febreeze1236
09-17-2008, 04:24 AM
Was on a charter flight, DAL9690, (Boeing 757-200), N684DA, from LAX-CMH. Departed LAX at 8am, smooth ride up until we reached Arkansas. The Captain told us over the PA, that the air tends to be calm behind a Hurricane. At this time, the Hurricane had already passed through Texas and was heading up the Ohio Valley, now a tropical depression but still very strong winds and a low pressure front. Our flight plan was pretty unusual between the city pairs, we stayed pretty much south (Arizona, New Mexico, No. Texas, Arkansas, then headed northeast up the Mississippi River. Our aircraft was equiped with GPS moving map so I was able to flight follow along in the comfort of my own seat. Thumbs up for Delta. It is always nice to know where you are sometimes.
Our descent was moderate chop, becoming more intense as we got lower. Winds as we turned final were being reported 180 at 35 gusting to 46 kts. Direct crosswind, as CMH runways run West and East. As we got below 3000 feet, the ride turned into occassional severe turbulence. The pilot was really fighting it, and we were literally coming in sideways, as I was able to see the runway from my passenger seat, he was crabbing that much, and it was very unstable crabbing as wind gusts would either slam us up or slam us down. We got within 500 feet of 10R, the captain applied full power and we had a missed approach. I just wanted to get on the ground because it was so bumpy and did not want to go around the pattern again. He tried again, we missed again. The Captain was very informative during all this, they advised they are going to go a hold, talk to their dispatch in ATL, and come up with a alternate. Cincinnati had evaucated their tower as their winds were at 70mph. So we ended up diverting to PIT. When we arrived at PIT, their were so many other planes that diverted to PIT as well. We had to sit on the aircraft for a while becuase PIT did not have the capacity to accept all these wide-body aicraft that were being diverted.
We waited at PIT for 5 hours. They did allow us off the plane. Many passengers got off the plane for good and elected to take a rental car home, I dont blame them. I was thinking the same, but I manned up. When we departed PIT, the wind had appraoched, gusting at 38kts. It was Severe takeoff, engine actually blew sparks on the climb. I was so scared and I flown many of times, but this was the worst. Once we got above the cloud layer, it smoothed out.
But my advice, if you do not like moderate chop and above, do not fly during a hurricane depression, or take the next later flight. It was rough, and we were in a 757!
Our descent was moderate chop, becoming more intense as we got lower. Winds as we turned final were being reported 180 at 35 gusting to 46 kts. Direct crosswind, as CMH runways run West and East. As we got below 3000 feet, the ride turned into occassional severe turbulence. The pilot was really fighting it, and we were literally coming in sideways, as I was able to see the runway from my passenger seat, he was crabbing that much, and it was very unstable crabbing as wind gusts would either slam us up or slam us down. We got within 500 feet of 10R, the captain applied full power and we had a missed approach. I just wanted to get on the ground because it was so bumpy and did not want to go around the pattern again. He tried again, we missed again. The Captain was very informative during all this, they advised they are going to go a hold, talk to their dispatch in ATL, and come up with a alternate. Cincinnati had evaucated their tower as their winds were at 70mph. So we ended up diverting to PIT. When we arrived at PIT, their were so many other planes that diverted to PIT as well. We had to sit on the aircraft for a while becuase PIT did not have the capacity to accept all these wide-body aicraft that were being diverted.
We waited at PIT for 5 hours. They did allow us off the plane. Many passengers got off the plane for good and elected to take a rental car home, I dont blame them. I was thinking the same, but I manned up. When we departed PIT, the wind had appraoched, gusting at 38kts. It was Severe takeoff, engine actually blew sparks on the climb. I was so scared and I flown many of times, but this was the worst. Once we got above the cloud layer, it smoothed out.
But my advice, if you do not like moderate chop and above, do not fly during a hurricane depression, or take the next later flight. It was rough, and we were in a 757!