readywhenyouare

This is fake news. Everyone on the FT Delta forum says the 737-900 is a dog of an aircraft and needs a million miles of runway to takeoff and land in even the best of weather. Most here would have preferred to stay and face Irma rather than squeeze into the awful 739.

But in all honestly if you want to thank someone, thank Boeing. They build the finest aircraft in the sky and it is very possible that with such bad weather this was an autoland.

DeepUnderground

The weather conditions the aircraft landed and departed in can be found everyday throughout the US...

flyerCO

+1. Was great on DL part to help get people out. However their was nothing death defining or heroic about this. The plane was operated within it's limits, using advance technology. (Autopilot, Navigation and weather) The plane was being flown no different then normal, except with likely more heading/altitude changes then normal. Saying this was "heroic" or "brave" 1)does a disservice to the terms, and 2)ignores the fact that pilots don't put people lives at risk trying to be heroic and brave. The people on the flight out weren't going to die if left behind.

+100 to the pilots, crew and DL for getting the people out. However lets not overblow this, they did so simply for one reason, it was SAFE to operate the flight.

wolf72

Wholly agree. Given the devastation being seen from St. Marteen's, I for one would think the 170 people who got out would be so thankful for being evacuated out just in time.

Out of my Element

I'm not sure what the devastation in St. Marteen has to do with the damage in Puerto Rico, other than they both came from the same storm. Puerto Rico took a terrible hit from the storm but not nearly the same magnitude.

It's great some flights got out. This story is not going to be the subject of a Major Motion Picture or even a Lifetime Movie.

Grogs

If they decide to make one, they can just use the scene from the movie "2012" where the plane is taking off as the runway collapses beneath it.

pvn

It's amazing JetBlue was able to operate in these conditions without the amazing capabilities only found on Boeing aircraft

Down3Green

Autoland is meant to be used in foggy but otherwise relatively calm conditions. Many autoland systems have a crosswind limitation of around 15 knots, making them all but useless in the hurricane/tropical storm force winds and wouldn't even be a consideration.

Having said that, I would agree that a lot of the comments regarding this flight are over the top. I actually operated the last DL flight in and out of MCO last year before ops shutdown as Matthew approached. Thunderstorms are pretty much thunderstorms with the hazards of heavy rain, windshear and turbulence regardless of whether they are part of a strong spring cold front in the plains, an afternoon southern build up, or a tropical storm. in fact I'll say that it was an actual bonus that the outer bands sweep over the field so quickly that we didn't even have to hold long.

danielonn

Kudos to the pilot who did a courageous act. I can only fathom how scary it must have been to maneuver the plane in heavy winds.

wolf72

What aircraft do Jet Blue use?

A reliable, modern aviation company?

wolf72

I tend to agree. Bravery is measured by those who witness it and not by comments from those who are jealous of the deeds of others willing to put their lives on the line to save those in dire need to escape a cat 5 super hurricane, the likes the world has not seen in a very long time.

readywhenyouare

I dated a girl who was an aerobatics pilot. Landing during a thunderstorm is child's play compared to the stunts she did. She is still no hero though. There was nothing brave or heroic about landing at SJU. Airline pilots are not suicidal. People please....

wolf72

Why did you not marry her? How did you let her go?

Remember that Katy Perry song "The one that got away?"

Yes, it's a shame she never flew into the eye of the storm. Never had lives to worry about. Never had to make pint-point decisions that put lives on the line but did so because of a higher calling.

readywhenyouare

Please stop and listen to yourself. These pilots would not have accepted a flight where they thought their lives might be in danger. Delta would never dispatch a flight where they thought their aircraft or passengers might be in danger. It simply wouldn't happen. The weather was within operation standard so the flight was dispatched. Had the weather deteriorated on the way the flight would have either been turned around or diverted to a safe airport. This flight was never in any danger. If it was then Delta would be facing severe consequences f
rom the FAA.

Higher calling? Airline pilots respond to paychecks. Nothing more.

wolf72

But other airliners under advice from the company team monitoring the weather conditions and movement of the Hurricane opted to turn their aircraft around whilst Delta carried on, with advice from their team.

These are decisions that are done as a team. A unit. Trust in your team and year's and year's of experience in weather monitoring; advanced avionics and the pilot's experience in these difficult situations. A very good aircraft you can depend on.

They did the deed. You didn't.