the plane had been scheduled for 6 am take off last Friday. I missed the part when the plane was put back on tarmac. Another pilot, a Boeing test pilot I heard, was called for this special take off. Preparations kept on all morning. Planes used the runway kind of as usual with this “50 ft obstacle”. Here a Caravan on landing. The Arushan crowd was still impressive on the outside perimeter.
Finally the stair is removed and engines are started around midday.
every single employee at Arusha airport wouldn’t miss the action. notice the dust being displaced by the engines run up. Discussions were interesting between pilots (none of us qualified on this kind of beast), the main question was where the B 767 would take off. I initially wanted to stay at the very end of the runway but then I had to work on our aircraft, I couldn’t wait hours outside.
not too sure what this white smoke is… ( update: this is white chalk from the painted displaced threshold)
powerful engines! The noise was deafening.
and surprise, the plane lifted at about 1000m only!
Hi Ed,
a fellow pilot told me this was due to chalk used for displaced threshold...which makes sense since the whiff only appeared for a second or 2.
the plane took off from the tarmac only.
Posted by: ben wilhelmi | 25 December 2013 at 10:35 AM
i think the white smoke appeared when th plane left grass and into the tarmac, js like when airplanes land, maybe theres a technical term for that? I dont know
Posted by: Ed Gabriel | 25 December 2013 at 08:45 AM