BS: Pilot loses sight and cheats death

Subject: BS: Pilot loses sight and cheats death
From: John J
Date: 10 Nov 08 - 11:17 AM

The pilot of a light aircraft was flying (solo) south over the North East of England when he had a mini-stroke and went blind.

Those good chaps at the RAF sent up one of their finest to fly alongside the aircraft, guiding him in to land safely.

BBC R4 broadcast the radio traffic between the pilots, both sounded calm and absolutely in control of the situation. Impressive!

John

Subject: RE: BS: Pilot loses sight and cheats death
From: Cluin
Date: 10 Nov 08 - 02:35 PM

That's what you get for trying to join the Mile-High Club solo.

Subject: RE: BS: Pilot loses sight and cheats death
From: Bobert
Date: 10 Nov 08 - 05:35 PM

Last week it was no wingha. This week it's no vision... What's next??? No plane???

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Pilot loses sight and cheats death
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 10 Nov 08 - 05:46 PM

I still like the story of a commercial jet plane on stopover at some airport... It's a regular day time flight and the pilot knows one of the passengers who happens to be blind and uses a Seeing Eye or Guide dog which is allowed to travel in the main cabin. Pilot goes to the passenger and asks if he wants to get out and stretch his legs.

'Oh no, I'm fine, but the dog might appreciate a walk.' comes the reply. So the pilot puts on his shades and takes the dog down the steps... whereupon returning passengers see what appears to be a man in dark glasses and a pilot's uniform, being lead off the plane by a Seeing Eye dog....

Many had to be firmly reassured before they would venture back on the plane.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Pilot loses sight and cheats death
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 10 Nov 08 - 07:30 PM

I remember hearing a story late 50s or early 60s (might have even been the Korean War) about the fighter pilot who was either blind or unconscious, who was assisted by another pilot, who used the thrust from his wing to keep nudging the plane back on course, until the pilot was able to respond, whereupon he was talked down. I seem to remember reading it in Reader's Digest, so it MUST have been true ... :-P

Subject: RE: BS: Pilot loses sight and cheats death
From: GUEST,DEATH
Date: 10 Nov 08 - 09:15 PM

BELIEVE ME, THERE WAS NO CHEATING INVOLVED. ALLOWING YOU PEOPLE YOUR LITTLE 'VICTORIES' EVERY NOW AND THEN IS JUST MY WAY OF MAKING THE GAME MORE INTERESTING.

I ALWAYS WIN IN THE END. TRUST ME.

Subject: RE: BS: Pilot loses sight and cheats death
From: Charley Noble
Date: 10 Nov 08 - 09:26 PM

This is definitely a true story, and pretty incredible.

The civilian pilot was very experienced but suffered a stroke which resulted in loss of sight. It was lucky that a RAF flight instructor was flying nearby and was able to talk him down.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Pilot loses sight and cheats death
From: Gurney
Date: 10 Nov 08 - 09:26 PM

Liz, there was a pilot here who flew amphibians to the local islands. His most famous joke was to back out of the cockpit keeping two pieces of string taut, hand the ends to a passenger "Just keep these tight, but not too tight. I'm going to the loo." He'd then saunter off to the back of the plane leaving the stunned passenger 'flying' the plane. The plane was on autopilot, of course, but if you were that passenger, what would you do?

Subject: RE: BS: Pilot loses sight and cheats death
From: Little Hawk
Date: 10 Nov 08 - 11:23 PM

Well, it's nice to know that frogs and salamanders have access to air travel too in your region, Gurney. ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Pilot loses sight and cheats death
From: Teribus
Date: 11 Nov 08 - 01:28 AM

"It was lucky that a RAF flight instructor was flying nearby and was able to talk him down."

Nothing "lucky" about the presence of the RAF aircraft - The civilian pilot who suffered the stroke called in a "Mayday" stating the nature of his emergency and the RAF specifically scrambled an aircraft to go to the man's assistance. The pilot of the RAF aircraft was a senior flying instructor, who when interviewed said that having to "talk" another aircraft down was not all that uncommon.

Subject: RE: BS: Pilot loses sight and cheats death
From: GUEST,The black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 11 Nov 08 - 07:46 AM

It's supposedly a well known "Urban Myth" about a civillian having to land a plane when the pilot becomes incapacitated, but it did actually happen to my late first father-in-law during WW2.
As far as I can recall he was offered a flight whilst he was with the Royal Engineers upgrading and extending the airfield at Gibraltar. The pilot became unwell and blacked-out leaving him to land it.
I suspect that it was not an offcial flight and hence not officially recorded.

Subject: RE: BS: Pilot loses sight and cheats death
From: Gurney
Date: 12 Nov 08 - 01:03 AM

LH, they always have had it everywhere. Usually inside an Osprey or Heron.