vollmer@noscvax.UUCP (08/25/83)
I was sitting at the end of the runway at San Diego Lindberg Field, having lunch, and listening to the tower on my portable radio. Arriving and departing traffic was using Runway 9, under ILS procedures at the time due to the overcast weather we are having (don't let the San Diego Vistors Bureau know I said that). This means that the traffic was arriving from the ocean and departing towards the mountains. The wind was gusty about 20 knots at 180 degrees, pretty much of a cross-wind. After about 20 minutes of this, one DC-10 taxis down to opposite end, runway 27, waits impatiently for about 15 minutes, and gets clearance to take off towards the ocean. The arriving flights just before landed on runway 9 and the departing flights just after left on runway 9. Any ideas why one plane would take off against the traffic. Since I was not listening to clearance I did not know the background of the flight plan that was filed, or clearance delivery instructions. My only guess is that the rate of climb needed to use runway 9 was too much for a DC-10. First time I have ever seen this and it seems it would not make an ATC any younger dealing with one plane going against the traffic. I should explain that I am not a pilot. I relax by going to the airport with my Jeppensen charts and radio and trying to figure the whole system out. Tom Vollmer
mark@hp-kirk.UUCP (08/31/83)
#R:noscvax:-18300:hp-kirk:5500015:000:551
hp-kirk!mark Aug 29 12:47:00 1983
Depending on the particular departure (there are 3 SIDs for
Lindbergh) the climb requirements for rwy9 vary from 200 to 320
ft per nm and for rwy27 are 235 ft per nm except for the Border
Nine Departure which has no minimum climb requirements published.
I suspect minimum climb requirements might be a reason for the
use of rwy27. Anybody know the climb rate on a fully loaded
DC10.
Mark Rowe
hplabs!hp-cvd!mark
Corvallis, Oregon