BREAKING NEWS! ! !

Virgin Atlantic flight VS43 from Las Vegas to make 'non-standard' landing at Gatwick.

A Virgin Atlantic passenger plane travelling from London to Las Vegas is preparing to implement a ‘non-standard landing procedure’ at Gatwick airport because of a technical issue with one of the landing gears.

[This is happening right now, so I put it in bold and in the General Chatter forum, but will change that after landing.]

From Twitter 2 minutes ago:

Eyewitnesses near Gatwick report that flight VS43 is to land imminently.

Thank Fuck it's not Malaysian.

Ok, reports that it's landed safely without the landing gear working are coming through..

Excellent reporting of the event Gereral

Coming down without fully functioning landing gear is newsworthy, although I get the feeling media outlets around the world will in coming weeks/months be reporting on any aircraft that even hints that it may need a wiper blade change or is missing a head rest cover.

EdinWigan wrote:Excellent reporting of the event Gereral

LoL, thanks. Just moved it to the right forum and removed the bold title.



Unrelated...

Here is a picture one guy took before boarding the Air Asia flight crashed/went missing today:

Kung-fu Hillbilly wrote:Coming down without fully functioning landing gear is newsworthy, although I get the feeling media outlets around the world will in coming weeks/months be reporting on any aircraft that even hints that it may need a wiper blade change or is missing a head rest cover.

Yep. If this had happened yesterday on its own it wouldn't have even been printed until tomorrow.

See....these are the reasons why you should never fly:
Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by pilots and the replies from the maintenance crews.

Problem: "Left inside main tire almost needs replacement."
Solution: "Almost replaced left inside main tire."

Problem: "Test flight OK, except autoland very rough."
Solution: "Autoland not installed on this aircraft."

Problem: "The autopilot doesn't."
Signed off: "IT DOES NOW."

Problem:"Something loose in cockpit."
Solution: "Something tightened in cockpit."

Problem:"Evidence of hydraulic leak on right main landing gear."
Solution: "Evidence removed."

Problem:"DME volume unbelievably loud."
Solution: "Volume set to more believable level."

Problem:"Dead bugs on windshield."
Solution: "Live bugs on order."

Problem:"Autopilot in altitude hold mode produces a 200 fpm descent."
Solution: "Cannot reproduce problem on ground."

Problem:"IFF inoperative."
Solution: "IFF inoperative in OFF mode."

Problem:"Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick."
Solution: "That's what they're there for."

Problem:"Number three engine missing."
Solution: "Engine found on right wing after brief search."

Problem: "Suspected crack in windscreen."
Solution: "Suspect you're right."

Problem: "Aircraft handles funny."
Solution: "Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious."

Problem: "Target radar hums."
Solution: "Reprogrammed target radar with words."

Problem: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
Solution: Took hammer away from midget.

Problem: "Mouse in cockpit."
Solution: "Cat installed"

Francis wrote: Problem: "Mouse in cockpit."
Solution: "Cat installed"