Almost 50 years ago I became a captain of a 4-engined aeroplane. I finally retired seven years ago. I would like to tell you a story.
In the 1960s and 1970s, us Brits were involved in just about everybody's wars, disagreements and mild skirmishes on a global basis. I spent most of my life in those days flying troops and equipment to such far-flung places as the Middle and Far East and even Central America (Belize).
One of my colleagues wrote an article in one of the Transport Command magazines suggesting how we could make life better. I thought it was a wonderful idea. I was not alone.
The suggestion was that we would invite all of the combatants to visit an area of Salisbury Plain (a large military danger area) to sort out their various problems. So, for example, we could transport the Arabs and Israelis to Larkhill on the first Thursday in July and give them two weeks to sort themselves out. We would then take the survivors home.
Can I suggest that the PPrune management talks to the Ministry of Defence to see if they can get a cheap rate on one of the Salisbury Plain areas (such as Imber) and then we can invite all of the promising hysterics (who know more about aerodynamics than I ever learned and who would be able to conduct a total in depth investigation as to why their B744 has stalled and would be able to effect a recovery within nano-seconds to a successful landing.
Against them we could have the PPLs and also the MS experts who are trying to equate this event with a stall in a PA-28.
NONE OF THEM HAVE EVER HAD TO FACE THE HORROR OF BEING IN THE FRONT WINDOW SEAT OF A BOEING 744 WHICH IS CLIMBING LIKE CRAZY AND IS ABOUT TO STOP FLYING DESPITE THEIR BEST EFFORTS.
This has to be every professional pilot's nightmare.
So, let us get back to fantasy. Perhaps in future the Pprune management could set up an area on Salisbury Plain where we could all reach a good solution to our problems. The protagonists would probably be best organised in pairs. One would be sitting in a baby pram (stroller for my US friends) surrounded with childrens toys and the other member of the team would be pushing (or pulling if appropriate).
Those who have real experience in the subject in hand would be allowed to have quite heavy toys to throw and those who only had a background in theoretical fantasy would only have light toys.
Sciolists would only be allowed to throw toilet rolls.
The winners would get a lift home and the losers would be voted out of court for ever.
Please can we have Pprune back to what it was?
I am just so grateful that I was not at Bagram that day in the front of that Boeing 744.