Do you have a particularly memorable flight?
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From: Beyond the Blue Horizon
Artee
The positioning of crews and indeed airframes does create big issues for the long haul carriers when it goes wrong for what ever reason. I had a similar discussion to yours with our Munich Office managers husband at our Christmas Party this December ,who works for LH in Munich in operations. The language issue with CC is something we tend to forget about as English speaker’s, as we to a degree get away with it as it is the world’s probably most used second language and obviously widely used in aviation. Others are not so lucky so having CC who can speak the language is essential.
Cheers
Mr Mac
The positioning of crews and indeed airframes does create big issues for the long haul carriers when it goes wrong for what ever reason. I had a similar discussion to yours with our Munich Office managers husband at our Christmas Party this December ,who works for LH in Munich in operations. The language issue with CC is something we tend to forget about as English speaker’s, as we to a degree get away with it as it is the world’s probably most used second language and obviously widely used in aviation. Others are not so lucky so having CC who can speak the language is essential.
Cheers
Mr Mac
Thread Starter
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From: UK and Italy
Artee
The positioning of crews and indeed airframes does create big issues for the long haul carriers when it goes wrong for what ever reason. I had a similar discussion to yours with our Munich Office managers husband at our Christmas Party this December ,who works for LH in Munich in operations. The language issue with CC is something we tend to forget about as English speaker’s, as we to a degree get away with it as it is the world’s probably most used second language and obviously widely used in aviation. Others are not so lucky so having CC who can speak the language is essential.
Cheers
Mr Mac
The positioning of crews and indeed airframes does create big issues for the long haul carriers when it goes wrong for what ever reason. I had a similar discussion to yours with our Munich Office managers husband at our Christmas Party this December ,who works for LH in Munich in operations. The language issue with CC is something we tend to forget about as English speaker’s, as we to a degree get away with it as it is the world’s probably most used second language and obviously widely used in aviation. Others are not so lucky so having CC who can speak the language is essential.
Cheers
Mr Mac
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From: Darkest Lincs
I'm afraid you are. The "bomb aimer's window" on Soviet civil types is a complete urban legend, this is the navigator's position, forward and below the pilots, and entered through an opening concealed by a curtain. It gave the Nav a far better forward view, of course, than working at a desk behind the crew. If fitted there is a Soviet chin radar small bulge underneath, At an early 1960s stage on the Tu134 and others, on export aircraft only for some years, it was replaced by a mainstream nose radar unit, and the Nav was relocated. Initially on these export aircraft (to Eastern Europe and other Soviet client states) the radar was a western product. Although a few aircraft were modified, most of the existing stock were not changed as it meant a complete reworking of the whole flight deck to put the Nav position behind.
In 1969 Aeroflot from Heathrow was on the Ilyushin 62, but if they sent a charter aircraft for your group, likely a Tupolev 134, the initial ones had glazed noses. The Tu134B had the full radar nose.
A further myth about the glazed nose, especially from those who manage a closer look at one, is it carried a special spy camera fixed there. This is typically a mis-identification of the Nav's sextant, which is of course installed there !
In 1969 Aeroflot from Heathrow was on the Ilyushin 62, but if they sent a charter aircraft for your group, likely a Tupolev 134, the initial ones had glazed noses. The Tu134B had the full radar nose.
A further myth about the glazed nose, especially from those who manage a closer look at one, is it carried a special spy camera fixed there. This is typically a mis-identification of the Nav's sextant, which is of course installed there !
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From: Beyond the Blue Horizon
I thought all communication between cabin crew and the ground was in https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Airspeak . Certainly on Cathay Captain Speaking addresses the pax in English only, and then the purser or another member of the cabin staff greets them in Cantonese. I distinctly remember a flight to or from Japan where the passenger announcements, made in rather halting Japanese, were greeted with great hilarity by the pax, suggesting that both behind and in front of the locked door there wasn't a single Japanese speaker.
Sorry if I was not clear but it is communication between CC and SLF not flight deck.
Flight deck and ATC is in a type of English, but I am told that may not always be the case in some countries when ATC talking to an A/C with a crew from same country 😉
Cheers
Mr Mac
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From: UK and Italy
Justapax1
Sorry if I was not clear but it is communication between CC and SLF not flight deck.
Flight deck and ATC is in a type of English, but I am told that may not allays be the case in some countries when ATC talking to an A/C with a crew from same country 😉
Cheers
Mr Mac
Sorry if I was not clear but it is communication between CC and SLF not flight deck.
Flight deck and ATC is in a type of English, but I am told that may not allays be the case in some countries when ATC talking to an A/C with a crew from same country 😉
Cheers
Mr Mac
In the 80s/90s, I used to fly with the late lamented Swissair a *lot*, like several times a week. The flight attendants were fluent in German and French, not so much in English and Italian (my two main languages). Italian is the third official language of Switzerland, but very few people outside Cantone Ticino speak it. So I'd settle myself into my seat, ask for a glass of wine and an Italian newspaper - in Italian. Instant consternation. They hadn't a clue what I was saying. So I'd switch to French - instant relaxation, how clever you are to speak our language. It meant that when they spoke to me they slowed down a bit, which meant I had a bit more of a chance of following what they were saying.
English wasn't as universal in those days.
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From: London UK
Here's a shot of a Tu134 flight deck, with the Nav's position down between the pilot's seats, in flight covered by a curtain. I've always thought it must be a marvellous view. The "sidestick throttles" against the pilot's sidewalls (just visible) are mechanically connected between them, plus the mechanism connects back to the throttle controls at the flight engineer's position behind the photographer. I've long thought I'd like to see the complex mechanism required.
A 1960s Soviet hijack attempt had the perpetrator burst onto the 134 flight deck and overcome the two pilots. Feeling on top of the situation, he relaxed his stance, only for the Nav to unexpectedly storm out from behind the curtain and knock him unconscious !
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From: Beyond the Blue Horizon
Justapax1
I was never that regular a passenger with Swissair and indeed only probably less than 10 in my total flying career as SLF.
How ever like you I have a soft spot for them partly as even though I did limited flying with them they are one of the very few airlines in my travelling experience that upgraded me and allowed me to have one of my most memorable flights sat next to and talking with Sir Peter Ustinov on a flight to New York.
A delightful and priceless experience and I will be for ever grateful to the young ground stewardess who made that happen unsolicited by myself I might say, as I was down the back in those days.
Cheers
Mr Mac
I was never that regular a passenger with Swissair and indeed only probably less than 10 in my total flying career as SLF.
How ever like you I have a soft spot for them partly as even though I did limited flying with them they are one of the very few airlines in my travelling experience that upgraded me and allowed me to have one of my most memorable flights sat next to and talking with Sir Peter Ustinov on a flight to New York.
A delightful and priceless experience and I will be for ever grateful to the young ground stewardess who made that happen unsolicited by myself I might say, as I was down the back in those days.
Cheers
Mr Mac
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From: Purfleet
I have a fond memory of a flight from FRA to LCY a few years back. Four of us had been at Hockenheim for the weekend covering its annual drag race. I think that we were the only casually-dressed passengers on the flight as everyone else was pretty obviously travelling on business. As is their apparent wont the business travellers were treating the flight attendants with something like contempt, ignoring the safety demo and hardly looking up from behind their newspapers or laptops during service. Us four scruffs on the other hand said please and thank you and gave the FA a smile. After service was complete our FA came to speak to us and asked where we had been and what we had been up to, although she admitted that she had never heard of drag racing she clearly found this group of rapscallion photo-journalists interesting. After chatting to us for a while she disappeared back to her cubby-hole and returned with an armful of extra packets of popcorn and cans of drink all of which she placed squarely on my table. Of course, I was persuaded to share with my colleagues.
I know this doesn't compare with some of the excellent stories in this thread but it makes me smile every time I remember it.
I know this doesn't compare with some of the excellent stories in this thread but it makes me smile every time I remember it.
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From: Beyond the Blue Horizon
togsdayracing
Every day I am fortunate to fly and look out the window is a wonderful day to me, as it has been from a very young boy.
I never really got the flying bug as in wanting to be a pilot or indeed CC, but like building things so fell into it being SLF for most of my career, and have built some airport buildings along the way.
When ever you fly from be it the view or people you interact I try to enjoy as much as possible. You obviously had a memorable experience on your LCY flight and your CC obviously went the extra mile and spotted you were probably more interesting in the nicest way. They may have ignored though that is the wrong word other passengers, but perhaps know their customers on routes like LCY and know what interaction is required.
Glad you enjoyed your flight.
Cheers
Mr Mac
Every day I am fortunate to fly and look out the window is a wonderful day to me, as it has been from a very young boy.
I never really got the flying bug as in wanting to be a pilot or indeed CC, but like building things so fell into it being SLF for most of my career, and have built some airport buildings along the way.
When ever you fly from be it the view or people you interact I try to enjoy as much as possible. You obviously had a memorable experience on your LCY flight and your CC obviously went the extra mile and spotted you were probably more interesting in the nicest way. They may have ignored though that is the wrong word other passengers, but perhaps know their customers on routes like LCY and know what interaction is required.
Glad you enjoyed your flight.
Cheers
Mr Mac
Thread Starter
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From: UK and Italy
A flight which was memorable in its day (maybe not so much now) was Aer Lingus BRS-DUB in the early 1990s, both Captain and First Officer were female, and both the the cabin crew were male. After so many years of hearing Captain Speaking in a confident male voice, it was quite a novelty hearing the announcement made in a sweet Galway lilt.
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From: Newark'ish
Some time in the mid 1980’s I was booked on a Short Skyvan from East Midlands airport down to Gatwick to catch an ongoing fight to who knows where.
After boarding it soon became apparent that I was the only passenger. A curtain was all that separated the flight deck from the cabin & after a few minutes the single pilot parted the curtain, leaned through and invited me to sit up front.
Next thing I knew we had started engines and taxied out for take off.
Once we had settled into the cruise he asked if I would like a go at flying the aircraft, I told him as an ex RAF ground crew I knew the basics, but was no pilot. But I duly kept it pointing in the right direction for most of the flight and we swapped all sorts of stories along the way.
Thankfully he did take over for the approach & landing into Gatwick where we bid each other farewell after what was, for me at least, an amazing flight, which is unlikely to be repeated.
After boarding it soon became apparent that I was the only passenger. A curtain was all that separated the flight deck from the cabin & after a few minutes the single pilot parted the curtain, leaned through and invited me to sit up front.
Next thing I knew we had started engines and taxied out for take off.
Once we had settled into the cruise he asked if I would like a go at flying the aircraft, I told him as an ex RAF ground crew I knew the basics, but was no pilot. But I duly kept it pointing in the right direction for most of the flight and we swapped all sorts of stories along the way.
Thankfully he did take over for the approach & landing into Gatwick where we bid each other farewell after what was, for me at least, an amazing flight, which is unlikely to be repeated.
Joined: Nov 2009
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From: UK
September 14th 2001 - LHR to San Francisco. A nearly empty 747 where the crew told everyone to pick a row as theres so few people you can have a seat anywhere. Calm and uneventful. When we took off, there was no way to get back from Miami (or departure point) but they had 3 weeks to sort it all out.
Arrived in Miami 3 weeks laer, and it wasnt ready. We got an upgrade to First, and had a brief time in the lounge before boarding and sat on the aircraft for three hours before takeoff.
The reason Miami wasnt ready was that they had a 1-2 mile queue outside the terminal, for everyone to go through the only metal detector arch they had working - so they had at least arranged a covered walkway along the queue for miles, and had people going around handing out water to queueing passengers. The queue was supervised by 16 year olds with twitchy trigger fingers from the national guard who hadnt seen much of a foreigner let alone a terrorist in their entire lives. The captain decide to wait until most of the passengers had made it through the debacle, before heading back to the UK.
Arrived in Miami 3 weeks laer, and it wasnt ready. We got an upgrade to First, and had a brief time in the lounge before boarding and sat on the aircraft for three hours before takeoff.
The reason Miami wasnt ready was that they had a 1-2 mile queue outside the terminal, for everyone to go through the only metal detector arch they had working - so they had at least arranged a covered walkway along the queue for miles, and had people going around handing out water to queueing passengers. The queue was supervised by 16 year olds with twitchy trigger fingers from the national guard who hadnt seen much of a foreigner let alone a terrorist in their entire lives. The captain decide to wait until most of the passengers had made it through the debacle, before heading back to the UK.
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From: Hampshire
Visted the CAF show at Midland, Tx 2007 as part of an aviation tour. Sat with others from the group and another person on the tour came up to us and asked if any of us had press accreditation. I answered yes and "follow me" was spoken. It turns out that this person had a flight booked but aircraft operator had miscounted so had to do another flight. Thats how i spent 40 minutes bouncing over the Texas countryside in a B25 Mitchell for free.
PPRuNe Handmaiden
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From: Duit On Mon Dei
Yesterday's flight was more a reflection than memorable.
It was the first day that I went flying after the awful events in the US.
I noted just how close to landing that crew were. 2-300’ to go. Not to minima, to landing.
That’s where my attention was. That’s where the crews’ attention was.
To even contemplate conflicting traffic and then try and avoid… incomprehensible.
Gees.
It was the first day that I went flying after the awful events in the US.
I noted just how close to landing that crew were. 2-300’ to go. Not to minima, to landing.
That’s where my attention was. That’s where the crews’ attention was.
To even contemplate conflicting traffic and then try and avoid… incomprehensible.
Gees.
Last edited by redsnail; 9th February 2025 at 10:37.
Paxing All Over The World
Joined: May 2001
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From: Hertfordshire, UK.
Another memorable for me was in August 2000. From JNB to a tiny regional stop called Plettenberg Bay (PBZ). It was a J41 for the 2hrs and my nephew was right hand seat. As soon as we had taxied to the holding point, I was invited up to the jump seat, for my Nephew to operate the sector. Watching that familiar runway departure off from that unusual perspective is something I will never see again. With all the conversation, the Cpt forgot to note the time of take off, happily I had it on my watch. Once we reached cruise, I went back to my seat for the meal. Then returned for descent. I got the distinct impression that the turn over the bay was wider and longer than strictly necessary as they pointed out the features.
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From: Near SOU
Another of my many adventures was aboard a KLM B737 from MAN to AMS a few years ago now.
It was a typical beautiful British summer day in MAN.....torrential rain, thunder, lightning, hail. Boarded on time, all good. Taxiied out, brilliant...managed to take off absolutely fine. Then came possibly one of the loudest claps of thunder I had ever heard, accompanied by interior lighting flickering, a few other pax whimpering a bit (me, I was enjoying the light show out the window). One of the flightcrew made one of those "we apologise for the weather disturbance" type messages and that was that...
Finally climbed out above the clouds and glancing around the cabin and something caught my eye....looking at my wingtip, looked fine.....looking at the other wingtip....hmmmmm....something is missing that wasn't missing before leaving the gate. Somewhere down there...back there...someone on the ground has aquired a winglet (hopefully no-one was underneath it when it landed)
Landed in a very sunny AMS, got off the plane and scooted to the gate for my next flight. Sat there watching the various movements til my next flight was boarding and there, in the distance, was our now one winglet B737 being towed to the maintenance area. I shall consider that the thunderclap may have had a hand in the winglet taking off by itself but I do not know for sure.
Not sure how many others on the flight noticed we arrived in AMS with one less winglet than we left MAN with but for me it made an otherwise uneventful flight a little more interesting.
It was a typical beautiful British summer day in MAN.....torrential rain, thunder, lightning, hail. Boarded on time, all good. Taxiied out, brilliant...managed to take off absolutely fine. Then came possibly one of the loudest claps of thunder I had ever heard, accompanied by interior lighting flickering, a few other pax whimpering a bit (me, I was enjoying the light show out the window). One of the flightcrew made one of those "we apologise for the weather disturbance" type messages and that was that...
Finally climbed out above the clouds and glancing around the cabin and something caught my eye....looking at my wingtip, looked fine.....looking at the other wingtip....hmmmmm....something is missing that wasn't missing before leaving the gate. Somewhere down there...back there...someone on the ground has aquired a winglet (hopefully no-one was underneath it when it landed)
Landed in a very sunny AMS, got off the plane and scooted to the gate for my next flight. Sat there watching the various movements til my next flight was boarding and there, in the distance, was our now one winglet B737 being towed to the maintenance area. I shall consider that the thunderclap may have had a hand in the winglet taking off by itself but I do not know for sure.
Not sure how many others on the flight noticed we arrived in AMS with one less winglet than we left MAN with but for me it made an otherwise uneventful flight a little more interesting.
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From: Ferrara
early 80's Air Tungaru Heron out of Tarawa in Kiribati to Tuvalu
9 pax - the wife, our two small kids, 4 Australian missionaries. an Indian gentleman from Fiji travelling the Islands doing "tailoring and suiting's" all arranged around the main spar. Two Aussie pilots and a cardboard box full of Fanta and biscuits.
About 4 hours very slowly at around 4000ft - blue, blue sky, blue ocean, little fluffy white clouds and an atoll always in sight.
Truly Magic!
9 pax - the wife, our two small kids, 4 Australian missionaries. an Indian gentleman from Fiji travelling the Islands doing "tailoring and suiting's" all arranged around the main spar. Two Aussie pilots and a cardboard box full of Fanta and biscuits.
About 4 hours very slowly at around 4000ft - blue, blue sky, blue ocean, little fluffy white clouds and an atoll always in sight.
Truly Magic!
Thread Starter
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From: UK and Italy
I wonder if anyone else flew on the famous Swissair flight out of Teheran to Zurich, via Bandar Abbas and, I think, Dubai (it might have been Abu Dhabi)? Switzerland, being neutral, meant that Swissair was the only airline allowed to fly into Teheran. I took this trip during the Iran-Iraq war. The main purpose of the Dubai stop, outside Irani airspace, was to load the plane with booze for all the alcohol-starved Westerners to restore their blood alcohol level to something like normal. At Bandar Abbas the 747 went technical, and stood on the tarmac in 45 degree heat for four hours, with only tepid water from the water dispensers as a source of cooling, while a vital component was flown across the Persian Gulf to replace the bit that had failed. I was keen not to exit the plane as I had no exit stamp from Iran (I was smuggled out because the Revolutionary Guards, the Sepah Pasdaran, wanted me to stay, but that's a non-aviation-related story) so when we finally left we were all hot, hungry and especially thirsty when at Dubai the trolley dollies wheeled out the drinks trollies, one on front of them, one behind, on each of the aisles. They served miniatures of spirits six at a time, and wine in three bottles of 200 ml, which is what I had for breakfast. The whole plane became one enormous party as the relief of leaving Iran combined with the effect of all that booze on alcohol-starved systems took effect.
My next recollection was of driving along the M4 home. I must have transitted Zurich in my sleep. I swore never to go to Iran again, and in fact quit my job rather than return there. My replacement spent most of his time in Teheran in a basement air-raid shelter surrounded by panicking, hysterical Iranis being bombed by the Iraqi air force.
My next recollection was of driving along the M4 home. I must have transitted Zurich in my sleep. I swore never to go to Iran again, and in fact quit my job rather than return there. My replacement spent most of his time in Teheran in a basement air-raid shelter surrounded by panicking, hysterical Iranis being bombed by the Iraqi air force.
