Posted on 02/21/2005 6:42:29 AM PST by franksolich
Lightning hits flight from Oslo
A bolt of lightning struck an SAS Braathens flight from Oslo Monday morning, giving passengers and crew a scary start to their week.
The lightning hit the SAS Braathens aircraft just as it was making its approach for landing at Kjevik airport outside the southern town of Kristiansand.
"It sounded like a rifle going off," one of the passengers, Svein Arne Lamo, told local newspaper Fædrelandsvennen.
"I got scared when I heard the bang," Lamo said. "We could see that one of the motors was flashing, and then the aircraft rose sharply."
He said the pilot then told the shaken passengers that they would land at Stavanger instead of Kristiansand, because of a "technical discharge."
The airport tower at Kjevik confirmed that SK Flight 4207, which left Oslo at 8am, was hit by lightning. "It was very surprising that lightning would strike in this weather," said the tower's operative leader, who also downplayed any drama around the incident.
He said the flight was sent to Stavanger because the airport there has the technical equipment and personnel needed to examine the aircraft.
The flight landed safely in Stavanger and was undergoing a probe by 10am.
You know, I have flown too many times and too many miles to count, and by the most incredible stroke of luck, every time, no matter what, the airplane has always been on time, and the trip itself uneventful, even if undertaken over mountains in stormy weather, or over the ocean in deepest winter.
For me, an "air pocket" is something unimaginable, because I have never experienced it.
Once when I got into an old Soviet Socialist "aircraft," a real rust-bucket with propellers, I thought surely there would be some excitement during the 1100-mile trip, but no, nothing happened.
May your good luck continue. An acquaintance of mine was on a flight out of St. Louis' Lambert (not Lambeau) field, when an engine fell off (yes, completely off). The plane was able to return safely to the airport. He boarded another flight. I would not have ;)
Now I know where all my good luck went.
"Ping" for the Norway ping list.
By the way, there are some tasteful photographs of very attractive women skiers on the winning Norway teams, on the front page of the Aftenposten, at http://www.aftenposten.no/english/
Check it out, it is well worth it.
Now that I have established that there are bison in Norway, that photograph, once reduced to a more-manageable size, will be used as the "trademark" of the Norway ping list.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, we all know that when people think of Norway, they think of "reindeer." Since the purpose of the Norway ping list is to change the popular perception into a more-positive one, I hope to have people, when thinking of Norway, think of "bison."
Yeah, he took it all!
We were flying touch and goes in a C-130, practicing medivacs near Frankfurt and were hit by lightning. We landed and got out for a "technical inspection". It left a perfect burned indentation about 4 inches deep, like a bowling ball had struck, on one of the engine housings. We got back in and continued flying the mission.
That's off course the big story in Norway today.
Gold :-)
We flew Mexicana out of Mexico City to Ixtapa some years back and the pilot announced his apologies for the late take off. To make up for it, he said he would provide a close-up tour of the smoking volcano just outside of the city and leaned the 727 within 300 feet of the sulfurous hole. I knew we were close as the sulfur smell overwhelmed the usual burning garbage smell of Mexico city's air.
Fortunately, today's airplanes are actually pretty safe from lightning strikes, mostly because they are specifically designed to safely pass the electric discharge of a lightning strike without harming the people inside the plane. That's even true of newer planes that use composite materials, since aviation authorities have strict certification standards for lightning strike protection.
Considering that I have usually, generally, most of the time, found myself in some really preposterous, ridiculous, ludicrous situations, from which I have emerged untouched and unscathed, of course I thank God; I am the luckiest person I know.
I have had two..and both were intense thunderstorms..I thought the plane was coming apart ..you could hear every rivet and seam vibrating in one case..I was so green with nausea while sitting on the back row..I could not be afraid ..even when the white faced attendant said she had never been in anything like this.
Speaking of air pockets....
We were flying over the Grand Canyon on the "view flight"
to Vegas when our plane hit one and experienced a sudden drop of at least 700 feet. Everyone on board except
the pilot, myself and one of the three stewardesses were ill...including the co-pilot. While the pilot continued on with his duties, the stewardess and I helped the dozens of others in cleanup operation.
Memorable flight!
Two controlled crashes.
One lost prop through the fuselage.
One dropped engine.
One unforecasted hurricane.
One, "Sorry folks, I'm going to make one more pass and if this doesn't work we're going to have to divert."
One call to my kids to tell them I love them because I know I'm never coming home.
One I'm in Dubai, my bags are in Berlin...forever.
The list goes on and on...and I thought I was lucky.
So you were sitting in the smoking section, or rather, what used to be the smoking section, madam?
I always like to sit right behind the wings, so as to watch the "flaps" John Kerry flip-flop.
thanks for adding me to your list
f
LOL, I'm sure you really appreciated the tour.
I learned to try to get an early seat assignment after that. The very back of the plane is where you feel it most if the ride is bumpy..I have flown many an uneventful flight..I got out my book and enjoyed the ride.
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