SHARP-EYED Qantas pilots who ignored air traffic control instructions may have prevented another near-collision between two planes in Indonesian airspace. Qantas flight QF83, carrying 225 passengers, was flying from Melbourne to Hong Kong on June 19 when air traffic controllers cleared the plane to descend.
But the pilots of the Boeing 767-300 ignored the clearance after spotting another Qantas plane heading in the opposite direction, and kept the aircraft at its original flight level.
Although there was no breakdown of separation between the two aircraft, Qantas was sufficiently concerned to report the event to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
"The flight crew observed another Qantas aircraft, which was a Hong Kong- Brisbane flight, travelling southbound below them," Qantas spokesman Michael Sharp said.
"And the flight crew on QF83 made the correct decision not to descend."
This is the second time this year Indonesian air traffic controllers have issued questionable instructions to a Qantas plane.
In March, a Sydney-bound Qantas jetliner was placed on a collision course with an Air New Zealand plane near the island of Biak, off Irian Jaya.
The two Boeing 767-300s involved in that incident took evasive action after onboard computers alerted crews to the danger.
© News Limited, 2004
Indonesian ATC called into question again
Moderators: Alyrium Denryle, Edi, K. A. Pital
Indonesian ATC called into question again
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Official SD.net Simmer and Appreciator of Aircraft and Spacecraft.
Prolific vatsim pilot. See theOfficial Vatsim ATC and multiplayer traffic display
Official SD.net Simmer and Appreciator of Aircraft and Spacecraft.
Prolific vatsim pilot. See theOfficial Vatsim ATC and multiplayer traffic display
Bad air traffic control people, but good pilots. That could have been a disaster but fortunately it wasn't, and hopefully these complaints will prevent one from happening in the future.
But still, I'm not planning on flying to Indonesia anytime in the near future.
But still, I'm not planning on flying to Indonesia anytime in the near future.
DPDarkPrimus is my boyfriend!
SDNW4 Nation: The Refuge And, on Nova Terra, Al-Stan the Totally and Completely Honest and Legitimate Weapons Dealer and Used Starship Salesman slept on a bed made of money, with a blaster under his pillow and his sombrero pulled over his face. This is to say, he slept very well indeed.
SDNW4 Nation: The Refuge And, on Nova Terra, Al-Stan the Totally and Completely Honest and Legitimate Weapons Dealer and Used Starship Salesman slept on a bed made of money, with a blaster under his pillow and his sombrero pulled over his face. This is to say, he slept very well indeed.
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Frank Hipper
- Overfiend of the Superego
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In January of 1980, I was flying home to Cincinnati out of Tampa having visited with my grandparents; while we were still climbing out of Tampa, I got that "stomach in your throat" sensation of free-fall, the plane was doing a pretty steep dive, and looking out the window noticed that we passed a TWA 727 on an opposite course seemingly wingtip to wingtip. My blood runs cold every time I think anbout it...
Today, something like that would probably make the news, back then no one took notice.
Today, something like that would probably make the news, back then no one took notice.
Life is all the eternity you get, use it wisely.