Therein lays the problem. According to this excerpt from the 0024Z TAF, PDX is supposed to get moderate freezing rain between 1400Z-1900Z (0600-1100 local). Assuming that forecast holds up, it will be problematic, since airlines can/will operate in light freezing rain, but not anything heavier like moderate or heavy freezing rain.
It wouldn't surprise me at all to see airlines operate all the Sunday night flights into PDX, and then ferry the overnighting aircraft out of town to avoid having them stuck there in the morning, should the moderate freezing rain event actually occur in the overnight and early morning hours...
BlatantEcho From United States of America, joined Sep 2000, 1869 posts, RR: 1 Reply 2, posted (7 years 5 months 1 week 18 hours ago) and read 1885 times:
28F with winds out of the E at 25kts steady, gusting over 30kts on the river this afternoon.
Chop on the river was terrible, and it was just building up to snow and ice.
Traffice was shooting the approach as normal for a while, then when it started getting thick I drove by the airport and couldn't see squat. Expecting some misery all around.
HikesWithEyes From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 816 posts, RR: 8 Reply 3, posted (7 years 5 months 1 week 17 hours ago) and read 1863 times:
All the AS RON flights have been cancelled.
Better not to operate in that mess and try again tomorrow.
A few years ago, three AS aircraft sustained significant damage
while parked there overnight
HPRamper From United States of America, joined May 2005, 3664 posts, RR: 8 Reply 4, posted (7 years 5 months 1 week 17 hours ago) and read 1853 times:
I remember that. They had caked ice buildup on the fuselages and when it eventually fell off, the wings were actually damaged. From what I remember anyway.
Then there was the ABX DC-9 that tipped onto its tail, but that was as much the fault of the load crew as the ice.
Currently at about 5:30pm...an inch or so of SNOW on the ground but expected to turn to freezing rain by tonight, especially after midnight. High winds also expected through later tonight.
HikesWithEyes From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 816 posts, RR: 8 Reply 5, posted (7 years 5 months 1 week 16 hours ago) and read 1789 times:
Quoting LUVRSW (Reply 5): Another "edge of your seat" thread.
If you're planning on flying into PDX tonight or out of there in the morning
it is.
S12PPL From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 6, posted (7 years 5 months 1 week 16 hours ago) and read 1775 times:
This one won't be nearly as bad as two years ago, though. But it'll still be a rough one. the next two or three days are gonna be a mess at PDX. Glad I'm not flying out of PDX again until the end of January!
HPRamper From United States of America, joined May 2005, 3664 posts, RR: 8 Reply 11, posted (7 years 5 months 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 1503 times:
It looks all over with now.
Great...now I have to go take my chains off in the muddy parking lot.
KELPkid From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 5932 posts, RR: 4 Reply 12, posted (7 years 5 months 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 1486 times:
The gorge WX is pretty strange...
My commute was going fine this morning (up I-205) until I got into the vicinity of the I-84 mergeup, then there was still ice on the road and icicles hanging down from the trees!!! Of course traffic slowed down to 5 MPH bumper to bumper.
Everything was fine again when I drove past PDX, and I was suprised to find the Glen Jackson bridge ice-free (I work in Vancouver).
I looked up to see a Hawaiian Airlines 767 take off from 10R, turn left, and then disappear into the clag (around 10:00 this morning)... I have always been suprised that the PDX tower often turns you immediately after departure, rather than having you climb for a mile or two on runway heading. I'll have to check my plates and see if there's a published DP being followed here.
Celebrating the birth of KELPkidJR on August 5, 2009 :-)
Chugach From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 1041 posts, RR: 3 Reply 13, posted (7 years 5 months 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 1411 times:
Quoting S12PPL (Reply 10): On the news this evening, they said they didn't currently have any plans at postponing the U2 concert, or cancelling it...So for now your safe.
Good to go
I have to say, this storm fizzled out faster than most thought it would. It stayed above freezing at my folks house (SE Portland) all night long and drizzled. No big deal. I heard Troutdale and Gresham got it pretty good, though.
HAL From United States of America, joined Jan 2002, 2467 posts, RR: 53 Reply 14, posted (7 years 5 months 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 1307 times:
2:00am, early Sunday morning: I was operating the HP flight in from LAS and we got the $#!T kicked out of us as we flew through moderate to severe turbulence over the west hills on approach. I haven't felt that kind of turbulence since I was flying small planes in Alaska.
Noon, Sunday: In the hotel and noticed a little snow falling sideways in the 30mph wind. Interesting.
2pm Sunday: Tried going outside for lunch near the hotel, nearly got perforated by the horizontal sleet. Ouch!
4pm Sunday: Waiting for the hotel van. It left at 3pm and was still on I-205 on the way TO the airport. Our departure was a deadhead leg to PHX at 5:15. Not looking good!
5pm Sunday: Van still going TO airport. We're probably out of luck getting to our flight
5:05pm Sunday: Someone arrives in a cab. The Captain and I commandeer it and (along with another airport bound passenger) brave the streets of Portland. The cabbie takes back roads, side roads, dirt roads, and maybe not-even-roads to get us to the airport around all the cars slewed over the icy streets.
5:45pm Sunday: We arrive at the airport alive! Crew Scheduling has changed our trip. Instead of the deadhead to PHX (after which we were supposed to fly an evening PHX-ORD) they will deadhead us to LAS on a 7:55pm flight. Since we are based in LAS they will not give us a hotel for the night. We are supposed to pick up the last day of our 4-day trip Monday afternoon in LAS. I live in Seattle, the Captain lives in Sacramento. We both decide to try and go home for the night and get to LAS on our own the next day.
6:00pm Sunday: I'm standing at the crowded Horizon gate area. Picture Macy's in New York on the Day-after-Christmas sale. Now picture every one of those people carrying baggage and an attitude. Horizon has stopped all departures, but hopes to start up soon. I ask for the jumpseat to Seattle and sign the paperwork. I'm listed on what was the 4:00pm departure, now expected to go at 6:30pm. They finally open up the ramp, but I find out that there are over a dozen Horizon & Alaska pilots also trying to jumpseat, and they have priority over me. The planes have also been weight restricted so my chances of getting out are just next to zero.
6:45pm Sunday: The 4pm Horizon goes out without me, and without any other jumpseaters either. I head over to the United gates where there is one more United Express flight to Seattle that night, scheduled for 7:15. However they're still waiting for the plane to arrive, and they aren't sure when that will be. Also, they're worried about the ice storm reaching Seattle and canceling the flight. I called the hotel we had left that afternoon, and they are all sold out for the night so I have no place to stay in Portland. I have to get out.
7:55pm Sunday: I'm on the America West flight to LAS as the company had originally planned. I'll get a hotel room there and fly the last two legs (LAS-DEN-LAS) of the trip Monday afternoon, with a late night flight back to Seattle when I'm done. Ahhh... the wonderful life of an airline pilot.
HAL
[Edited 2005-12-21 08:39:41]
[Edited 2005-12-21 08:41:18]
One smooth landing is skill. Two in a row is luck. Three in a row and someone is lying.
Sponsor Message: 
From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 695 posts, 
I have always been suprised that the PDX tower often turns you immediately after departure, rather than having you climb for a mile or two on runway heading. I'll have to check my plates and see if there's a published DP being followed here.
Horizon has stopped all departures, but hopes to start up soon. I ask for the jumpseat to Seattle and sign the paperwork. I'm listed on what was the 4:00pm departure, now expected to go at 6:30pm. They finally open up the ramp, but I find out that there are over a dozen Horizon & Alaska pilots also trying to jumpseat, and they have priority over me. The planes have also been weight restricted so my chances of getting out are just next to zero.
Printer friendly format 
