BA263 (LHR-RUH) Rejected take off today (did anyone experience a RTO?)
Aug 26, 2019, 2:59 pm
#16
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Yes, some years ago, on a BA 767 departing IAD. We were accelerating toward V1 when the crew suddenly retarded the engines and stood on the brakes HARD. We skidded to a halt on the runway and stood there for a minute or two, then a pilot came on the tannoy and apologized, said they had seen some thrust behavior in #1 engine "we didn't quite like," and we were returning to gate. As this was not too long after the Lauda Air loss, which was blamed on a thrust reverser malfunction, we were quite happy to let the mechanics have their way.
We continued on to LHR eventually, about three hours late.
It gets your attention, how quickly the aircraft can be slowed / stopped when asked. My seatbelt dug hard into the flesh around my hips.
We continued on to LHR eventually, about three hours late.
It gets your attention, how quickly the aircraft can be slowed / stopped when asked. My seatbelt dug hard into the flesh around my hips.
Last edited by BearX220; Aug 26, 2019 at 7:12 pm
Aug 26, 2019, 3:08 pm
#17
Join Date: Feb 2015
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OK, OK,
I don't have any statistical evidence at all...but as Mr BingBongBoy suggests (an experienced flyer by the sounds of it, and who seems (I trust) to agree with me...), there are just certain routes that BA prefers to place the aircraft that both have a tendency to "go technical"...and are not quite as up to scratch on the cabin.
and (again) without statistical evidence I admit, that these are routes that tend to be ones where there is both less competition for service and aren't as high profile...
I'm not looking for a dust-up as these postings are just a bit of fun...Chris
I don't have any statistical evidence at all...but as Mr BingBongBoy suggests (an experienced flyer by the sounds of it, and who seems (I trust) to agree with me...), there are just certain routes that BA prefers to place the aircraft that both have a tendency to "go technical"...and are not quite as up to scratch on the cabin.
and (again) without statistical evidence I admit, that these are routes that tend to be ones where there is both less competition for service and aren't as high profile...
I'm not looking for a dust-up as these postings are just a bit of fun...Chris
Aug 26, 2019, 3:17 pm
#18
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 453
I have also only had 1 RTO it was at EGKH, as we neared take off speed there was a loud bang under the aircraft and a judder in the nose wheel, the captain aborted the take off and returned to the apron. After discussion with the ground crew (!) it turned out that we had hit a newly cut grove in the runway and that the aircraft was undamaged.
The aircraft was a MS880B and the captain was wytco0
The aircraft was a MS880B and the captain was wytco0
Aug 26, 2019, 3:19 pm
#19
Join Date: Jul 2018
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https://www.flightstats.com/v2/fligh...ting/BA/81/LHR
Aug 26, 2019, 4:59 pm
#21
Join Date: Jan 2014
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Quite a few go-arounds due to the weather conditions here in Indonesia but never an RTO. We did have a long landing into a short strip once where we realllllly got on the brakes hard and I suspect that must be a similar experience to an RTO. It was quite shocking how fast the deceleration was compared with normal.
Aug 26, 2019, 5:57 pm
#23
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6 years ago on Viva aerobus in Mexico City. 23 year old 737-200. We were close to V1 and then pilot slammed on brakes. We pulled off runway and sat there for 10 mins. Not a word from the pilot or crew. Not a word. Then we taxied back to runway and went again. We got airborne and just as we did the aircraft dropped massively during the climb. People started screaming and crying. Again nothing from the pilot until 20 mins before landing. Last time I ever flew with them. Took return leg on another airline and haven't touched them with a barge pole since.
Aug 26, 2019, 6:08 pm
#24
Join Date: Feb 2006
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Nice story, but fake news. No 747 is dedicated to a particular route. The yesterdays BA263 and todays BA 263 are both operated by refitted Super High J 747s that have just returned from JFK....so unless JFK and RUH are both "captive markets"....
Aug 26, 2019, 6:20 pm
#25
Join Date: Feb 2015
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Good thing I don't run an airline, as some aircraft are always likely to be more scruffy and less reliable than others...and the fleet managers will know which. So I'd always bung them on the less important routes.
Anyway we digress, as this thread is about bowel clearing moments due to RTO's
...Chris
Last edited by Chris_G; Aug 26, 2019 at 6:26 pm
Aug 26, 2019, 6:53 pm
#26
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I've never experienced a RTO myself, but dear God it must be scary if it happens just before V1.
Two take-off rolls that stick in the mind as I thought we were a fireball at the end of the runway for sure:
Oh, all the old war stories...Chris
Two take-off rolls that stick in the mind as I thought we were a fireball at the end of the runway for sure:
- Late 1980's and I'm on board an Air Zambia DC10 out of Lusaka to London. Still in my twenties and was going to live for ever...God alone how much runway was left before we left the ground. I thought we were going to drive across Africa back to London.
- Only a month ago I was treated to what seemed like a ridiculously long take-off roll at BKK on the way back to FRA in an old Lufthansa A340. Cheapo flight (Euro 370 SXB to BKK return) so rammed full of passengers & cargo; we were heavy for sure. The aircraft really started to shudder & thump with each paving-joint on the runway; it didn't seem to be accelerating at all towards the end of the roll. Thought the pilot would never call rotate and I simply can't imagine there was any room left to do an RTO. The flight made worse since this was just after the Iranians had shot down the American Global Hawk drone and Trump was talking about having a go. The run up the south coast of the Gulf past Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi was no fun at all...and I was glad to see we were past it on the map.
Oh, all the old war stories...Chris
Once you reached V1 (which you wouldn’t know exactly when that occurred), you could have lost an engine and still gotten off just fine.
Aug 26, 2019, 6:56 pm
#27
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I would imagine that the British Airways entire fleet are maintained to a EASA compliant standard that shouldn't deter anyone from flying them, but it also wouldn't surprise me if the aircraft with uncared for interior are intentionally used on less profitable routes where possible.
I know that in some countries/national airlines they actually have specific aircraft that operate to the US/Europe because other aircraft in their fleet would likely fail a ramp check. One Asian airline (Philippine Airlines) used to operate a sub-fleet of US registration aircraft to fly to the US.
As for rejected take offs and go arounds, I've experienced a few, but as someone who holds a Private Pilots License and have a smidgen of aviation knowledge it doesn't particularly concern me.
I know that in some countries/national airlines they actually have specific aircraft that operate to the US/Europe because other aircraft in their fleet would likely fail a ramp check. One Asian airline (Philippine Airlines) used to operate a sub-fleet of US registration aircraft to fly to the US.
As for rejected take offs and go arounds, I've experienced a few, but as someone who holds a Private Pilots License and have a smidgen of aviation knowledge it doesn't particularly concern me.
Last edited by Yachtman; Aug 26, 2019 at 9:15 pm
Aug 26, 2019, 8:20 pm
#28
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Aug 26, 2019, 8:24 pm
#29
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PS. Just remembered that we also lost an engine mid-Atlantic on the same flight and continued subsonic - but that's a whole other story!!
Aug 27, 2019, 12:21 am
#30
Join Date: Oct 2007
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Just one RTO but never to be forgotten as it was on Concorde in September 1999. We seemed to be a long way through the take off roll when we suddenly stopped, taxied off the runway where we were told something hadn’t started correctly (I seem to remember it might have been an after burner but could easily be very wrong). Eventually taken back to the terminal and put into a spare �� Concorde and took off almost 4 hrs late. Sadly don’t remember too much of the flight due to large amounts of champagne in the lounge.