Strangest Flights

[CAY017-Aharon]

Shalom and greetings all my pals,

How about starting this new post with your experiences of having flown on strangest flights you ever flew on or ever heard about them.

I will start with one of flights.

I was on flight from KLAS to KJFK flying through Texas and then north up toward Washington DC. The flight abroad 757-200W was pretty routine and smooth. I was watching DVD movie on my laptop while keeping eye on tv screen on back of seat showing the plane's flight progress.

Then I was taken back and puzzled when I noticed that the plane icon on the tv turned upside down and headed south as if my plane was going to Florida instead of KJFK. I asked other passengers if they heard anything about tvs being malfunctioned. They said no and I pointed to my tv screen showing the plane's south direction. They said it was because the pilots announced that KJFK was full without vacant gates and we had to do circling.

I watched on the tv plane going to south to North Carolina and back to Washington DC and back to North Carolina and back to DC and back to NC to the point I did not remember when was the last time I had been in DC and NC air space many times (4 times) !!! Then the plane started to circle around three times above DC which surprised me because I thought there were new laws about no flights above DC. Then finally the plane headed to KJFK and arrived there 90 minutes late.

Which surprised me more because I was wondering about HOW MUCH RESERVE FUEL IN EMERGENCY SITUATION that 757 plane had for KLAS to KJFK flight!!! When I got off the plane, I noticed the smiling Asian captain in front of cockpit door and I did not dare to ask him how much fuel he had left in the 757 because he would be too embarrassed to answer my question!!!

That is strange flight for all of you!!!!

Got any strange flight story? POST HERE!!

With warmest regards,

Aharon

[CAY792-William]

where do i begin..........

was on a BA744 from LHR to IAD and we were coming into IAD and the pilots asked for the flight attendants to be seated early as we may experience some bumps on the way into IAD.......

Wow was that an understatement! BUMPS!?!?!!

This B744 litterly shook and bounced up and down for 20 MINS!
I being a veteran traveller enjoyed the bumps but everyone around me was grabbing sick bags to hurl into as this plane was seriously bouncin! We would shake side to side while hitting little air pockets which would take the B744 up and then down very suddenly!

Now i have to say after 10 mins of this i was beggining to feel a bit pale also! I mean this was a 747 and it was litterly being thrown around in this turbulence! I thank god that i wasnt in a 737 or 757 as that would of been hell!!!

We got down no problem and i know a lot of people around me were delighted to be back on solid ground!

Went up to the flightdeck and spoke to the crew and said that they must of been having fun with that and they kind of looked at each other and said that didnt want to take another minute of it as they were struggling to keep control as they were nackered!! WOW! We all had a good laugh and got to know the crew and turned out a good move.......
on my way back to LHR, i had the same captain who arranged a little club world upgrade for me! Gotta love those beds!!!

Will always thank the capt for the experience and always when flying the Queen-y look out for his name on my next flight!

have more stories in my head so stay tuned!

[CAY017-Aharon]

Good story, William

PEOPLE please post strangest flights any of you ever flown on or ever heard of!!!

Aharon

[CAY253- Guy]

Hi chaps,

Great idea for a thread.thumbup I have had many wierd and wonderful experiences while flying but the one that sticks in my mind most was when I was 7/8 years old. It was when Island Air was still flying the Little Cayman/Cayman Brac Twin Otter (VP-CTO) service, before Cayman Airways Express brutally undercut them. .mat

Some friends had chartered a flight to Little Cayman for us all to get there for Easter Weekend. About half way through the flight Captain Chris Whit beckons for me to come up to the cockpit door, I duly obey and have a peek in but he then suddenly hoists me up on his lap and says 'How would you like to fly the plane?' I just nod eagerly (It was so loud he wouldn't have heard me anyway!) and he tells me to hold the yoke and 'keep that line straight' while pointing at the attitude indicator. Every now and then he tells me to turn left, turn right a bit gently. I was so small I couldn't even see over the panel but I kept my eyes fixed on that blue and orange ball! Eventually he tells me to stand up and look out of the windscreen and we are perfectly lined up with the runway! I then shuffle back to my seat, put my seatbelt back on and a few minutes later we landed!

It was such an amazing experience for an 8 year old and probably led to my fascination in all things aeronautical! I will never forget it!

[CAY017-Aharon]

Guy,

Good story!!!! Amazing experience!! Would never happen after 9/11.

Reminds me of Air Canada 767 from Toronto to Calgary flight that was few years before 9/11.

When I boarded the plane while passing the cockpit with its doors open on way to my seat, I asked pilots if I could take quick pictures of the cockpit. They said sure and the captain told me that I would not be seating in my passenger seat. I would be sitting in the seat behind the pilots during whole flight as long as I did not take pictures!!!!

I noticed first officer's (co-pilot) displeasure at the captain and got worried. I told the captain if it was against FAA and CAA (I did not know what was Canadian version of FAA) regulations for me to sit in the cockpit with them during the flight. I noticed the co-pilot's relieved expression when I asked the question that would benefit him. To my surprise, the captain said "Son, if I am the captain of this plane, it means I am in charge of this plane, not FAA or CAA." So I said no problem and sat watching taxiing, take off, flying, and landing". The co-officer resigned to accept the fact that I was sitting in the cockpit during the flight and was pleased that I was quiet and never bothered them while replying or talking only if they talked to me.

Aharon

[CAY253- Guy]

Aharon, that sounds awesome!

Another, rather unnerving flight I remember was when American Airlines still used the 727 on the GCM-MIA run, I was on my way back across the pond and had to catch the MIA-LHR flight the same day. We boarded normally, taxiied out but then went to the other end of the runway for takeoff, it was the beginning of a Nor'wester and the wind was exactly perpendicular (at 90 degrees to) the runway and was at about 20kts. We lined up and the engines spooled up but at about half throttle there was a very loud bang from just behind my head, about where engine #2 was. The pilot immediately cut the throttle, waited another 30 secs and then tried again, as before there was an almighty bang, passengers screamed and the pilot ended up taxiing the 727 back in to the terminal to be looked at by engineers. I remember my Dad saying that the middle engine was 'choking' and not getting enough air (known now as a compressor stall) because the wind wasn't going into the enigne the right way. I told him that maybe the pilot should throttle up facing the wind and pop a quick 90 degree turn and shoot off down the runway, I was quickly shut up and was told that it was rediculous! After 1/2 hour of sitting around, we taxiied out again, spooled up...Bang! By this time people were really getting fed up because we had now all missed our flight to London. After being inpected again at the gate we tried again but this time, sure enough, as I had said, the pilot spooled up engine #2 while facing into the wind, got up a good airflow, turned and gunned the other two engines. Finally we took off and went to MIA, we had missed our flight to LHR and had to fly up to JFK the next morning at about 4AM to get the day flight across. One was not amused. .mat

[CAY792-William]

Guy....
Very common with the Ole 727s or any aircraft with tail engines.

I had the exact same experience with the AAL727s on my way back into GCM! We were lined up on rwy12 at MIA, and the captain spooled up and then there was this very loud bang that came from the no 3 engine.
The aircraft stopped and then he just taxied over to rwy9L (now rwy8R) and headed off!
I was in First Class for this flight (gotta love AAdvantage!) and that bang was pretty loud up there!
The captain came on before our departure to tell us what had happened and he was very comforting to hear before we tried again for the takeoff! The x-wind was too much for rwy12 but easy for 09L!
We were soon airborne and the 727 upfront became its nickname.... the whisperjet!
Great thing about the front of these planes, you can only hear the wind around the plane and no engines!

[CAY017-Aharon]

Great stories, Guy and William,

Both of you taking about bang noise of the engines of 727 reminds me of very famous incident regarding 727 flight that I read about when I was little boy (I was NOT on this flight but read about it in newspapers and magazines).

A TWA 727 was cruising at about FL300 during flight between two Midwest cities (forgot the names) in perfect weather. Suddenly there was a loud bang noise in the engines and the plane lunged forward. The pilots noticed increase in speedometer and thought it must be tailwinds so they reduced throttle power but was puzzled and alarmed to see that the speedometer kept increasing toward mach 1. Pilots could not figure out how to stop the speed increase until this plane made history becoming first passenger jet airline plane to go supersonic since Concorde and then the 727 suddenly went into jet fighter style straight dive toward ground from FL300 still at supersonic speed while pilots tried everything to stop the supersonic dive such as flaps etc etc.

When ground was getting closer, the captain decided to act against rules by deploying landing gear at supersonic speed in last effort to pull out of dive and his trick worked. The plane stopped dive and assumed normal horizontal level flying in limp manner at 3,000 ft to nearest airport for emergency landing with the tail and wings missing their few parts.

After landing, passengers were offered seats in other flights but they refused preferring to take Greyhound buses or rented cars to finish their trips to their destinations.

FAA had no explanation for this. Boeing had no explanation too except their comment was "727 was built like bricks. That is why it survived supersonic deep dive".

Aharon

[CAY505- Tim]

Great stories, Guy and William,

Both of you taking about bang noise of the engines of 727 reminds me of very famous incident regarding 727 flight that I read about when I was little boy (I was NOT on this flight but read about it in newspapers and magazines).

A TWA 727 was cruising at about FL300 during flight between two Midwest cities (forgot the names) in perfect weather. Suddenly there was a loud bang noise in the engines and the plane lunged forward. The pilots noticed increase in speedometer and thought it must be tailwinds so they reduced throttle power but was puzzled and alarmed to see that the speedometer kept increasing toward mach 1. Pilots could not figure out how to stop the speed increase until this plane made history becoming first passenger jet airline plane to go supersonic since Concorde and then the 727 suddenly went into jet fighter style straight dive toward ground from FL300 still at supersonic speed while pilots tried everything to stop the supersonic dive such as flaps etc etc.

When ground was getting closer, the captain decided to act against rules by deploying landing gear at supersonic speed in last effort to pull out of dive and his trick worked. The plane stopped dive and assumed normal horizontal level flying in limp manner at 3,000 ft to nearest airport for emergency landing with the tail and wings missing their few parts.

After landing, passengers were offered seats in other flights but they refused preferring to take Greyhound buses or rented cars to finish their trips to their destinations.

FAA had no explanation for this. Boeing had no explanation too except their comment was "727 was built like bricks. That is why it survived supersonic deep dive".

Aharon

That dive was caused by two of the crew members pulling the breaker on the leading edge devices to get a high crusie speed at a higher altitude than they would have been able to maintain with the devices in the proper positions. The third crew member was not in on the deal and reset the circuit breaker without notifying the other two crew members. Breaker reset, the devices went to their commanded position (in). The wing immediately stalled and oversped at the same time as it was now out the front end and top end of the flight envelope at the same time. Lowering the gear altered their CG enough to allow the stall/spin recovery. Needless to say, while initially labeled as heros, once the details of the incident came to the forefront TWA was less than thrilled with the crew.

[CAY017-Aharon]

Shalom and greetings all my pals!!

Keep this thread going on!!!

My turn to tell the strangest flight story that I was NOT on the flight.

Many moon years ago when I was kid, I remembered reading amusing newspaper article about the bizarre airline incident.

There were two little kids without parents who were supposed to board a very short flight to Oakland, CA from KLAX or KSFO (do not remember which one airport but sure remember everything else including operative word short flight).

When the children boarded the plane but before entering into boarding gate and the plane, they asked in their words "Is this plane going to Oakland". The airline staff said yes and let them board the plane.

After the plane took off, a passenger sitting next to two kids said "It is going to be real very long flight" The kids replied "Long flight?? It is only to Oakland!!! The passenger thought the kids were just showing sense of humor.

Few minutes later, the kids found out they boarded the wrong plane which took off for 15 hour flight to AUCKLAND, New Zealand instead of short flight to Oakland, CA!!!!!

Embarrassed airline put the kids on first class for free on another plane for return trip to America from New Zealand.

True fact.

Oakland Auckland Sounds same

Aharon

[CAY505- Tim]

Shalom and greetings all my pals!!

Keep this thread going on!!!

My turn to tell the strangest flight story that I was NOT on the flight.

Many moon years ago when I was kid, I remembered reading amusing newspaper article about the bizarre airline incident.

There were two little kids without parents who were supposed to board a very short flight to Oakland, CA from KLAX or KSFO (do not remember which one airport but sure remember everything else including operative word short flight).

When the children boarded the plane but before entering into boarding gate and the plane, they asked in their words "Is this plane going to Oakland". The airline staff said yes and let them board the plane.

After the plane took off, a passenger sitting next to two kids said "It is going to be real very long flight" The kids replied "Long flight?? It is only to Oakland!!! The passenger thought the kids were just showing sense of humor.

Few minutes later, the kids found out they boarded the wrong plane which took off for 15 hour flight to AUCKLAND, New Zealand instead of short flight to Oakland, CA!!!!!

Embarrassed airline put the kids on first class for free on another plane for return trip to America from New Zealand.

True fact.

Oakland Auckland Sounds same

Aharon

Happens all the time. Passengers, for whatever reason, board the wrong aircraft without the gate agent catching it. Its harder to do now with the technolgy and security measures, but it still happens. Continental just loaded a UM to a wrong destination last month that made the news. It happens more frequently with adults for some reason. They just get on the wrong plane going to the wrong destination. What is even better is when folks buy tickets to the wrong destination. I can not tell you how many times folks have bought a ticket to "Montreal" expecting to arrive at Dorval only to arrive at Mirabel (no longer a problem as Mirabel was closed to passenger traffic.) Even better, folks going to "New York" and then complaining that you delivered them to the wrong airport. "I bought a ticket to Kennedey!" Sir, we do not fly to Kennedy only Newark and Laguardia. "Well I have a plane to catch whachu going to do about it?" The joys of dealing with public.

Better yet, folks that buy a ticket to "Springfield" and wonder why they ended up in Illinois rather than Missouri. Folks that buy tickets to "Charleston" and wonder why they ended up in West Virginia rather than South Carolina. They always demand that the airline fly them for free to their intended destination, but when they themselves bought the ticket to the wrong destination there is nothing that you can do. You can't fix stupid.pinch