Nice to see Delta was the only airline refusing to go. OP's should highlight this as smart decision making.

https://youtu.be/jIzbqiIY8B8?si=TiZsegL8k1GXgwlx

 

I'm shocked Skywest was able to depart with those winds. If they must account for the gusts, that's a 40-knot crosswind! Does Skywest not include the gusts or have a crosswind limit?

 

Skywest used to have no crosswind limits if the CA made the landing. It was implemented a few years ago. Can’t say for certainty what caused it but it did get implemented not very long after we had a CRJ fly into RDU mid hurricane.

 

Expressjet didn't have a crosswind limit either. It seemed like a point of pride. I remember having to look out the side window in the flare to let the captain know the wingtip wasn't going to scrape. Dumbest thing I ever did.

 

That pilot crosswind limitation was created around 2021, but it is not an aircraft limitation. The FAA wanted to standardize CRJ operations across different carriers, and the limit was a result of that.

Since gust values change frequently, it is up to the crew to assess whether it is safe to takeoff once they are actually at the runway. It is not a non-dispatch type of situation. The takeoff crosswind limitation in the CRJ-700 was 30 knots, and the CRJ-900 32 knots.

 

I didn’t get the impression that he was “refusing“ to go, I felt like they were just shutting the engines down because the airport had closed because of the incident and they knew they’d be sitting there for a little while. Regardless, no one is going to stop our operation except for the Captains. No one in OCC is stopping anything. Until an airport closes they just keep the train chugging along.

The FOM clearly gives captains the authority to the delay a flight but not cancel one. I’ve used that card before.

Just because a flight arrives at its destination, does not mean that it was a done safely or responsibly. sometimes I wish more of us would have that versus the historic go go go mission driven mindset. This airline has clearly stated that they will back us up when we make safety related decisions.

Good discussion

 

At the beginning of the video, the Delta flight already has their engines shut down before the incident even happened.

 

We have crosswind limit guidance that are adjusted by braking action. Takeoff/land above them at the risk of your peril. I once diverted because a Delta 320 braking action poor, which put us well over the company's recomended x-wind limt. As I was flying away, there were Delta planes landing behind me. But quickly, I think guys caught on to my explanation of my divert decision as I heard quite a few pipe up and divert. We're not putting bombs on target, no reason to hang it out there.

 

I'm curious why any flight operations were attempted after an inbound landed and reported "wind shear with a 20-knot loss."

I worked for a regional 15 years ago that allowed up to 20 knot gain/loss, but since then I thought all major operators reduced that to 15 knots. Are any airlines still allowing operations with over a 15-knot airspeed loss? Also, it didn't sound like ATC passed that info along to anyone who wasn't on frequency then.

That Elite Air flight took one for the team and saved the rest of the aircraft planning to takeoff and land from making a mistake.

 

Well said. Whenever an FO asks me about challenges from the left seat, I always mention the fact that we are the ONLY people at the airline that get paid to say “no” from time to time. The entire apparatus is set up to go, go, go. It can feel like you’re on an island when you put the brakes on the operation, but that level of backbone is what is sometimes required. Operators at shops without strong safety cultures don’t have the luxury that we have with a highly effective safety structure at ALPA backing us up. We’ve all known outfits where if you didn’t want to take the jet, they would find someone who would. It’s a terrible way to operate, but they exist. Once you realize you won’t “get in trouble” for putting your foot down, it’s liberating. Sadly, at UAL, we’ve recently let go of some who viewed each flight as a mission to be completed at all costs. One particular new Captain was fired for flying right through a line of weather, causing injuries. His response to the FO was that’s what the company pays me to do! No, the company pays you to be smart, but his mindset from his regional was tough to shake. And no, it’s not a regional slam, just that particular one that shall remain nameless. Bottom line, kudos to the CAPTAIN for being the voice of reason.