More interesting take offs and landings?

[shalo]

Hi all,
Was discussing a few of my more interesting flights with a mrs shalo and we were wondering what were some of your more interesting take offs or landings?
Mine is take off at JHB in a third world aircraft, hear a big bang at +/- 2500ft followed by several seconds of lost altitude..... thrust goes max and we then gained altitude normally. The pilot/CC never informed us of what had happened and we continued an uneventfull flight!!! That was 16 years ago and still remember the feeling like it was yesterday!!
Mrs shalo recons her worst is landing in Milan in heavy fog, couldn't see the RWY untill they were down on it.... she tells me that milan is interesting at the best of times with all the mountains around... but in fog!!!!

What are your fun flights then???

[holei13]

Two flights in particular come into my mind. First, typhoon signal 8 in Hong Kong. Still the old Kai Tak airport at that time. CX 744 approach from the mountain side. Really bumpy all the way down to the final turn. Then wind shear. Plane was dropping down fast, engines went to full thrust, go-around initiated, the runway was very close when the plane started to gain height again! Then another attempt from the same direction. Aborted approximately above Stone Cutters Island. Then out to the South China Sea and the final attempt from the sea side. Shaky, bumpy and a firm touchdown. Pilot apologized and mentioned that this was the worst he experienced so far. The same for me! As I was living on an outlying island, there was of course no more ferry service and I finally had to spend the night in one of the fancy Hong Kong hotels. With the proper typhoon price tag, of course!

Second, a flight in Indonesia with a local airline from Bandung to Semarang via Yogyakarta (Bouraq Indonesia Airlines). The twin prop was probably my age. Cockpit door was always open so I could see how the pilots were knocking at some of the instruments to get a proper reading. But even more worrying was the fact, that every time we were on the ground, means prior to the start in Bandung, then later during the stopover in Yogyakarta as well as in Semarang the tank truck was approaching the plane. The same on the way back. My best guess is that they collected the money from the ticket sales in order to pay for the fuel. All in all, sort of scary!

[Capetonian]

My worst landings were all at Nairobi on an Alitalia DC-10. There were about 8 of them and they all took place inside a space of about 20 seconds. At least that's how it seemed.

After that, I know why the Pope kisses the ground when he arrives after flying Alitalia.

I think my funniest take off was on a KLM flight, also to Nairobi, out of Jo'burg (in the good old days when we had to stop there). The FA announced on departure : "Welcome on board this KLM flight to Johannesburg ...... sorry ...... welcome on board this KLM flight to Amsterdam ...... sorry ... welcome on board this KLM flight to Nairobi ...."
At which point a very loud, very Afrikaans, very beery voice shouted from somewhere in the back : " Is you :mad: sure it's KLM, you doos ....."

[11Fan]

Choice Cape :ok: Even Mrs. Fan laughed at those.

[Capetonian]

I also remember when I worked in Malawi, the national carrier had a Captain whose flying technique was so scary that he became infamous. He was probably a close friend or relative of the late Dr. Banda.

We used to call the office and ask : "Could you tell me which Captain is roster to fly the 2.15 to Monkey Bay tomorrow please?"

"Yes sir, just a moment ...... ah, it's Captain 'X'"

"Thanks, could you book me on the morning flight then please!"

[praa]

Merida in Venezuela. It's surrounded by high mountains, the (short) runway is in the middle of the town and has a pronounced uphill slope. This was back in 1995 in a very rickety old 727. It was an unforgettable, butt-clenching landing.
Despite that, I reckon it was still safer than taking the bus in Venezuela.

[shobakker]

Worst landing was into Kuwait on AF...I'm pretty sure that he landed the plane side on to the runway....and we kept going that way for what seemed an eternity before straightening up...

Worst take off was from Dera Ismail Khan courtesy of PIA...but we did take off during a monsoon storm and after about 30 seconds of flight we plummeted wildly - about the only time during a flight I've actually felt slightly scared...

[frequentflyer2]

I've probably told this story on pprune before but here we go again
Many years ago my wife and I were on our way to spend Christmas with my parents on the Fylde Coast. We took off from BHD for Blackpool on a Jersey European F27. An off duty member of cabin crew was sitting at the rear of the aircraft and the wheels had barely left the ground before she was on the telephone speaking to the flight deck. There was a general flurry of activity and the aircraft levelled off. As it was a very windy evening it was pitching around quite a bit and the cabin crew immediately made an announcement to the effect there would be no refreshment service because of the turbulence. Then it emerged we were returning to BHD because of a problem with a door at the rear which was coming open. During the approach and landing someone was holding on to the door, someone was holding on to him and someone was holding on to him. Before we boarded the aircraft engineers on ladders had been examining the door closely.......
The roughest approach I ever experienced was on a BA Express ATP into
Manchester from BHD on Christmas Eve 1997. There was a howling gale blowing and the last 20 minutes or so were hell. My wife tried to be sick but because of the G forces was unable to actually lean forward to use the bag. We constantly felt as if we were sitting in mid air and then dropped into our seats again. It was hard to believe the plane was not going to break in two. I don't mind admitting I was terrified.
Another alarming incident also occurred on the approach to Manchester over Stockport Sewage Works on a perfect summer morning. The flight from BHD on an Embraer 145 had been beautiful until the plane literally rolled on to its side in one direction, righted itself and rolled on to its side on the other. There was screaming in the cabin and much consternation. The pilot immediately applied a great deal of power and climbed. He contacted the cabin crew member at the front and asked if anyone had been hurt before explaining we had been caught in the wake vortex of a much larger aircraft.
Many years ago Mrs. FF and I were returning from London Gatwick to BFS on a Dan Air 1/11. It took something like four goes for the pilot to land the plane because of poor visibility. He used the intercom to say if he failed again we would divert to Dublin but in the end a BD jet's engines blew the mist away sufficiently to allow us to get down. This by the way is what he told us word for word.

[TG345]

Brings to mind a rather hair-raising experience I had in 2003 on a Bangkok Airways ATR 72 departing Hua Hin on a stormy night. At what I would estimate to have been no more than 100 feet agl there was a pronounced loss of lift, as if someone had just pushed the aircraft down out of the sky. Windshear/Microburst? - I don't know I'm no expert, but we lost at least half of the altitude we had gained. Even now I have a vivid mental picture of the startled faces of people in cars passing by on the road running past the end of the runway. There was no increase in power, as I guess we were at full take off power anyway, and just as soon as it had begun it was over and the aircraft then climbed away as normal. Nothing at all from the cockpit, so I still don't really know what happened but certainly wouldn't like to experience it again.

[ArthurBorges]

After hanging out in Tibet for almost a month, I booked a flight back to Beijing. When it came time to board, we were all led out onto the apron and asked to stand rank and file, carry-ons at our feet, facing an aircraft-free runway without so much as an endangered Tibetan antelope prancing about to attract our interest.

Twenty minutes later, a grandmother of a B707 lumbered up, with a fascinating patchwork of aluminium plates here and there along its skin and a cockpit window that looked as if it never quite shut properly.

Unsure whether to stand at ease or at attention, we watched the arriving pax clamber dutifully down the steps and disappear into the terminal in single file.

In single file, we were then allowed to board.

At the time, you see, Chinese airlines were still evolving out of a certain military tradition but then, behind it, there was this very civilian feeling that arriving pax were human beings worthy of a formal reception party, into which all of us boarders had been conscripted ad hoc.

The sweetest part of the whole flight was touchdown, when the whole cabin exploded into applause.

Nowadays here, with all the new aircraft and competition, it's so much more professionally depersonalized and routine: the only local charm is the pickled veggies in the breakfast trays.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

About 10 years ago my wife and I were on a 747 from Los Angeles to Auckland late at night. It was the usual long roll prior to a long flight but as the aircraft rotated there was the most incredible scraping noise from the rear which lasted several seconds. The cabin went very quiet but we continued to climb and shortly levelled out. I whispered to my wife that I suspected a tail scrape and we'd probably dump fuel before returning. But no... a few minutes later we contined climbing and 12 hours later we landed in NZ! Nobody said a word so we still have no idea what it was other than possibly a rough surface at the end of one of LA's runways.

[ArthurBorges]

Somewhere in the late 1990s, my fiancé and I caught a domestic flight back to Nouakchott. There were more pax with OK tickets than seats in the scrappy little B737 assigned to the flight. After deft pleading and negotiations over a plausible, if entirely non-existent, medical condition of mine with enough medical jargon, she managed to trouble someone's brow enough to secure us one thin but firm boarding card.

Well, we were already out on the runway when the a/c landed; the door opened and cabin crew were the first to deploy as a coordinated unit like security forces landing a head of state in hostile territory. In response everyone swarmed at the foot of the stairs and arriving pax had to fight their way through as best they might.

They survived.

When it came time for us to set first foot onto the stairs, the card-collecting crew member at the said foot of said stairs was courageously prepared to let through only one pax per boarding card. Again, my cardless fiancé argues my imaginary medical condition, adding how she is my Personal Physician and how I could drop dead at the drop of a burqa (No I will not go into details of the sort of therapies she faithfully provided over the years). Anyhow, with all the heavy crowd pressure behind us getting even heavier as she digs in her position with firm polite resolve, he just gives up and waves us through.

At take-off roll, there were four pax without seats, all at the back of the craft, two of whom had their backs propped up against an amorphous stack of, um, bulky carry-ons, all also obviously at the back.

Back in Nouakchott, I told the story to a friend who was an Air Afrique techie. His unsurprised comment was: "Yeah, they've already scratched up a few that way."

Still, Mauritania is worth a longer stay -- soooo much to see and learn. I still miss the place sometimes.

[Boing7117]

Leeds Bradford. Any time of year - nearly always a crosswind. Every now and again a pretty nasty crosswind - and when there's no wind it's usually foggy. Which can also pose an interesting challenge....

[marsie]

Coming in to Liverpool on an easyjet flight just before Christmas a couple of years ago. Lovely cold day, excellent visibility. The approach seemed normal but no flare, just 'BANG' and we're down. A couple of ceiling panels came loose and a few overhead lockers sprang open (fortunately nothing too heavy came out). As we were taxiing in the captain came on the PA, still chuckling, and said the FO (PF) 'swore that the runway was six feet lower when we left'.

On the return flight to Geneva it was quite stormy over the lake and on the final approach the aircraft surged up and dropped twice, with a bit of a roll thrown in to make sure everyone was properly disorientated. This was followed by quite a strong acceleration on to the runway. As we taxied in the captain said 'Well, ladies and gentlemen, I hope you all enjoyed that as much as we did'.

[ViscountFan]

Jersey to Dinard on 10 September 1976 in Intra Airways DC3 G-AMPY. We took off in weather sufficiently bad to prevent the Weymouth - Jersey ferry getting into St Helier harbour. We flew through a severe storm in which the thunder could be heard over the din made by the Pratt & Whitneys. The turbulence was worrying. Most of the passengers, and also cabin crew were, well, let's say unwell, in the one and only chemical toilet. I managed to hold onto my stomach - just. The approach into Dinard seemed to take for ever. The only time I've been scared on an aircraft, not helped when my mate sitting opposite pointed out the 'plane could have been dropping parachutists over Arnhem before either of us was born.

But at least I can say I've flown on a DC3!

[RedPortLeft]

Any Ryanair landing :ouch:

Particular credit to a B732 flight from Dublin to Doncaster which was thrown down on runway 20 with the usual positive enthusiasm, and braked so hard everyone moved forward a row of seats. Managed to stop quickly enough to turn straight onto taxiway C and save a few minutes. Passengers (and brakes by the sound of it) not over impressed. We did wonder if it was done for a bet ...

[Jofm5]

Particular credit to a B732 flight from Dublin to Doncaster which was thrown down on runway 20 with the usual positive enthusiasm, and braked so hard everyone moved forward a row of seats. Managed to stop quickly enough to turn straight onto taxiway C and save a few minutes. Passengers (and brakes by the sound of it) not over impressed. We did wonder if it was done for a bet ...

It is funny to read these comments.

Perhaps if you read CAP413 and understood that an aircraft does not choose which exit from the runway but is given one then you may realise it is not a Ryanair thing ! It maybe they were given options and if they did not make the earlier exit then they would have been delayed behind other traffic.

Whatever the choice was they would be doing it in a safe manner - if the choice was to brake hard and exit or be stuck behind another aircraft waiting to get onto the gate what would you prefer ?

It seems everyone wants to second guess what is going on - whereby those guys in the pointy end are the only ones in the know. Perhaps you would prefer a nice gentle roll out and to sit behind awaiting traffic for half an hour but at the end of the day the pilots are part of a business and will work towards that.

I would personally say if your going to put your life in the hands of a crew for the xxx hours of the flight proceeding landing then at least trust them to do the best on landing - if they exit early it may not just be to get to the gate early cause they want a beer but because there is a very good reason to - the fact your not made aware why is just one of those things you have to live with as a passenger.

[RedPortLeft]

It was slightly tongue in cheek :ok:

The passengers were trying to fathom the reason - no other aircraft around, empty runway, nothing landed after - what are they supposed to think ? Another cabin full put off flying.

Anyway have you ever been to Doncaster ? There's no chance of ever being stuck behind another aircraft - a pigeon maybe :}

[Hartington]

Whatever CAP413 may say (and whatever it is, I don't claim to know) I was on the flight deck of a 737 (not Ryanair, in fact probably before Ryanair) many years ago and the FO turned to me and said "we're now going to show you a short landing in a 737". After they had completed the exercise (involving a loud crash as something fell out just behind the bulkhead) I asked why. "We're 5 minutes late, short landing gets us the middle exit otherwise we have to go to the end and lose even more time". Nothing had been said over the R/T other than a clearance to land.

Interesting landings include several fog landings; it always amazes me how you can come down, down, down in bright sunshine and then enter this horrible murk. In one case the DH on the 757 was set at 8ft!

Then there was the landing with my brother in law (not planned, he had had a last minute call out) when we found ourselves turning finals with another plane crossing our path to head for the parallel runway. Trouble was the departing aircraft he was landing behind didn't depart so, with a medical emergency on board, he switched to our runway, we slowed to minimum, announced that over the R/T the plane behind us said "I can't fly that slow". Landing clearance came as we crossed the threshold, the heavy braking caused a brake overheat but we all landed fine. Colleagues in the main cabin hadn't realised anything! And brother in law told another story (related to the Embraerer roll above) of finding himself caught in a wake but only really realising it when he recognised he had wound in full aileron!

San Francisco can be fun when they are doing parallel landings up the bay and you find another plane closing on your wingtip as you approach the San Mateo bridge but it's almost more fun to watch from Coyote Point when you can see the departures as well taking off on the cross runways.

It's when you can see what's going on life becomes more interesting. The occasional overshoot while seated in the main cabin is never as much fun as sitting where you can see what's actually going on (most recently in Islanders).

[OFSO]

Don't post tales of heavy landings in 737-800s (Ryanair or not) on this thread.

All the 737-800 series come equipped from Boeing with built-in crash-bang-wallop landings, no matter which operator you fly with. (Boeing use all their smooth landing devices for 747s).

Although, yes, it's true, the 737-800's supplied to Ryanair do come equipped for handbrake turns.

[Almondgrove]

I actually like affirmative 738 landings, with the best landing and even better take off form Belfast City ( short runway). Perrrfect!

They re capable of a greaser though if conditions allow- memorable ones in Granada and Krakow in the last couple of years.

The most memorable ,stomach churning one, was a take off and climb in an old Dakota from San Jose ,Costa Rica .

[Romeo Delta]

Three (four landings) from me, and all on MD products...

Flying a RNO-PDX-SEA flight back in the mid '80s on the old Sunworld in a DC-9-10. Wx in Portland was summertime fine, minimal winds and such (no need to pound it down). Landing was "descend, descend, float, float, float, float, CRUNCH!" Enough for us pax to look at each other with questioning looks. Figured it was a one-time thing. Everyone has a few like that.

Well, not quite...

SEA was the same way. Nice descent, all lined up, "float, float, float, float, WHAM!!!" This time a guy called out from a few rows in front of me "Jesus Christ! Are you KIDDING me?!?"

------------

Mid '90s, STL-TPA on a TWA MD-80. Rainy afternoon in Tampa. Apparently, we weren't slowing down enough after touchdown, as the brakes locked up about halfway down the runway and we skidded and juddered to a halt. Turned around and went back to the taxiway we just passed and taxied in to the gate amid the smell of burning rubber and brakes. (There were at least two more taxiway exits ahead of us, so I don't think it was a simple brake-lockup; maybe there was a deer on the runway ahead of us...)

-------------

Last year, flying CLT-ATL on another MD-80 (guess which airline). About 2 miles out, I felt a little "dip." I thought nothing of it (happens all the time in ATL), but the pilot came on the PA and shouted "Everyone turn off all your electronics NOW!!!" That got everyone looking at each other... Hit the runway hard, full brakes (enough that some items were falling out in the galley).

Usually the pilots will step out and say their goodbyes to the pax. But this door stayed shut for the entire deplaning. I was one of the last ones out, and I could hear the FA knocking on the door afterward asking if the pilots were okay and telling them everyone else was off...

[Capetonian]

On an SAA flight into East London, a tricky airport, on a stormy night, the Captain announced that unfortunately conditions were not compatible with a smooth and safe landing and we'd overfly and continue to Durban. The words were barely out of his mouth when we started to descend as if in an express lift and just a few minutes later we were on the runway, and given the conditions, pretty smoothly.

"Well folks, we spotted a hole in the cloud and we went for it. Welcome to East London!"

Earlier in the same flight out of CPT he'd apologised for the turbulence and said that he was doing all possible to avoid it. The little old lady next to me said : "If he'd just slow down a little we'd all have a much smoother ride ....!" (What's the stall speed of a 737?)

[Browners]

I have a couple of scary take off's and landings that I can remember. First one was when I was about 14 and was travelling to Madeira before the runway extension with my parents on a Monarch 737, the approach was very windy and the plane was lurching all over the place making last minute turns before hitting the tarmac hard and braking sharply. The plane attempting to land after us had 3 goes at landing before diverting to Porto Santo! The take off was great from Funchal, it was like being in a slingshot. The pilot really revved the engines up before letting go and we shot up with a steep climb, felt like your eyes were being sucked into the back of your head! After take off I made a complete pillock of myself as I noticed what appeared to be smoke coming from the overhead compartments and in particular dark black marks on the compartment nearest to me. I pressed the call button and the stewardess came over, I explained my concerns fearing the plane was on fire but was immediately re-assured by the stewardess who explained that the smoke was in fact the air conditioning system kicking in and the black marks were off her hands as she had loaded the free newspapers into that overhead compartment and she had got newspaper print on her hands!!! How stupid did I feel :\

One uncomfortable experience was when we were coming into land at Skiathos airport again on a Monarch jet, this time an A321. We seemed to be approaching for ages before the plane started climbing and then descending then climbing steeply. The pilot came over the tannoy and said that the computer had indicated a fault with the flaps in that they had locked in one position and in his words "we would not have stayed on the runway in Skiathos" so we diverted to Thessalonika for an emergency landing which was squeeky bum time for all on board. We landed at one end of the runway and it felt like we didn't stop until we reached the other end!!! It was at that point I wanted to drink the contents of the duty free!

[seathugger]

The late Swiss airline Air Engiadina (RQ, I think) used to make interesting landings at Bern in their shiny new Dornier 328s.

I personally experienced a combat spiral descent from around 8000ft, and a vertical dive and short landing from around the same height.

This was in 1996, I think. ATC must have been playing along, so I guess the driver must have been a military pilot, too.

Shortly afterwards an RQ crew rolled a 328 whilst on a photo shoot over Lake Geneva. (Un)fortunately someone spotted the manoevre and dobbed them in with the authorities. The company was obliged to carry out a somewhat detailed inspection of the aircraft in question, allegedly costing them around US250K

The airline didn't survive long after that. I miss them... :eek:

[seathugger]

Apologies. The Air Engiadina company still exists, just not, apparently, as a scheduled airline.

[davidjpowell]

a couple of flights come to mind.

A few years ago travelling from Belfast to Bristol on Go, it started badly. The gate agent called the first (or last rows) then forgot to call anyone else. Eventually everyone realised that she had forgotten, so wandered out.

Safety briefing was performed by the cabin crew, who were also trying to hold on as the captain teared around the airport taxiways. Captain eventually came on after takeoff apologising for the rushed takeoff. He was rather rude about the passenger agent!

It was a bumpy flight - and as we could see the runway approaching for landing the plane went back up. Captain blamed the airport ILS system for shutting down, and we went around to come back in from the other direction for a firm landing. Coming out of the airplane it was very windy, had to brace to stay upright.

Also a couple of years ago coming into London City in poor weather resulted in a definite firm landing, followed by what seemed like lurches in either direction, felt like we were skidding, although I suspect that is unlikely. It is a short runway so I guess most landings will be rather rushed.

[shobakker]

Just thought of another landing - at Coventry on T/Fly...

It was obviously very windy as the plane was moving around wildly as we descended and my normally blase wife (c/crew) turned to me and announced very quietly "I don't like the way this is moving around - this doesn't feel right at all"....and she's been flying for 20+ years as crew all over the world....

Up to that point I'd been enjoying the roller-coaster ride - after that I sat back in my seat, tightened my belt and gripped the arm-rest a little tighter... :uhoh:

[reverserunlocked]

The only time I've ever been really scared is when I was on a KLM 767 out of Schipol. The skipper had just released the crew in perfectly calm air when we seemingly fell out of the sky. It was as if we'd driven over a huge hole in the air, that's the only way I can describe it. I remember thinking 'oh crap, this is the big one' as the floor fell away from my feet. No sooner had it begun than it was all over and we were climbing normally. The skipper commanded the crew to buckle in again but the rest of the flight was smooth as silk. That was in the pre-9/11 days and upon visiting the flight deck the crew told me it was pretty severe CAT event, totally unforseen.

Since then, my seat belt remains fastened, always...

[Atishoo]

These were all good funny readings, thanks....

Pardon my ignorance, but what are "go arounds exactly" and what reasons do Pilots perform them?

[PAXboy]

A 'go around' is the term for: On approach to landing, when the pilot in command decides that to actually land would be dangerous - for any reason. For example, there might be a sudden high wind from an acute angle, or heavy rain is advised by the tower. The decision to not land may be taken from some distance away or perhaps ten seconds before touch down, the reason is always safety.

Whilst it may seem safest to be on the ground, one of the most usual reasons for a go around is if an aircraft that is landing ahead of you does not clear off the active runway in the time that it was expected. This compels the following a/c to go around. Equally, if a departing aircraft decides to abort their take off - then they will still be on the runway and the next approaching a/c must go around.

It is not a decision taken lightly but it happens all around the world all the time. If it happens to you, it means the folks at the front spotted the trouble in time! I have been paxing for 45 years and never had a go around.

[Avitor]

Landing at STN with Easyjet late at night, I could feel the aircraft rolling more than I normally do, could not see outside, landed, the weather was foul, heavy rain, wind..... the usual 100% competent flight crew. :ok:

[Skipness One Echo]

Actually had a charmed life in eighteen years as a passenger until last Christmas when I flew into Narita from Heathrow on a BA B747-400 that was all over the sky due to windshear on the approach. It's quite tense watching the ailerons work quite so hard as they struggle to keep the wings level.

A fortnight later I had a very frightening approach into 23 at Glasgow from Gatwick on a BA B737-400. Was dark, raining heavily and we landed very hard on Runway 23. A quick check of the winds once of the plane gave wind as "170° at 23 gusting 36 kts". Ouch. Hell of crosswind that.

Well done all up front.

[5711N0205W]

Various landings into Sumburgh in the late 80's early 90's with Dan Air (HS748) and British Air Ferries (Viscounts), only place I have got out and had serious difficulty standing, also the only place I have seen Force 8 Fog!

[13Alpha]

Hmmm... interesting take offs and landings... I suppose:

- American 767 from Dallas to Gatwick - rejected take-off at Dallas, followed by a burst tyre on landing at Gatwick
- Couple of goarounds with BA, one on a 757 coming in to GLA due to plane in front not clearing the runway, the other coming in to LHR from Buenos Aires on a 747, due to an indication of a problem with the landing gear.
- Not long after take-off from Entebbe on a Sabena DC-10 (or maybe MD-11), a very sudden falling out of the sky sensation...
- RJ100 landing in strong crosswinds into LCY - watching the runway all the way down the approach from seat 3A: cool !
- A Fokker 50 landing into AMS in turbulence that got even the hardened travellers talking and raising eyebrows
- A Sabena hop from EDI to GLA on an BAe146. Definitely my shortest trip on a jet aeroplane...!

But the most memorable take-offs and landings of all were on my recent honeymoon in Tanzania - take off from a dirt runway in the Serengeti... flying over the Ngorongoro Crater... landing in Zanzibar (passing the Indigo Aviation Dakota sitting on the apron). And being able to watch the pilot at the controls all the way :8 - fantastic !

13Alpha

[Crusher1]

Looking for the runway on the forward facing camera on board a Emirates 767 whilst on finals at Perth, no view of the runway whatsoever but could see it perfectly out of the cabin window!

An Iberia 727 that stopped very suddenly after what appeared to be a normal landing on 27 at EMA, cue fire engines and the crew eventually explaining that the brakes refused to let us move! Only time a bus has taken me directly from runway to terminal!

And like a previous post, trying to land at Funchal in a First Choice (I think) 757, very high winds and ended up diverting to Porto Santo which appeared little better. Not an experience I wish to repeat.

[fastrobert]

Yesterday afternoon coming into Cincinatti on Delta from LGW. Lots of turbulence throughout the approach with plenty of worried looking faces in the rear cabin. The chap sitting next to me was holding onto his sick bag. Lightning visible a few times. Rocky finals followed by a surprisingly smooth landing. Nice job!

[shalo]

Fantastic posts everyone, makes me feel better that I'm not alone in thinking that some flight phases have been exciting during my travels.

Thing of travels, another one comes to mind - taking off from Durban in a MD - 82 a few years ago. Started as a rolling take off (ie not stopped before commencing the TO) and what appeared to be full power all the way up to 39000 (and we got up there very very quickly!!) The only time I ever experienced power similarly (although to be fair it was not at all in the same league) was avoiding storm cells on TO from the same airport in a 737.

Happy flying everyone

[airwave45]

Various landings into Sumburgh in the late 80's early 90's with Dan Air (HS748) and British Air Ferries (Viscounts), only place I have got out and had serious difficulty standing, also the only place I have seen Force 8 Fog!


in the time I've been SLF and my own flying, the worst, absolute worst place to land, Sumburgh. in any strength of Easterly.
Holey sheit is that a fun landing . . . .
Been on the left of the aircraft, looking out the starboard side window past the ashen pax on that side, down the chimneys of the houses below us, in free fall with the rotor off the cliffs.

the guys who flew us up there were proper pilots . . :ok:

[Rainboe]

Thank you Sir, we have hairs on our chests! We used to put a HS748 to bed each evening there. In the morning, I used to be surprised it was still there sometimes! To get the snow off it in the morning, we used to be see-sawing a firemans hose along the top of the fuselage. I used to feel completely dead-cold from the waist down in winter, until they installed the amazing modification, a switch-controlled lady's hairdrier under the instrument panel. It would take the airconditioning system 26 minutes to vaguely warm up the cabin- the first leg was about 25 minutes, then the great front door would be swung up and the place would freeze again! And the pilots used to load and unload bags, coffins, lobsters and whatever.

But it was fun.

[ExXB]

A year or so before Swissair ceased ops I had the pleasure of landing at Geneva in one of their fairly new A320s - could have been an A321. Bit of a thunderstorm in the region with heavy, changing winds.

We came in over the lake - shaking and rolling and yawing and ... Hot and heavy onto the runway, on the numbers, bounced once and kept on going.

As those engines spooled up, you could have cut the silence with a knife (if one was permitted on board, that is).

We came around and did it again, landed hard and didn't bounce! I certainly hope they didn't have to clean too many seat covers that day ...

Top marks to the crew ... :ok:

[tow1709]

Back in about 1978, when I was still only a very junior engineer, I got to fly in my employer's corporate jet - an HS-125 series 600 I think. I was there to accompany and use a piece of test equipment at our Scottish site at Hillend.

We started at Luton, I was the only passenger - went via Gatwick to pick up two or three colleagues and then flew to Edinburgh. At the end of the day, we made the reverse trip. I spent most of each airborne leg standing in the cockpit doorway chatting with the captain and first officer.

As we approached Gatwick for the first time, I said something about going to strap myself in my seat. Captain responded on the lines of "no, you can stay there - you'll be all right, just hang on tight". So we landed with me bracing myself in the cockpit doorway, as the crew greased the aircraft down onto the runway.

Edinburgh airport was very much smaller in those days, and while waiting for our return flight in the small departure lounge, suddenly over the loudspeaker: "Will Mr TOW and his party please go to gate X, where your aircraft is ready to depart". So off I went, along with my colleagues, trying to make it obvious to all that it was I who was off to "his" private aircraft!

Fast forward to Gatwick, and preparing for the last short leg to Luton. I was the only passenger again, and I suppose the fuel load was by this time quite light. The captain said "strap yourself in tight and we will really show you what it can do". We hurtled off down the runway, rotated, and suddenly we shot into the sky and it felt as though the aircraft was pointing almost vertically upwards. I have no idea what the max rate of climb of a 125 is, but it was certainly an exhilarating ride.

Still my best ever day at work, and never again to be repeated. Alas, mere SLF on Boeings and Airbuses since then.

[Smeagol]

1978 on an Air Rhodesia Viscount. Returning to UK after some years in RSA promised the wife a visit to Victoria Falls. Had to go Salisbury (Harare) - Kariba - Wankie - Vic Falls and then back to Salisbury.

The climb out from Kariba was almost non-existant, out over the lake at a very low altitude with a running commentary over the PA describing the animals that could be seen. The wife really enjoyed it until she learnt later that the low level antics were to avoid (hopefully) SAM missiles from Zambia!

Had a few 'interesting' landings at the hands of Garuda in the early '80's in Sumatra. The wife was on a flight that made 2 go arounds at the newly opened Changi with them when on an R&R to Singapore from Pekanbaru.
Runway must have been a bit short for them!

[grimmrad]

Not many bad ones, some falling onto the runway of course. No go arounds. Most remarkable was few years back with LH from BOS to FRA. Plane not too crowded so I found a nice empty middle row and slept well. Woke up shortly before landing (I guess was woken up by CC) and remember not noticing touchdown AT ALL. Looked onto my watch. On time. By the minute. Still amazes me (in general) - Ca. 3.5 k miles, 7 or so hours of flight - and than touch down at the minute on time. Oh well, those were the days...

[SergioCampari]

Air Malta A320 landing at LHR 27R last Monday. The pilot must have been given an earlier exit than usual because the wheels had only been on the ground a few seconds when brakes and reverse thrust went to max and as the speed fell the ac swerved onto a taxiway. About half the pax found themselves in an involuntary brace position to avoid faceplanting the seat in front.

As we straightened ourselves up the chief steward came on the PA and announced "And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is why we ask you to keep your seatbelts fastened until we reach the gate." He got a laugh too.

[loweskid]

Another Sumburgh story. Many years ago, as an electronics technician in another life, I was sent up to service some equipment at Lerwick. Manchester to Glasgow shuttle then a Viscount to Sumburgh which went via Inverness and Kirkwall, on Orkney. By the time we reach Sumburgh the fog had rolled in and after two goarounds we were told we would have to return to Kirkwall. By the time we got near Kirkwall the fog had rolled in there too so we ended up back at Inverness. A BA chap then told us we had a choice - wait for tomorrow's flight or a bus to Aberdeen for the evening flight from there. A young woman asked him if there was any guarantee that the Aberdeen flight would be able to land, to which he gave the immortal reply.. "Lady, I can't guarantee that the bus will reach Aberdeen..."

I did get the bus and I eventually arrived at Sumburgh - fourteen hours after leaving Manchester. I then had to wait while someone drove down from Lerwick to pick me up but spent the last few minutes having a pleasant chat to the only other person in the airport - he was waiting to lock the place up for the night..:) At least he didn't kick me outside.