Originally Posted by
buckeyefanflyer
Why does it take so long to remove the aircraft. Don’t they have alternative runways lots of diversions.
In this case, the airplane was evacuated. You don't evacuate an airplane unless it is unsafe for everyone to stay onboard. Emergency services then have to secure the airplane which, in this case, will be finding the source of the smoke and ensuring that it is not going to escalate. Then they can proceed to remove the slides so that the airplane can be towed off the runway.
The other runways are closed for a couple of reasons. The evacuating passengers have to be rounded up, and count verified, so that you know that there aren't others who could be on the other runways or taxiways that would be used. Additionally, if emergency services are engaged with one aircraft emergency they are no longer available to respond to another one. Part 121 flights can not operate at an airport without available emergency services with the ability to respond in accordance with the part 139 requirements. When an airplane can not meet those requirement they have to close the airport until they can.
Originally Posted by
buckeyefanflyer
Hey just asking on not major emergency why not have the aircraft taxi off the main runway to do the evacuation so the main runway is not blocked. Lots of diversions and missed connections.
In this case, because they deployed the slides and evacuated. In other cases, it is often due to brake-energy.
After a rejected takeoff, or overweight landing, brake-energy will be a concern due to the massive amount of energy that the brakes had to absorb. Brake temperatures will continue to climb for some time after the aircraft has stopped and excessive brake temperature can lead to tire failures (fuse plugs) and wheel fires. In these cases, brake-energy is calculated based on aircraft weight, max sped, field elevation and temperature. Movement of the airplane is delayed, sometimes for an hour or more, to allow for brake cooling before it is safe to move the aircraft.