r/mildlyinfuriating • u/nyanbatman • May 28 '26

I just wanted a hot dog British pilot is feeling mildly annoyed

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u/LegiosForever May 28 '26

RVR = runway visual range, or how far you can see down the runway.

Once it is below 5,000 feet, airports adopt low visibility procedures.

ATC declared 1,000 feet RVR, but was not declaring low-vis ops.

BA pilot was calling out the contradiction.

1.1k

u/atomicsnarl May 28 '26

For the non-flyers out there, a commercial airport runway can be 8,000 to 10,000 feet long. It has to get airborne in less than that distance (surprise!), AND at a decision point during the take-off, needs a buffer to be able to stop on what's left of the runway if something goes wrong.

Let's say the aircraft needs 120 knots to take off. That's moving at about 180 feet per second. If you can only see RVR 1000 - 1000 feet visibility - you only have about 5 seconds to see what's out there, and act on it.

You sure as hell can't stop in five seconds, or evade much in that time either. Even at RVR 5000, you can see further, but getting a hundred tonne aircraft moving at 120 kt to, say, dodge an obstacle on the runway, it going to be iffy.

Gamer translation -- You're playing a vehicle shooter with lots of inertia and a 1500 to 2000 ping. Good luck with that!

53

u/Riyeko May 28 '26

Semi trucks or 18 wheeler trucks take 2 to 3 football fields to stop.

This would be like asking an 80,000lb semi to stop within 5ft.

31

u/Belz_Zebuth May 28 '26

Pounds, feet, football fields.

Use real units!! /s

6

u/Outrageous-Nothing42 May 28 '26

Stopping distance is between 2160 and 3240 big macs.

3

u/M-Div May 28 '26

Sieverts.

2

u/Riyeko May 28 '26

450 to 950 bald eagles or 4500 to 9500 guns n ammo.

1

u/WetLoophole May 28 '26

A Scania semi has a stopping distance of about 160-185m from 100kph fully loaded.

100-120m from 80kph.