Continental Airlines pilot dies at the controls

[BigBird]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/artic...jectid=10579443

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE

The 247 passengers aboard Flight 61 weren't told of the pilot's death and flight attendants continued serving snacks...[/quote]
Well of course they did. Can you imagine the alternative ?

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your purser speaking. We regret to inform you that the captain has just died of a massive heart attack. Meal and snack service has been suspended for the remainder of the flight. We hope you have a pleasant flight and thank you for flying Continental".

Now that would have been worth mentioning in a news report.

Gary

[BigBird]

or

"Do we have anybody else onboard that thinks they could fly this aircraft just in case either of the two current pilots also suffer a massive heart attack and die? Some experience preferred."

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (BigBird @ Jun 19 2009, 02:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

or

"Do we have anybody else onboard that thinks they could fly this aircraft just in case either of the two current pilots also suffer a massive heart attack and die? Some experience preferred."

Thats were i come in and say ................ I have 25,000 hours on all types ........ ...................

[benwynn]

Apparently there was another pilot (passenger) in the cockpit for landing, along with the two other Continental Pilots.

Ah well, guess he would have wanted to die living his dream.

[Bazza]

Excuse my being a bit cynical, but was this a big deal........? Didn't everyone perform just as was required, or is this a message to many already trembling anti-aviation customers,
that if it's handed over to the other guys up the front with uniforms on we could all die. How many landings would the co-pilot have needed to be there....? Another media beat-up...?

The picture of the passengers on the ground hugging each other mystifies me.....surely no idiot announced this to the passengers....?

Have I missed something here...

Will the co-pilot be toasted as yet another "hero ?"

[dbcunnz]

Another media overkill

[Chairman]

QUOTE (Bazza @ Jun 19 2009, 07:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The picture of the passengers on the ground hugging each other mystifies me.....

I think you missed the bit where they reported that the cabin crew continued to serve airline snacks.


Gary

[Bazza]

QUOTE (Chairman @ Jun 19 2009, 08:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think you missed the bit where they reported that the cabin crew continued to serve airline snacks.


Gary

No I saw that, perhaps they were just relieved to have survived the airline food...?

The picture seemed to suggest that they were celebrating having survived which tends to suggest they (the passengers) were aware of the situation.

[waka172rg]

QUOTE (Chairman @ Jun 19 2009, 08:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think you missed the bit where they reported that the cabin crew continued to serve airline snacks.


Gary

Haha if that happened to me i think i would be jumping outta the grave to have a snack

[LMerraine]

Bit of a slow news day.

Really apart from the pilot dying they're not suggesting that two trained, albeit co-pilots are not trained to land a plane?

I'm waiting for the Continental spin - we have an extra pilot on board to cover these situations.

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (LMerraine @ Jun 20 2009, 02:41 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Really apart from the pilot dying they're not suggesting that two trained, albeit co-pilots are not trained to land a plane?

The News hounds ... the amount of times they blow things up .. Pilot - Co-pilot - Pilot - Co-pilot - Pilot - Co-pilot , whos not to say it was the Co-pilot sitting in the Pilots seat ahrrrrr were all doomed ! ...... what ! they blow things up ahrrrrr , were all doomed !

[Bazza]

Nah, I think he would have been the skipper.....I think the story said he was 60. He would have been one of those handsome types, grey sprinkling thru his hair, like the ones you see on
the TV adverts. The old equation, age = experience, so you know he'll get you there - provided he doesn't have a coronary.

[Chairman]

I'm lost count of the number of times Dave (who calls himself one of the few remaining silver haired captains) has said in the flightlevel390 blog that he has turned the plane over to the copilot for a tricky approach because the copilot's eyes are 30 years better and his reflexes are 30 years faster, and then had to take over again for the actual landing because company policy says that the Captain will perform the tricky landings ...

Gary