Hat's off to these pro's

greenbush future

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These are the white knuckle moments I can live without. So glad I don't travel via air much anymore, it used to actually be enjoyable. Hats off to the pilots that get up and down safe every time!!
 

southkogs

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I'll let the rated pilots chime in on the "if ya' shoulda's ..." I know the 777 is rated for a 38kt crosswind, but a few of those looked a little too gutsy to me.

That said - I know a good pilot who knows his/her airplane can do some amazing stuff.
 

r.j.dawg

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A couple of years ago we had one of those white knuckle cross wind landings coming back from Puerto Rico. Our pilot sure got a huge round of applause after it was over.
 

Bubbasboat

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Some of these look more like Harrier jets landing than normal planes. Anyone notice the runway, seems very hilly! I wouldn't want to be the pilot or passenger on any of these. :eek:
 

royal0014

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:eek: Glad I don't fly!!

At 5:40, just as the landing gear starts to retract, you can see the engine nacelles and both wings flexing...... :faint:

<<)))(((>>
 

WIMUSKY

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They looked more like kites the way they were being tossed around. Kudos to the pilots. I would have kissed the ground when I got off..... Couldn't imagine being a passenger....yikes!:plane::puke:
 

bruceb58

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I used to fly small private planes and have come in at 45° a few times. Thought I was going to get flipped over a few times.
 

Bubbasboat

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Runways aren't always as level as one might think. When you look at 'em from the right angle they can surprise you.

I didn't know and honestly never thought of that.
Not being a pilot, just a passenger with a window seat, thought runways were mainly flat.
I Googled right angle views of runways, a few different ways, not a lot, but when I Googled flooded runways, your right, not so flat as one might think!
Fort Dunlop in the background is the only reference i see throughout this video. That is in England, yes?
Would the runway featured in this video be considered a bit extreme, or more typical?
 
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southkogs

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Would the runway featured in this video be considered a bit extreme, or more typical?
Don't really know, honestly. When I fly into Murfreesboro (KMBT) or Smyrna (KMQY) - I'm usually in the back but sometimes in the right seat of a 182 - they look pretty flat. But sometimes on the flight line at Smyrna or driving by out about 1/4 mile from the runway, you can see the dips and rises. One of the regional airports east of here is even more dynamic. But looks can be deceiving and illusions aren't really that hard to create.

All that to say - the runway in the vid might be more flat than it looks, while the runways you're used to seeing are a little less flat than you think.
 

southkogs

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I used to fly small private planes and have come in at 45° a few times. Thought I was going to get flipped over a few times.
I've never been in a real brutal cross wind in a light airplane. Had one exciting ride into Chicago on a 737 though.
 

aspeck

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Remind me to never fly into Birmingham Airport ... Yikes! When I flew small planes, it was a landing similar that made me decide to hang up my wings. Had just gotten my license and was practicing a couple times a week. No problem with the landing, but then reality set in and I knew I could not keep my skills tuned enough ... if I couldn't fly at least once a week, I wasn't going to put myself or my passengers in jeopardy. That was my last flight as "pilot". Flown co-pilot a few times since, but not alone .... not worth it! Kudos to those amazing pilots!
 

bruceb58

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if I couldn't fly at least once a week, I wasn't going to put myself or my passengers in jeopardy. That was my last flight as "pilot".!
I pretty much decided the same thing. If I didn't fly for 2 weeks I felt rusty.
 

southkogs

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^^^^ kinda' why I've never gone all the way for a license. I'm just not gonna' fly enough.
 
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I use to work near a usaf base and was about 1000 yards from the center line of the runway in a second floor office. Mildenhall only has one runway so the planes use to crab on approach. we would look out of the window with binoculars and you could see the look on the pilots faces as they fought the controls to get the tanker lined up. Its almost like they aimed for the building before letting off the pedal and drifting back on the flight line. I spoke to one of the pilots and laughed at the look on there faces when they land in cross wind. He said "if you think we look funny you should see the faces of guys in the building next to the run way" :eek:
 

dwco5051

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About 25 years ago I left my home airport for a short local flight in the middle of the winter. Even though it was just a local get an hour or so of flight time I still filed a flight plan. Cross winds were just about the maximum my plane was certified for. When asked if I wanted notams for the airport I said no I know what is up. After all I was flying a couple of days every week and they never change I thought since sometimes I think I am smarter than anyone else.

After heading out over the ridges I thought to myself how pretty every thing looked with the 16 or so inches of new snow. Returning back to the airport I turned on the weather and the cross winds had increased by about 7 or 8 knots. No problem, I will just land on the short crosswind runway. About 4 miles out I get a look at the airport and surprise, the runway I was about to land on was not plowed and there are big snowbanks on each side of the main runway. I didn'€™t even pay attention to that when I was taking off.

I came in both crabbed to the wind and side slipping and when I straightened out right before touchdown the airframe was so stressed the passenger door popped ajar. Landed on one wheel into the wind and flattened out and it was smoother than some of my calm weather landings.

Two lessons were learned that day. #1 I am not the smartest person in the world. #2 In the future listen to the whole briefing.
 
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