A couple of months back I was on a FlyBe from LGW to Belfast City. During pushback, those who werent reading a magazine, plugged into MP3s or finishing their phone conversations heard the female Captain introduce herself, to no audible reaction from the cabin (why should there be!
).
Shortly before passing over the irish cost, we pitched down with speedbrakes/spoilers (sorry, just slf so don't know the correct terms) deployed. They stayed out until just before passing over the airport fence! The plane was rocking and rolling on final and flaps were deployed late (I think last position change again just before going over the fence).
To use a quote above it was a very "positive" landing (hardly surprising following the less-than-stable approach) and followed by hard braking, a scratching sound as if we'd locked up the brakes (is this possible, aren't there anti-lock systems?), thrown back in seats as brakes released, back forward as reengaged, obvious rudder/nosewheel action until finally at taxiing speed.
In fairness I guess the late descent may have been an ATC issue, but I figured it must be very gusty to cause the rocking and rolling and swerving, but in fact on leaving the terminal it was the stillest of still nights.
Never felt so much like clapping after a landing - but in relief, not in honour of the pilot flying!
Anyway, the only audible reaction in the cockpit was from a late teenager behind me, with perfect comic timing some seconds after it had all calmed down - "Woman driver"!!!!
PS - I don't defend the remark, but it did make me laugh. And yes, I realise that it's quite likely that the captain would not have been the pilot flying the landing but it would have been the (presumably) male f/o.