More interesting take offs and landings?
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Confoederatio Helvetica
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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 ...
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 ...
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: where the north starts
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HS-125
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.
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.
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: ex-Abu Dhabi now back in Carrot Cruncher Land
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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!
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!
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: SLF, living somewhere East in the West
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Quite an amazing landing
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...
Join Date: May 2008
Location: England
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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.
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.
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Manchester UK
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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.
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.
