Author Topic: Continental (Colgan)-3407 -8 Crash in Buffalo  (Read 307293 times)

Offline NY Z Pilot

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Re: Continental (Colgan)-3407 -8 Crash in Buffalo
« Reply #175 on: February 16, 2009, 10:39:56 AM »
I just wanted to share my blog, and coverage of this story:

http://www.michael-crook.com/flight_3407/

Although some have called it harsh, I prefer to look at all angles.

I am glad you had tape rolling on Buffalo when this happened.  Although I get the frustration of some pilots that don't want the tape to be released, it's important to know what happened.

you sir...are a waste of space.

Offline cessna157

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Re: Continental (Colgan)-3407 -8 Crash in Buffalo
« Reply #176 on: February 16, 2009, 10:48:42 AM »
Now I have heard so much stuff listening to various airports here on Live ATC (love this site by the way!), but I have never understood what these 2 things are:

1. Localizer
2. Altimeter

1) To put it incredibly simply, imagine a straightline narrow radio beam that points down the centerline of the runway.  The radio in the airplane can tell which side of this beam it is on, and tells the pilot how far left and right he is.

2)  The altimeter in the airplane measures the outside air pressure.  The higher you go, the less air pressure there is, lower you go, greater air pressure.  This wold be very simple, except mother nature changes the baseline outside air pressure with weather (high pressure systems and low pressure systems).  The altimeter setting that ATC and ATIS  and ASOS gives is what the outside baseline air pressure is.  In North America we use a unit of an inch of mercury in a barometer.  Standard is 29.92 inches of mercury.  The average high pressure system would raise that to around 30.30" and the average low would bring it down to around 29.60", but it goes higher and lower.  The pilot just dials in what the controller tells him the air pressure is, and the instrument reads correctly.

Offline Jason

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Re: Continental (Colgan)-3407 -8 Crash in Buffalo
« Reply #177 on: February 16, 2009, 11:10:50 AM »
This is a respectful and knowledgeable community, please don't ruin it for those that wish to positively contribute, as many have in just this thread.

Personal attacks and trolling is not allowed and will not be tolerated. Any further behavior in this manner in other threads will result in the suspension or ban of your forum account.

Jason
« Last Edit: February 16, 2009, 12:57:52 PM by Jason »