Worst take-off - internal flight Nairobi to Mombassa. The runway resembled a ploughed field and everything in the plane was rattling as it struggled to lift-off.
Worst landing, a couple. Ariving in Funchal the approach heads straight towards a mountain and the plane veers to the right at the last minute. Standard practice apparently! Landing in Gibraltar - plane touches down, pilot realises that he's touched down too far down and will run out of room (into the sea at the end!), full throttle applied and off into the air again.
Funchal and Gibratar are two of the most challenging approaches in Europe, and only certified and specifically trained pilots are allowed to use them. Funchal because of wind shear and what was once a very short runway (but which has now been extended on stilts) and Gibraltar also because of wind shear (air swirls off the rock), and the nature of the runway (sea at both ends and a public road going across the middle of it).
Yes, I’ve had flights to Gibraltar diverted to Malaga due to a replacement pilot not being qualified to land at Gib.
I'd imagine many days in Gib for you...worse places to go to for work.
Yes I like it in Gib - I don't think I could work there permanently but short trips are good. Mind you it felt like I spent more time out there last year than in the UK!
The old airport in Eilat made an interesting place to take off and land. They had to close the road at the end of the runway. Soldiers with guns and tyre shredders.
Taking off from Jersey in a jet when prop aircraft was normal. We'd had lunch at the same hotel as the crew. We could see the yellow air taxis taking off and being blown away. The pilot said "We won't be getting out today with the winds as they are". When we got to the airport it turned out they'd sent down a jet. We took off in a steep climb. The pilot then announced that was the only way we would leave the island.
My worst landing was at London City Airport. The flight from Dublin was after a rugby weekend and we were in a small Saab jet and the crosswinds were very strong. As we came into land the wind caught us and the wheels on one side hit the ground several seconds before the other side. We had veered towards the water and could see the rescue crew in their speedboat in the dock.
Kai Tak was always quite exciting. You flew between office buildings and could see whether staff were using Outlook, Excel or Word on their computer as you flew past the window.
The second most frightening experience, flying from Miami to Lima on an American Airlines flight in 2009. The flight is about 5 1/2 hours long. We had been flying for about 4 hours, when the pilot came on the intercom and said we were going to be making an emergency landing at Montego Bay. One of the engines had developed a fault and that for the last 2 hours, unbeknown to us, we had been flying in a large circle as he dumped fuel while trying to find somewhere to land!! I was in a seat by the emergency exits and where the cabin crew sit during take-off and landing, as we were making the final approach the stewardess's sitting opposite me, started 'crossing themselves', which put the fear of god in me!!! I was thinking we're in serious trouble here, and broke out in a clammy sweat!! As we hit the runway, there were loads of fire trucks lining the runway and as we moved along they started following us with all lights flashing!!! We finally came to a halt on the outskirts of the airport. Thinking we would now disembark I got ready to move, when the bloody pilot came on the intercom again and said because we were an unscheduled landing we didn't have permission to disembark and now that the plane was safe we had to stay where we were while the ground crew looked to fix the bloody problem with the engine!! Now that was a scary experience that's for sure!
As they say, any landing you can walk away from is a good landing.
So our worst was one that didn't actually happen. We were coming into Gatwick, wheels down, flaps down, maybe 20, 30ft above the runway, 'plane moving all over the place in the wind, the pilot obviously didn't fancy it so full power applied, back on the stick, and up we went. Not something the pilot would have done lightly as there's a fair chance of not having enough lift I understand but he/she obviously thought it was a safer bet than touching down almost sideways on.
Flying back from the Guernsey International chess tournament, we were over Southampton when the pilot came on the intercom. Mumble, mumble, engine, mumble, mumble, turning round, mumble, mumble. I looked out a window, saw the prop going round as expected. I looked out a window the other side, saw the prop pretty much stationery.
Why we had to go back to Guernsey when there's an airport at Southampton and we were closer to Gatwick than Guernsey I don't know, but suspect it was because they didn't fancy taking up the runway at a big airport with an emergency landing. We came down at Guernsey with two fire engines and a few ambulances chasing us along the runway. Very reassuring, NOT.
As they say, any landing you can walk away from is a good landing.
So our worst was one that didn't actually happen. We were coming into Gatwick, wheels down, flaps down, maybe 20, 30ft above the runway, 'plane moving all over the place in the wind, the pilot obviously didn't fancy it so full power applied, back on the stick, and up we went. Not something the pilot would have done lightly as there's a fair chance of not having enough lift I understand but he/she obviously thought it was a safer bet than touching down almost sideways on.
Have no worries on that front - goarounds relatively common and there is always enough thrust available to do so...
Flying back from the Guernsey International chess tournament, we were over Southampton when the pilot came on the intercom. Mumble, mumble, engine, mumble, mumble, turning round, mumble, mumble. I looked out a window, saw the prop going round as expected. I looked out a window the other side, saw the prop pretty much stationery.
Why we had to go back to Guernsey when there's an airport at Southampton and we were closer to Gatwick than Guernsey I don't know, but suspect it was because they didn't fancy taking up the runway at a big airport with an emergency landing. We came down at Guernsey with two fire engines and a few ambulances chasing us along the runway. Very reassuring, NOT.
Probably because thats where that airlines maintenance base is. It would have been deemed safe to fly back on the power available. If there was any hint of a critical situation you would have landed at the nearest available airport.
Edit ps apologies, not pulling your posts apart, I appreciate that anything not normal on an aeroplane is worrying..
Turned up at London City for a flight to Jersey on the first day the airport reopened after the World Trade Centre attack. We were about to board the plane (they had already confiscated my wife's nail scissors from her make up bag), when we were asked to evacuate the building.
We had to walk outside the airport and were directed towards a warehouse about ten minute walk from the terminal. There we hung around for an hour and a half while they checked the airport. Eventually we return.
We went straight to the plane where we were boarded. None if us had tickets as we had already handed them in previously. Off to the end of the runway and the pilot comes on the tannoy " Because of the New York incident we are unable to fly within a mile of Canary Wharf, so you may experience a sharper turn than normal after take off, do not be alarmed".
Off we go, leap rapidly into the air, and climbing sharply barrel turned away from Canary Wharf at a very sharp angel. Many passengers looked ashen and were gripping seat backs and arm rests. "Sorry about that said" the pilot.
Touch wood - have only had one slightly scary experience. December ‘04, taking off from Copenhagen going to London (don't remember which airport). Pilot aborted takeoff - resulted in a 3 or 4 hours delay and meant I missed our win against Everton (2-0 El Karkouri and Hreidarsson).
Turned up at London City for a flight to Jersey on the first day the airport reopened after the World Trade Centre attack. We were about to board the plane (they had already confiscated my wife's nail scissors from her make up bag), when we were asked to evacuate the building.
We had to walk outside the airport and were directed towards a warehouse about ten minute walk from the terminal. There we hung around for an hour and a half while they checked the airport. Eventually we return.
We went straight to the plane where we were boarded. None if us had tickets as we had already handed them in previously. Off to the end of the runway and the pilot comes on the tannoy " Because of the New York incident we are unable to fly within a mile of Canary Wharf, so you may experience a sharper turn than normal after take off, do not be alarmed".
Off we go, leap rapidly into the air, and climbing sharply barrel turned away from Canary Wharf at a very sharp angel. Many passengers looked ashen and were gripping seat backs and arm rests. "Sorry about that said" the pilot.
Take offs from London City Airport are always fairly steep whilst turning away to reduce noise over surrounding areas.
Comments
Mind you it felt like I spent more time out there last year than in the UK!
Taking off from Jersey in a jet when prop aircraft was normal. We'd had lunch at the same hotel as the crew. We could see the yellow air taxis taking off and being blown away. The pilot said "We won't be getting out today with the winds as they are". When we got to the airport it turned out they'd sent down a jet. We took off in a steep climb. The pilot then announced that was the only way we would leave the island.
My worst landing was at London City Airport. The flight from Dublin was after a rugby weekend and we were in a small Saab jet and the crosswinds were very strong. As we came into land the wind caught us and the wheels on one side hit the ground several seconds before the other side. We had veered towards the water and could see the rescue crew in their speedboat in the dock.
So our worst was one that didn't actually happen. We were coming into Gatwick, wheels down, flaps down, maybe 20, 30ft above the runway, 'plane moving all over the place in the wind, the pilot obviously didn't fancy it so full power applied, back on the stick, and up we went. Not something the pilot would have done lightly as there's a fair chance of not having enough lift I understand but he/she obviously thought it was a safer bet than touching down almost sideways on.
Flying back from the Guernsey International chess tournament, we were over Southampton when the pilot came on the intercom. Mumble, mumble, engine, mumble, mumble, turning round, mumble, mumble. I looked out a window, saw the prop going round as expected. I looked out a window the other side, saw the prop pretty much stationery.
Why we had to go back to Guernsey when there's an airport at Southampton and we were closer to Gatwick than Guernsey I don't know, but suspect it was because they didn't fancy taking up the runway at a big airport with an emergency landing. We came down at Guernsey with two fire engines and a few ambulances chasing us along the runway. Very reassuring, NOT.
Edit
ps apologies, not pulling your posts apart, I appreciate that anything not normal on an aeroplane is worrying..
World Trade Centre attack. We were about to board the plane (they had already confiscated my wife's nail scissors from her make up bag), when we were asked to evacuate the building.
We had to walk outside the airport and were directed towards a warehouse about ten minute walk from the terminal. There we hung around for an hour and a half while they checked the airport. Eventually we return.
We went straight to the plane where we were boarded. None if us had tickets as we had already handed them in previously. Off to the end of the runway and the pilot comes on the tannoy " Because of the New York incident we are unable to fly within a mile of Canary Wharf, so you may experience a sharper turn than normal after take off, do not be alarmed".
Off we go, leap rapidly into the air, and climbing sharply barrel turned away from Canary Wharf at a very sharp angel. Many passengers looked ashen and were gripping seat backs and arm rests. "Sorry about that said" the pilot.
December ‘04, taking off from Copenhagen going to London (don't remember which airport).
Pilot aborted takeoff - resulted in a 3 or 4 hours delay and meant I missed our win against Everton (2-0 El Karkouri and Hreidarsson).