v. scary

[OrangeHopper]

I used to work at Gatwick airport and was based just under where the pilots made up their minds whether they were going to make it or not. You would hear the engines roar in to life when doubt entered the pilot's mind. Scary watching them in these conditions, crabbing all the way in and jerking all over the place.

[dang65]

I drove past the end of the runway at Manchester Airport this morning just as a turboprop plane was landing. I glanced over as he came down to the runway and the whole plane suddenly banked hard over, then righted itself. The wing tip must have been 20ft off the ground, no more. Maybe they do that all the time, but it was really quite scary to see, I must say.

There was a bloke with a camera by the fence and I really hope he caught it because it would look quite dramatic in a photo I think. It's probably why he was there actually. Nice bit of sidewind, lots of planes blowing around all over the place.

[suityou01]

I have flown through a thunderstorm where the plane was struck. The engines were revving up and down and the plane was being tossed around. It felt like we were in real trouble. We landed sure enough, and the first one off the plane came from the flight deck, the pilot or first officer I reckon. He was mopping his brow with a handkerchief. "Nice" I thought.

My ole mate works in the airline industry, pretty high up, and said that the pilot was crapping himself that he had damaged the plane by getting it struck by lightening. It can leave a hole in the fuselage apparently.

It sounds like an ordeal. Glad you are down safely.

I used to be terribly afraid of flying, but found a self hypnosis mp3 from "Uncommon Knowledge" that really helped. Now I frankly couldn't give a toss and find flying really boring. Made it all the way T'Egypt last year.

[Zippy]

I love flying - although storms and turbulence can be a bit 'interesting'. The bit in the middle can be boring but the take-off and landing - wow!

[suityou01]

I love flying - although storms and turbulence can be a bit 'interesting'. The bit in the middle can be boring but the take-off and landing - wow!

Is it all that thrust you like?

[Zippy]

Is it all that thrust you like?

Fnarr, fnarr. Yes.
I just find aircraft amazing and rather beautiful machines.

[suityou01]

Fnarr, fnarr. Yes.
I just find aircraft amazing and rather beautiful machines.

I agree. Hendon Royal Air museum is free to get in btw.

[newblood]

Why? Does the naming of a plane or date cause a plane to crash?

No it doesn't. Do you know what though. The fact that these dates are perceived as fatal can instil some fear , lack of concentration , doubtfulness , dreadful imagination. All of these can impact the pilots.... It is ironic really.

[MPwannadecentincome]

I have flown through a thunderstorm where the plane was struck. The engines were revving up and down and the plane was being tossed around. It felt like we were in real trouble. We landed sure enough, and the first one off the plane came from the flight deck, the pilot or first officer I reckon. He was mopping his brow with a handkerchief. "Nice" I thought.

My ole mate works in the airline industry, pretty high up, and said that the pilot was crapping himself that he had damaged the plane by getting it struck by lightening. It can leave a hole in the fuselage apparently.

It sounds like an ordeal. Glad you are down safely.

I used to be terribly afraid of flying, but found a self hypnosis mp3 from "Uncommon Knowledge" that really helped. Now I frankly couldn't give a toss and find flying really boring. Made it all the way T'Egypt last year.

Hmm lightning hit on a plane I was on landing at Heathrow. A zap and a flash on the engine cowl, that was it, oh and an annoucement from the Captain "in case anyone was wondering we just got hit by lightning, nothing to worry about" and proceeded to land normally.

Lightning just goes around the plane body not through.

[darmstadt]

Flying back from Rhodesia (as it used to be called) to South Africa in a Dakota and we got struck by lightning. The plane went up and down like being on a roller coaster, everyone went funny shades of white and green apart from my little sister who thought it was excellent, the best thing she had done.

Went on Pan Am flight 102 which was exactly 1 year after flight 103 (Lockerbie) and joined the plane at Frankfurt. There was extra security but I didn't actually know why. What I did know was that I seemed to be the only white person on the plane (a Jumbo which was half empty) and it wasn't until landing at Heathrow I found out why.

Remember getting an Air Nepal flight from Frankfurt to Heathrow which had flown from Nepal via Dubai. The stewardesses were not the most glamorous but still friendly but the plane did hum ding a bit as the people had been in transit for something like 24 hours. Apparently they only had 3 planes and one was not deemed air-worthy at the time. A rather hard landing saw all the overhead compartments open and the oxygen masks drop down.