jhayes_1780

Yes, it is correct.. at least according to the AH post acesairspeed cites:

kenhawk

HERE is a really well done summary of the incident, including transcripts of the ATC communication.

Once again, the calm, cool professionalism of these excellent United pilots show that UA's recruitment and training systems are among the best in the world. ^ to these professionals!

cmhua777

Years ago during my flight training my instructor and I were forced to make an emergency landing at an uncontrolled airport near the CA/AZ border. The landing was forced due to smoke in the cockpit of the small twin-engine prop I was flying. My instructor began troubleshooting the problem which eventually stopped after we shut one of the two engines down. It was the scariest moment in the sky for me and a memory that I will always have.

Though my experience was only 1/100 of what these two United pilots dealt with the other day, I know I was neither as calm or collected as these two professionals were. After listening to the ATC recording, I am just blown away at how "in control" the two pilots were despite the compounding problems and uncertainties.

These two pilots did one hell-of-a-job and have my strongest admiration for their pilotage. I can't wait to hear these pilots recount their story when they can and, hopefully, I will get to be a passenger with either one of these professionals in the future.

FiveMileFinal

What I want to know is what in the world caused that A320 to poop its pants so spectacularly. This isn't the first time that an Airbus twin has lost all or nearly all primary instruments on climbout (I can think of the BA A319 a few years back at the top of my head)...

aluminumdriver

Thanks for that. Looks like the crew did a great job!! ^ Part of why I value training and experience in my flight crew.

What is sad, is not a peep from Smisek or United congratulating the crew, pilots and FA's, on a job well done. SWA would be trumpeting their crews, like their rapid decompression incident. Crickets from WHQ. Guess you can't applaud the experience and skills of your pilots when you're outsourcing it to cheaper less experienced pilots as fast as you can.

AD

jhayes_1780

While I 100% agree, that noting seems to have been mentioned by WHQ (and I also think they should be specifically commended).

I do disagree that about the comparison to WN.... Seems silent there as well. I even looked at the press releases again..... nothing about the crew, good work, etc.

And just a thought.... and this is TOTALLY speculative: Maybe the crew doesn't want the attention?

lhrsfo

While this incident is huge in the UA world, the real world is obsessing about the WN incident, further WN minor incidents and the safety of Boeing 737s generally. This has flown under the press' radar (so to speak)and it's probably best that UA keeps it that way. It's also kind of nice to see WN pick up lots of flack rather than UA for a change.

kenhawk

Agreed. Both incidents are very serious. I'm surprised that more press attention hasn't been paid to the UA incident, given the apparent complete failure of the electronic systems on the Bus and the amazing work of the UA crew to bring it back to MSY during bad weather WITH a smoke filled cockpit, overweight, and without navigation.

SFO 1K

I personally think the UA incident was far more dire. Once you decompress a cabin and drop O2 and get to safe level for the pax to breathe, the rest of the flying would be fairly standard (I think).

OTOH, the UA situation was extremely serious and deteriorating quickly. Those pilots were AWESOME.

trapshooter85

+1

Taking nothing away from the WN crew, once you drop below the required altitude as long as the plane is still strucurally sound, which in this case it was, the landing should be uneventful. However, for the UA crew the act of landing the aircraft was far more dangerous, no electronics, full fuel, and minimal braking and steering, IMHO

booch

a hole in an aircraft makes for a better news story. not many folks likely realize the severity of the condition you describe (can't say i fully understand it myself beyond what i've read on FT). kudos to both crews.

trapshooter85

Very true, I guess I am kind of biased as I work with airplanes on a daily basis

kents

Agree completely.

I was on a Skywest CRJ700 a couple of years ago that had a cabin pressurization valve fail just as we were nearing cruise altitude. I thought that my usual gin & tonic was affecting me really well when I noticed the temperature drop - followed shortly by the masks.

After a few scary minutes and a great flight deck announcement (nothing else was broke), we were quickly descended to under 10,000' altitude and could take the masks off. After that was a very normal landing, except for the extra equipment at the end of the runway... I'd never heard it called "the rubber jungle" before (talked with the FO later)...

Anyhow, after looking at the transcript and recalling my CRJ700 incident, the two are very different.

Hats off to the fantastic job on UA497 - flight deck & cabin crew professionalism, exertise & experience, and training all shined.

worldtrav

April 4 United Daily had recognition and praise for the crew from Sr VP of Flight Operations.

aluminumdriver

Oh you mean the small blurb in an internal communications to United employees?

AD