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Cracked windshield on BD61 today (28 June)

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Cracked windshield on BD61 today (28 June)

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Old Jun 28, 2011, 3:11 pm
  #1  
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Cracked windshield on BD61 today (28 June)

Hi all,

I was on BD61 EDI-LHR today, G-DBCF. After leaving about 1 hour late due to late aircraft arrival and slot restrictions at LHR, we took off.

Just after the service ended, the captain instructed all cabin crew to stow carts and discontinue service. We then descended to 10000 feet. Seat belt signs were switched on.

We were told 70 miles out of LHR that there was a crack in the windshield and that there will be fire engines, ambulances and police cars along the runway, and that we would be continuing on to LHR.

We had quite a bumpy/bouncy landing, taxied off the runway to a stand near gate 20, and disembarked by bus. Police boarded the aircraft.

The crack was quite huge.

Well done to the cabin crew (especially the Italian flight supervisor) and pilots for handling it professionally though, however it would have been nicer to know about it earlier in the flight, when it happened. I was expecting a big area of turbulence to be the cause for the service end...
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Old Jun 28, 2011, 3:36 pm
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Get any pictures or any idea if the crack was caused by something hitting it?

Not a discarded mobile phone by chance?
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Old Jun 28, 2011, 3:39 pm
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Yes, I took a picture of the crack from the top of the stairs - don't know how to upload it though...

A passenger gave the Flight Supervisor his iPhone to take to the cockpit but the pilots denied the photo

No information was given to the origin of the crack.

Could be a BA 734 threw another phone out the window in flight and it made its way to DBCF
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Old Jun 28, 2011, 3:51 pm
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You'd better get that photo over to the Daily Mail ASAP!
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Old Jun 29, 2011, 2:06 am
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G-DBCF has taken off this morning to TXL. Wonder how long it takes to fit in a new windshield - and aren't there any tests to do?
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Old Jun 29, 2011, 2:07 am
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Originally Posted by BA6501
however it would have been nicer to know about it earlier in the flight, when it happened. I was expecting a big area of turbulence to be the cause for the service end...
Not sure many would find that news any more calming than the thought of some heavy turbulence about to happen...

Glad all ended well.
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Old Jun 29, 2011, 2:12 am
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Well it did seem a little awkward - "cabin crew discontinue service and stow carts immediately" followed by seat belt signs on and noticeable (but not sharp) descent. The Flight Supervisor also was 'rearranging' the oxygen supplies in the closet in front of 1ABC.
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Old Jun 29, 2011, 5:18 am
  #8  
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Now on the Aviation Herald:

http://avherald.com/h?article=43ee9e63&opt=1
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Old Jun 29, 2011, 5:33 am
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Glad everyone was ok. Maybe the crack was caused by the pilot chucking one of bmi's sandwiches at the window?
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Old Jun 29, 2011, 5:40 am
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Originally Posted by rajsbasi
Glad everyone was ok. Maybe the crack was caused by the pilot chucking one of bmi's sandwiches at the window?


Had the delight (just before the incident) of a "Cheese with tomato" which tasted like cheese with strawberry jam.
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Old Jun 29, 2011, 5:55 am
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Why would the police board the plane??
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Old Jun 29, 2011, 6:08 am
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Originally Posted by BA6501
Well it did seem a little awkward - "cabin crew discontinue service and stow carts immediately" followed by seat belt signs on and noticeable (but not sharp) descent. The Flight Supervisor also was 'rearranging' the oxygen supplies in the closet in front of 1ABC.
Not sure why you thought it was a little awkward. On a day like yesterday I would have NOT found it awkward or strange considering the weather we were experiencing across the UK. It is normal that when there is heavy turbulence or storms the captain would decide to climb or make a descent to avoid too much impact on the flight, the discontinued service, stowing of trolleys and seat belt signs switched on would be common in this case.

In this case it wasn't weather or turbulence but it was the flight crews duty to keep everyone calm, so why should they have announced it earlier? It would have only made every panic more during the flight which can make an emergency much more diificult to handle.
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Old Jun 29, 2011, 6:21 am
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Originally Posted by Alt
Why would the police board the plane??
Just one policeman boarded and went directly into the cockpit.
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Old Jun 29, 2011, 6:22 am
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Originally Posted by sugababe
Not sure why you thought it was a little awkward. On a day like yesterday I would have NOT found it awkward or strange considering the weather we were experiencing across the UK. It is normal that when there is heavy turbulence or storms the captain would decide to climb or make a descent to avoid too much impact on the flight, the discontinued service, stowing of trolleys and seat belt signs switched on would be common in this case.

In this case it wasn't weather or turbulence but it was the flight crews duty to keep everyone calm, so why should they have announced it earlier? It would have only made every panic more during the flight which can make an emergency much more diificult to handle.
Maybe awkward wasn't the correct word then...
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Old Jun 29, 2011, 6:27 am
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Originally Posted by BA6501
Maybe awkward wasn't the correct word then...
I suppose its human nature that when things don't follow in its usual way there becomes a feeling of unease. I completely understand how you may have felt.
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