Landing on contaminated RWY

[trifrank]

Hi , could anyone advice me on the following situations , Thanks ahead:

- what precautions do you take when planning to land on an icy runway ?

- How do you correct an aircraft that is sliding away from centerline when landing?

 

[Company Man]

Differential Power works the best in the Mighty Beechball.

 

[V-1]

I think knowing what type of aircraft you'd like to land on a contaminated runway would help us give better suggestions. Is it a transport-category aircraft with anti-skid brakes and thrust reversers or Beta range, piston twin or single?

As previously stated, differential thrust works great when the airplane starts weathervaning into a crosswind. Add power as necessary on the upwind engine to straighten things out. Use this technique after utilizing the rudder to its fullest extent.

Getting braking action reports or MU values is great help if they're available. Take braking action reports with a grain of salt when things seem really bad. The AIM gives four braking action levels: good, fair, poor, and nil. In the real world, freight pilots have about 27 different categories between "poor" and the dreaded "nil", which effectively closes the airport for operations. "Very poor", "Nearly nil", etc. should get your attention.

If you fly the same type of aircraft often, MU values are great. At some airports, I've seen the FBO's pickup truck out on the runway, making up braking action reports which are entirely subjective (can someone explain to me how a pickup truck equates to a 7000 pound Chieftain?). The MU values are recorded with a calibrated device that's drug along the surface. Any MU value above 60 is basically not worth thinking about, below 30 starts to get slick...some pumping of the brakes may be required, in the lower 20's be cautious, and below 10, you'd either better have one long runway ahead, or you should STRONGLY consider going elsewhere.

What type of contamination is it? Three inches of loose snow is not bad at all. One inch of packed snow is a different story. Ice is the worst, particularly if it's wet.

I'd highly recommend being proficient in your aircraft, in wintertime operations, before taking on the worst situations. One strategy I used was to occasionally land and just let the airplane roll to a stop, without touching the brakes. I'd land at the stall, within a few feet of the approach end, then hold the elevator full back to take advantage of aerodynamic braking. I'd use this technique at any of the airports along my freight run on days when they weren't contaminated. That taught me that the Chieftain, loaded at about 5000 pounds, would roll to a stop with no brakes in 5000 feet. That information was invaluable for the decision making process when the runway was contaminated. I knew, worst-case scenario, that the airplane would stop in 5000 feet. If the runway were less than 5500 feet long, plus a safety margin for my level of fatigue, proficiency, etc. I'd go elsewhere if conditions were at the extreme end of the spectrum.

I probably don't need to say this, but if given the choice and the winds aren't a huge factor, pick the longest, widest runway available...or the one with the best reported MU's or braking action.

If the surface is covered with patchy ice or snow, you can increase your braking in clear patches, decrease in contaminated ones. Be careful not to hold constant heavy pressure, since a locked tire on contamination will quickly turn to a blown tire on non-contaminated areas.

If you're flying a piston-powered aircraft, I'd recommend touching down well short of the 1000 foot marks. It didn't take many landings on contaminated runways for me to realize that every foot wasted at the beginning of the runway is one I might sorely miss at the end. If I touched down on the numbers, I was having a bad day. Do this only at airports you're familiar with though, to eliminate the chance you'll hit an approach light.

Beware windrows (the piles of snow left at the edge of the snowplow's pass) and snowdrifts that run the length of the runway. If you land with one wheel in deeper contamination than the other, the airplane will yaw considerably and head towards the snowbank alongside the runway.

These are some of the things I learned while making over a thousand winter landings hauling freight throughout Northern Michigan - without bending any sheetmetal. I hope this helps.

 

[MetroSheriff]

"Slide down the runway realllly fast."

"If anything gets in your way........turn."


A dollar to anyone who names the actor/movie reference.

 

[Mr. Irrelevant]

Better Off Dead on the 2nd one. It wasn't Cusack that said it. Can't recall the actors name. He was great in Revenge of the Nerds though

 

[MetroSheriff]

Mr. Irrelevant,

I owe you 1 dollar.


Gotta love good ol' Booger.

 

[Humblepilot]

Quote

Charles De Mar.....played by Curtis Armstrong said that quote that you changed appropriately

But Monique Junet...played by Diane Franklin also said something similar to Cusack's character.

Trifank I hate to ask but morbid curiousity, considering the experience in your profile, why are you asking? Is this an interview question?

Humble

 

[enigma]

Hi , could anyone advice me on the following situations , Thanks ahead:

- what precautions do you take when planning to land on an icy runway ?

- How do you correct an aircraft that is sliding away from centerline when landing?

trifrank,

A better definition of "icy" is needed. Do you mean one with some ice patches? Or do you refer to a two mile long sheet of clear ice like the results of a Texas ice storm? Are you thinking about landing on something like a glacier or somewhere like an ice field?

If you are truly talking about a ice covered runway, I can only say that you just don't depart. If I discovered enroute that all of my possible landing sites had unexpectedly iced over, I would head for the longest/widest runway that was directly aligned with the wind or go to where there was no wind. I would burn down to the lowest safe fuel level and land with the most possible flaps at the slowest speed. I would not use reverse unless the runway was shorter than twice the normal landing length. If the runway was short, I would only use idle reverse, because I would rather go off the end at 40 knots than depart from the side at 100 knots. If you do use reverse and start having directional control problems, stow the reverse. Pray.

I have to know, why do you even ask? I think most airline procedures preclude even dispatching to a runway with nil braking action.

regards,
8N

 

[Rush Limbaugh]

"- what precautions do you take when planning to land on an icy runway ?"

The best precaution is to cancel the flight

"- How do you correct an aircraft that is sliding away from centerline when landing?"

See above

 

[Dieterly]

727/737 ratings, yeah right!!

 

[ceo_of_the_sofa]

727/737 ratings, yeah right!!

He could've gone to school in Tanzania?

 

[trifrank]

Thanks for your replies .... I mean for " Company man , V-1 and Enigma " who at least see this web seriously about "real-aviation" which we hopefully keep doing . It's great to share "aviation-related issues on this web .
For all the other replies , yes I know ....easy to be funny and be frustrated or whatever that one doesn't get that great flying-job.
Just study and take aviation serious !!!

yes , this is an interview question and yes I am preparing myself for the interview and yes I flew the 737 but that doesn't mean that I shouldn't ask questions to enrich my knowledge more !

Happy landings.....