AUS_ATC

Buzzard,

What's a "hard time trip"?

Another interesting aspect to the RWY 27 operation at MEM, is that only certain aircraft are allowed by our local procedures to land on RWY 27 while other aircraft are landing RWYs 18L and 18C. The list is long and extensive, but CRJ's, Lears, Citations, ATRs, DeHavilands, Challengers, Falcons (except for the F900) and so forth... are all allowed to land RWY 27 while other aircraft are landing RWY 18L and 18C.

Our Training Department fluctuates on the reasoning behind this. Since I've been here, I've been informed that this restriction is due to 1) the tail height of the aircraft landing RWY 27; 2) the approach speed of the aircraft landing RWY 27; 3) the landing speed of the aircraft landing RWY 27 and 4) other variations or combinations of the above. We've also been informed that "the users" all got together and agreed on what aircraft would be allowed to use RWY 27 in a South Configuration.

If you're flying a Boeing, Mad Dog or a Bus, you will not be allowed to land RWY 27 if we are in a "South Configuration".

There's not a National 7110.65 rule that prevents Large or Heavy Aircraft from landing RWY 27 while other aircraft land RWY 18R. However... there was a go-around years ago involving an AirTrans on RWY 27 and a Heavy on RWY 18R. Apparently the AirTrans went underneath the FDX Heavy that was landing RWY 18R. One Local Controller told AirTrans to "stay low", the other Local Controller told the Heavy to "go around". The folks in the Tower Cab who saw this incident, say that it was the closest one that they've ever seen. We are discouraged from sequencing Large and Heavy aircraft simultaneously to RWY 18R and 27.

MEM_ATC