Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site noscvax.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!sdcsvax!noscvax!vollmer
From: vollmer@noscvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: taking off against the traffic
Message-ID: <183@noscvax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 25-Aug-83 00:04:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: noscvax.183
Posted: Thu Aug 25 00:04:01 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 22-Aug-83 22:41:18 EDT
Organization: Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego
Lines: 35


I was sitting at the end of the runway at San Diego
Lindberg Field, having lunch, and listening to the
tower on my portable radio.

Arriving and departing traffic was using Runway 9,
under ILS procedures at the time due to the overcast
weather we are having (don't let the San Diego Vistors
Bureau know I said that).

This means that the traffic was arriving from the ocean
and departing towards the mountains. The wind was gusty
about 20 knots at 180 degrees, pretty much of a cross-wind.

After about 20 minutes of this, one DC-10 taxis down to
opposite end, runway 27, waits impatiently for about
15 minutes, and gets clearance to take off towards the
ocean. The arriving flights just before landed on runway
9 and the departing flights just after left on runway 9.

Any ideas why one plane would take off against the traffic.
Since I was not listening to clearance I did not know the
background of the flight plan that was filed, or clearance
delivery instructions.

My only guess is that the rate of climb needed to use runway
9 was too much for a DC-10. First time I have ever seen this
and it seems it would not make an ATC any younger dealing with
one plane going against the traffic.

I should explain that I am not a pilot. I relax by going to
the airport with my Jeppensen charts and radio and trying
to figure the whole system out.

Tom Vollmer