Posted on 09/25/2007 4:18:21 PM PDT by George from New England
MOSCOW, September 24 (RIA Novosti) - A 15-year-old boy from the Urals suffered acute frostbite after riding the wing of a Boeing-737 plane on a two-hour flight from Perm to Moscow, Russian radio station Mayak reported on Monday.
After clinging on for the entire 1300-kilometer (808-mile) flight to Vnukova Airport, the boy, named Andrei, collapsed onto the tarmac. His arms and legs were so severely frozen that rescuers were at first unable to remove his coat and shoes, the radio station said.
The airport did not confirm the report. "We have no information on this," the Vnukovo press service told RIA Novosti.
However, Moscow's air and water transport control department said the radio's claim was true. A department spokesman said the incident occurred on Friday, and that the boy's parents were immediately informed, and flew to the capital the same day.
Doctors said it was nothing short of a miracle that Andrei survived the flight, with temperatures hitting minus 50 degrees Celsius (-58 Fahrenheit), the radio station said. The Boeing-737 has a cruising speed of 900 kmh (560 mph).
The boy reportedly made the journey after a commonplace domestic dispute. Angry with his father, who reportedly has a drinking problem, and with his mother for siding with her husband in family rows, Andrei ran away to the neighboring village, where his grandmother lives. On reaching the village, he decided to go on, and hitched a 220-km (137-mile) ride to the regional center, Perm, where he was dropped off at the airport.
It remains unclear how Andrei was able to climb on a plane wing un-noticed, and the Perm Airport security service is being asked some serious questions, the radio station said.
Andrei is now being treated in a Moscow hospital, Radio Mayak said.
from a post upstream
http://english.pravda.ru/society/stories/25-09-2007/97676-boeing-0
He was IN the wing.
Doesn't Ever Leave The Airport.
Both conditions are common. I fly them often.
The air pressure at 35,000 feet is only 20% that at sea level so the force on his body would be equivalent to a ~100 mph wind at sea level. It might also be possible that if he orientated his head correctly that he could ram enough air into his lungs due to his relative velocity to survive.
Nonetheless, it seems unlikely. He would have to be extremely strong to hold on at -50 degrees for 2 hours in 100 mph equivalent winds and he would pass out if he turned his head to the side for even 30 seconds.
Myrddin is right. I’m a pilot, no O2 needed up to 10k unless your a smoker. The question is how high did the jet fly for 1.5 hrs. It may have not gone to high to save fuel in the climb for a short flight. Also, I’m sure he was IN the wing, as in the landing gear. Just FYI, its possible.
Doctors are trying to do their best to save the hands of 15-year-old boy Andrey Sherbakov, a native of the city of Perm in Russia’s Ural region. The boy miraculously survived the 1.300-kilometer flight inside a wing of Boeing-737 jetliner. Surgeons will probably have to amputate the boy’s both hands because of gangrene which started developing as a result of severe frostbite.
An airplane is not going 560 mph at altitude. It should read about 160 to 175 IAS, (indicated air speed). Now across the ground it is probably going about 550 mph. I agree the altitude will kill you. Remember Payne Stewart? Dead in seconds with no wind chill. And someone posted that he was in the wing. But I think he was in the wheel well. Or all BS.
Whoops! About 300 knots over the wing.
I'm sure it is different in a plane but I have hiked at nearly 15,000' (Mt. Whitney) with no oxygen and often fish lakes at 10,000' while smoking a cigar.
"Oh Sir, pleeeeeeaase..... you must help me..."
“This sounds like BS. :)”
Gotta be. Ever ride a motorcycle on a 40 degree day at 60mph w/o leathers or any kind of windbreak? UTTER BS!
“Someone needs to photoshop the Katrina beer guy onto the wing of a plane....”
Monkapotamus! Please pick up the White Courtesy Phone in the lobby! :)
or a fairy tale.....
.
Perfect potlatch!
Yes, perfect for an improbably tale!
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