When pilots need new underwear

[Good2Golf]

Fedex seemed to have good SA (other than maybe not hitting the go around button as soon as SW taxiied onto the runway).

They wouldn’t have seen SW at all in 1/8mi vis (the RVR was 600’ on that runway at the time, or 90% of 1/8mi) that would have been about 3 seconds before Decision Height. They were certainly trusting the ATC/SW duo to have cleared the runway before they arrived at DH and probably saw SW only at or just before DH. I think they knew something sounded off with the whole thing, hence why they were solidly in the go around. Again, FX crew were solidly ahead of the power curve here and saved the day.

It was super foggy. Nobody saw shit. I saw photos of the airport and it was soup.

Which makes it all the more surprising why ATC released SW when it had already cleared FX for the Cat 3 ILS landing at 5.6mi back. For the ATC tape, there’s very little talking because there’s very few others flying…SW should without question have been released after FX touched down.

 

[brihard]

They wouldn’t have seen SW at all in 1/8mi vis (the RVR was 600’ on that runway at the time, or 90% of 1/8mi) that would have been about 3 seconds before Decision Height. They were certainly trusting the ATC/SW duo to have cleared the runway before they arrived at DH and probably saw SW only at or just before DH. I think they knew something sounded off with the whole thing, hence why they were solidly in the go around. Again, FX crew were solidly ahead of the power curve here and saved the day.



Which makes it all the more surprising why ATC released SW when it had already cleared FX for the Cat 3 ILS landing at 5.6mi back. For the ATC tape, there’s very little talking because there’s very few others flying…SW should without question have been released after FX touched down.

That’s a paddlin’?

 

[Good2Golf]

That’s a paddlin’?

Certainly some ‘splainin to do!

 

[Mick]

It sure sounded like a full To-Via-Maintain-Depart clearance being read to SW on the ATC tapes.

Respectfully, I'll disagree here:

TWR: "Fly heading 170, runway 18L, cleared for takeoff"

Destination, routing, and altitude already given prior to taxiing.

I’m not sure it was FX calling the abort. And hard to say whether SW was past V1. They were taking their time enough that ATC asked them what they were doing.

I'm not sure that SW really took an abnormally long time taxiing to position and commence their roll - I interpret ATC's question "confirm on the roll?" to be due to the reduced vis - at 600 RVR, I doubt the tower would even be able to see SW (chart shows tower at least 2000 ft from threshold 18L).

It boggles my mind that ATC thought that trying to squeeze SW in for an expedited departure in front of FX 3nm back…one minute, twelve seconds from touchdown in 1/8mi visibility…was questionable at best, and were it not for the FedEx crew’s professionalism, would have been a disaster.

Yep - makes no sense. I wonder how often KAUS deals with this type of weather / visibility?

They wouldn’t have seen SW at all in 1/8mi vis (the RVR was 600’ on that runway at the time, or 90% of 1/8mi) that would have been about 3 seconds before Decision Height. They were certainly trusting the ATC/SW duo to have cleared the runway before they arrived at DH and probably saw SW only at or just before DH. I think they knew something sounded off with the whole thing, hence why they were solidly in the go around. Again, FX crew were solidly ahead of the power curve here and saved the day.

Agree - FedEx confirms their landing clearance immediately after SW is cleared for takeoff ("WTF, Tower??").

Spidey senses were definitely tingling after hearing that takeoff clearance, and they would have seen the aircraft move into position on TCAS. FedEx were definitely on the ball.

Interesting that SW would have called "ready" holding short of 18L, as they would have had FedEx on TCAS as well.

 

[Good2Golf]

Respectfully, I'll disagree here:

TWR: "Fly heading 170, runway 18L, cleared for takeoff"

Destination, routing, and altitude already given prior to taxiing.

@Mick, yes, you’re indeed correct on the call immediately before line up by SW. My apologies for insistence on a full
Clnc. I was certain I heard a full clearance on the LiveATC tapes, and am scrubbing the tape to see where I might of heard it.

Interestingly, not in the Flight Radar24 recording, but in the LiveATC recording, at 22:42, you can hear ATC apologize to FX1432 and noted an appreciation of their professionalism…which I wholeheartedly agree!

Go to 22:42

https://archive.liveatc.net/kaus/KAUS3-Twr-Feb-04-2023-1230Z.mp3

 

[Mick]

Interestingly, not in the Flight Radar24 recording, but in the LiveATC recording, at 22:42, you can hear ATC apologize to FX1432 and noted an appreciation of their professionalism…which I wholeheartedly agree!

Go to 22:42

https://archive.liveatc.net/kaus/KAUS3-Twr-Feb-04-2023-1230Z.mp3

Glad they were recognized - thanks for the link.

If interested, the FB page "The 737 Handbook" has posted a video depicting speed and altitude of both aircraft - a bit better visualization than the other video here.

 

[Good2Golf]

Another reference to a good breakdown of the event from Juan Brown, a well-regarded aviation blogger and commercial pilot. He has many solid incident-related videos and this one is no exception.