Please Help!!!

[glasspilot]

So I'm flying with a guy who tells me a story I can't believe is true. I basically said he is either lying or was hallucinating the whole event. We agreed that I'd post his story here and let the responses be the judge of the plausability of the story. Here is HIS story about a SWA flight from BNA to MCO...



He says he flew on a SWA flight as a paying passenger from BNA to MCO with the gear down the entire way due to some mechanical problem known in advance of said flight.



There it is. I told him there is no way this is possible or legal and he swears it happened that way. Post away.

 

[Fly-By-Cable]

I know that sounds insane but. I had to return to the field due to a gear problem. After getting towed back to the ramp from the runway and unloading pax I figured we'd just ferry the plane back. NO. A mechanic came out, checked the gear, put pins in and we were on our way (with pax onboard). Believe it or not we conducted a revenue flight with the gear down at 200 kts and 15000 ft. Check you MEL book, it's probably in there.

Also I believe the MEL said repairs must be made the following day which to me means more then just one flight may be conducted. Sounds crazy but it happened, legal and all.

 

[LawReview]

In a previous life I flew an ORD-YWG-ORD turn in a CRJ (AWAC) with the landing gear deferred. We just had to fly low and slow with the gear pinned down.

 

[LawReview]

BTW I believe it was a cat C MEL.

 

[JerryLundegaard]

Guess that would affect second segment climb weight limit a bit.

 

[LawReview]

Yep, every airplane I've flown includes gear down climb performance.

 

[gvtech]

32 - LANDING GEAR


4. REMARKS OR EXCEPTIONS








16.
Landing Gear Actuation System (-600/-700/-800/ -900)

B​

1​

0​

(M)(O) May be inoperative provided:
a) Inoperative components are secured by an accepted procedure,
b) Landing gear are secured in down position, and
c) Airplane is dispatched in accordance with AFM Gear Extended Appendix.



It's in the B737 MMEL.

 

[glasspilot]

Wow! I am shocked. BNA to MCO with gear down?!?

What's the max gear down speed of a B-737? 250'ish? How long is THAT flight? As a paying pax I'm thinking I'd be PO'd a tad.

 

[hockeypilot44]

At Chautauqua about 6 years ago, they deferred the gear. The dispatcher planned the flight at the lower altitude, but didn't take into account the extra drag from the gear. The pilots ended up overflying a few places while low on fuel to put it down in a maintenance base. The FAA wasn't happy. This is what happens when an airline has second-rate dispatchers though.

 

[sshrae]

Wow! I am shocked. BNA to MCO with gear down?!?

What's the max gear down speed of a B-737? 250'ish? How long is THAT flight? As a paying pax I'm thinking I'd be PO'd a tad.

You obviously have never flown for a LCC.