I think I remember from another thread that you're in Oakley? Bolletta skates at B'stoke Leisure Centre a couple of times a week (now that IS proper B'stoke) so I usually stuff the bike in the car and ride up Pack Lane through Oakley and on either to Hannington or up to Ellisfield. Great cycling all around there,
pull up ... PULL UP!
- Thread starter Fab Foodie
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Colin_P
Guru
I used to cycle out to Heathrow, in fact used to do a loop of it, and often stopped at the end of the runways by the fence to watch the planes fly overhead for a while. That was 20+ years ago, not sure if you could do that now though without being carted off in a 'van' to the Police station.
We parked at the T3 long stay a couple of years back, and it looks like the anoraks favoured spot is by the roundabout on the eastern end of the north runway.
[QUOTE 3366442, member: 45"]Someone once flew a plane under the Clifton Suspension Bridge. His elation was short-lived though, as he crashed into the side of the gorge and killed himself.[/QUOTE]
See also "Spitfire Bridge, Winchester". Which wikipedia tells me should be "Curtiss P-40 Warhawk" bridge.
See also "Spitfire Bridge, Winchester". Which wikipedia tells me should be "Curtiss P-40 Warhawk" bridge.
Ah, the Chalfont viaduct, I may have walked over that as a child, but that was in the days before the motorway.The ONLY thing? What about the Chalfont Viaduct??
It was built long before the car really came along but it seems rather amazing how the M25 seems to just fit under it.
Coming the other way you get the "Give peas a chance" graffiti on it.
Oddly while finding this photo, I found that in pre-motorway days the arch was deeper (road was built up under the bridge) and there is a suggestion that someone once may have flown a plane under the bridge. So perhaps the pilot in the OP was thinking about giving it a go.
You won't tell British Rail though will you.
Joey Shabadoo
My pronouns are "He", "Him" and "buggerlugs"
Anybody remember the observation decks that used to be at airports? I recall my parents taking me to Edinburgh when I was a kid to watch the planes land.
I got told off for loudly exclaiming "Aaaawwww" every time a plane landed without crashing.
I got told off for loudly exclaiming "Aaaawwww" every time a plane landed without crashing.
Ganymede
Veteran
- Location
- Rural Kent
I was coming into London City early last January during those dreadful storms. The planes into City aren't big and the winds were huge and tumultuous. The woman behind me was already in hysterics due to the severe turbulence and (as she didn't hesitate to inform us) a terrible fear of flying. We nearly got on the ground, wobbling horribly, but pulled up and went round again. Horrible, horrible, all on an angle to make the turn. Down again, pulled up again. Woman behind beginning to scream. Woman next to me gripping her seat, general consternation.
Third go, nearly down, pulled up again. Groans, cries, slight smell of sick. Woman next to starts to hum under her breath, woman behind clutching the unfortunate passenger next to her.
Off to Southend to land there. Relax, in spite of continued turbulence. Arrive at Southend, swoop down, wobbling just as bad as at City, abort, zoom back up over the sea. More sick, more screaming. Woman next to me puts her children's passports inside her brassiere... I'm trying to be Zen, chewing gum. She starts singing "Always look on the Bright Side Of Life".
Down again, Captain's "don't worry, we'll be down soon, this happens all the time" voice is beginning to sound a little cracked. Closing on the runway, nope, up AGAIN........ Plane bucking like an untamed pony. I began to feel that I'd had a good life but I mustn't expect too much.
Finally on the 3rd time we got on the ground, and I think that was just because we would have run out of fuel otherwise. At last the sobbing stops and the woman next to me turned to me in floods, so as to hide her tears from her kids. She actually was remarkable, she talked to her kids and managed to keep them calm. I handed them some Polos which also helped.
Then we all got on the train to London...
Third go, nearly down, pulled up again. Groans, cries, slight smell of sick. Woman next to starts to hum under her breath, woman behind clutching the unfortunate passenger next to her.
Off to Southend to land there. Relax, in spite of continued turbulence. Arrive at Southend, swoop down, wobbling just as bad as at City, abort, zoom back up over the sea. More sick, more screaming. Woman next to me puts her children's passports inside her brassiere... I'm trying to be Zen, chewing gum. She starts singing "Always look on the Bright Side Of Life".
Down again, Captain's "don't worry, we'll be down soon, this happens all the time" voice is beginning to sound a little cracked. Closing on the runway, nope, up AGAIN........ Plane bucking like an untamed pony. I began to feel that I'd had a good life but I mustn't expect too much.
Finally on the 3rd time we got on the ground, and I think that was just because we would have run out of fuel otherwise. At last the sobbing stops and the woman next to me turned to me in floods, so as to hide her tears from her kids. She actually was remarkable, she talked to her kids and managed to keep them calm. I handed them some Polos which also helped.
Then we all got on the train to London...
Archie_tect
De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
- Location
- Northumberland
"Don't worry, we'll be down soon, one way or another..."
Archie_tect
De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
- Location
- Northumberland
Just after MrsA_T and I got married we flew on a cheap Monarch Airlines holiday to Paros and Naxos. It was a night flight from Newcastle- after a rough take-off in stormy conditions, lightning flashes started. Looking concerned Mrs A_T turned to me, after about 4 in a row, and I told her it was a lighthouse... she nodded, thought for a moment and said, "At 30,000 feet?"
nickyboy
Norven Mankey
- Location
- You want hills? We got hills
Had a few go arounds but the most worrying was a take-off at Amsterdam. Big KLM 747 going to Shanghai. Fully laden, they take quite a while to rumble down the runway to get to take-off speed.
Off we set, full throttle down the runway steadily picking up speed. Faster and faster we went. Must have been about 150mph and just about to take-off when.....oh shoot....pilot puts full reverse thrust on. We were all thrown forwards against the seats in front of us. Loads of shouting, screaming. I guessed that the pilot had seen another plane and aborted take-off at the last second. For a second I thought we might be impacted. Full stop, fire engines, security. Slow taxi back to the terminal. Disembark
What actually happened was a pheasant had got sucked into one of the engines. Destroyed some fan blades. KLM gave me a EUR10 voucher for something to eat and we got away on a spare plane about 6 hours later
Off we set, full throttle down the runway steadily picking up speed. Faster and faster we went. Must have been about 150mph and just about to take-off when.....oh shoot....pilot puts full reverse thrust on. We were all thrown forwards against the seats in front of us. Loads of shouting, screaming. I guessed that the pilot had seen another plane and aborted take-off at the last second. For a second I thought we might be impacted. Full stop, fire engines, security. Slow taxi back to the terminal. Disembark
What actually happened was a pheasant had got sucked into one of the engines. Destroyed some fan blades. KLM gave me a EUR10 voucher for something to eat and we got away on a spare plane about 6 hours later
SatNavSaysStraightOn
Changed hemispheres!
- Location
- ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ɐɹɹǝquɐƆ
On our honeymoon flying into Arlanda airport (Stockholm) we had 3 attempts at landing. The pilot explaining he wanted to look at the runway first time round due to snow and ice. 2nd time round we had actually touched down when he had to abort and take off again rather unexpectedly... He came over the tannoy a few minutes later the confirm what had happened... He had spotted/seen another plane on the runway, turned out the other pilot was 'lost'!
Brandane
Legendary Member
- Location
- Costa Clyde
[QUOTE 3367038, member: 45"]I once died in a plane crash.
Beat that, you nobbers.[/QUOTE]
I was the pilot, and I did tell you we didn't have enough fuel to reach Australia. Who's the nobber now?
Beat that, you nobbers.[/QUOTE]
I was the pilot, and I did tell you we didn't have enough fuel to reach Australia. Who's the nobber now?
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Brandane
Legendary Member
- Location
- Costa Clyde
There are different versions of flightradar depending on what you are using to access it. The full version has the replay function. Just select the date and time you want to view, and bingo.... You can see the Oman air and BA flights approach then go around again.
Brandane
Legendary Member
- Location
- Costa Clyde
On the subject of scary flights...
Early 90s flying Glasgow/Paris/Dubai. Glasgow flight delayed by fog so missed connection in Paris. Got re-routed to Beirut on Air France, then to Dubai on Middle East Airlines.
Five hours in the shell holed remains of Beirut airport was scary enough, as I had visions of being escorted at gunpoint to a waiting car and then taken to an unfurnished room somewhere for an uncertain future.
I was relieved to get aboard a very old Boeing 707, bound for Dubai. On the late stages of the take off run there was a huge explosion from one of the engines and a ball of fire shot out from it. I was sitting at the window seat and had a good view of it!
Plane grinds to a halt, then nothing. No announcements or anything for about 5 minutes, then Pilot announces we are returning to the terminal due to a technical fault. No kidding, Pilot!!
Another couple of hours in the terminal contemplating my life as the next Terry Waite ensued, before a replacement 707 was found. Got to Dubai and waited another 3 days for my luggage!
Early 90s flying Glasgow/Paris/Dubai. Glasgow flight delayed by fog so missed connection in Paris. Got re-routed to Beirut on Air France, then to Dubai on Middle East Airlines.
Five hours in the shell holed remains of Beirut airport was scary enough, as I had visions of being escorted at gunpoint to a waiting car and then taken to an unfurnished room somewhere for an uncertain future.
I was relieved to get aboard a very old Boeing 707, bound for Dubai. On the late stages of the take off run there was a huge explosion from one of the engines and a ball of fire shot out from it. I was sitting at the window seat and had a good view of it!
Plane grinds to a halt, then nothing. No announcements or anything for about 5 minutes, then Pilot announces we are returning to the terminal due to a technical fault. No kidding, Pilot!!
Another couple of hours in the terminal contemplating my life as the next Terry Waite ensued, before a replacement 707 was found. Got to Dubai and waited another 3 days for my luggage!
