Hold your horses! Loose horse on cargo plane
Indeed
Sad to say I would have ordered the horse killed. Why you ask? That horse could have done enough damage on the loose, to bring that aircraft down, had it gone berserk. I would never fly livestock I.e., cattle and horses, unless the vet had enough sensitive for a pernament, knockout dose.
I believe some of the horses we transported were given a light sensitive before embarkation.
Sad to say I would have ordered the horse killed. Why you ask? That horse could have done enough damage on the loose, to bring that aircraft down, had it gone berserk. I would never fly livestock I.e., cattle and horses, unless the vet had enough sensitive for a pernament, knockout dose.
I believe some of the horses we transported were given a light sensitive before embarkation.
Last edited by RichardJones; 16th Nov 2023 at 20:01.
Last edited by RichardJones; 16th Nov 2023 at 20:00.
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Back in the early 1960"s when I was a very junior F/O I was rostered to fly a DC-3 half way across Australia carrying a racehorse. When I signed on I was handed a shotgun and a paper bag full of cartridges, "You know, if it breaks out of it's stall you have to shoot it" I was told., "Can't have it kicking its way through the side of the aircraft." Needles to say the animals handler gave me a dim look as I climbed on board and looked for somewhere to stow the gun.
Due to the long duty period it was a three man crew and I was flying with two Captains. A crew rest bunk had been fitted in the forward cabin just behind the door into the cockpit and next to the stall for the horse. Both Captains made it clear to me as we taxied out that neither of them had any intention of lying in the cabin with a horse, that was to be my place when I wasn't serving them tea and food from a huge hamper that had been supplied. Lying on the bunk my head was next to and at the same level as the horses and we quickly became quite good friends, he had a liking for chocolate cream biscuits of which I had a large supply and it was probably unlikely he would break out of his stall so long as the supply of sandwiches, fruit and biscuits lasted.
I am unable to report if his inflight diet affected his running in the race, but I was able to return the shotgun unused.
Due to the long duty period it was a three man crew and I was flying with two Captains. A crew rest bunk had been fitted in the forward cabin just behind the door into the cockpit and next to the stall for the horse. Both Captains made it clear to me as we taxied out that neither of them had any intention of lying in the cabin with a horse, that was to be my place when I wasn't serving them tea and food from a huge hamper that had been supplied. Lying on the bunk my head was next to and at the same level as the horses and we quickly became quite good friends, he had a liking for chocolate cream biscuits of which I had a large supply and it was probably unlikely he would break out of his stall so long as the supply of sandwiches, fruit and biscuits lasted.
I am unable to report if his inflight diet affected his running in the race, but I was able to return the shotgun unused.
Excellent story, F99, many thanks.
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Back in the early 1960"s when I was a very junior F/O I was rostered to fly a DC-3 half way across Australia carrying a racehorse. When I signed on I was handed a shotgun and a paper bag full of cartridges, "You know, if it breaks out of it's stall you have to shoot it" I was told., "Can't have it kicking its way through the side of the aircraft." Needles to say the animals handler gave me a dim look as I climbed on board and looked for somewhere to stow the gun.
Due to the long duty period it was a three man crew and I was flying with two Captains. A crew rest bunk had been fitted in the forward cabin just behind the door into the cockpit and next to the stall for the horse. Both Captains made it clear to me as we taxied out that neither of them had any intention of lying in the cabin with a horse, that was to be my place when I wasn't serving them tea and food from a huge hamper that had been supplied. Lying on the bunk my head was next to and at the same level as the horses and we quickly became quite good friends, he had a liking for chocolate cream biscuits of which I had a large supply and it was probably unlikely he would break out of his stall so long as the supply of sandwiches, fruit and biscuits lasted.
I am unable to report if his inflight diet affected his running in the race, but I was able to return the shotgun unused.
Due to the long duty period it was a three man crew and I was flying with two Captains. A crew rest bunk had been fitted in the forward cabin just behind the door into the cockpit and next to the stall for the horse. Both Captains made it clear to me as we taxied out that neither of them had any intention of lying in the cabin with a horse, that was to be my place when I wasn't serving them tea and food from a huge hamper that had been supplied. Lying on the bunk my head was next to and at the same level as the horses and we quickly became quite good friends, he had a liking for chocolate cream biscuits of which I had a large supply and it was probably unlikely he would break out of his stall so long as the supply of sandwiches, fruit and biscuits lasted.
I am unable to report if his inflight diet affected his running in the race, but I was able to return the shotgun unused.
Loose livestock
I have a memory from the mid-1960s, at a time when ESSO were running an advertising campaign "put a tiger in your tank", a Balair HP Herald, was transporting a cargo of zoo animals from Switzerland to the UK. At some point a lion got loose and came forward putting its head through the curtains (no door!) into the cockpit! The surprised flight crew asked Brussels ACC for immediate descent and emergency diversion. When asked why, they replied that they had a lion in the cockpit! Brussels required some convincing that it wasn't a joke variant of the tiger in the tank! Flight crew and lion all survived.
Around 1978 a BAC1-11 (convertable passenger/freighter) of SOAF was carrying two of the Sultan's racing camels. The stalls were made of plywood and the animals were kneeling in them with a lid on so only the heads were sticking out. During the flight one of the camels stood up, breaking out of the stall and did some damage to the roof lining. The loadmaster had a gun but thought it best not shoot the Sultans prize animal as he might be next.
A week later when the camels had to be picked up, some aluminium framing had been used to reinforce the stalls. The damaged roof lining was repaired with speed tape.
A week later when the camels had to be picked up, some aluminium framing had been used to reinforce the stalls. The damaged roof lining was repaired with speed tape.
Many years ago, I recall reading an incident report where the pilots heard load, repetitive banging noises and vibrations from below the flight deck and elected to perform and air turn back. Memory says it was an A300, but this is probably a 30+ year old memory so take that with a grain of salt.
Anyway, turns out that there was a caged gorilla in the forward cargo hold, the pre-flight sedative didn't work, and he'd become rather agitated...
Anyway, turns out that there was a caged gorilla in the forward cargo hold, the pre-flight sedative didn't work, and he'd become rather agitated...
Many years ago, I recall reading an incident report where the pilots heard load, repetitive banging noises and vibrations from below the flight deck and elected to perform and air turn back. Memory says it was an A300, but this is probably a 30+ year old memory so take that with a grain of salt.
Anyway, turns out that there was a caged gorilla in the forward cargo hold, the pre-flight sedative didn't work, and he'd become rather agitated...
Anyway, turns out that there was a caged gorilla in the forward cargo hold, the pre-flight sedative didn't work, and he'd become rather agitated...
Around 1978 a BAC1-11 (convertable passenger/freighter) of SOAF was carrying two of the Sultan's racing camels. The stalls were made of plywood and the animals were kneeling in them with a lid on so only the heads were sticking out. During the flight one of the camels stood up, breaking out of the stall and did some damage to the roof lining. The loadmaster had a gun but thought it best not shoot the Sultans prize animal as he might be next.
A week later when the camels had to be picked up, some aluminium framing had been used to reinforce the stalls. The damaged roof lining was repaired with speed tape.
A week later when the camels had to be picked up, some aluminium framing had been used to reinforce the stalls. The damaged roof lining was repaired with speed tape.
Pretty inhumane to have those poor camels kneeling in their stalls, no wonder they wanted to stand up
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Indeed
Sad to say I would have ordered the horse killed. Why you ask? That horse could have done enough damage on the loose, to bring that aircraft down, had it gone berserk. I would never fly livestock I.e., cattle and horses, unless the vet had enough sensitive for a pernament, knockout dose.
I believe some of the horses we transported were given a light sensitive before embarkation.
Sad to say I would have ordered the horse killed. Why you ask? That horse could have done enough damage on the loose, to bring that aircraft down, had it gone berserk. I would never fly livestock I.e., cattle and horses, unless the vet had enough sensitive for a pernament, knockout dose.
I believe some of the horses we transported were given a light sensitive before embarkation.
If I understand correctly from other forums the horse tried to jump the gate in front of him (this gate is not full height but allows the horses head to stick out and eat from a bale of hay). Apparently it got stuck on the gate with its front legs.
No trashing around.
They returned to try to save / tend to the horse.
But unloading other cargo took quite long.
When the horses stable was finally unloaded and the horse could be freed, it was determined that the horse could not be saved and it was decided to be put down.
I can imagine in such case a leg can be broken or the horse cannot properly breath when it hangs with it chest on the gate.
No trashing around.
They returned to try to save / tend to the horse.
But unloading other cargo took quite long.
When the horses stable was finally unloaded and the horse could be freed, it was determined that the horse could not be saved and it was decided to be put down.
I can imagine in such case a leg can be broken or the horse cannot properly breath when it hangs with it chest on the gate.
