Military planes flying into SAT?

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According to the airport's own published statistics available on their website - through June there have been almost 2,000 military aircraft movements at SAT in 2009. The airport averaged about 10 military aircraft operations each day during June.
http://www.sanantonio.gov/Aviation/i...00920908pm.pdf

[reyman]

My office is on the eighth floor at the end of one of the runways, so I see planes coming and going all day. On at least two occasions I saw two military aircraft taking off from the airport. You definitely know it's unusual because they look very different and are very loud. They fly so low and loud that they set off a lot and I mean a lot of car alarms in the parking lot.

[Rustybolt]

Military jets often stop at civilian airports on cross country trips. Many reasons why, not the least of which it helps them to familiarize themselves in civilian airport procedures. KSAT is much less threatening than KDFW.

[Pachuco2]

I thought I saw on the news the other night that for the next week, some new experimental aircraft are going to be landing in San Antonio for some modifications,...don't know exactly where they're going to touch-down.

[ged_782]

Originally Posted by Pachuco2

I thought I saw on the news the other night that for the next week, some new experimental aircraft are going to be landing in San Antonio for some modifications,...don't know exactly where they're going to touch-down.

Probably the new Boeing 787 aircraft that will be coming here for their final finish-out and outfitting, prior to delivery to customers. If so, they would be landing at Lackland.

I'm not sure SAT can handle something the size of a 787. Most of the runways, taxiways, turning radii, etc., are designed for FAA Design Group IV maximum aircraft, and the 787 is a Group VI.

[pr57001]

Originally Posted by ged_782

Probably the new Boeing 787 aircraft that will be coming here for their final finish-out and outfitting, prior to delivery to customers. If so, they would be landing at Lackland.

I'm not sure SAT can handle something the size of a 787. Most of the runways, taxiways, turning radii, etc., are designed for FAA Design Group IV maximum aircraft, and the 787 is a Group VI.

Sure it can. You see 747 freighters in for service (or a paint job) every now and then. Delta had 767 as scheduled service a few times in the past few weeks to Atlanta, and I remember once in recently years an Air France 777 diversion from Houston due to t-storms.

That said, the 787 work is being done at Port San Antonio KSKF.

[smitty12]

Originally Posted by pr57001

Sure it can. You see 747 freighters in for service (or a paint job) every now and then. Delta had 767 as scheduled service a few times in the past few weeks to Atlanta, and I remember once in recently years an Air France 777 diversion from Houston due to t-storms.

That said, the 787 work is being done at Port San Antonio KSKF.

It is about takeoff weight. Put on less fuel, cargo and/or passengers and all those planes can take off from shorter runways. It does limit their range and/or payload, but that isn't a problem when your talking about diversions, maintenance work or domestic flights.

[ged_782]

Originally Posted by smitty12

It is about takeoff weight. Put on less fuel, cargo and/or passengers and all those planes can take off from shorter runways. It does limit their range and/or payload, but that isn't a problem when your talking about diversions, maintenance work or domestic flights.

I guess that would explain it, because a 787 (Group VI) really isn't any larger (dimensionally) than a 777 (Group V).

As far as 767s (as well as the DC10s/MD11s FedEx flies in and out of SAT every day), those are Group IV, which is within SAT's airfield design group, so they shouldn't present a problem. As for the 777s headed to Houston that got diverted to SAT, yes, there have been a couple of those, but they probably didn't have a full load of passengers, and going to Houston, doubtfully had much fuel. And the 747s occasionally serviced by SAA would be empty, of course.

[Rustybolt]

Originally Posted by ged_782

I guess that would explain it, because a 787 (Group VI) really isn't any larger (dimensionally) than a 777 (Group V).

As far as 767s (as well as the DC10s/MD11s FedEx flies in and out of SAT every day), those are Group IV, which is within SAT's airfield design group, so they shouldn't present a problem. As for the 777s headed to Houston that got diverted to SAT, yes, there have been a couple of those, but they probably didn't have a full load of passengers, and going to Houston, doubtfully had much fuel. And the 747s occasionally serviced by SAA would be empty, of course.

787 is at worst a Group V...same as the 777. See the link: http://www.boeing.com/commercial/air...esigngroup.pdf

Only thing Boeing builds in Group VI is the 747 Freighters/ER.

[Save it for Later]

Kalitta Cargo has used their 747s into San Antonio on a rare occasion or two.
JetPhotos.Net Photo » N705CK (CN: 21034) Kalitta Air Boeing 747-246F(SCD) by Michael Faia