[Newsbot]

Title: When a metric mix-up led to the 'Gimli Glider' emergency
Category: History
Posted By: DrCaleb
Date: 2018-07-25 06:14:13
Canadian

[DrCaleb]

I was at that airstrip (which is now, and was at that time a race track) last weekend for some racing.

Some of the people there still remember that incident,

[uwish]

I remember flying out of Gimli when I was in the RCAF, nice long runway!

[BartSimpson]

Note that the pilot was a glider pilot just like the fellow who safely landed the plane in the Hudson River nine years ago.

And note that there was no loss of life in either situation.

[llama66]

Was that 9 years ago? Jesus.

[BartSimpson]

llama66 llama66:

Was that 9 years ago? Jesus.

I know. Crazy how the years just slip away.

[housewife]

They mixed up the conversation but they proved beyond a doubt that the wisdom the crew had was invaluable. Between them they had all the skills they needed to get themselves some place safe. Not sure that the same could be said of today’s generation a lot of reliance on computers these days

[DrCaleb]

llama66 llama66:

Was that 9 years ago? Jesus.

LIES!

[herbie]

housewife housewife:

They mixed up the conversation but they proved beyond a doubt that the wisdom the crew had was invaluable. Between them they had all the skills they needed to get themselves some place safe. Not sure that the same could be said of today’s generation a lot of reliance on computers these days

That's why they still have the old analog thing in your car
E--------|--------F
Doesn't matter if there's litres, US or Imperial gallons in the tank. Nobody believes that 'you have 63.6 km left' display....

[CharlesAnthony]

$1:

But on Oct. 4, 1983, Air Canada disciplined the pilot and co-pilot for allowing the near-tragedy to happen.

The pilot was demoted for six months, the co-pilot was suspended for two weeks and three ground workers were also suspended. A 1985 Transport Canada report blamed errors and insufficient training and safety procedures.

Owner: "What the hell happened???"
Pilot: "Uh.... I forgot to look at the doo-hickie thingie... but.. but the good news is that nobody died!"
Owner: "Who the fuck is going to pay for my plane?????"

[llama66]

I have an intelligent rebuttal but it would be wasted.

[DrCaleb]

I wonder if they've since fixed the 767 so that the front gear will lock using emergency power.

[housewife]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

I wonder if they've since fixed the 767 so that the front gear will lock using emergency power.

Hopefully they have added that to all planes landing gear is sorta important

[herbie]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

I wonder if they've since fixed the 767 so that the front gear will lock using emergency power.

Wheels will lower but Bruce Willis must climb out on a rope and insert the locking pin.

[uwish]

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

Note that the pilot was a glider pilot just like the fellow who safely landed the plane in the Hudson River nine years ago.

And note that there was no loss of life in either situation.

yeah he did a classic glider move called a side slip, where you cross control, left rudder and right aileron. Something any glider pilot knows, but not many powered pilots have even heard of.

I trained and earned my gliders license in 1989, then moved to 'power' in 1990 so I have been flying for almost 30 years, from RCAF to privately in my own plane. The interviews with the Captain were pretty profound, no one but him thought of side slipping when they were 'high' on final. Never been done in a large AC before, but I still believe that most of the best pilots start with gliding. There are no second chances and you truly learn to 'feel' the aircraft.

Great story of survival after something so ironically boring as a math conversion error!