Ladies and Gentlemen…Please hang on
A plane bound for the U.S. experienced a dramatic change in altitude shortly after taking off from London before spending hours circling in the air. The British Airways flight was traveling from London Heathrow Airport to Chicago on Monday when the Boeing 777 descended roughly 27,000 feet, reaching an altitude of about 9,000 feet, according to reports. A British Airways spokesperson told Fox News Digital the aircraft returned to Heathrow following a “technical issue.” A passenger jet bound for the U.S. experienced a dramatic change in altitude shortly after taking off from London before spending hours circling in the air. For passengers, a sharper descent could have been an unsettling experience, particularly if oxygen masks were deployed, experts say.
“The safety of our customers and crew is always our top priority, and the aircraft landed safely after our highly-trained pilots returned to Heathrow following a technical issue,” the spokesperson said. “Customers disembarked the aircraft normally and our teams worked to get their travel plans back on track as quickly as possible,” the British Airways spokesperson said. FlightAware, a flight-tracking website, showed the aircraft turning back toward London but remaining airborne for several more hours. It circled over England before eventually returning to Heathrow.
Matthew “Whiz” Buckley of Florida, a retired U.S. Navy F/A-18 fighter pilot with nearly 40 years of flying experience, told Fox News Digital the flight pattern appeared consistent with an emergency descent that could follow a pressurization problem. Buckley said getting the aircraft below 10,000 feet would eliminate the need for supplemental oxygen if cabin pressure had been lost. “They did everything by the book,” Buckley said. “It sounds like everything worked as advertised.” For passengers, however, the sharper descent can be an unsettling experience — particularly if oxygen masks were deployed. Buckley said a plane beginning a transatlantic flight would be carrying a significant amount of fuel and might need to reduce its weight before returning to the runway. If fuel could not be dumped, he said, the aircraft could remain airborne and circle while burning enough fuel to reach an appropriate landing weight. “You cannot land heavy, if you’re just used to regular boring airline flights, this one’s gonna get your attention,” Buckley said. “It’s a roller-coaster ride.”
Scary rides
When I was a trained, yet inexperienced, radioman in the Coast Guard, we were sent to sea to ride out hurricane Hazel. As the cutter crashed through 30 foot waves, I held on the rail with one hand while grasping the radio receiver with the other. “Scholz,” I heard our bosun’s mate shout over the roaring storm. “What are you doing with that radio?” “I’ve got it in case we have to call for help, sir.” I answered, “Scholz, we are the “#$^&^%@^” help.”
The airline captain stood by the door as the passengers exited after suffering through a pretty bumpy landing. The man next to me was a college professor and as he went by the pilot and commented, “In my profession, I would give that landing a grade of C.” The pilot responded, “Professor, in my line of work landings are not a graded course, they are pass/fail.”
My kids want a dog, but I’ve refused to get them a Labrador.
It’s frightening how many Labrador owners you see that have gone blind.
I wasn’t afraid of heights until my significant other told me about her bungee jumping accident.
I got the fright of my wife.
October 12th Birthdays
1950 – Susan Anton, 1975 – Marion Jones, 1992 – Taylor Horn, 1977 – Christie Kerr
1968 – Hugh Jackman, 1970 – Kirk Cameron, 1935 -Pavarotti, 1932 – Dick Gregory