[Archived] Seen From A Plane

[philipl]

Bacup Blue's comments about how wonderful the Alps look seen from the air set me wondering about the most spectacular sights to be seen when flying.

I'll offer Mount Ararat at dawn.

[Aberdeen Blue]

Flying over Greenland en route to the US when the pack ice is breaking up - spectacular. Also decending over the Canadian Rockies as you are coming in to land in Vancouver

[Flopsy]

Coming into Heathrow along the Thames just after a rain shower (it clears all the smog out of the air) is rather impressive

As was New York at night (pre Sept 11th )

[stuwilky]

Coming back from Menorca this June we had a beautiful night for flying, not a cloud in sight between the Med and Blackpool. Even the captain commented on the beautiful night for flying - we got routed very strangely, and as we were flying eastbound over london (having crossed the Channel over the Isle of Wight (go figure...) we were treated to a view including the millenium dome just beneath us to the left, and views from 38000 feet to the north of England, the lights of Birmingham, Norwich, Leeds, Manchester and beyond. Ive flown loads, but for some reason that truly astounded me. And my camera was in the hold.

[tony gale's mic]

Seeing lightning from above is pretty incredible.

[den]

Bacup Blue's comments about how wonderful the Alps look seen from the air set me wondering about the most spectacular sights to be seen when flying.

A lad I used to work with saw his own a**e on a flight home from Teneriffe!

They had a Decompression at 35000ft. That meant, that without any warning whatsoever, they went vertically downwards for just over 4 miles. Oxygen masks came down, everyone screaming 'n all that.

He's never flown since.

[stuwilky]

They plummeted 20000 feet?!

Nice way to calm a nervous flyer den!

[den]

They plummeted 20000 feet?!

Nice way to calm a nervous flyer den!

Sorry Stu, but yeah, they dropped 4 miles vertically, pretty much straight down. It was in the daily mirror at the time.

It was a "controlled descent" apparently. In a decompression the aircraft must quickly get down to a level where the air pressure is close to normal. However, the pilot doesn't give warnings to passengers on these occassions because, as I said, it's vital that he gets as low as possible, as quick as possible. So, the passengers basically think they are gonna die. My mate tried to get compensation from the airline afterwards, but the reply was that it was "normal procedure" in these instances.

Don't really like flying myself TBH.

Sorry Philip, well off topic.

[whittle blue]

My mate tried to get compensation from the airline afterwards, but the reply was that it was "normal procedure" in these instances.

(Still off topic)

Why would he want compensation, Den? Did he lose money or something? Does money make it less scary?

[stuwilky]

Sorry Stu, but yeah, they dropped 4 miles vertically, pretty much straight down. It was in the daily mirror at the time.

It was a "controlled descent" apparently. In a decompression the aircraft must quickly get down to a level where the air pressure is close to normal. However, the pilot doesn't give warnings to passengers on these occassions because, as I said, it's vital that he gets as low as possible, as quick as possible. So, the passengers basically think they are gonna die. My mate tried to get compensation from the airline afterwards, but the reply was that it was "normal procedure" in these instances.

Don't really like flying myself TBH.

Sorry Philip, well off topic.

I dont doubt it. It just scares the hell out of me. And Im flying soon, 4 times in 6 days.

Nb - I also recall the view landing at Mascot Airport Sydney, landing in a thunder storm, with plenty of lightning, where the runway juts out into the water. It was amazing.

[MCMC1875]

Once flew over an electric storm over The Pyrenhees. That was pretty spectacular.

[den]

(Still off topic)

Why would he want compensation, Den? Did he lose money or something? Does money make it less scary?

He and the rest of the passengers [they, all got together afterwards] wanted compensation for their frightening experience, that's all.

It's quite a few years ago and I've never heard a similar tale since.

[DanLad]

Coming back from Menorca this June we had a beautiful night for flying, not a cloud in sight between the Med and Blackpool...And my camera was in the hold.

Unless you had a very expensive camrea it wouldn't have come out anyway. You'd need an absolute ton of flash.

[JC4LAB]

Like Mount Ararat the view of Mount Fuji is similar and is my favourite..

[DanLad]

OT again, scary plane experiences...

Flying into Chicago O'Hare in a storm. We were told we'd be the last plane landing and no more were going to be setting off for a good while, due to the weather conditions. The plane was all over the place, huge gusts of wind flinging it around. They ain't kidding about the windy city! There were people literally panicking and screaming at the top of their lungs. Bordering on mayhem!

The captain, to calm us all down presumably, announced that there were gusts of wind and cross winds up to 35 knots, but not to worry because the plane was designed to withstand up to 40 knots. (I can't remember the exact figures) I commented wryly 'Well, that's alright then!' Some of the other passengers virtually rioted at that stage!

We did manage to get down safely although we were all over the place for the full descent. Whoever was piloting, whether the computer or the captain/co-pilot, it was an amazing job. I don't think we should have been landing in it, TBH, but there you go. Next flight didn't land or leave for 6 hours until it had blown over.

I was a very nervous flyer before this, but this helped immensely. If they could land it in that it proved how durable a plane and pilot were. (I try to ignore these instances where wings just fall off planes as that does somewhat ruin my comfort zone!)

Edit - typos

[SAS]

I once had an aborted take off, about 10 meters from landing, due to another vehicle on the runway.

Again the pilot made no announcement, just a huge roar and sharp ascent, papped myself, never been confident flying since.

[JC4LAB]

Once had a flying lesson..Never again..Lost sight of the Horison for the first time.and went green.Never been as Tom dick..even more than when Burnley came up

[American]

OT again, scary plane experiences...

Flying into Chicago O'Hare in a storm. We were told we'd be the last plane landing and no more were going to be setting off for a good while, due to the weather conditions. The plane was all over the place, huge gusts of wind flinging it around. They ain't kidding about the windy city! There were people literally panicking and screaming at the top of their lungs. Bordering on mayhem!

Cliff Claven mode: Little known fact: Chicago is actually known as the Windy City because of its windbag politicians.

[Flopsy]

He and the rest of the passengers [they, all got together afterwards] wanted compensation for their frightening experience, that's all.

It's quite a few years ago and I've never heard a similar tale since.

A Japenese plane flew through a cloud of Volcanic ash, which clogged the engines and stopped them. Therefore the plane went into a unpowered glide (jumbos glide as well as bricks i'm told) and was in this descent for near 5 minutes, passengers had time to write farewell letters and wills, before luckily the engines cleared and they managed to restart.

Can you imagine?

I used to fly with the ATC and then with the airforce at Uni, came within 100m of being hit by an RAF hawk coming into land at Leeming, and my first solo in a Cesna ended up with me landing in a crosswind gusting above limits. the phrase Adrenaline is the brown smelly stuff found in your pants was pretty true that time

[GiddyGoat]

I flew over the Sahara en route to Jo'burg. It was staggeringly beautiful. The variety of landscapes was a real surprise.

[Hughesy]

Off topic - but on Plane experiences. Flew through a nasty thunderstorm and hail storm.

It was that bad that the place was trying to get above the clouds/ hail/ storm for about 10 minutes (probably shorter but felt that way).

The hail was massive and the lightening was crazy, we then heard a massive bang (like a gun going off) and a shot of light. When it all calmed down, the crew found a massive hole and black mark at the back of the cabin after lightening had struck all the way through the plane.

It was awesome.

[philipl]

Hong Kong's old Kai Tak Airport.

Was great fun having a window seat on the right hand side looking forwards; as the plane banked to align for the runway, it felt like you were looking upwards at the washing hanging in the blocks of flats.

[only2garners]

Hong Kong's old Kai Tak Airport.

Was great fun having a window seat on the right hand side looking forwards; as the plane banked to align for the runway, it felt like you were looking upwards at the washing hanging in the blocks of flats.

I can well remember taking off from Kai Tak in the dark - scary and awe inspiring in equal measure. On the same trip in 1982 we were flying from Xian to Guangzhou and we stopped for lunch somewhere (that in itself a throwback). While we were to take off again a thunderstorm appeared and the plane before us took off and then came back down in front of our eyes - not an event to inspire confidence in then state run chinese airlines.

Flying from Trivandrum to Chennai in India this February our landing was aborted at probably two feet from the tarmac. Never did find out why but must have been something on the ground because our plabne appeared to land again fine.

Best of all though was flying back from Aberdeen to Manchester one Sunday afternoon, straight over Ewood!

[MCMC1875]

I can well remember taking off from Kai Tak in the dark - scary and awe inspiring in equal measure. On the same trip in 1982 we were flying from Xian to Guangzhou and we stopped for lunch somewhere (that in itself a throwback). While we were to take off again a thunderstorm appeared and the plane before us took off and then came back down in front of our eyes - not an event to inspire confidence in then state run chinese airlines.

Flying from Trivandrum to Chennai in India this February our landing was aborted at probably two feet from the tarmac. Never did find out why but must have been something on the ground because our plabne appeared to land again fine.

Best of all though was flying back from Aberdeen to Manchester one Sunday afternoon, straight over Ewood!

Many Manchester bound flights circle over Ewood - is there a beacon on Revidge?