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> > >A true story published in the Chicago Tribune "Travel" section for
Sunday,
> > June 6, 1999 in a story entitled "Choppy Skies ? A white-knuckle
flight on Air Zimbabwe" by
> Gaby Plattner.
?> >It seems that Plattner was travelling with a backpacking group
through
> > Africa as they found themselves waiting in Kariba airport for a
flight to Hwange. "Our flight was delayed, so
> we settled down to wait. And wait.
> > >
> > >Three hours later, we were finally told the plane was ready to
board.
> Air Zimbabwe bought many of its planes
> > >second-hand from other airlines, and the one we got into was no
> > exception. Dirty and ancient, the mid-size jetliner
> > > was clearly one that no one else had wanted.
> > >
> > >Inside, we settled into the seats with 80 or 90 other passengers
and
> > waited. And waited some more.
> > >Finally, the pilot's voice came over the loudspeaker. "We're all
ready to
> > go ladies and gentlemen.
> > >However, we've been waiting for the copilot, and he still hasn't
> arrived. Since we've already waited so long, we're just going to be
flying without a copilot today."
> > >
> > >There was a nervous buzz through the cabin. He continued: "If any
of you
> > feel uncomfortable with this, feel free to disembark now and Air
Zimbabwe will put you on the next available
> flight to Hwange." Here he paused:
> > >"Unfortunately, we are not sure when that will be. But rest
assured, I
> > have flown this route hundreds of times,
> > >we have clear blue skies, and there are no foreseeable problems."
> > >No one in Plattner's group, doubtful as they might have been,
wanted to
?wait any longer at Kariba for a plane
> > >that may or may not materialize, so they stayed onboard for the
> one-hour flight.
> > > Once the aircraft reached cruising altitude, the pilot came on the
loudspeaker again: "Ladies and
> gentlemen.? I am going to use the bathroom.
> > >I have put the plane on auto-pilot and everything will be fine. I
just don't
> > >want you to worry." That said, he came out
> > >of the cockpit, fastened the door open with a rubber band to a hook
on
> > the wall. Then he went to the bathroom.
> > >Plattner continues: Suddenly, we hit a patch of turbulence. Nothing
> much, the cabin just shook a little for a moment.
> > >But the rubber band snapped off with a loud 'ping!' and went
sailing
> down the aisle. The door promptly swung shut.
> > >
> > >A moment later, the pilot came out of the bathroom. When he saw the
> > closed door, he stopped cold. I watched him
> > >from the back and wondered what was wrong. The stewardess came
running
> > up, and together they both tried to open the door. But it wouldn't
budge. It slowly dawned on me that our
> > pilot was locked out of the cockpit.
> > >
> > >Cockpit doors lock automatically from the inside to prevent
terrorists
> > from entering. Without a copilot, there was no one to open the door
from the inside.
> > >By now, the rest of the passengers had become aware of the problem,
and we
> > >watched the pilot, horrified.
> > >What would he do? After a moment of contemplation, the pilot
hurried to
> > the back of the plane. He returned holding a big axe. Without
ceremony, he proceeded to chop down the cockpit
> door.
> > We were rooted to our seats as we watched him. Once he managed to
chop a hole in the door, he reached
> > inside, unlocked the door, and let himself back in.
> > >
> > >Then he came on the loudspeaker, his voice a little shakier this
time than
> > >before: "Ah, ladies and gentlemen, we just had a little problem
there, but everything is fine now. We have
> > plans to cover every eventuality,
> > >even pilots getting locked out of their cockpits. So relax and
enjoy the rest of the flight!"
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LML homepage: http://www.olsusa.com/Users/Mkaye/maillist.html
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