AC Lining Up with a Taxiway SFO...?

[Jean-Pierre]

Now being reported it was less than one second until impact and they came within 29 feet of one aircraft.

[av8ts]

Reported where? By who?

[GyvAir]

http://avherald.com/h?article=4ab79f58

29' laterally.
Reported minimum altitude before going around varies greatly.

[pelmet]

The lateral could be zero feet but it is the vertical that matters. A guy at FL350 could pass overhead with zero feet lateral clearance.

From another forum....it was an early model Airbus......msn 265, built 1991.

[GyvAir]

The lateral could be zero feet but it is the vertical that matters. A guy at FL350 could pass overhead with zero feet lateral clearance.

If the vertical clearance happens to be reduced to a negative number, then the lateral matters a lot!

In fact, isn't this story's existence due pretty much entirely to the lack of lateral clearance?

[Jean-Pierre]

http://avherald.com/h?article=4ab79f58

The flight descended below 100 feet above the ground

The tail height of a 787 is 55 feet. So if they were 29 feet laterally and less than 45 feet vertically woah that is one close shave.

[KAG]

This may or may not be applicable in this case but we all need to be conscience of the human error of expectation. You expect to see somthing and your brain will take what you see and mold it to fit your plan. This was a close call, they did the correct thing and went around, landed without incident. It could have been worse, it wasn't. This should be a friendly reminder to us all to stay diligent.
Fly safe all.

[crazyaviator]

they did the correct thing and went around

Can we say the Halifax bus drivers did the correct thing also by not killing anyone??? The correct thing would have been to line up to the RUNWAY and not the TAXIWAY, using navaids as necessary!

[GyvAir]

This is a case where having forward looking camera footage giving an idea of what the crew was looking at, would be very interesting.

[Cat Driver]

This is a case where having forward looking camera footage giving an idea of what the crew was looking at, would be very interesting.

Yes, and combined with the CVR there would be less speculation.

[photofly]

I would like to invite speculation about what would have happened if no aircraft had been lined up on the taxiway. Would we be looking at an embarrassing "Air Canada lands on taxiway" report?

[Cat Driver]

I would like to invite speculation about what would have happened if no aircraft had been lined up on the taxiway. Would we be looking at an embarrassing "Air Canada lands on taxiway" report?

Rockie?

[photofly]

Or what if there was an aircraft taxiing, but 5000' past the putative touchdown point?

[Rockie]

There's an infinite list of what if's. Carry on until you get tired...

[photofly]

I just want to hear how it's no big deal, one more time

[KAG]

Crazyaviator, this is true, it doesn't behoove anyone to pull a "Harrison" (TM). that said none of us were in that flight deck, and honestly if anyone on here says they never made a mistake, I'll point out a lier. Sure it sounds dramatic, 100' verticle, but who's to say they didn't do a slow methodical go around? There was probably some wtf time as the picture came into focus, and a bit of denial leading to what may have seemed a close call but wasn't really. Who knows I'm just playing devils advocate. An experienced crew made a mistake, we can all take somthing away from this.

[Rockie]

I just want to hear how it's no big deal, one more time

Why?

[rookiepilot]

I would like to invite speculation about what would have happened if no aircraft had been lined up on the taxiway. Would we be looking at an embarrassing "Air Canada lands on taxiway" report?

I'm curious if everyone would be defending the Crew the same, if they were a foreign carrier from the other side of the pond.....

Me thinks commentary would be a wee bit different.

[Cat Driver]

Maybe they should make changes to the charts for that approach and ban visuals?

From another forum.

After the release of the YHZ accident report, Air Canada has committed to upgrading their narrowbody fleet with GPS by the end of this year but there is a good chance that C-FKCK had not yet been upgraded. If didn't have GPS it might have made a difference in matching the picture on the screen with the view out the window when they were lining up on final.

For sure this incident is getting a fair amount of comments from the flying community.

[photofly]

I just want to hear how it's no big deal, one more time

Why?

I have relatives - loyal Canadians proud to book flights on their national flag carrier - who are asking me about this. They want to know whether it was a big hairy deal, or nothing. I'm happy not to dim the light in their eyes and tell them it was run of the mill, nothing at all, on your say so.

[Rockie]

I just want to hear how it's no big deal, one more time

Why?

I have relatives - loyal Canadians proud to book flights on their national flag carrier - who are asking me about this. They want to know whether it was a big hairy deal, or nothing. I'm happy not to dim the light in their eyes and tell them it was run of the mill, nothing at all, on your say so.

If you can find an opinion from me on whether this incident was a big deal, medium deal or no deal at all feel free to share it with your loyal Canadian relatives.

[Rockie]

Maybe they should make changes to the charts for that approach and ban visuals?

From another forum.

After the release of the YHZ accident report, Air Canada has committed to upgrading their narrowbody fleet with GPS by the end of this year but there is a good chance that C-FKCK had not yet been upgraded. If didn't have GPS it might have made a difference in matching the picture on the screen with the view out the window when they were lining up on final.

For sure this incident is getting a fair amount of comments from the flying community.

When is the last time you flew into a busy American airport ., much less SFO with its unique challenges? Banning visuals is simply not an option.

[Cat Driver]

If you can find an opinion from me on whether this incident was a big deal, medium deal or no deal at all feel free to share it with your loyal Canadian relatives.

Do you have an opinion as to the level of concern this incident should get?

[Rockie]

If you can find an opinion from me on whether this incident was a big deal, medium deal or no deal at all feel free to share it with your loyal Canadian relatives.

Do you have an opinion as to the level of concern this incident should get?

Yes I do. I have no doubt it is receiving the attention it deserves within the company.

[Cat Driver]

When is the last time you flew into a busy American airport .?

I can't remember Rockie, it must have been in the late nineteen nineties when I was flying a corporate Turbo Commander and that airplane used the same speeds a jet does for the approaches.

Most of my IFR flying since 1996 was under Euro Control all over Europe and they have busy airports there also.

I have been retired since October of 2005, has flying changed that much since then?