[ArrogantBustard]

Flying at night is a strange experience in which perceptions of position and motion can become seriously distorted. It has to be experienced to be properly appreciated.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

It has to be experienced to be properly appreciated.

JFK, Jr. probably appreciated it once it was too late.

[brivette]

happened to a Kennedy in fact.

[Upstate NY Guy]

Flying at night is a strange experience in which perceptions of position and motion can become seriously distorted. It has to be experienced to be properly appreciated.

The thing I don't understand is how he would see Venus when flying east (Toronto to Zurich) in the evening over the Atlantic. Venus is high and bright in the western sky right now. It's visible from sunset until maybe midnight or so. How would he think this was an oncoming plane if he was flying east?

[A.A. Cunningham]

TCAS!!!! WHAT TCAS????

To avoid what he thought was an imminent collision, the first officer overrode the auto-pilot by forcefully pressing on the control column, pushing the passenger jet into a dive.

The investigation found that the first officer, who had been asleep for about 75 minutes, was suffering "sleep inertia" magnified by fatigue. The report notes flight crews did not fully understand the risks associated with fatigue, nor were they following standard procedures for "strategic napping," which is normally of 40 minutes duration.

[Hulka]

Speaking as a retired fighter pilot, I verify that statement as absolute truth.

[UCANSEE2]

It has to be experienced to be properly appreciated.

Nothing like being in the air, and feeling SO LOST you don't even know where the Planet is.