Good snowstorm listening 12/19

[hand1dj]

KGRR is in the thick of the snow storm in the Great Lakes right now. Snow removal in progress, periodic runway closures, interesting problem solving. KFNT is also being hit, just not as bad.

[KSYR-pjr]

Looks like they are getting pounded there.   

The heavy snow is forecast to hit the Syracuse, NY, airport around 12p Eastern time and taper off around 6p. 

The current radar composite:

[makonyy15]

Brickyard 3150 diverting back to PHL on its way to SYR as we speak. Storm is wreaking havoc in the NE Corridor. Visibility < 1 sm at SYR in snow.

Edit: FRL6269 entering holding at SYR, most likely going to divert to ALB

[KSYR-pjr]

Brickyard 3150 diverting back to PHL on its way to SYR as we speak. Storm is wreaking havoc in the NE Corridor. Visibility < 1 sm at SYR in snow.

Yep, I think we have heard the last of landing aircraft at SYR for the next few hours, that is unless they are certified for CAT II or CAT III approaches.   

edit:  Of course the CAT II/III approaches are only allowed on runway 28.  If they stick to runway 10 then the RVR minimum is 2400.

[makonyy15]

Agreed. Looks like most guys coming in need minimum RVR's above the 1800 that they're seeing now(To Runway 10 that is)

ASQ 5472 just joined Freedom Air in holding. Welcome back winter!

EDIT: ASQ suggested the CAT II to 28, both him and FRL are going to do 28 with a 10kt tailwind, which is still below their minimum alloted to do the landing.

[darry2385]

Brickyard 3150 diverting back to PHL on its way to SYR as we speak. Storm is wreaking havoc in the NE Corridor. Visibility < 1 sm at SYR in snow.

Yep, I think we have heard the last of landing aircraft at SYR for the next few hours, that is unless they are certified for CAT II or CAT III approaches.   

edit:  Of course the CAT II/III approaches are only allowed on runway 28.  If they stick to runway 10 then the RVR minimum is 2400.

why do they only allow them on 28?

[KSYR-pjr]

why do they only allow them on 28?

That is the only runway that has been certified by the FAA for CAT II approaches.   See here for the approach plate:

http://www.myairplane.com/databases/approach/pdfs/00411I28C2.PDF

I don't know all the specifics since I am a GA pilot authorized to only fly a CAT I ILS approach (ILS with standard 200 & 1/2 mile minimums), but I would surmise that approach lighting, quality and angle of the ILS signal in that direction, missed approach options and perhaps even cost to certify runways for lower approaches all play a role in determining what runways receive certification for CAT II/III approaches.  Even the larger airports like Boston, LAX, and Chicago have a smaller subset of their total runways certified for these types of approaches.

Note:  I made a mistake regarding CAT III approaches at SYR.  I now see that runway 28 only goes down to a CAT II approach, which has a lower minimum ceiling and visibility than the standard ILS but not a 0/0 minimum of a CAT III.   I wonder if something changed at SYR to lose their CAT III certification?  Hmm... I'll need to ask around about that.

[bcrosby]

The other criteria is need. If the weather rarely gets down to CATIII minima, then why spend the money to have the runway certified?

[Mark M]

Windshear has just hit JFK, last 3 of 4 arrivals all went around......add to that a Southern Air had the emergency vehicles standing by a little earlier makes for good listening.