For the aviation fans

[SwissVan]

Just watched Flysafair 737 fly overhead with nosegear out, main gear up. Flightradar24 revealed it departed FACT to FAJS, but never left CPT airspace. I watched the approach live from my garden, and the emergency landing on F24. It seems to have landed ok, and was followed by many vehicles. It parked around executive jets.

 

Screenshot_20190221-192051.png

 

Sounds like the NG did not retract...?

Luckily it stayed down and locked... woulda been expensive otherwise

[Lotus]

Qantas flew close over my house this afternoon.

 

Checked on FR24 and it looked like all kinds of fun around ORT with flights stacking up and going around. Weather?

[RoddieJ]

Qantas flew close over my house this afternoon.

 

Checked on FR24 and it looked like all kinds of fun around ORT with flights stacking up and going around. Weather?

Very likely. There was a really hectic cloudburst around 5pm in the vicinity.

 

 

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[Patchelicious]

I see BA now running 787s between JHB and London.

Is this a new thing?

[RoddieJ]

That’s quite interesting because A380 was the standard for BA.

Clearly a lot of good reason for switching. Although, the bigger airlines don’t actually stick with a single brand across the fleets.

 

 

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[kosmonooit]

I see BA now running 787s between JHB and London.

Is this a new thing?

 

I still see the BA380 in the morning floating downwind over Jhb ,but i think they are staring to transition to the Dreamliner, which is lovely aircraft it should be said. But I think its the bottom line ie economy, that is the deciding factor

Edited February 25, 2019 by kosmonooit

[Bonus]

I used to enjoy watching the convoy of Euro Jets on Flightradar 24 leaving every the evening. One after the other in a long line.

 

In the mornings I used to drive to work from the west rand to the east rand on the southern bypass - so I'd generally see then swinging around and coming in from the south. 

 

It sometimes made me sad to think that, but for the lack of money/time off work, despite being 6000 miles away, I could be sitting with my grand daughter on my knee in just 11 hrs.

[Long Wheel Base]

When it was still part of Spoorweg lol - would have loved to have stuck around, but I had to go.

I think my toppie started in 77/78. He retires this year.

[flymango]

Flew on a BA flight operated by Global Aviation last week. An Airbus A320.  Very pleasant experience with the Global Aviation crew. Didn't know BA's domestic arrangement extended beyond Comair.

[Robbie Stewart]

So with the demise of the A380 (which I am sure does not mean we won't be seeing them around for the next 20 years, or are they all magically going to disappear into the ether? Qatar tried selling one? last week - failed miserably) does this mean that Cape Town International is still intending to go-ahead with the runway alignment and enlargement to cater for it? 

 

Or will this mean we don't get to gawk at the sheer size and beauty of that lady as she exits base to line up for approach over Meerendal. It sometimes (I lie, everytime), makes stop and pause to watch a plane approaching when at the top of Dorstberg. Sometimes they come close, and it would be sad not to have that opportunity.

[Frosty]

I see BA now running 787s between JHB and London.

Is this a new thing?

According to their website, they’ve amended their summer long haul flight schedules to accommodate maintenance issues with the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines on the 787s.

 

2 of their 747-400s retired in 2018, and replaced with the 787, with another 3 still outstanding. They have 14 flights (A380) per week to SA, plus 4 on the 787.

 

Edit: 38 flights in total, using 747, 777, 787 and A380. The 14 flights are only to JNB only.

 

 

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Edited February 26, 2019 by Frosty

[Disher]

Very interesting YouTube videos on the halt in production of the A 380 - Turns out its not as economical as originally thought, unless transporting passengers from a very busy hub. Many of the a 380 flights were not even at 50% capacity. Its a big aircraft to fly and expensive when empty. Emirates had a huge order (140) of them that have been cancelled. So it will fly or decades to come but wont be manufactured after 2020. Interesting turnaround.

[RoddieJ]

 

The Cape Town International Airport runway re-alignment was not limited to the continued use of the A380, although it was as good a motivation since they will still be flying for a while. Yes, it is still going to happen AFAIK

 

And yes, I agree with the enormity of A380 and especially watching it airborne. Enjoy it for the next few years to come

 

 

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[Bonus]

According to their website, they’ve amended their summer long haul flight schedules to accommodate maintenance issues with the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines on the 787s.

2 of their 747-400s retired in 2018, and replaced with the 787, with another 3 still outstanding. They have 14 flights (A380) per week to SA, plus 4 on the 787.

Edit: 38 flights in total, using 747, 777, 787 and A380. The 14 flights are only to JNB only.

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Remember the BA 747 that was retired early after the pilot drove it into a building alongside the runway at ORT?

[Bateleur1]

Remember the BA 747 that was retired early after the pilot drove it into a building alongside the runway at ORT?

 

Nope.  I do however remember the fiasco when shortly after Mafikeng Airport got International status.  They were a divertion airport for ORT.  So on one good morning the ILS was having problems and there was fog on ORT.  A Lufthansa 747 was diverted to Mafikeng.  Due to a communication problem between the pilots and the ground control at Mafikeng the 747 parked at a wrong spot fairly close to a lampost.  Now nobody got get off the plane ... because the only staircase big enough for the 747 was broken.  So they all sit and wait for the all clear at ORT.  When that came, the Pilots requested a push back.  Ooops the only tractor is kaputt.  So now you have this 747 park meters away from a lampost and nothing to push them back.  They had to use reverse thrust and burnt quite a few liters of fuel to get out of there.

[Long Wheel Base]

Remember the BA 747 that was retired early after the pilot drove it into a building alongside the runway at ORT?

Like it was yesterday. The aircraft parked in technical for a while. The building is still stuffed and abandoned, It is right across from our hanger 8 where we do major maintenance.