The Next Time That You Fly

BangkokDean

BangkokDean

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THE NEXT TIME THAT YOU FLY, KNOW THAT THE FELLOW UP FRONT KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING.
Descent into Queenstown, New Zealand.
Gotta have faith in your instruments and your proficiency to fly the approach.
But the feeling of elation from doing well, what we're trained to do, is it's own reward.

Or as my submariner friend used to tell me,
"Don't know about your base pay, but you do earn your flight pay."

...as if descending into an undercast over mountainous terrain doesn't bother you too much.

http://www.chonday.com/Videos/pilotnewzdalnd1
 
IT's a shame more videos like these don't get out there. Some really cool stuff.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYaRvptC3bc[/ame]
 
They know what they're doing...until they don't. I've been on a 757 that the pilot almost put into a lagoon because he didn't know what he was doing and put it down much too far down the runway - and didn't have the good sense to do a go-around, even though he had just enough altitude and speed to get back out by the time that half of the passengers realized that we had a major problem. We ended up with the nose of the plane hanging over a fence about 12 feet from the water. To get the plane off of the runway, they had to bring a gate tug out and hook up to the front landing gear from under fuselage, as there was no room to turn it around and no way to get the tug between the gear and the fence to back it up.
 
The vid no play for me, sorry Tim, but I remember a plane off to my left side, at Boston Logan....all the markings taken off, setting about 5" from DIS ASS TER......this about 30 years ago....

the plane sat there for quite some time....like months....


:(:crutches:
 
My Cat III experience...from 1991!!

Had a business class ticket from Newark to Charles De Gaulle. This was on a 747. Approaching Europe, the pilot announced Charles De Gaulle closed down due to fog. We landed in England...Heathrow? After sitting on the ground for hours, the flight was cancelled. First and business class passengers, coach also?, were offered hotel rooms for a next day's flight...........but first and business class passengers were also offered a soon flight on a 727 equipped with Category III, Category III could land in fog..zero visibility. To fly on the 727 we were told of the dangers of Category III..I think Category III was pretty new then, and it was emphasized that we didn't have to fly Cat III, we could fly the next day if we wished. I elected to go Cat III. Amazing. We landed in fog, I was looking out the window and didn't see the runway until a few moments before touchdown. It was truly a blind landing. To this day, I can still see the runway appearing out of the fog, just moments before touchdown.
 
I (also) recall a similar approach into LAX. I kinda knew things weren't meeting approach minima, as we flew over El Segundo - and couldn't spot ANY familiar landmarks. No city lights - nada.

On roll-out the Captain very calmly announced (forgive me it may not be exact - but something similar- memory fade):
"Welcome to Los Angeles International Airport. Please thank the Airline and Boeing for the fine systems that got you here. The previous SEVEN aircraft that shot this approach, have diverted to other locations, and will not be home tonight. Have a good evening. Welcome to LAX." ​

I thought it a great tribute and a fine statement; regarding technology, trust, and skill/training and attention. Everything you want when you put your life in someone's hands.



GREAT VIDEO FIND. THANKS - :beer:
Cheers - Jim
 
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