Wind moves a parked 737? WHAT THE!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lukas M]

Posted on pprune, but OMG

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vdc9Ll8OfM

[damien b]

Good video.

I have seen C-130's move much more in heavy winds at RAAF Richmond, we even had one have its wing tip hit the ground in heavy winds and another rupture a wing fuel tank as it hit work stands that were in use under the aircraft at the time the heavy winds hit.

[Raymond Rowe]

Nothing new we had a 2 day old 727 hit an aerobridge in high winds. Did a fair amount of damage.

[Philip Argy]

Is it an optical illusion, or did the front wheel move sideways even with the push bar attached to the tractor? It looks like none of the wheels were chocked. Can wind really rotate a 737 like that? What force is needed on the tail to achieve that rotation?

What if passengers were embarking/disembarking?

There has to be some further explanation, surely?

[Shameel Kumar]

I'm with Philip, there has to be a better explanation as to why the aircraft swung to the side like that.

If the wind really was that strong, those guys would be really struggling to walk straight, and not to mention, those orange cones (whitches hats) around the visible engine surely would have blown over. It can't be that 'easy' for the wind to shuffle an aircraft of the size of a 737. If a 737 can be moved like this, then what chance would the lighter prop planes have ?

[Radi K]

Originally Posted by Shameel Kumar

It can't be that 'easy' for the wind to shuffle an aircraft of the size of a 737.

Yes it can Shameel. Winds over 40-50kts can cause this. Happened to numerous 737s and 146s a few years ago at BN when there was a cyclone sitting off the coast.

Talking about 146's, remember what happened at EN? Also the F100 in PER? See attached.

[damien b]

The aircraft are design with directional stability in mind, and the fuselage forms apart of the aircrafts ability to maintain heading along with the ruder. Any crosswind will act upon the fuselage/rudder and if the wind is strong enough, move the aircraft off heading. The resistance offered by the fuselage will try to maintain heading.

A gust of 50+ knots is enough to move smaller aircraft like a 737/C-130 whilst on the ground. The aircraft can not move back as it would try to do in flight. The nose wheel will move/turn as the fuselage moves despite being connected to a tow bar/tractor.

I have seen aircraft tied down with chains at the nose and tail and still move in high winds, breaking chains (10,000lb strain rating) and damaging landing gear struts in the process. Generally the heavier the aircraft, the higher the winds need to be before it will move. We (RAAF C-130 SQNs) had a habit of refuelling the aircraft if high winds were forecast along with tieing them down to prevent the aircraft from moving. Unfortunately some wind gusts were late notice and we could do nothing but watch.

They are lucky no passengers were disembarking/boarding at the time and no baggage was being loaded with the appropriate GSE in contact with the fuselage.

[Philip Argy]

OK - I defer to the Board's greater experience that has seen this phenomenon before. But doesn't that suggest that in windy locations, of which Wellington is an obvious example, you'd side chock the nose wheel and chock the main wheels too, to prevent this kind of undesirable movement?