At Gimli, the pilot executed a manoeuvre (forward slip) that he had never before attempted, even in a glider (he was a glider pilot), or in simulation, and executed it perfectly - without the use of most of his instruments. If he didn't execute it perfectly, there's a good chance that many to all of the people on board die.
I doubt he's never done a forward slip before. It's a required manoeuvre to pass both the glider and private pilot flight tests. It's certainly something he'd probably never done in a large commercial jetliner, but all pilots (ESPECIALLY glider pilots) have experience performing forward slips.
Funny enough the same thing happened to me on a WestJet from Cal to Van. Flight was delayed an hour because a system was not working and "rebooting"
For some reason that did not scare me so bad. Really I think it is bad during a) take-off or b) turbulence.
Something about shaking in the air at 36,000 ft that makes me pucker up and hold tight
The scary part wasn't the "re-booting" part, it was the pilot implying that the plane's computer ran on Microsoft Windows (and I think Windows Me was the current version at that time).
Flying doesn't really bother me. I don't like turbulence though, even though the rational part of my mind knows it's not a big deal.
The scary part wasn't the "re-booting" part, it was the pilot implying that the plane's computer ran on Microsoft Windows (and I think Windows Me was the current version at that time).
When Air Canada first introduced the Embraer 175 and 190 to the fleet they had a lot of computer problems that constantly forced delays due to reboots.
It still happens every now and then, I had it happen on a flight from YYC-YVR in December. Almost missed our connection to Maui (they held the Maui flight since about 3/4's of our flight was connecting to it).
I don't know if this would help everyone, but you could always go to a site like http://avherald.com/ that lists all accidents/incidents/occurrences that have happened on airliners. When you see just how rare fatal incidents are perhaps it could help?
I don't know if this would help everyone, but you could always go to a site like http://avherald.com/ that lists all accidents/incidents/occurrences that have happened on airliners. When you see just how rare fatal incidents are perhaps it could help?
I imagine most people who have an irrational (by their own admission) fear of flying probably won't be convinced otherwise by citing safety statistics.
Playing around on Flight Simulator helped me a bit. I used to get a little nervous before a flight, but learning about the navigation guides, autopilot and other safety systems all helped.
Location: A simple man leading a complicated life....
Exp:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crazy Bacon Legs
Ativan (Lorazepam) is also very addictive.
I would steer the hell away from it if was my call.
It's only addictive if you take them for a long period of time. Getting 3 or 4 pills to cover the flight there and back isn't going to do any harm. I've gotten them whenever i've had an MRI done (claustrophobia). The same when I have to fly over the ocean. Ativan is very effective at calming any anxiety a person has.
Mayday is wrong (possibly exaggerating the situation to heighten the drama). There's NO WAY someone could be a licensed glider pilot without ever having performed a forward slip. It's a manoeuvre you use constantly.
Also, as I posted above, your ability to properly execute a slip is something every glider and private pilot is evaluated on when completing a Transport Canada flight test.
"Johnson has never actually performed a sideslip (sic?) in a glider, but he's attempting one now... in a 767."
At about 3:30:
You have to take some of Mayday with a grain of salt. There is no way a glider pilot never did a forward slip before. Not to mention all the other flying he did before finally ending up at Air Canada.
The forward slip is another tool in the bag to lose altitude in a hurry when you need to.
Edit: What MarchHare said. I like the episode of Mayday that had Joey Jerimiah as one of the ATC guys. Too bad he wasn't wearing his fedora.
Mayday is wrong (possibly exaggerating the situation to heighten the drama). There's NO WAY someone could be a licensed glider pilot without ever having performed a forward slip. It's a manoeuvre you use constantly.
Also, as I posted above, your ability to properly execute a slip is something every glider and private pilot is evaluated on when completing a Transport Canada flight test.
Yeah, I should have clarified that it was merely what I had heard on Mayday, I didn't presume to say that it was true. It seems likely that a glider pilot would have to pull off such a slip fairly often, as they would be in the same position as the Gimli guys were in, too high to land safely on the runway, but too low to turn around, do a 360, and come back in.
Either way, it does go to show my point, that pilots are extremely well trained, and capable of executing uncommon procedures very well. They are trained to handle things going wrong.
Almost 100% of the time in large plane crashes, there are multiple major errors that occurred. Usually there has to be maintenance error AND pilot error. That's why we see so few disastrous crashes, since both of those things are very carefully checked these days.
It seems likely that a glider pilot would have to pull off such a slip fairly often, as they would be in the same position as the Gimli guys were in, too high to land safely on the runway, but too low to turn around, do a 360, and come back in.
Pretty much. I'd guess I've used a forward slip on approximately 20% of my landings in a glider (maybe more). In a powered aircraft, if you're coming in too high, you can just overshoot the runway, re-enter the circuit, and try again. In a glider, you only have one chance to land, so if you're too high, you need to quickly lose altitude without increasing your airspeed or changing direction. A forward slip is an ideal solution.
I also read that the FAA mandates that student pilots in the US have to learn how to perform a forward slip before their first solo flight in case they have an engine failure and effectively become a glider. I think it's the same in Canada, but I did my flight training 14 years ago and don't remember if I was taught slips before or after my first solo (I was already very familiar with the manoeuvre from my previous gliding experience either way). Learning how to slip was absolutely part of the private pilot training course, though, and I remember having to do one (on a simulated emergency landing where I had to glide my plane down without power) during my flight test.
I also have a healthy concern with flying, especially over water (they would never recover my beautiful corpse), the whole concept of it still seems amazing to me. But you have to remember that it is absolutely the safest way to travel. Statisically you can get on a commercial aircraft everyday for 1000 years and you probably won't crash. You definitely can't say the same about a car. Air Canada transports over 30 million passengers a year, and the last fatal accident was in 1983.
next ones waiting for you
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"we're going to win game 7," Daniel Sedin told the Vancpuver Sun.
I find flying the most peaceful experience. I fly about 60 times a year, and honestly, its out of my control. If the plane is going to crash, and I am going to die... So be it, I cant do anything to prevent it, I put my life in the pilots hands, and hope he/she knows what the are doing.
Its time for me to sit back, listen to my music, and not worry about anything. I pretty much turn my brain off until I land. I can sit in a chair 40,000feet in the air like a zombie. I love it.
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"we're going to win game 7," Daniel Sedin told the Vancpuver Sun.
According to my logbook from my glider pilot training, I was taught how to do slips very early in the program (flight #10). My first solo was flight #26, for comparison.
