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Jumpseat: Let It Snow

JFK International in the midst of the first major
snowstorm of the season. There's no difference
between the parkways and the taxiways.
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A special qualification flight from JFK was immediately beset by mechanical issues (stuck flaps, low main gear strut) and the rapid onset of heavy snowfall, causing significant delays.
  • The check airman balanced flight safety amidst deteriorating conditions with providing guidance to a captain who was underprepared for the destination's special procedures.
  • Despite deicing, intensifying snow at JFK quickly overwhelmed the anti-ice fluid's effectiveness and led to poor runway conditions, making the aircraft unsafe for takeoff well within its holdover time.
  • Ultimately, the severe and unpredictable winter weather at the departure airport forced the flight's cancellation, underscoring Mother Nature's decisive control over aviation operations.
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I glanced out the windows in JFK International Operations. The white stuff had already started to fall. Although the intensity was adding only a dashed contrast to the darkening sky, the snow was beginning to swirl around the airplanes parked at the gate. The silver fuselages gave the impression that the airplanes would shiver if they were capable.

A pair of deicing trucks were poised on opposite sides of a 767 that was positioned at a ramp taxiway exit. The long insect arms of the deicing booms extended upward above the big Boeing. A stream of sherbet-orange spray flowed from the nozzles of the hoses that were held by the thickly dressed men perched in the buckets.

Les Abend

Les Abend is a retired, 34-year veteran of American Airlines, attempting to readjust his passion for flying airplanes in the lower flight levels—without the assistance of a copilot.

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