747 Dream Lifter accidentally lands at small local airport

[Xyloxadoria 1,098]

A pilot of a 747 Dream Lifter in Kansas somehow made an error, and landed at the wrong airport. Now he has to take off and travel 9 miles to McConnel Airforce Base. Only problem is, the airport he landed at has a runway that is 3,000 feet too short. It will be interesting to see how this one turns out. 

 

 

Link to Full Story

 

(Also for you FSX buffs who i know are out there the airport codes for where he landed is KAAO / AAO)

 

[ROFLyoshi 1,760]

So forgive my ignorance, but if he was able to land a plane on that runway, shouldn't he be able to take off in the same distance?

[astronelson 339]

So forgive my ignorance, but if he was able to land a plane on that runway, shouldn't he be able to take off in the same distance?

 

No. A plane can stop much faster than it can take off. Additionally, when landing, a plane is travelling slower than what is needed for level flight. When taking off it has to be travelling above that speed in order to climb.

[krbe 193]

Landing requires a lot less distance, particularly if the runway is dry and even. Planes are equipped with pretty powerful brakes.

Taking off, on the other hand, requires a plane to go from zero to whatever speed is determined rotation speed - which depends on payload and fuel, as well as pressure and runway conditions. If they're lucky maybe they'll be able to empty it and take off with minimal fuel, while towing the parts to McConnell - if they're not lucky, and the plane already is empty, maybe they can do a JATO Takeoff

However, the 747 seems to be too big to maneuver at the airport, since Boeing needed to send in a tug... Also, Wichita is properly weird, with 3 airports after each other with the runways in roughly the same directions, as well as a fourth civilian airport on the other side of town.

EDIT: Seems the plane was picking up supplies at McConnell, and that The 747 is ready for take (the runway length in itself is not a hindrance to 747 take offs). http://www.komonews.com/news/national/Boeing-747-OKd-for-takeoff-after-landing-at-wrong-airport-232830161.html

[UndercoverNinja12 176]

Well, that's got to be pretty awkward for the pilot.

Is the plane too heavy to be driven over?

[Cyclone Boom 17,031]

With all the modern navigation systems, it makes you wonder how the pilot didn't notice. Also what about air traffic control? Surly they would be in communication with the aircraft, and could alert the pilot to abort the approach. It'd be interesting to know what conversations were made. If there weren't any, maybe it's fortunate the runway was clear at the time of landing, and potential disaster was averted.

[Haljackey 17,393]

All I can think of is this

 

 

 

EDIT: Context

  Edited November 21, 2013 by Haljackey  

[krbe 193]

With all the modern navigation systems, it makes you wonder how the pilot didn't notice. Also what about air traffic control? Surly they would be in communication with the aircraft, and could alert the pilot to abort the approach. It'd be interesting to know what conversations were made. If there weren't any, maybe it's fortunate the runway was clear at the time of landing, and potential disaster was averted.

 

While air traffic is high tech, they often times do not rely on all the technology available. If the area is clear as well as the runway, you get clearance to land, without a helping hand unless you specifically request it. And, after a given number of hours behind the stick, the brain does not function normally. It is not the first time, and it won't be the last time.

 

The converstation where mostly coordinates going back and forth between the plane and the tower, until the plane radios that a jet aborted takeoff on their runway; THEN ATC managed to check the radar to determine position.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Silly buggers.  Didn't they have a GPS receiver aboard that aircraft?  They'd have known they "weren't there yet".

[Hellken 1,658]

Huge Boeing Dreamlifter cargo plane makes nail-biting takeoff after mistakenly landing at tiny Kansas airport
 

Because Jabara doesn’t have a control tower, arriving and departing planes would have to announce their maneuvers over a common radio frequency. Pilots flying into uncontrolled airports are on their own to watch for traffic.

The plane had flown into an area where there are three airports with similar runway configurations: the air force base, the Jabara airfield and a third facility in between called Beech Airport.
That could help explain the mistake. Pilots also say it can be tough to tell a long runway from a shorter one on final approach. And Jabara is directly on the path toward McConnell.