This set of photos is dated to the last year’ ’shooting season’.
Once in a while I would go to work a little bit earlier than it’s necessary, and sometimes this tactic yields some noteworthy results. Actually, I’ve already accumulated quite a collection of interesting photos taken at such occasions. And there’s been an attempt to start a respective ’series’ made in this post.
So, what interesting would you be able to see around Calgary airport on July 9, 2006? It was the day with quite an active weather: thunder clouds were hanging our all over the place, there’s a strong, gusty wind blowing from North-West. It was apparent, the conditions imposed a sort of of challenge for airplanes as they were flying their final approaches and landings.
After a few seconds of watching this A-330 it became obvious the crew was trying hard to keep on the approach path, struggling with the wind, and apparently, - with the wind sheer. And then it stopped descending and started to pull up.
Heavy Airbus was rapidly gaining the altitude. Well, the plane had just accomplished a long transatlantic journey, and it shouldn’t be too much fuel left in her tanks. .
..it was coming fast, and then started the turn..
and finally - roared right overhead.
It seemed an ATC instruction was as simple as this: “Turn right, heading 070″.
I didn’t see the final stages of this show, whether the plane came back for another approach, or it was gone to its alternate..
But the safety in our industry is of ‘paramount importance’. Serious wind sheer on final, at low altitude is no fun, especially for heavy equipment. No doubt the crew did great.
P.S. Yes, that was not just ‘one single day of active weather’ then. See, here’s an image of thunderstorm I posted on Flickr, it was taken three days later.
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