Flyby Causes Panic

Didn't look dangerous to me - just a go around. Years ago I was on a 727 landing in Worcester, MA. There was a fierce crosswind and the airport is in a high elevation. The pilot did a beautiful slip and touchdown. Most of the passengers were upset. The guy next to me thought we were going to die. This is back when pilots came to cockpit door to wish the departing passengers a good day. I said "really great slip" and the pilot just grinned and said "thanks".
 
The headline says, "Passengers scream in terror", but the story says it was people on an outdoor terrace that were "screaming out in fear".

Somebody better have been screaming in terror or the pilot did it wrong.
 
Controller didn't even spill coffee on his shirt. What a nothing burger.
 
Here's the really scary thing in that article:

"The total deficit of Air Berlin over 2016 was a staggering £707.5 million."​
 
Palmpilot said:
Here's the really scary thing in that article:

"The total deficit of Air Berlin over 2016 was a staggering £707.5 million."​
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"I told the CFO that those balloon payments were a really bad idea when putting the finance package together..."**

**not in the article I'm sure
 
The first video is excellent. Very graceful, and almost looks like it was done by a pilot who loves airplanes and flying. Its a shame that Germans have no sense of humor or fun. Buy that crew a maß of Oktoberfest.
 
I was looking for the video on YouTube. Came across this one which was celebrating some interesting landings.


Here's the buzz from a couple of views:

 
Like someone else said above this looked like a graceful and well controlled turn by someone who loves aviation and flying.. however, probably not the best idea for that kind of maneuver with pax on board. While it "was a go around" I think it is obvious that this was more as a farewell.. a go around would have had them climbing out, not gracefully sweeping across the airport maintaining altitude or just barely climbing. Also, keep in mind that the vast majority of the flying public assumes that airplanes are just one second away from disaster with pilots sitting in the front sweating bullets struggling to keep it together.. keeping that in mind the pilots could have opted for this maneuver without pax or just gone for a water cannon salute or something.. (now they know)

Lachlan said:
Its a shame that Germans have no sense of humor or fun
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I am pretty sure that would have been at least as problematic here too. Imagine if Continental tried that at ORD.. CNN would be running headlines that "cowboy pilot terrorizes passengers with stunt maneuvers" and people would be suing for emotional damage and various other perceived transgressions. Somehow the doctor that was dragged off the plane Russia would be involved in it

On a side note I always thought the wing waves Boeing does on their delivery flights is cool... there are some good ones on YouTube of 747-8s and 787s
 
Tantalum said:
Like someone else said above this looked like a graceful and well controlled turn by someone who loves aviation and flying.. however, probably not the best idea for that kind of maneuver with pax on board. While it "was a go around" I think it is obvious that this was more as a farewell.. a go around would have had them climbing out, not gracefully sweeping across the airport maintaining altitude or just barely climbing. Also, keep in mind that the vast majority of the flying public assumes that airplanes are just one second away from disaster with pilots sitting in the front sweating bullets struggling to keep it together.. keeping that in mind the pilots could have opted for this maneuver without pax or just gone for a water cannon salute or something.. (now they know)


I am pretty sure that would have been at least as problematic here too. Imagine if Continental tried that at ORD.. CNN would be running headlines that "cowboy pilot terrorizes passengers with stunt maneuvers" and people would be suing for emotional damage and various other perceived transgressions. Somehow the doctor that was dragged off the plane Russia would be involved in it

On a side note I always thought the wing waves Boeing does on their delivery flights is cool... there are some good ones on YouTube of 747-8s and 787s
Click to expand...
Keep in mind the airline is bankrupt. They are stopping all operations at the end of the month reportedly. The pilot saw an opportunity and took it. Perhaps the go-around exposed the pax to more risk than a flight with a single approach/landing. Can't deny that. Sorta difficult to say that a go-around was a lot of risk since it is a normal part of operations.
 
Clark1961 said:
I'ma guessing the guy knew the cards...
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Perhaps. I witnessed a Delta flight at ATL do something not quite as dramatic. It was the Capt's final flight. We were holding short of a taxiway for him I think and he did something else. My last flight I just didn't want to screw up, get back safely, and get the hell out. :D
 
Bill Jennings said:
So what did the DAL guy do?
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Dunno if I recall correctly, but may have landed on 27R instead of 27L, did max braking, and zoomed right into the ramp. Ground was holding us short of a taxiway down field Delta would have used. It was something like that but I think tower let it slide as there was no other traffic.
 
There was the America guy who did a low approach to Spruce Creek, 7FL6. It's one of those Gucci airparks, like if you took Beverly Hills and then put a runway in the middle of it and turned every other street into a taxiway. He lived there. He was delivering the first 777 to somewhere and decided to dazzle his neighbors. Supposedly he was retiring soon so didn't give a flyin f about getting fired.
 
Tantalum said:
Also, keep in mind that the vast majority of the flying public assumes that airplanes are just one second away from disaster with pilots sitting in the front sweating bullets struggling to keep it together.
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That pretty well sums it up for me. Here's a snippet from my cockpit mounted GoPro:

tenor.gif
 
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Zeldman said:
Maybe some of the residents of Düsseldorf had flash backs of when some American planes used to do low fly bys........ in 1944......
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Reminds me of this old joke.


The German air controllers at Frankfurt Airport are renowned as a short-tempered lot. They not only expect one to know one's gate parking location, but how to get there without any assistance from them. So it was with some amusement that we (a Pan Am 747) listened to the following exchange between Frankfurt ground control and a British Airways 747, call sign "Speedbird 206".

Speedbird 206: "Frankfurt, Speedbird 206 clear of active runway."

Ground: "Speedbird 206. Taxi to gate Alpha One-Seven."

The BA 747 pulled onto the main taxiway and slowed to a stop.

Ground: "Speedbird, do you not know where you are going?"

Speedbird 206: "Stand by, Ground, I'm looking up our gate location now."

Ground (with arrogant impatience): "Speedbird 206, haff you not been to Frankfurt before?"

Speedbird 206 (coolly): "Yes, twice in 1944 but it was dark and I didn't land"
 
Suspension by whom? The authorities? They had permission from the tower so this was not a PD.
But as we say back where I come from: "I one wants to beat a dog, one WILL find a stick". *shrug*
 
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