Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Travel&Dining > TravelBuzz
Reload this Page >

White Knuckle Experiences in Flight

Community
Wiki Posts
Search

White Knuckle Experiences in Flight

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 23, 2011 | 12:02 am
  #16  
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 571
Following along with a previous poster’s shuttle bus experience, I was on a limo bus to NRT last week when the driver came to a *full stop* from highway speeds.

I was reading a newspaper when everyone on the bus lurched forward. Given that everyone was rather tense due to the situation in the country, it took a few seconds to realize that the driver had just been cut off.

Now I know why this is the first shuttle bus that’s insisted on seatbelts.
IAHRyan is offline  
Old Mar 23, 2011 | 2:38 am
  #17  
Moderator, Hilton Honors
Conversation Starter
All eyes on you!
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: on a short leash
Programs: some
Posts: 71,446
Landing at Wellington on a breezy day usually enables you to spot the visitors (people turning green) from the locals (nonchalant).
Kiwi Flyer is offline  
Old Mar 23, 2011 | 7:03 am
  #18  
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 2,324
Apprehension about landing in Saint-Barthélemy
Kohoutek is offline  
Old Mar 23, 2011 | 8:43 am
  #19  
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: DEN
Programs: JMB Diamond, Hilton Silver, UAL
Posts: 251
Flying from EWR-->ORD several years ago, I was seated over the right side wing. About 5 minutes after taking off, there was a loud bang and flames shot from one of the engines on that wing. The woman in the row in front of me screamed, which was worse than the bang & flames itself. The pilot came on and said that we were heading back to Newark. They had the emergency crews out for us there, but we landed safely and uneventfully.

My brother worked for one of the major jet engine manufacturers at the time on their test stand and said that this was likely a compressor stall.
rochel is offline  
Old Mar 23, 2011 | 2:28 pm
  #20  
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,856
Being on final approach into LAS and having to pee worse than I could ever remember having too. I was gripping the armrests and praying we wouldn't have to wait on our gate once we landed and cursing myself for drinking so many sodas. I walked off the plane as fast as I could while dealing with the pain.

A worse experience than any turbulence I've been through.
CMK10 is offline  
Old Mar 23, 2011 | 2:36 pm
  #21  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
20 Countries Visited
30 Countries Visited
2M
15 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Democratic People's Republic of the UK
Programs: Lifetime Gold, Global Entry, Hertz PC, and my wallet
Posts: 21,938
The Virgin flight to Las Vegas has run out of Stella Artois now on two ocassions with about 4 hours flying time left.
Silver Fox is offline  
Old Mar 23, 2011 | 2:48 pm
  #22  
10 Countries Visited
20 Countries Visited
30 Countries Visited
15 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 226
Originally Posted by scubadiver
A normal landing at Saba, the world's shortest commercial runway.

The twin Otter Glides in, wingtip practically striking sparks from the cliff face. Reverse pitch, full throttle while still in the air. Stall warning sounds, wheels hit, end of runway coming up. And stop. Feet to spare.
My hubby went to Saba to do some scuba diving and he said it was the smallest runways he has ever seen. I think the landing scared him some, not that he will ever say it did.
jiffer21225 is offline  
Old Mar 23, 2011 | 7:50 pm
  #23  
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: N. Virginia
Programs: Mileage Plus,Marriott Rewards,Priority Club,Hilton HHonors
Posts: 135
Just watch....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHmrcCfdZFM

Also fun to fly out of.
Foxhat is offline  
Old Mar 23, 2011 | 8:02 pm
  #24  
jyh
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: South Louisiana
Posts: 193
Easily DAL/HOU or SEA/DEN

I can't remember the year but flying a Braniff 707 from old Love Field to Houston Hobby through notorious Texas thunderstorms was as bad as I've ever experienced.

We were at least two hours late leaving Dallas and the attendants served drinks while we sat on the runway (when was the last time you ever had that experience, if ever) for two hours. We took off to the north and I do not recall ever feeling turning south to Houston because it was so turbulent you couldn't tell banking from flipping sideways lol.

Second would be a Continental 727 from Seattle over the rockies to Denver. Nuff said. I was a smoker in those days and you could smoke. I had to borrow a cig from my seat mate as I ran out

I'd put those two up against flying through a Typhoon into Fiju anyday on old Pan Am on way to Sydney.
jyh is offline  
Old Mar 23, 2011 | 10:33 pm
  #25  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
10 Countries Visited20 Countries Visited30 Countries Visited15 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Somewhere between here and there...
Programs: WWF, Appalachian Mountain Club
Posts: 11,595
Originally Posted by scubadiver
A normal landing at Saba, the world's shortest commercial runway.

The twin Otter Glides in, wingtip practically striking sparks from the cliff face. Reverse pitch, full throttle while still in the air. Stall warning sounds, wheels hit, end of runway coming up. And stop. Feet to spare.
My favorite flight yet. It's not a pretty landing. Get it on the runway, make i stop before arriving at the other end.
tkey75 is offline  
Old Mar 23, 2011 | 11:45 pm
  #26  
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Everywhere
Programs: AAdvantage; Wyndham Rewards
Posts: 35
About mid-flight in a Beech 1900 over the sea. Raining. Late evening/Night. Everything is pretty much fine. A little bumpy on take-off but everythings is OK, till the plane decides to drop. Not sure how much feet it was but it felt significant. The pilots climb (with the wings banked a bit to the left) then we drop again, then we climb again. Every female on board crying or praying out loud or both.

Older guy up in the front seat tells the pilots to speed up because "they're crying in the back there"
nano404 is offline  
Old Mar 24, 2011 | 8:50 am
  #27  
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Annapolis, MD
Programs: DL UA
Posts: 40
Flight from MSY to DTW last December after the first snow of the season. Flight was delayed a couple of hours and then we had to circle the airport a couple of times before landing. The runway was not completely free of ice/snow and we proceeded to fishtail down the runway...at least we were slowing down. Caught my connecting flight to BWI and after sitting on the tarmac for a couple of hours, we proceeded to takeoff. The runway STILL hadn't been completely cleared of snow/ice ,and we fishtailed down the runway as we were speeding up on the runway to takeoff. I thought the plane was going to careen out of control. My travel buddy looked at me wide eyed during the takeoff completely speechless. So glad to make it off the ground.
mrscherry2000 is offline  
Old Mar 24, 2011 | 10:07 am
  #28  
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Toronto
Programs: SPG LT Plat, Hilton G,Priorty Club G, AC E
Posts: 2,979
Had 2....

...one was flying from YVR-NRT...we hit some nasty turbulance, and my belt was loose...when we dropped I hit the belt so hard my gut was sore for 3-4 days....others went flying and a lady waiting to get into the loo hit her head on the roof...there were drinks/food even bags popped out of the overhead....lots of fun.
...two was Thunder Bay - Toronto (too lazy to look up Thunder Bay code) in mid winter.
YYZ wasn't accepting flights due to bad weather so we were forced to land in Sudbury in almost as bad weather.
...we make a couple of attempts and pull up just before touch down.
...third attempt wheels down and we start to slide (just like black ice in your car)...captain quickly tells people to get in crash position as you can feel the plane sliding.
...runway runs out we keep going over snow until we run into a fence, but we were slowed down by the snow so it was just kind of a thud when we hit the fence.
....hi-lite was they brought a big tractor with a rope to drag us back onto the runway (love small town airports).
...so mid winter they brought out the steps, we walked outside in -20 weather and proceeded into the terminal...and I got a free night in beautiful downtown sudbury
HomerJ is offline  
Old Mar 24, 2011 | 10:04 pm
  #29  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,096
Originally Posted by CMK10
Being on final approach into LAS and having to pee worse than I could ever remember having too. I was gripping the armrests and praying we wouldn't have to wait on our gate once we landed and cursing myself for drinking so many sodas. I walked off the plane as fast as I could while dealing with the pain.

A worse experience than any turbulence I've been through.
I wonder about that each time I see people chugging big sodas in the terminal. An ounce of prevention.....
pinworm is offline  
Old Mar 24, 2011 | 10:13 pm
  #30  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
All eyes on you!
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: n.y.c.
Posts: 14,059
Originally Posted by idriveuride
I was a JS, the last person to get off the a/c and my colleagues up front exited with me.
JS means a "Junior Something" ?
nerd is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.