problems en route
I just read this headline: US Airways: Flames seen on landing plane's engine
Of course this prompted this blog post...problems en route.
I have mentioned before that I am not always an easy flyer. Why? Because I know too much, without knowing enough. Steve and his pilot friends will talk shop and sometimes I hear what is going on behind the scenes on a flight.
Let's run down some interesting problems that I know pilots have run into:
- back in the day of college Steve and his buddy were taking off and right as their wheels got off the ground a deer ran out onto the runway. If they would have hit the deer they would have crashed.
- Steve was coming in for a landing, and they hit a goose. It came through the windshield and goose blood was everywhere. The windshield was broken (and those things are thick) and I think they even had to call mayday. This was before we dated. I actually believe this made the local news.
- one of the heating elements in his windshield caught fire. His CA got the fire extinguisher and everything was fine. But, smoke in an airplane is something you never want.
- Steve's plane has been hit by lightening.
- Steve witnessed a plane (and knew the pilot operating it) take something into the engine while taxing. The engine was spitting out fire, and they returned to the gate.
- Steve has a friend that was about 34,000 feet over the mountains, hit turbulence and the stick shaker went off. The plane did not, in fact, stall. The recovery was fine. His friend was actually so shaken up by the experience that he thought about getting out of flying. His friend is still flying.
- Steve has a friend who was at cruising altitude, and all the sudden one of the engines shut down. They recovered just fine. The details on this one are a little sketchy as I couldn't get past the shock of the story to remember what happened next. What I do remember from this story are two words: fuel contamination. This, my friends, is where I get the whole "knowing too much, but not knowing enough."
This is all that can think of right now. I pray that I never have to add to these stories.
Of course this prompted this blog post...problems en route.
I have mentioned before that I am not always an easy flyer. Why? Because I know too much, without knowing enough. Steve and his pilot friends will talk shop and sometimes I hear what is going on behind the scenes on a flight.
Let's run down some interesting problems that I know pilots have run into:
- back in the day of college Steve and his buddy were taking off and right as their wheels got off the ground a deer ran out onto the runway. If they would have hit the deer they would have crashed.
- Steve was coming in for a landing, and they hit a goose. It came through the windshield and goose blood was everywhere. The windshield was broken (and those things are thick) and I think they even had to call mayday. This was before we dated. I actually believe this made the local news.
- one of the heating elements in his windshield caught fire. His CA got the fire extinguisher and everything was fine. But, smoke in an airplane is something you never want.
- Steve's plane has been hit by lightening.
- Steve witnessed a plane (and knew the pilot operating it) take something into the engine while taxing. The engine was spitting out fire, and they returned to the gate.
- Steve has a friend that was about 34,000 feet over the mountains, hit turbulence and the stick shaker went off. The plane did not, in fact, stall. The recovery was fine. His friend was actually so shaken up by the experience that he thought about getting out of flying. His friend is still flying.
- Steve has a friend who was at cruising altitude, and all the sudden one of the engines shut down. They recovered just fine. The details on this one are a little sketchy as I couldn't get past the shock of the story to remember what happened next. What I do remember from this story are two words: fuel contamination. This, my friends, is where I get the whole "knowing too much, but not knowing enough."
This is all that can think of right now. I pray that I never have to add to these stories.
Thanks for your encouraging comments girl! When I read your blog it seems like we have twin husbands! My hubs was home for 9 days in a row last week and its such an adjustment having them home that when you finally get used to it, they leave again! :) I'm so glad I have other moms like you to read and talk to!
ReplyDeleteit is important to have support, for sure!
ReplyDelete