Sspontak From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 467 posts, RR: 2 Reply 2, posted (5 years 12 months 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 24325 times:
I agree. This is an awesome approach/landing. Do you know which airport this is in Honduras. Can you believe that people actually live that close to the runway. Thanks for sharing the video.
Jpax From United States of America, joined Aug 2006, 1016 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (5 years 12 months 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 24293 times:
He landed a few feet before legal (at least in the USA, not sure if you can land on the takeoff area only pavement in Honduras), other than that, it seemed fine to me. A bit firm, but fine.
Khobar From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 2379 posts, RR: 4 Reply 4, posted (5 years 12 months 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 24277 times:
Quoting Piercey (Reply 1): Normal Crosswind landing..... Was there something I didn't see?
I think the approach was more interesting than the landing - certainly looked like he was getting close to skimming the brush, but then that would be normal for that location by the looks of things.
Sspontak From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 467 posts, RR: 2 Reply 5, posted (5 years 12 months 3 days ago) and read 24240 times:
I wonder if pilots routinely let passenger know beforehand what type of landing they will be experiencing. This certainly is not a typical landing that most passengers experience. I might freak out a little if I did not know this ahead of time. I have friends in Honduras and I hope one day to experience this approach.
EZEIZA From Argentina, joined Aug 2004, 4929 posts, RR: 28 Reply 10, posted (5 years 12 months 3 days ago) and read 24071 times:
Don't know if that's normal or not but it looked like he passed way too close to the trees! I imagine It seems scarier to look at this than being on the plane? The other thing that came to mind is that the place looks like a spotter paradise! Kai Tak of the Americas!
Insane? Not much more than landing there in the first place
I recall that landing (TGU) in a DC9 back in '95....looks like not much has changed. I don't know whether or not it's true, but it sure felt like the '9s had to cut the corner a little closer than the 320s do. We landed on a day with rapidly changing conditions, went thru customs (where you pay to get your luggage back) and then I sat airside for about 45 minutes watching AA, Continental, and TACA take turns dodging that hill in the winds as the ceiling crept down. That's about all I could stomach...I saw one crash at an EAA show (a homebuilt), that's one more than I ever want to see. I'm sure that the statistics there aren't as bad as the impression is when watching the landings. I also have a lot more respect for international pilots after that flight, it makes following the Potomac into DCA look easy by comparison. We were one of the last flights out on the short hop to SAP.
This vid also brings back fond memories of watching the 727s rounding the bend...still my favorite commuter, and sorely missed.
Oh, yeah, that AA pilot looks like he was a bit low on final, or else he was winning a bet. It would be interesting to talk to the person who filmed this and find out why only this landing is posted...was this just the "best of the day", or was this particular landing filmed for a reason?
Send not to know for whom the bell tolls...it tolls for thee
LTU932 From Germany, joined Jan 2006, 13864 posts, RR: 51 Reply 13, posted (5 years 12 months 3 days ago) and read 23979 times:
That's TGU alright. That final approach is surely lots of fun!
And yes, he was way too low on final approach. If you look hard, you'll notice that he landed just a few metres short of the threshold on the displaced threshold area. Aircraft can only take off on a displaced threshold area, not land. Basically, the landing was botched (I can only imagine the GPWS screaming throughout the entire short final approach), though it's nothing compared to this:
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 21460 posts, RR: 24 Reply 16, posted (5 years 12 months 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 23849 times:
Another good and rather long AA 757 landing video at TGU in 2003. It was the captain's last flight prior to retirement. Shows the complete approach, landing (probably not the best of his career) and taxi in. See remarks below the video screen. http://www.flightlevel350.com/Aircra..._Airlines_Aviation_Video-8203.html
TGU runway is only 6100 ft. and 3300 ft. above sea level. TGU has long had a reputation as one of the more dangerous airports. Note the "Caution" remarks near the end of the airport info page below: http://worldaerodata.com/wad.cgi?id=HO73243
Fbgdavidson From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2004, 3687 posts, RR: 32 Reply 17, posted (5 years 12 months 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 23805 times:
Lame....to be honest I don't see that being anything other than an interesting approach.
Sure they aren't commercial flights but what the hell...hilarious to see the comments on Break.com below the vid...'He (the pilot I presume) should be fired'
"My first job was selling doors, door to door, that's a tough job innit" - Bill Bailey
WhoopWhoop From United States of America, joined Oct 2006, 62 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (5 years 12 months 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 23483 times:
Regarding the original video. Great footage but IMHO..a poor XWind landing. There appeared to be NO attempt to line up the longitudinal axis of the plane with the centerline. Ya know...Wing low..top rudder? The wind sure didnt appear strong enough to "run out" of rudder. He landed in a crab basically. Must be a military guy
ADent From United States of America, joined Dec 2006, 1173 posts, RR: 1 Reply 20, posted (5 years 12 months 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 23417 times:
On the second video the GPWS calls out 100 about 27 sec before touchdown.
BTW they have a camera in the cockpit (near all that fancy avionics) and my iPod in the back of the bus will take down the plane if I don't turn it off below 10,000 ft.
Stirling From Italy, joined Jun 2004, 3943 posts, RR: 27 Reply 21, posted (5 years 12 months 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 23396 times:
Quoting Viscount724 (Reply 16): Another good and rather long AA 757 landing video at TGU in 2003. It was the captain's last flight prior to retirement. Shows the complete approach,
Sounds like that was the FO's first time to TGU, as the Capt. is pointing out landmarks along the way, "There's the cemetary....". Fun to watch, and listen to, as the ground gets closer and closer. From the sound warnings, it would appear that the aircraft is about 50 to 100 feet above the place where the spotters were in the previous video!
Incredible!
Wondering who he was talking to in the first part of the Video, that certainly wasn't the TGU controller was it? Or rather the AA base there in TGU?
LAXspotter From India, joined Jan 2007, 3650 posts, RR: 5 Reply 22, posted (5 years 12 months 2 days 17 hours ago) and read 23158 times:
If you watch that video on FL350, the FO notes with the presence of the captain's wife that no job is better than flying except maybe that of a pornstar, LOL. If youre really interested, read the article on toncontin, its a challenging approach and there are a few amazing pics on the database as well.
"Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel" Samuel Johnson
Alias1024 From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 2643 posts, RR: 2 Reply 23, posted (5 years 12 months 2 days 17 hours ago) and read 23094 times:
Quoting Stirling (Reply 21): as the Capt. is pointing out landmarks along the way, "There's the cemetary....".
I was lucky enough to watch this approach from the jumpseat of a CO 737. The cemetary is one of the visual landmarks uesd for the approach, so announcing it may not be a sign that the FO was unfamiliar. It could have been a cue to let the FO know that the Captain intended to descend to a lower altitude since he had reached that point on the approach. After that is a turn toward a blue water tower on the side of the mountains, then the turn to final.
It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems with just potatoes.
EKSkycargo370 From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2006, 150 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (5 years 12 months 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 21793 times:
Those crazy yanks,would love to fly into TGU!
25 BHD: Are there weather restrictions for this approach - i'm assuming this can't be done in an overcast situation, or can it? Woody
26 PhilSquares: If you are as your profile says a 767 FO, then I'd suggest you go and review your FCTM. Landing in a crab is an acceptable procedure for a Boeing. Li
27 Graphic: You don't land an airplane wing-low when it's got huge engines hanging from the wings. The wing low method is really more for light aircraft.
28 DENplanenut: Landing in Tegucigalpa (TGU) is much more fun than it looks. I had a stop over there once on my way to San Pedro Sula (SAP) It was nerve wrecking and
29 JBirdAV8r: Honestly I believe the wing-down, opp. rudder approach is acceptable (even recommended) for the 757/767, while the gear is designed to take a good si
30 Moriarty: Yeah, I am by no means an expert in aviation but to me it is the approach itself that's spectacular, if anything. Cool to see the videos. Guess the co
31 757225: An oLd wise pilot once said , any part of the runway behind you is useless. This is a short runway, the 1000ft mariking is only an aiming point theref
32 PhilSquares: Actually, Boeing recommends both techniques. The 747 lands perfectly fine in a crab and is designed for that. The wing down (slightly) and opposite r
34 Pilotaydin: sorry, that's not really a correct statement to make...you are allowed your option of sideloading and/or wing low....on the 737 wing low is just aski
35 TrnsWrld: Congrats to that pilot on his retiring flight and a great job on that approach and landing. I sure bet he will miss that job.
36 OPNLguy: I route-checked in there back in 1982 when I was with Air Florida, and at that time we considered it basic VFR (1000-3) airport and even then only du
37 Halophila: Looks exciting! The landin at ZQN can be the same! They did on the 2 NZ flights I did into ZQN around 2002.
38 B52overSMF: It looks as though the hill has been "groomed" for the approach. At one point in the video looking out from the passenger window it looks like part of
39 Jamesbaldwyn: The point I want to make is that a landing like that looks insane and mad to the untrained eye. But it looks quite simple ( somewhat ) to us lot of av
40 DENplanenut: I don't have all the details, but I know that part of that hill was removed to make landings safer after a Tan-Sahsa 727 crashed while attempting to
41 N710PS: I flew that approach once in a LR35 in my air ambulance days. That approach is what you make of it. It certainly is enough to make you sweat though if
42 Alias1024: I'm unsure if there are any RNP approaches into the airport. Toncontin (sp?) VOR sits on the field, and is used to fly inbound toward the airport and
43 Blackbird1331: That is why captains get to be captains. Nice thread.
44 Snaiks: Yes there are, first of all the rwy has no lights so night ops are prohibited, right now i forgot the SOP of TGU, im going to try and find them and p
45 LAXspotter: This is definetely one of the more amazing approaches, but definetely not the toughest. The approach to Paro Airport in Bhutan is one of the most chal
46 MEACEDAR: Pause the video at 25 seconds, damn thats low.
47 Francoflier: TGU is tricky in that it's a 6000' rwy that's 3300' high, surronded by terrain. It is mandatory to circle visually to land as straight in approaches a
48 LAXspotter: After all who is the pilot? and who are we but aviation nuts who think we can land a 757 better than that pilot?
49 EK413: You mind explaining why...? Iv always wondered... EK413
50 ACDC8: I'm thinking that Francoflier's response is a bit more credible than yours. Anyone up for a TGU A.net meet?
51 Mir: Because that's what it's designated as. Generally there's some sort of obstacle (in this case a hill) that's in the way of landings, but if there's r
52 LTU932: Displaced threshold areas (part of the runway that has got white arrows pointing towards the runway threshold or piano keys) are created mostly for m
53 F9Animal: Friggin awesome! Certainly not an airport I would enjoy flying into sitting in the back seat, especially unexpected!
54 Adriaticus: Toncontín airport (TGU) has changed quite a bit over the years, but the landing experience remains an exhilarating one every single time. A good pilo
55 EK413: Cheers, thankyou for your replies and info... I had always wondered and now I have the answers... EK413
56 OPNLguy: I guess that's another change from my visit there in 1982. I remember we used 01 for departure, and made a left turn towards that gap in the terrain
57 Mir: That's what I've heard - that the pavement can handle takeoffs but not the impact of landings (large aircraft only, of course). It may not be true in
58 UtilianPilot07: I have Flown to TGU many time and they don't take off from a different direction then which they landed on. They land on RWY 02 which used to be numb
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and then I sat airside for about 45 minutes watching AA, Continental, and TACA take turns dodging that hill in the winds as the ceiling crept down. That's about all I could stomach...I saw one crash at an EAA show (a homebuilt), that's one more than I ever want to see. I'm sure that the statistics there aren't as bad as the impression is when watching the landings. I also have a lot more respect for international pilots after that flight, it makes following the Potomac into DCA look easy by comparison. We were one of the last flights out on the short hop to SAP.
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