Narrative:

I file this report as a result of the conditions I experienced while involved on charter operations. Edfh is a cold war era fighter base that has been expanded for airline use. Are all txwys and aprons stressed for B747 weight bearing capacity? Dispatch believes the aircraft are parked on apron X; the ramp; as a matter of routine the aircraft are parked on apron Y. Information provided by dispatch; erroneous. Information available to the crew; none. -180 degree turns are required to maneuver the aircraft on the runways. These turnaround areas have no edge lights; poor centerline lighting; faint centerline marking and when wet these markings are all but invisible. How wide are these fillets? Grass is growing up in some of these areas; are they stressed for a B747? Does the poorly painted centerline ensure wheel clearance for a B747? Information provided by dispatch; none. Information available to the crew; none. Pushback crew qualification? Contractor personnel's late night pushback nearly had aircraft nosewheel pushed off the hard surface. What experience do these contractors have with B747 aircraft? Has air carrier ground personnel reviewed their training and proficiency? Information provided the crew; none. Takeoff data -- cautions for takeoff; runway 21; state that the last 755 meters are not available. When queried as to why? Dispatch; through ACARS; responded the following; 'I see the comment in the weights for runway 21 that the last 755 meters not available. I checked NOTAMS. There is no construction to explaining it. Could be a local military deal. I'll talk to the station.' the follow-up ACARS message stated; 'I called engineering as they input out weights but got no answer. I don't see a NOTAM to explaining it. The weights I sent you are all we have available. I left a message for engineering to call us back with an explanation.' information provided from dispatch; ambiguous. Real-time information provided the crew; none. Eastern european overflt fom states all countries in europe are wgs-84 complaint. Romania is not a member of the eu is it complaint? Turkey is not a member of the eu is it compliant? Is the topography for the GPWS database inclusive of all countries on the rt of flight? Information provided the crew; none. Iraqi overflt -- current guidance to use point katat as a pet; and 'don't land in iraq unless you're on fire' is simplistic and trite. Ongoing combat operations require legitimate planning for; 'what-if scenarios.' what if: after entering iraqi airspace; a flight did experience an emergency prior to katat and had to divert. Is there a pre-coordination preferred route of flight to incirlik ab turkey? Can dispatchers contact turkish ATC and advise them of your emergency? Can dispatchers contact incirlik and advise them of your status? What if a rapid-decompression required a descent? With communications perhaps difficult to impossible: would an unannounced low flying NORDO aircraft entering turkish airspace from iraq in the middle of the night beget a turkish air defense response? Information provided the crew; none. Now south of point katat; can the distressed aircraft contact ATC on a discrete frequency? Do you really want to be broadcasting on ATC common or VHF guard the nature of the emergency; time to divert field; souls on board; when you could be landing at a field not controled by coalition forces? Is there a hierarchy of less desirable diverts to the most dangerous places to land unannounced? Can dispatch contact the green zone duty officers; and area command posts; and advise them of your situation via sat phone? Can the crew contact these stations with current communications data? Are there weapons free zones around divert airfields? The military does not use VHF radios. Would an unannounced; essentially NORDO aircraft; arriving in the middle of the night; not following approved ingress and egress corridors; produce a friendly fire situation from air defense artillery or patriot batteries? What is the low altitude threat assessment for baghdad international airport? Would a 10 mi straight-in ILS be the most prudent approach in a combat zone? Would changing your squawk from your dip-cleared ATC setting to 7700 emergency illicit a positive or negative response from coalition milassets? Could fighting a fire; handling a rapid decompression; caring for your crew and passenger; finding an emergency field; and then trying to read the hand signal of the F-16 that just showed up; put a crew in a tasked saturated position? Information provided the crew; none. Kuwait -- what is the airborne threat assessment for arriving aircraft? Any potential adversary in a rowboat can situation offshore and monitor arrs and departures. Would a low flying B747 with 300+ troops be an inviting insurgent target? What is the security situation at the airfield? Troops are deplaned in groups of 38 directly to buses with fully tinted windows with shades drawn. Flight attendants walk to a bus and head for the hotel. Which is an easier target? Ground operations: the 3 hour planned ground time is impossible. Fueling operations are from a truck with a small hose and very little pressure. By rule no other operations loading; unloading; and cleaning can be accomplished while fueling is taking place. If you are not the #1 aircraft in line; then you must wait until the flight in front is completed; and then receive service. Completing ground operations in under 4 hours is hopeful. This unrealistic ground time leads to pressure placed on the crew to exceed duty time to get the outbound soldiers 'on their way home.' roughly 2 dozen lcls clean the aircraft escorted by 1 air force mp. Does the cleaning crew go through security? Are their cleaning products and supplies checked? Temporary light stands have been erected; how far are they from the taxiway centerline? Information provided the crew; none. Fort campbell (hopkins-hop) -- ramp space is limited. Prior to departing the hotel; dispatch was contacted twice to ensure the flight was still good for an on-time departure. Upon arrival at the aircraft the flight was delayed 1 hour for ramp saturation at campbell. Does dispatch have the ability to contact stage mgrs at campbell and get valid real time information? Nonstandard taxiway signs about the size of a license plate make middle of the night taxiing challenging at best. Conflicting airfield information. Charter provided handouts states; 'the following txwys are inaccessible to amc aircraft; taxiway 3; taxiway 5; taxiway 6; and taxiway 8. Also runway 18/36.' however; tower directs a turn onto taxiway 8; and a turn onto runway 18/36 to follow the 'follow me' truck.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B747-400 PLT QUESTIONS ALL OPS FROM EDFH TO KUWAIT: ARPT INFO; ATC HANDLING; COMBAT; EMER FLT OPS; SECURITY; FUELING; ON TIME OPS AND MORE.

Narrative: I FILE THIS RPT AS A RESULT OF THE CONDITIONS I EXPERIENCED WHILE INVOLVED ON CHARTER OPS. EDFH IS A COLD WAR ERA FIGHTER BASE THAT HAS BEEN EXPANDED FOR AIRLINE USE. ARE ALL TXWYS AND APRONS STRESSED FOR B747 WT BEARING CAPACITY? DISPATCH BELIEVES THE ACFT ARE PARKED ON APRON X; THE RAMP; AS A MATTER OF ROUTINE THE ACFT ARE PARKED ON APRON Y. INFO PROVIDED BY DISPATCH; ERRONEOUS. INFO AVAILABLE TO THE CREW; NONE. -180 DEG TURNS ARE REQUIRED TO MANEUVER THE ACFT ON THE RWYS. THESE TURNAROUND AREAS HAVE NO EDGE LIGHTS; POOR CTRLINE LIGHTING; FAINT CTRLINE MARKING AND WHEN WET THESE MARKINGS ARE ALL BUT INVISIBLE. HOW WIDE ARE THESE FILLETS? GRASS IS GROWING UP IN SOME OF THESE AREAS; ARE THEY STRESSED FOR A B747? DOES THE POORLY PAINTED CTRLINE ENSURE WHEEL CLRNC FOR A B747? INFO PROVIDED BY DISPATCH; NONE. INFO AVAILABLE TO THE CREW; NONE. PUSHBACK CREW QUALIFICATION? CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL'S LATE NIGHT PUSHBACK NEARLY HAD ACFT NOSEWHEEL PUSHED OFF THE HARD SURFACE. WHAT EXPERIENCE DO THESE CONTRACTORS HAVE WITH B747 ACFT? HAS ACR GND PERSONNEL REVIEWED THEIR TRAINING AND PROFICIENCY? INFO PROVIDED THE CREW; NONE. TKOF DATA -- CAUTIONS FOR TKOF; RWY 21; STATE THAT THE LAST 755 METERS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. WHEN QUERIED AS TO WHY? DISPATCH; THROUGH ACARS; RESPONDED THE FOLLOWING; 'I SEE THE COMMENT IN THE WTS FOR RWY 21 THAT THE LAST 755 METERS NOT AVAILABLE. I CHKED NOTAMS. THERE IS NO CONSTRUCTION TO EXPLAINING IT. COULD BE A LCL MIL DEAL. I'LL TALK TO THE STATION.' THE FOLLOW-UP ACARS MESSAGE STATED; 'I CALLED ENGINEERING AS THEY INPUT OUT WTS BUT GOT NO ANSWER. I DON'T SEE A NOTAM TO EXPLAINING IT. THE WTS I SENT YOU ARE ALL WE HAVE AVAILABLE. I LEFT A MESSAGE FOR ENGINEERING TO CALL US BACK WITH AN EXPLANATION.' INFO PROVIDED FROM DISPATCH; AMBIGUOUS. REAL-TIME INFO PROVIDED THE CREW; NONE. EASTERN EUROPEAN OVERFLT FOM STATES ALL COUNTRIES IN EUROPE ARE WGS-84 COMPLAINT. ROMANIA IS NOT A MEMBER OF THE EU IS IT COMPLAINT? TURKEY IS NOT A MEMBER OF THE EU IS IT COMPLIANT? IS THE TOPOGRAPHY FOR THE GPWS DATABASE INCLUSIVE OF ALL COUNTRIES ON THE RT OF FLT? INFO PROVIDED THE CREW; NONE. IRAQI OVERFLT -- CURRENT GUIDANCE TO USE POINT KATAT AS A PET; AND 'DON'T LAND IN IRAQ UNLESS YOU'RE ON FIRE' IS SIMPLISTIC AND TRITE. ONGOING COMBAT OPS REQUIRE LEGITIMATE PLANNING FOR; 'WHAT-IF SCENARIOS.' WHAT IF: AFTER ENTERING IRAQI AIRSPACE; A FLT DID EXPERIENCE AN EMER PRIOR TO KATAT AND HAD TO DIVERT. IS THERE A PRE-COORD PREFERRED RTE OF FLT TO INCIRLIK AB TURKEY? CAN DISPATCHERS CONTACT TURKISH ATC AND ADVISE THEM OF YOUR EMER? CAN DISPATCHERS CONTACT INCIRLIK AND ADVISE THEM OF YOUR STATUS? WHAT IF A RAPID-DECOMPRESSION REQUIRED A DSCNT? WITH COMS PERHAPS DIFFICULT TO IMPOSSIBLE: WOULD AN UNANNOUNCED LOW FLYING NORDO ACFT ENTERING TURKISH AIRSPACE FROM IRAQ IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT BEGET A TURKISH AIR DEFENSE RESPONSE? INFO PROVIDED THE CREW; NONE. NOW S OF POINT KATAT; CAN THE DISTRESSED ACFT CONTACT ATC ON A DISCRETE FREQ? DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE BROADCASTING ON ATC COMMON OR VHF GUARD THE NATURE OF THE EMER; TIME TO DIVERT FIELD; SOULS ON BOARD; WHEN YOU COULD BE LNDG AT A FIELD NOT CTLED BY COALITION FORCES? IS THERE A HIERARCHY OF LESS DESIRABLE DIVERTS TO THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACES TO LAND UNANNOUNCED? CAN DISPATCH CONTACT THE GREEN ZONE DUTY OFFICERS; AND AREA COMMAND POSTS; AND ADVISE THEM OF YOUR SIT VIA SAT PHONE? CAN THE CREW CONTACT THESE STATIONS WITH CURRENT COMS DATA? ARE THERE WEAPONS FREE ZONES AROUND DIVERT AIRFIELDS? THE MIL DOES NOT USE VHF RADIOS. WOULD AN UNANNOUNCED; ESSENTIALLY NORDO ACFT; ARRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT; NOT FOLLOWING APPROVED INGRESS AND EGRESS CORRIDORS; PRODUCE A FRIENDLY FIRE SIT FROM AIR DEFENSE ARTILLERY OR PATRIOT BATTERIES? WHAT IS THE LOW ALT THREAT ASSESSMENT FOR BAGHDAD INTL ARPT? WOULD A 10 MI STRAIGHT-IN ILS BE THE MOST PRUDENT APCH IN A COMBAT ZONE? WOULD CHANGING YOUR SQUAWK FROM YOUR DIP-CLRED ATC SETTING TO 7700 EMER ILLICIT A POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE RESPONSE FROM COALITION MILASSETS? COULD FIGHTING A FIRE; HANDLING A RAPID DECOMPRESSION; CARING FOR YOUR CREW AND PAX; FINDING AN EMER FIELD; AND THEN TRYING TO READ THE HAND SIGNAL OF THE F-16 THAT JUST SHOWED UP; PUT A CREW IN A TASKED SATURATED POS? INFO PROVIDED THE CREW; NONE. KUWAIT -- WHAT IS THE AIRBORNE THREAT ASSESSMENT FOR ARRIVING ACFT? ANY POTENTIAL ADVERSARY IN A ROWBOAT CAN SIT OFFSHORE AND MONITOR ARRS AND DEPS. WOULD A LOW FLYING B747 WITH 300+ TROOPS BE AN INVITING INSURGENT TARGET? WHAT IS THE SECURITY SIT AT THE AIRFIELD? TROOPS ARE DEPLANED IN GROUPS OF 38 DIRECTLY TO BUSES WITH FULLY TINTED WINDOWS WITH SHADES DRAWN. FLT ATTENDANTS WALK TO A BUS AND HEAD FOR THE HOTEL. WHICH IS AN EASIER TARGET? GND OPS: THE 3 HR PLANNED GND TIME IS IMPOSSIBLE. FUELING OPS ARE FROM A TRUCK WITH A SMALL HOSE AND VERY LITTLE PRESSURE. BY RULE NO OTHER OPS LOADING; UNLOADING; AND CLEANING CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WHILE FUELING IS TAKING PLACE. IF YOU ARE NOT THE #1 ACFT IN LINE; THEN YOU MUST WAIT UNTIL THE FLT IN FRONT IS COMPLETED; AND THEN RECEIVE SVC. COMPLETING GND OPS IN UNDER 4 HRS IS HOPEFUL. THIS UNREALISTIC GND TIME LEADS TO PRESSURE PLACED ON THE CREW TO EXCEED DUTY TIME TO GET THE OUTBOUND SOLDIERS 'ON THEIR WAY HOME.' ROUGHLY 2 DOZEN LCLS CLEAN THE ACFT ESCORTED BY 1 AIR FORCE MP. DOES THE CLEANING CREW GO THROUGH SECURITY? ARE THEIR CLEANING PRODUCTS AND SUPPLIES CHKED? TEMPORARY LIGHT STANDS HAVE BEEN ERECTED; HOW FAR ARE THEY FROM THE TXWY CTRLINE? INFO PROVIDED THE CREW; NONE. FORT CAMPBELL (HOPKINS-HOP) -- RAMP SPACE IS LIMITED. PRIOR TO DEPARTING THE HOTEL; DISPATCH WAS CONTACTED TWICE TO ENSURE THE FLT WAS STILL GOOD FOR AN ON-TIME DEP. UPON ARR AT THE ACFT THE FLT WAS DELAYED 1 HR FOR RAMP SATURATION AT CAMPBELL. DOES DISPATCH HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONTACT STAGE MGRS AT CAMPBELL AND GET VALID REAL TIME INFO? NONSTANDARD TXWY SIGNS ABOUT THE SIZE OF A LICENSE PLATE MAKE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TAXIING CHALLENGING AT BEST. CONFLICTING AIRFIELD INFO. CHARTER PROVIDED HANDOUTS STATES; 'THE FOLLOWING TXWYS ARE INACCESSIBLE TO AMC ACFT; TXWY 3; TXWY 5; TXWY 6; AND TXWY 8. ALSO RWY 18/36.' HOWEVER; TWR DIRECTS A TURN ONTO TXWY 8; AND A TURN ONTO RWY 18/36 TO FOLLOW THE 'FOLLOW ME' TRUCK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.