Comments by "Colorme Dubious" (@colormedubious4747) on "Southwest plane drops to 500 feet as it approaches airport" video.

  1. I don't have the plate for that approach, but 1000 feet is a common pattern altitude -- so the math probably checks out. Calm your mammary glands.
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  2.  @db2314  There's a thing called a "sink" that is an area where atmospheric conditions and/or terrain weirdness can cause planes to lose lift and therefore altitude. The airport I trained at had a nasty one right off the end of runway 18. Us locals knew all about it and usually turned onto final approach with a little extra altitude or power. Pilots who were new to the airport were often surprised by it but would feel the bottom drop out and add power. Nobody has ever crashed due to it (that I know of). Bear in mind that we were flying props but jets take longer to respond when you add power, so they COULD have flown through a sink and added power to compensate (but kept descending due to the power lag) BEFORE they got the ATC warning. Wait for the FAA report.
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  3.  @ShonMardani  That's NOT how that works AT ALL. You just made that up out of thin air (as it were)! All Part 121 scheduled air carrier flights MUST file IFR flight plans. They can be on an IFR flight plan AND be cleared for a visual APPROACH at their destination, weather permitting. This is extremely common and perfectly normal. Why must you make up nonsense?
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  4.  @ShonMardani  Read what I WROTE, kid. On a visual approach they'd still be on their IFR flight PLAN (until they land and close it) even if not "flying IFR." Also, SWA doesn't own (actually OR virtually) ANYTHING at Burbank Airport. It is owned by the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority. SWA only leases gates and other facilities from them and is subject to the terms of their lease. They absolutely CANNOT "do whatever they want to do." They operate under the MANDATORY regulations of 49 USC Part 121. There's NO such thing as a "not needed" IFR flight plan under those regulations. I'm sure you're amazing at MS Flight Simulator, but you clearly know nothing about real-world aviation!
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  5. Could have been wake turbulence. Could have been a "sink." Could have been general atmospheric weirdness. Whichever, the plane stayed airborne. Wait for the official report.
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  6.  @Milesco  Do you have the approach handy? That might answer the question.
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