Flying Experiences

[Benfleetshrimp]

My best flying experience was coming in to land at Kathmandu airport in Nepal. The decent amongst the hymilayas is unreal.

Also on the way out of Nepal I got upgraded on Quatar air to first class. Perfect.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Quote[/b] (West Country Shrimper @ Oct. 08 2004,15:50)]

Quote[/b] (Matt the Shrimp @ Oct. 08 2004,12:16)]My sister replied on my behalf: "Listen, I wouldn't try to speak to him... He's way too f**ked off to talk right now."  As usual, my sister wasn't wrong...

I dont remember saying that?  

 

This was, obviously, some time before you began to make spurious claims to the family name... twas my elder sister (Clare) who said this.

 

[Ron Manager]

Flew into Wellington airport - the wife's hometown - and just as we were starting our final descent she told me that it has the shortest runway in the world for large jumbo jets and that only the very best pilots are allowed to land there as it's so difficult. I have to say her timing in telling me that wasn't great and I did brace myself as we touched down - completely smoothly and safely I must add.

Best experience was earlier on the same trip, flying into Sydney and having our landing delayed and having to wait for a spot. Normally an inconvenience and hassle but we flew around over Sydney at a low enough altitude to clearly see the whole city - the Harbour Bridge, Opera House and round the suburbs and beaches on a beautifully clear day. It was my first trip to Australia and I believe getting such a fantastic view from the plane sealed my belief that Sydney is one of the most amazing and beautiful cities in the world.

 

[exiledessexboy]

So many great stories, hard to compete.  

Have to agree with Ron re landings, Sydney has to be up there with the best.  However, for scariest the old Hong Kong airport was a bit of a shock as you came into land but top of the league has to be San Fransisco.  You look out the window and all you can see is the....sea until the very last minute.  Deep breaths needed for that one.

 

[Ron Manager]

Quote[/b] (exiledessexboy @ Oct. 08 2004,15:46)]but top of the league has to be San Fransisco.  You look out the window and all you can see is the....sea until the very last minute.  Deep breaths needed for that one.

Yes, that is a scary one. Barcelona and Nice airports are much the same as well.

 

[navy shrimper]

gibralters runway sticks out into the sea at both ends, and you got a great big bleedin rock to avoid too which is fun!

 

[Benfleetshrimp]

Another goody but far closer to home. While flying to Salzburg from Stansted last November we basically just flew down the thames out to sea. It was a clear morning and could see everything including my road, Canvey, Southend etc

 

[ESG]

Quote[/b] (Ron Manager @ Oct. 08 2004,16:58)]

Quote[/b] (exiledessexboy @ Oct. 08 2004,15:46)]but top of the league has to be San Fransisco.  You look out the window and all you can see is the....sea until the very last minute.  Deep breaths needed for that one.

Yes, that is a scary one. Barcelona and Nice airports are much the same as well.

Agree about San Fransisco....i'll find out about Barcelona on Tuesday morning at about 9.30 !!

Only got worried once coming back from Spain when the plane started to judder violently and an unpleasant smell filled the cabin...then remembered that FBM has been in occupation of the front WC for the last 15 minutes.

 

 

 

[Ron Manager]

Quote[/b] (Benfleetshrimp @ Oct. 08 2004,16:06)]Another goody but far closer to home. While flying to Salzburg from Stansted last November we basically just flew down the thames out to sea. It was a clear morning and could see everything including my road, Canvey, Southend etc

I did that coming back from Budapest to Heathrow last year - it was bloody annoying going over Southend airport, Roots Hall and even my bloody house and on to Heathrow knowing we had the journey all the way back when we landed. I wanted to ask for a parachute!

 

[overseas shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Technician @ Oct. 08 2004,12:19)]

Quote[/b] (overseas shrimper @ Oct. 08 2004,10:54)]I've never been afraid of flying, but I was truly shaken up on my first visit to Mumbai. On this occasion, I had flown to India on a recce for locations on my feature film. We had flown in, what I could only assume, was a B.A. 747 desperately in need of a bit of TLC.

Anyway, as we approached our detination, the plane hit some rather extreme turbulence. Things were falling all over the place. Overhead compartments were popping open... and (this is the worst thing)... even the flight attendants were scurrying , pale faced, to the safety of their seats and buckling up.

At one point, we lost so much altitude in such a short space of time, my stomach was in my throat!

When we came out of this, I was very relieved, but such joy was short lived when we came in to land.

The flight crew were obviously having problems because the plane was approaching the runway very tentatively, going up and down like a yo-yo, and the engines were roaring like I've never hear 'em roar before.

Finally, we touched down with a bang, but the plane climbed, banked to my right... and as I looked out, the tip of the wing was almost touching the runway.

I thought that that was it!

Luckily, the plane corrected itself in time... but the cabin was deathly quiet as we made our way to the 'parking bay'.

I found out later that we experienced something called 'wind lift' or 'uplift' (something like that) where heavy wind gets under one wing and tilts the plane the other way.

Scary!

Wind-Shear! is typically a gusting cross-wind and can cause air incidents, although these are rare... in it's deadliest form though, it is known as a microburst, which creates downward forces on an aircraft, especially in a Storm (opposite of turbulance in effect!) and has been known to "down!" even a B747.

India would be a typical climate for such events, but in most cases nowadays the pilot would have an alternate destination to fly to in extreme weather, for the comfort of everyone aboard!.

The experience you had on landing may have been attributed to the aircraft being near to its "stall speed!" (as if all the other conditions weren't bad enough!) which would be about 110-130 knots depending on landing weight!

Mark, I would say you were very lucky mate...

Plus, the man upstairs didn't want you... yet! & neither does your brother by the sound of it

Aaaaahhh... 'wind-shear'. That's what it's called, is it? So it was a bit of a close call was it? Well... it felt like it, that's for sure!

You sound quite 'in the know' about these matters. How come?

 

[Davros]

I love flying to Corfu, not for the simple fact a nice holiday awaits, but because they always fly over the alps. Its magical, and a delightful sight. Also wierd was when we flew to portugal the pilot deicided to fly over Disneyland, and u could see fireworks from above, very bizzare looking.

Worst experiance was when waiting on the plane at Corfu airport they said that the engine was cutting out. an hour later (spent sittin on the plane) we were told the problem was fixed, as they'd used a fuse from one of the lights, to amend the problem which 'would do us'. Needeless to say, the mood of the flight was pretty silent.

Dave

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Not wishing to brag... but my best flying experiences have been the few times I was behind the controls. Was in the Air Training Cadets at school... used to do aerobatics runs in Chipmunks, which are the tiny two-seater propeller trainer planes that the RAF use.

Totally fuggin' awesome. Imagine the best rollercoaster you've been on, and then multiply it by 100. A loop the loop at 140 knots and pulling about 5.5G was mindboggling, and flying upside-down over the Nottinghamshire countryside remains one of the strangest but most enjoyable things I've done!

Matt

 

[Benfleetshrimp]

I hate people that have to brag!

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Quote[/b] (Benfleetshrimp @ Oct. 08 2004,19:24)]I hate people that have to brag!

Not bragging, just telling you how it is...

 

[overseas shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Matt the Shrimp @ Oct. 08 2004,19:35)]

Quote[/b] (Benfleetshrimp @ Oct. 08 2004,19:24)]I hate people that have to brag!

Not bragging, just telling you how it is...

In a rather bragging sort of way.

 

[Technician]

Quote[/b] (overseas shrimper @ Oct. 08 2004,16:19)]You sound quite 'in the know' about these matters. How come?

Mark... I have a passion about flying [but i'm not a plainspotter!

] that goes beyond actually being on an aircraft! I wanted to be a pilot in my youth, but never got the grades necessary to persue my dreams, so I make up for it by understanding pretty much everything I can comprehend about aircraft and flight. I am pretty clued up on meteorology too, possibly from looking to the sky so much...

Adding to my earlier posts on the topic, I would have to say my worst "in-flight" experience [which ended in total elation], has to be my out-bound flight to the Gambia in 1992. It was from Gatwick Airport on a Boeing 707, which may have been older than I was at the time...

The pilot lined us up on the East facing runway, the engines were giving it large and we were off and running... It took an age for us to get airborne [so much so, I began to think we were going by road!

]. From Gatwick, we flew South-West towards Southampton then across the channel where we hit turbulance, then to the Bay of Biscay and down over Portugal. It was just the regular turbulance you get over the Channel and nothing much to worry about EXCEPT...

From that point, there was an uncomfortable two hours of flight, with the plane lurching up and down and from side to side! (later, I learnt that the side to side motion, was due to faulty stabiliser trim - the movement of fuel in the wingtanks to balance the aircraft! - NOTE: If you fill a bowl up with water and carry it, you will feel a very similar motion!). Now, I am a seasoned traveller by air and by boat [and this felt like the latter!], but the sensation made me uneasy and I confronted a senior member of the aircrew about it, only to be told it was crosswinds! and my exact words in reply were "that's a load of b@ll@cks!, where can we set down? I WOULD LIKE TO GET OFF PLEASE!!!", cue: the gent next to me... who puked into a sick-bag.

One of the main reasons for our problem, was French air-traffic controllers [firkin iceholes] would not clear us to altitudes above 20000, until we were out of their airspace and as a consequence, we were constantly in turbulant airstreams rather than a cruise altitude of 35000 where the air is thinner and less disrupted. They had some work to rule going on and just love p!$$!ng us English off!

Once over the Meditteranean, things settled down considerable, however you could tell that the aircrew were pretty unhappy with the journey so far, but they did an awesome job of looking after us from that point on... We flew across the Sahara and made our descent into the Gambian Basin and followed the River Gambia up to its source [the Atlantic].

Now by stark contrast to the journey behind us, the final part of the flight was totally breath-taking. The pilot went through a complete resume of the features we were flying over, which lasted a full 15 minutes at about 1000-1500 feet... It was really awe inspiring to see the mangroves, small basic dwellings, market places dotted around, wild animals legging-it as the aircraft disrupted their peace and tranquility and it was a fantastic experience... and polished off by a nice firm landing at YumDum Airport, which was some 15 miles from Banjul.

Incidentally, when I mention a nice firm landing, I do so with a smile, as IMHO... there is no better way to acknowledge you are back on terrafirma, than to feel the bump as the wheels hit the tarmac.

Final thoughts on this one... If I could take-off or land all day, I would be as happy as a pig in sh*t... just forget the bit in the middle!

 

[Kent Shrimper]

My best and Worst are rolled into one.

I was flying back to Southend from Manchester after watching Southend beat stockport and win promotion in 87.

I was only a nipper but the plane was buzzing the players getting ****ed up on Champers, real good feel factor moment.

However have you ever landed at Southend Airport, If you have you will know what im gonna say if you havent DONT.

As soon as the plane touches down the Pilot has to break like a mad man due to the short runway. I was sh*tting myself as i had never experienced anything like it. Your thrown forward, like youve hit a brick wall. Not pleasant and wouldnt recommend. But it certainly didnt take the gloss of a truly brilliant flight home.

Oh and to top it off Paul Clark gave me his shirt

happy days

 

[Technician]

Quote[/b] (Kent Shrimper @ Oct. 09 2004,12:24)]My best and Worst are rolled into one.

I was flying back to Southend from Manchester after watching Southend beat stockport and win promotion in 87.

I was only a nipper but the plane was buzzing the players getting ****ed up on Champers, real good feel factor moment.

However have you ever landed at Southend Airport, If you have you will know what im gonna say if you havent DONT.

As soon as the plane touches down the Pilot has to break like a mad man due to the short runway. I was sh*tting myself as i had never experienced anything like it. Your thrown forward, like youve hit a brick wall. Not pleasant and wouldnt recommend. But it certainly didnt take the gloss of a truly brilliant flight home.

Oh and to top it off Paul Clark gave me his shirt

happy days

 

 

Reminiscent of a flight to Zante [Turtle Island] in '89 on a Boeing 757, which is the largest airliner they could handle in those days, before they extended the runway.

Flew in over the sea and the pilot had to touch-down on the runway threshold, engage full reverse thrust, stick his head between his legs and kiss his arse good-bye... to have any realistic chance of stopping before he [literally!] ran out of tarmac... QUALITY!

Bumpiest landing for me was upon arrival at Corfu! the runway threshold from the bay end, is lower than the town end

and you tend to meet it heavily, particularly in inclement weather... but don't worry if you are going there soon! it is one of the longest runways of the greek islands.

 

[* ORM *]

Best flight - this year to HK straight after the LDV final. The driving to Cardiff and then like a maniac back to Heathrow afterwards may have had something to do with it. Or could it have been the fact that I hit the Virgin Business Lounge with a vengeance before sampling the on-board freebies for a couple of hours. Slept like a baby after that and woke up for a free head massage and a hot meal when I wanted it . For this reason Virgin wins over BA business class every time for me.

Worst flight - Amsterdam to City about five years back in strong winds which felt like riding a roller-coaster. They don't call those turbo-props Fokker's for nothing.

Two aborted landing attempts (one where we actually touched down) followed by a 'very funny' Captain assuring us it would be third time lucky.

 

[one flew over the cockles nest]

My worst flying experience wasnt in a plane either, it was 1999 and I was bang on the london club scene me and a couple of palls where working on the doors at the Velvet Underground, anyway after work we were invited to the End that was owned by Mr C, out of the Shaiman, anyway we got bang on the pills , and ketamin me and my mates where f**king flying for about 6 hours anyway on the way home we where going over Canning flyover at about 5 in the morning and when we hit the top of the fly over we took off and hit the crash barrierw eall survived and got home ok the front of the car was f**ked but to this day I have never done pills again