Naim 6 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 As per tweets from LKS a few minutes ago: RT: @limkitsiang: Subang airport closed down n all FireFly flights delayed indefinitely During heavy storm lightning struck centre of runway causing big hole RT: @limkitsiang: Fire-engine seen at runway hole If it cld not b repaired both outgoing Penang n Kerteh flts will have 2b cancelled n passengers stranded http://twitter.com/limkitsiang Can a lightning strike cause such a damage? RT: @limkitsiang: 6pm Firefly anncmnt (2nd) All flt delayed bcos Subang closure until further notice Inconveniences caused deeply regretted Was 2fly 530pm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Naim 6 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 Last I heard, runway repaired around 7pm, and is now operational. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flee 5 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 KUALA LUMPUR: The Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang was closed for more than one hour today after lightning struck the runway during a thunderstorm. Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd senior general manager (operations) Datuk Azmi Murad said lightning struck the runway at 4.40pm, creating two potholes about 2 feet wide. "We carried out emergency patchwork and were able to open up the runway by 6pm," he said. Three flights waiting to land were redirected, one from Terengganu, one from Penang, and the third from Kota Baharu. Operations at the airport returned to normal at 6pm. Source: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/20100504201329/Article/index_html Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nik H. 3 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 Interesting. Its a 12,000 ft runway. If lightning struck in the middle, there's still 6,000ft either side. And the ATR probably needs about 5000ft only. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flee 5 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 They probably needed to close it so that the airport vehicles can inspect the whole runway to assess the damage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mokhzani 0 Report post Posted May 5, 2010 Can a lightning strike cause such a damage? Lightning strike my house once causing a dent/hole (i think) taking out a chunk of cement the size of an adult fist, ricochet and causing another hole in the ground. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Naim 6 Report post Posted May 5, 2010 Lightning strike my house once causing a dent/hole (i think) taking out a chunk of cement the size of an adult fist, ricochet and causing another hole in the ground. Yeah, but a house protrudes from the ground and is an attractor. In this case, the runway is on a huge flat plain. I thot the lightning would prefer the control tower. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hon Kit 3 Report post Posted May 5, 2010 Any info where those aircraft were redirected to? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ahmad M 1 Report post Posted May 5, 2010 Interesting. Its a 12,000 ft runway. If lightning struck in the middle, there's still 6,000ft either side. And the ATR probably needs about 5000ft only. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gavin Andrew David 6 Report post Posted May 5, 2010 Interesting. Its a 12,000 ft runway. If lightning struck in the middle, there's still 6,000ft either side. And the ATR probably needs about 5000ft only. With heavy rain and such strong winds , there is a possibility that they might not be able to touch down on the marker , wet runway can cause braking action to be slightly impaired , better safe than sorry . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Naim 6 Report post Posted May 5, 2010 The torrential downpour yesterday was pretty horrendous. There was gale-force wind blowing right through my house (on high ground) in Setia Alam, but I enjoyed it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mokhzani 0 Report post Posted May 6, 2010 Yeah, but a house protrudes from the ground and is an attractor. In this case, the runway is on a huge flat plain. I thot the lightning would prefer the control tower. Orang tua-tua dulu-dulu kata kilat tu nak panah Setan! Agaknya ada Setan duduk situ kot??! Old folklore, the lightning was aimed at the devil..... prolly sitting in the middle of the runway, plane spotting!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BC Tam 2 Report post Posted May 6, 2010 Old folklore, the lightning was aimed at the devil..... prolly sitting in the middle of the runway, plane spotting!! Gosh, never realized plane spotting categorized as such a devillish act Good thing God Almighty has planned for me to be too busy nowadays to indulge in such evil (excepting the occasional curi curi episodes lah ) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sandeep G 1 Report post Posted May 6, 2010 nobody needs to be reminded of incidents such as SQ006, EK @ AKL, GA @ PER and other countless incidents that annually take place wrt runway maintenance, displaced thresholds or adjusted runway LDA's or TORA.... I think the decision by MAHB/DCA was prudent and apt! Especially given the weather - heck I just hope the repair team wasn't working on the runway during the storm and putting themselves at risk. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Teoh Z Yao 0 Report post Posted May 7, 2010 Yeah, but a house protrudes from the ground and is an attractor. In this case, the runway is on a huge flat plain. I thot the lightning would prefer the control tower. Yeah, I was wondering, why strike runway...? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gavin Andrew David 6 Report post Posted May 7, 2010 Runway lights ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
