-80) that seemed to
_land_ coming from N-W, exactly opposite the rest of the traffic.
[...]

From the description, the MD-80 was probably an emergency coming in for a
landing and was allowed to land opposite direction for expediency. *He could
have had a mechanical problem, a fuel problem, or a medical emergency. *It
happens all the time.

Thanks Mike! I was beginning to think that maybe they changed the
traffic
direction and I saw the last plane landing in the old sequence. But
after reading
your mail I remembered about the archive radar tracks for SFO Bay Area
( http://live.airportnetwork.com/sfo/ ). Looking at the data shortly
after 3pm
found the plane I saw:

http://avtanski.net/images/var/sjc_20080819_2.jpg

Here the two green planes are the ones taking from SJC in NW direction
and
turning left; the "opposite" plane is the red one - landing against
all the traffic!
Well, maybe he is British...

Regards,

- Alex

On Aug 20, 6:29*pm, Alexander Avtanski wrote:
Hello,

On Aug 19, 5:14*pm, "Mike" wrote:

"Alexander Avtanski" wrote in message
[...]
I just came back from a walk outside my office in Santa Clara. *Around
3:00pm I saw something quite unusual - while all the planes from San
Jose International were taking off in N-W direction, there was a
single plane (something that looked a bit like MD-80) that seemed to
_land_ coming from N-W, exactly opposite the rest of the traffic.
[...]

From the description, the MD-80 was probably an emergency coming in for a
landing and was allowed to land opposite direction for expediency. *He could
have had a mechanical problem, a fuel problem, or a medical emergency. *It
happens all the time.

Thanks Mike! *I was beginning to think that maybe they changed the
traffic
direction and I saw the last plane landing in the old sequence. *But
after reading
your mail I remembered about the archive radar tracks for SFO Bay Area
(http://live.airportnetwork.com/sfo/). Looking at the data shortly
after 3pm
found the plane I saw:

*http://avtanski.net/images/var/sjc_20080819_2.jpg

Here the two green planes are the ones taking from SJC in NW direction
and
turning left; the "opposite" plane is the red one - landing against
all the traffic!
Well, maybe he is British...

Whats with the wonky tracks -or are the pilots drunk?

Cheers

Alexander Avtanski wrote in
:

Hello,

On Aug 19, 5:14*pm, "Mike" wrote:
"Alexander Avtanski" wrote in message
[...]
I just came back from a walk outside my office in Santa Clara.
*Aroun
d
3:00pm I saw something quite unusual - while all the planes from
San Jose International were taking off in N-W direction, there was
a single plane (something that looked a bit like MD-80) that seemed
to _land_ coming from N-W, exactly opposite the rest of the
traffic.
[...]

From the description, the MD-80 was probably an emergency coming in
for a landing and was allowed to land opposite direction for
expediency. *He
could
have had a mechanical problem, a fuel problem, or a medical
emergency.
*It
happens all the time.

Thanks Mike! I was beginning to think that maybe they changed the
traffic
direction and I saw the last plane landing in the old sequence. But
after reading
your mail I remembered about the archive radar tracks for SFO Bay Area
( http://live.airportnetwork.com/sfo/ ). Looking at the data shortly
after 3pm
found the plane I saw:

http://avtanski.net/images/var/sjc_20080819_2.jpg

Here the two green planes are the ones taking from SJC in NW direction
and
turning left; the "opposite" plane is the red one - landing against
all the traffic!
Well, maybe he is British...


You can land any way you like. If the traffic is light, ATC will slot
you in either by their own request or by your own. It's pretty common,
actually, and if the winds are light, not an issue. Normally most
airliners have a tailwind limit of 12 to 15 knots, and in some
instances, higher. The most common reason to do it is to save time, of
course. These days it's geting more common in order to save fuel.


Bertie

On Aug 19, 3:32*pm, Alexander Avtanski wrote:
Hello,

I just came back from a walk outside my office in Santa Clara. *Around
3:00pm I saw something quite unusual - while all the planes from San
Jose International were taking off in N-W direction, there was a
single plane (something that looked a bit like MD-80) that seemed to
_land_ coming from N-W, exactly opposite the rest of the traffic.

If the winds are light its not unusual for ATC to allow you to land
opposite direction. They may have agreed to it only if he kept his
speed up. This may have saved him $1000 in jet fuel.

-Robert

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
...
On Aug 19, 3:32 pm, Alexander Avtanski wrote:
Hello,

I just came back from a walk outside my office in Santa Clara. Around
3:00pm I saw something quite unusual - while all the planes from San
Jose International were taking off in N-W direction, there was a
single plane (something that looked a bit like MD-80) that seemed to
_land_ coming from N-W, exactly opposite the rest of the traffic.

If the winds are light its not unusual for ATC to allow you to land
opposite direction. They may have agreed to it only if he kept his
speed up. This may have saved him $1000 in jet fuel.

While this is true, the traffic mentioned by the OP seemed to indicate they
were busy and traffic came soon before and after which led me to believe it
was an emergency. SJC is a fairly busy airport.

In Memphis, FedEx favors landing to the north which allows their planes a
short taxi to their hub. They will sometimes land with very high tailwinds
(30-35 kts) so I'm told.

Hello again,

On Aug 19, 3:32*pm, Alexander Avtanski wrote:
[...]
I just came back from a walk outside my office in Santa Clara. *Around
3:00pm I saw something quite unusual - while all the planes from San
Jose International were taking off in N-W direction, there was a
single plane (something that looked a bit like MD-80) that seemed to
_land_ coming from N-W, exactly opposite the rest of the traffic.
[...]

I just got an e-mail from a reader of this group (Thanks!), who sent
me links to some ATC audio and pointed out the place where the tower
says that a "flight check Lear will do a low approach to 12R".

http://avtanski.net/images/var/KSJC-...2008-2200Z.mp3

(This is about 20 sec. from the start of the recording).

So, first, shame on me that I could confuse a Learjet with MD-80. It
has been quite low then and it zoomed really fast so it managed to
surprise me and I couldn't get a look, but still...

I checked the approach audio too - at about 24min 20sec of this
recording some guy says something about "we've lost a receiver", but I
can't make the rest. Here's the audio (don't forget to scroll to the
24:20 mark!):

http://avtanski.net/images/var/KSJC-...2008-2130Z.mp3

What's this about? Just curious...

Regards,

- Alex

In article ,
Alexander Avtanski wrote:

I just got an e-mail from a reader of this group (Thanks!), who sent
me links to some ATC audio and pointed out the place where the tower
says that a "flight check Lear will do a low approach to 12R".

Flight Check is the FAA checking navaids. The ILS for 12R was
probably due for a check. I've seen them do a check at Palo Alto
(PAO), and they zipped through the approach really fast, on their
way to the next check.

John
--
John Clear - http://www.clear-prop.org/

"Mike" wrote in news:6D_qk.361$5C.65@trnddc02:

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
.
.. On Aug 19, 3:32 pm, Alexander Avtanski wrote:
Hello,

I just came back from a walk outside my office in Santa Clara.
Around 3:00pm I saw something quite unusual - while all the planes
from San Jose International were taking off in N-W direction, there
was a single plane (something that looked a bit like MD-80) that
seemed to _land_ coming from N-W, exactly opposite the rest of the
traffic.

If the winds are light its not unusual for ATC to allow you to land
opposite direction. They may have agreed to it only if he kept his
speed up. This may have saved him $1000 in jet fuel.

While this is true, the traffic mentioned by the OP seemed to indicate
they were busy and traffic came soon before and after which led me to
believe it was an emergency. SJC is a fairly busy airport.

In Memphis, FedEx favors landing to the north which allows their
planes a short taxi to their hub. They will sometimes land with very
high tailwinds (30-35 kts) so I'm told.



No, they can't operate with tailwinds that high. Typicla limits are 15
knots, though I have operated with a limit of 25 for take off and landing
in an airport with only one way in and out. We had special perfomrance
sheets for that.


Bertie