Sea-Tac airport controllers don't answer pilots

[globemaster]

@NeedleNose

@dadalope

What’s the nearest alternate for SEA for a 747? Vancouver maybe, fuel only?
I’m just wondering how much margin (in hours) they’d normally need, what they planned to do if they had to bail, and thus how much time they probably had left before doing it.

Nearest I can think of would be the Boeing factory, Paine Field (KPAE) 50 miles to the north. No airline support there, but at least they could hold the pax as hostages there until crew rest issues are no longer a factor.

would aircrew have to go into holding pattern, if they cant get a hold of atc?

[globemaster]

@msh168

Good call by the Capt on the EVA fight to not just land, especially if the airport had a bunch of PAEW type NOTAMS, that could be ugly.

I hope the FAA reimburses both aircraft for wasted fuel and flight time. 25 minutes in a 747 at low altitude… OUCH! Wishful thinking, I guess that would prove they made a mistake.

or find a way to have some toilet facilities in the tower, oh that would make sense wouldnt it??? winch up a porta potty put in on the balcony, bolt it down so it wont fly away in bad winds. somethingf so the controller does not have to climb 6 stories of stairs. not a funny thing for aircrew, but i am not aircrew or atc.

[sykocus]

@globemaster

@NeedleNose

@dadalope

What’s the nearest alternate for SEA for a 747? Vancouver maybe, fuel only?
I’m just wondering how much margin (in hours) they’d normally need, what they planned to do if they had to bail, and thus how much time they probably had left before doing it.

Nearest I can think of would be the Boeing factory, Paine Field (KPAE) 50 miles to the north. No airline support there, but at least they could hold the pax as hostages there until crew rest issues are no longer a factor.
would aircrew have to go into holding pattern, if they cant get a hold of atc?

It sounds like it was just the tower that they couldn’t get a hold of. They probably went back to the approach control freq while things got sorted out. It wouldn’t be like they were flying around on their own for 25 mins.

[flyboy97222]

@dadalope

What’s the nearest alternate for SEA for a 747? Vancouver maybe, fuel only?
I’m just wondering how much margin (in hours) they’d normally need, what they planned to do if they had to bail, and thus how much time they probably had left before doing it.

Portland Oregon, Paine field, there is an Air Force base in Tacoma.

[globemaster]

@flyboy97222

@dadalope

What’s the nearest alternate for SEA for a 747? Vancouver maybe, fuel only?
I’m just wondering how much margin (in hours) they’d normally need, what they planned to do if they had to bail, and thus how much time they probably had left before doing it.

Portland Oregon, Paine field, there is an Air Force base in Tacoma.

mcchord afb is probably 2 minutes at speed from sea-tac. never thought of that one. Are military bases going to take in a llarge commercial transport if the problem that day were to continue to be a problem?? I also thought of whidbey island nas. which is not far from paine field.

[flyboy97222]

@globemaster

@flyboy97222

@dadalope

What’s the nearest alternate for SEA for a 747? Vancouver maybe, fuel only?
I’m just wondering how much margin (in hours) they’d normally need, what they planned to do if they had to bail, and thus how much time they probably had left before doing it.

Portland Oregon, Paine field, there is an Air Force base in Tacoma.
mcchord afb is probably 2 minutes at speed from sea-tac. never thought of that one. Are military bases going to take in a llarge commercial transport if the problem that day were to continue to be a problem?? I also thought of whidbey island nas. which is not far from paine field.

I’m sure they wouldn’t have shot him down. Get the bird down safe and then deal with whatever Sh*t you have to after