Originally Posted by
cynicAAl
planes fly best when taking off and landing into the wind. The wind normally comes eastward off the ocean at SNA, except in Santa Ana conditions (like today) when the wind comes out of the east from the desert.
The only aborted landing I had at SNA was during Santa Ana conditions. Very windy and the 757 was all over the place. Rear wheels hit hard, then full power and wheels up for a go around. Good thing the pilot pulled it up as we touched down more than halfway down the runway, and she would have been on the 405 by the time the plane stopped.
I have had two aborted landings at SNA, and one was from the Santa Anas. Part of the problem with SNA is also that the runway is shorter than usual...but it's never as fun as landing at HOU, where they have to brake so hard your eyeballs want to leave their sockets!