Being an airplane pilot is not an easy task. That’s why even if most of us dream of becoming one when we are kids, only a handful actually grow up to fly big machines for a living.
If you’re not convinced that is so, just go online and check out the requirements for airline pilots posted on various job websites. You’ll find that, aside from actually flying the plane, a pilot has to do anything from creating a flight plan to ensuring the fuel levels, carrying out pre-flight checks, and even ensuring "noise regulations are followed during take-off and landing.”
All those chores do nothing but add to the overwhelming amount of tasks a pilot has to perform while flying. Well, actually not while flying, as we all know the most dangerous parts of a flight are takeoff and landing. Especially when nature is doing its best to prevent people from successfully performing either.
The video featured at the bottom of this text is the perfect example of why piloting airplanes is not for anyone. It involves an Airbus A321neo skillfully flown by an unnamed pilot, the tarmac of one of London’s Heathrow airport's runways, and local winds.
It’s an instance of the airplane, British Airways flight 1307, coming in for landing all the way from Aberdeen, fighting winds so that it can land its massive body. It fails to do so, despite being very close to succeeding, and it does it in a spectacular manner.
The over a minute-long video shows the airplane on approach, apparently not experiencing any major issues. Plane spotters near the airport know conditions are not ideal for landing, so they’ve got their cameras trained on the plane.
As the ground rushes up toward the plane, everything still seems to be fine, despite the Airbus beginning to slightly tilt left and right. The rear set of wheels then touch down, almost simultaneously, as they should, and you’d think the plane is out of the woods.
A sudden gust of wind however throws it hard to the left, causing the plane to perform a dangerous wheelie on the left set of tires. Quick on his feet, the pilot immediately throttles up, scraping the runway with the tail of the airplane as he decides to perform a touch and go.
According to the airline, no injuries were reported, and the airplane eventually managed to land safely.
Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies. Full profile
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