BLOWING SMOKE

Posted by Ikes Blog at 4/20/2011 1:51 PM
Categories: uncategorized
  Media is having a ball making a lot about nothing to give its talk show hosts material to chat about that's about as important to the public as a topic such as, "tits on a bull."   For example, the simple maneuver of having to make a "Go Around" because a trailing aircraft got too close to the one in front  while making a landing approach has been hyped by media dramatically out of proportion.  So what if a B-737 (smaller jet) get's too close behind a C-17 (larger jet) on approach.  Sure, we have recommended trailing distance between two aircraft on the same approach path because of wake turbulence that could cause the trailing aircraft to experience slight excursions requiring minor control adjustments.  The accepted rule is five miles to minimize air turbulence.  But, we don't have any yard sticks up there to accurately measure this distance.  We rely on air traffic control to properly put us in the congo line for approach.  But, nobody is perfect and the bottom line is the Captain's decision to either continue or abandon any approach and simply, "Go Around" and make another approach.  This maneuver is NOT DANGEROUS except when the media decides to make it news worthy because Michelle Obama was a passenger on the B-737 behind the C-17.  And, air traffic controllers are currently in the spot light for several other unrelated reasons.
   In my few weeks of flying I have made hundreds of "Go Arounds" because I didn't like the conditions surrounding the approach for a variety of reasons.  Maybe I was creeping up on the guy in front of me and couldn't slow down any more and stay in the air, or I didn't like the cross wind, or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir was practicing on the runway I had intended to use.  Pick any reason.  But, if I elected to abort my landing approach I just simply said, "Going Around" and went around to try it again. Dangerous?  No way!  Unless the media wants to make it sound that way because nothing else is news worthy and they have to fill time slots with something.  It's pure smoke. 
 

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