Airport too dark for Ryanair to land!

[gyrotyro]

Probably an ex British Rail train driver who now has an ATPL experiencing the effects of the wrong type of moonlight!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/trave ... rport.html

[Cumulo-nimbus]

[Genghis the Engineer]

I've heard many horror stories from airline pilot friends about how marginal many greek airports are, and the pressure on them to cut safety margins to the bone.

So, a Ryanair captain had had enough, decided that a landing was unsafe, and diverted. An unpopular decision, and doubtless he'll have had a robust conversation with the Chief Pilot without tea and biscuits about it.

In my opinion - very well done him, he did the right thing knowing it would be unpopular. Certainly nobody in that position diverts a flight lightly.

Whatever the safety issues were at that airport, I'm sure that this will massively increase the pressure on the local airport authority, who I'm sure have been nagged about them for a long time, to sort them out.

G

[Jwscud]

It is entirely possible that the airport in question was restricted to "Daylight only operations".

A quick shufti at the plates suggest landing elevation of 50', MSA of 8000' east of the field with terrain above 5000' within 4 miles of the airport, threshold lights and PAPI only, with an MDA on the VOR approach of 1300'. I can very much understand why the PIC chose to divert.

[Iceman]

Greek austerity measures - the runway lights are on a dimmer switch which is set in accordance with the landing fee coughed up by the airline. Ryanscare pay b'gger all and hence get 'maximum dim' setting

Iceman