With Commercial flights are certain planes more able to land in poor weather?

Question

If there is a snow storm at an airport would some flights be rerouted simply because of the type of plane that needs to land in the snow? If that is the case is it just a matter of size or do specific models do better in poor weather?

Answer 1

Ken is pretty much right.....it depends on the approach type they have at the airport but its more than that

the airports have to have ALL the taxi ways clear as well as the runways.

every plane has to be deiced

ok say it snowed for 3hrs straight at boston.... all flights are delayed for 3hours....after the delay is lifted EVERY plane wants to get the hell out there...you have a huge amount of traffic just wanting to get out of there and then you have planes wanting to land that are in holding patterns and planes that got diverted to other airports so you have a big *** mess of planes with limited runways taxi ways and ATC controllers and that = disaster so to answer your question no its not because of specific models that do better in poor weather.

Answer 2

It has to do with equipment on board. Most of the commercial airliners carrying 50 people or more are equipped to at least Cat III a. Here are the definitions:

Category I - A precision instrument approach and landing with a decision height not lower than 200 feet (61 m) above touchdown zone elevation and with either a visibility not less than 2,625 feet (800 m) or a runway visual range not less than 1,800 feet (550 m). An aircraft equipped with an Enhanced Flight Vision System may, under certain circumstances, continue an approach to CAT II minimums. [14 CFR Part 91.175 amendment 281]
Category II - Category II operation: A precision instrument approach and landing with a decision height lower than 200 feet (61 m) above touchdown zone elevation but not lower than 100 feet (30 m), and a runway visual range not less than 1,150 feet (350 m).
Category III is further subdivided
Category III A - A precision instrument approach and landing with:
a) a decision height lower than 100 feet (30 m) above touchdown zone elevation, or no decision height; and
b) a runway visual range not less than 655 feet (200 m).
Category III B - A precision instrument approach and landing with:
a) a decision height lower than 50 feet (15 m) above touchdown zone elevation, or no decision height; and
b) a runway visual range less than 2,625 feet (800 m) but not less than 165 feet (50 m).
Category III C - A precision instrument approach and landing with no decision height and no runway visual range limitations. A Category III C system is capable of using an aircraft's autopilot to land the aircraft and can also provide guidance along the runway surface.

These are equipment definitions, remember!

Answer 3

It really dependes on the country, airline, law, and safety. You see some airplanes are forced to take a different route to a different airport. That is really bad. But, also it doesn't matter about the aircrafts size or model. As of winter season people are going on their holidays and it is a huge problem for them to get there. Well thank you. Bye-bye.

Answer 4

Part of it is the plane and its rated limitations (which obviously varies from plane to plane), but part of it is also the airport.

Not every airport provides the highest category ILS approach capabilities.