When Cabin Crew Scream....
 

Just got back from Zante. The outward journey landing,17/6/07 LGW, was not a good one for us SLF !
The first landing was aborted due to shear wind as we were in informed and the plane roared up and off and around (lots of bouncing about)
The second landing attempt seemed to be going ok, until the plane literally slammed down onto the runway (possibly about 10 feet but felt like 30). The front wheels did not touch down on this one.
One cabin crew member screamed as we dropped down, hit tarmac, and took off again, with trim hanging down from the inside of the plane.
On the third attempt, we landed in the opposite direction, and I think another pilot landed it (seemed to be a different voice on announcement) Is this a standard practise to let another officer have a go at landing after two attempts?
Lots of SLF being sick, and very very nervous people all round it seemed. Beer sales up in Zante that evening!!
Have you ever screamed upon landing through fright - it was not very re-assuring to a number of SLF...

Just a little reminder that its not just the computers flying the aircraft. Good old flying skills are a still needed.

As to the rights and wrongs of the landing, wasn't there so not much to add.

As for the crew screaming. This time of year you have lots of new crew and as a result they haven't got much flying experience. They will in time. We were all new to our jobs once upon a time.

It may have been that the Captain took over from the First Officer.

Or the FO from the Captain:}

It's rather odd...if one screams on a train or bus one is looked at by fellow travellers as if one is quite mad.

If one screams on an aircraft, everyone else joins in.

Couldn't agree more Gonzo....:} As for Zakinthos..it can be a little tricky in certain wind conditions....particulalry if its blowing more than about 15 knots..and a crosswing..cos it rolls off them hills on either side. It usually requires a "positive" arrival in the 757 or baby bus :} having just over 6000ft of LDA available.

skr80- sorry, but that had me laughing! It was obviously a really awful day down there, but you were in no danger. the change of voice means nothing- the other pilot could have taken over the PA as the handling pilot would have been very occupied with the runway change and setting up the new approach, radios, charts etc. As for the stewardess 'screaming', they get a bit nervous too sometimes, and maybe she felt the drop. Such landings are really no problem for the plane, conditions were probably very difficult. The sort of flight to enjoy a nice cold beer afterwards and have a laugh, but not a dice with death. Those sort of landings are a good 'learning experience' for pilots! I still do one myself every so often- all pilots do.

The nearby hills can cause a real problem with a crosswind. Isn't this the place that has a curfew some times of the year because of turtles or something crawling onto the runway? Nice looking island anyway.

BTW- I think it a little unfair to exactly identify the flight/day. It could possibly lead to unpleasant repercussions for a crew doing their best for you! And this is posted in the wrong section.

A certain arrival at Hong Kong in 1999 comes to mind....

My worst was over 30 years ago carrying Earl Mountbatten himself into Rangoon. I still cringe. Thank heavens the VC10 was carved ourt of a large block of stainless steel- we used to call it the 'Iron Duck' for a reason!

A certain arrival at Hong Kong in 1999 comes to mind....


Would like to hear the story....

I would...

Scudpilot:

You can read about it yourself, here...

You can see a video of the accident, here...

...and you can se photos, here...

Don't know about Cabin Crew, but I've certainly heard a few FO's scream:eek:

I just mentioned the Hong Kong accident because I happened to start a Tech log thread on the ability of planes to take really hard landings. The story goes like this....

MD-11 coming into landing during a typhoon at HKG in 1999, approach gets a little destabilised at 500ft, but plane continues. At 70ft the auto thrust retarded to idle, aircraft enters the flare having lost a lot of airspeed.... despite the captain's best efforts the aircraft slams into the runway at over 1000fpm, wing snaps off as the landing gear collaspe, 3 people dead and aircraft completely destroyed.

For a passenger, it is always scary to fly in such conditions, I know for myself.

When on a domestic flight in the US some time back the standard 'oxygen masks will drop etc' announcement had 'and when you've done screaming' added by the steward in the appropriate place which, although unorthodox was quite amusing

Did I mention a Trident coming into Heathrow many years ago ..... summers day .... mid afternoon ...... and we were being thrown all over the place untill the last 50 feet ..... then it was like landing on a feather pillow .... :)

After landing the Skipper apologized and explained weather conditions etc etc but I rem him saying ..... if it's any consolation it was my worst landing too !!!! ..... :p

I can remember such a landing too. It was a flight from Amsterdam to London Heathrow. When we flew above London City strong winds made the pilot wait for half an hour to land, so we had to circle above the city with these winds. When we landed, another airplane had a very rough landing because of the storm. Our pilot told us it was 'quite a bit windy in London':)

I think you need an "only" in there somewhere. Huge kudos to the HKG fire crews who were there and effective in seconds. Given that the fuselage was upside down and the fuel tanks were ruptured it is astonishing to me that 312 people got out more or less unharmed. I suspect that wouldn't have been the result at many other airports.
http://www.airdisaster.com/photos/ci642/3.jpg

Absolutely, I couldn't agree more, especially considering it was dark, pouring with rain and blowing a howling gale.