A call from the Cargo Hold
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A call from the Cargo Hold
Ok here's an interesting radio call heard after T/O from LHR.
"LHR Departures - this is BA XYZ with an unusual situation"
BA XYZ go ahead"
BA XYZ we have just had a call from the cargo compartment (not specified if an internal interphone or external modile) to say somebody may be down there - we wish to enter a hold to ascertain the legitimacy of this phone call"
Did any dody else hear this conversation mid afternoon on 14th?
Good for a LOFT exercise.
"LHR Departures - this is BA XYZ with an unusual situation"
BA XYZ go ahead"
BA XYZ we have just had a call from the cargo compartment (not specified if an internal interphone or external modile) to say somebody may be down there - we wish to enter a hold to ascertain the legitimacy of this phone call"
Did any dody else hear this conversation mid afternoon on 14th?
Good for a LOFT exercise.
Last edited by Capt Groper; 17th May 2010 at 10:51.
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Maybe the call was to the crew from the cargo DEPARTMENT via acars/satphone to say there was a possibility someone was in the hold of the aircraft and the crew planned on taking up a hold to contact the company and find out what was going on.
Had the call on the radio/satphone/acars come from a legitimate source or had someone sent a 'prank' message before planning the next course of action?
Not sure how easy it easy to button up the bulk cargo hold on a big aircraft without checking it was empty of self loading freight!
Jazzy
Had the call on the radio/satphone/acars come from a legitimate source or had someone sent a 'prank' message before planning the next course of action?
Not sure how easy it easy to button up the bulk cargo hold on a big aircraft without checking it was empty of self loading freight!
Jazzy
There was an incident at DUB some years back (2005 IIRC) where a baggage handler was locked into the hold of an EI 330 bound for the US. Seems he'd entered the hold to check items, but may not have told anyone. When he realised the aircraft was taxiing he used his mobile to call ops/tower and have the aircraft return to stand.
JAS
JAS
Has happened before, but can't recall any where the poor sods haven't managed attracting a lot of noisy attention, to force a return prior to take-off. Stories abount deeply traumatized ramp workers doing very long runners after being let out, are fairly common.
Edit due post above:
Suppose it's a better idea using a phone rather than beating the crap out the aeroplane with your bare fists.
Edit due post above:
Suppose it's a better idea using a phone rather than beating the crap out the aeroplane with your bare fists.
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A loader managed to travel from BUD to ZRH in the cargo hold of an Avro in the 90's. He was concentrating on piling bags very carefully 
and the technician closed the door. His ZRH-BUD flight was a bit more comfortable on business class accompanied by policemen. 
and the technician closed the door. His ZRH-BUD flight was a bit more comfortable on business class accompanied by policemen.
Last edited by TBSC; 17th May 2010 at 15:41.
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A good story to tell the kids if it happened to you but in all seriousness could it turn out badly? An unheated hold on a proper long haul flight can't be a pleasant place to spend 9 or 10 hours. What kind of temps does the hold get to in the cruise?
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I had a ramper get locked in the fwd hold of a 727 and ride from PDX to SLC once upon a time. About a two hour flight for him to get his story straight before we landed.
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Good thing for him you didn't use the 'puppy snuffer' switch.
Unlike the modern engines, the old JT8D's didn't have a lot of excess bleed air at low power settings so there was a cargo heat switch you could turn off to keep the cabin from climbing when you pulled the power back for descent. Of course, if you left it off for the next leg, it got mighty cold in the cargo hold...
I had a ramper get locked in the fwd hold of a 727 and ride from PDX to SLC once upon a time. About a two hour flight for him to get his story straight before we landed.
A fugitive shipped himself as freight to Texas on a Kitty Hawk 727 a while back:
The Smoking Gun: Archive
UPS had a knock on the crew compartment stair door on a 747 out over the Pacific years ago. The guy stayed on the plane in TPE, rode back to ANC and got fired as urban legend over there would have it.
JetBlue had a guy ride in steerage last year on a jungle jet:
JetBlue worker nods off, flies to Boston in cargo hold - Flights: Airfare, flight tracker, delays, miles tracker & airport news - Today in the Sky - USATODAY.com
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While on the topic....
Any truth in that folklore story of a bored flight crew member on a 747 freighter that went back to look at a very exclusive custom made Mercedes they were transporting to the far east.
The story goes that having got into the driving seat and pushed a few buttons the security system activated and locked all the doors. He was unable to get out and was only released after the flight had landed.
Any truth in that folklore story of a bored flight crew member on a 747 freighter that went back to look at a very exclusive custom made Mercedes they were transporting to the far east.
The story goes that having got into the driving seat and pushed a few buttons the security system activated and locked all the doors. He was unable to get out and was only released after the flight had landed.
Been there, done it! 1996, locked in an AiruK 146 cargo hold, only released at the VERY last minute by some enthusiastic kicking of the roof and some choice words which cannot be repeated here but most certainly were heard by the pax sitting above me! 
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Unlike the modern engines, the old JT8D's didn't have a lot of excess bleed air at low power settings so there was a cargo heat switch you could turn off to keep the cabin from climbing when you pulled the power back for descent. Of course, if you left it off for the next leg, it got mighty cold in the cargo hold...
The first couple of days after Andrews hit we were real popular when we landed at MIA.
As someone who is responsible (hah!) for putting things into the holds of aircraft, can I just say .... complete b0ll0x!
I've been shut in the bulk hold several times, and its a simple job to open it from the inside ... just turn the (internal) handle and pull.
If the aircraft is on the stand, then the open door will/should be noticed by the engineers when they do their final walk-around. If the aircraft has left the stand, then opening the door will set-off all sorts of alarm-bells in the cockpit (there are various sensors around the edge of the door).
The only way that I could see this happening was if the loader fell asleep in the hold (naughty, naughty!), and somebody else closed the hold door. In which case, wtf was he doing asleep in the hold!
I've been shut in the bulk hold several times, and its a simple job to open it from the inside ... just turn the (internal) handle and pull.
If the aircraft is on the stand, then the open door will/should be noticed by the engineers when they do their final walk-around. If the aircraft has left the stand, then opening the door will set-off all sorts of alarm-bells in the cockpit (there are various sensors around the edge of the door).
The only way that I could see this happening was if the loader fell asleep in the hold (naughty, naughty!), and somebody else closed the hold door. In which case, wtf was he doing asleep in the hold!
