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American flight lands at LAX with blown tire

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by old_tony, Sep 2, 2008.

  1. luckyducky

    luckyducky Guest

    FOX News folks were saying that LAX is one of two US airports that you'd want to make that emergency landing at because they have the longest runway in the country, giving the pilot as much time as possible to slow down with the reverse thrusters before having to just crash the plane into a bank at the end of the runway (essentially).

    They never did name the second airport...
     
  2. markvid

    markvid Guest

    Remember the Concorde crash? What if you have a later failure that turns catastrophic? Not a good thing, say, like over the Rockies.
     
  3. markvid

    markvid Guest

    Denver's are over 10,000 - Pittsburgh also.
     
  4. luckyducky

    luckyducky Guest

    Three of LAX's are longer than 10,000 feet. ... I believe the one I recall them saying the plane landed on was 25R, which is 12,091 feet.
     
  5. markvid

    markvid Guest

    http://www.myafd.com/top10/longest_runways.asp
     
  6. luckyducky

    luckyducky Guest

    I was only passing along what I heard. Doesn't mean they were right, just that's what they were saying.
     
  7. markvid

    markvid Guest

    I know, that's why I posted that list.
     
  8. three_bags_full

    three_bags_full Well-Known Member

    Helluva ride, I bet.

    I guess he fared better than when I crashed my simulator, today. Twice.
     
  9. Hustle

    Hustle Guest

    The problem with Denver is the altitude; with less air, it's more difficult to take off. (Optimum takeoff conditions are cold, dry days; hot and humid are the worst.) That's relevant to this situation because the reversers would be less effective, though in truth most of the braking is done by actual brakes on the gear, not the reversers.

    And while any of the runways in Mark's list would theoretically be available for an emergency, LAX is best equipped as far as emergency equipment and, since this was not that bad of an emergency, passenger comfort. American also considers LAX to be a 'focus city' - think hub lite - so, chances are, it has another 737 on hand that can be pressed into service.
     
  10. imjustagirl

    imjustagirl Active Member

    AT least it was a simulator. :)
     
  11. micropolitan guy

    micropolitan guy Well-Known Member

    There's also lots of ocean to route the plane out over so it gets out of the way of arriving and departing traffic.
     
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