I remember a warm winter evening when thousands maybe tens of thousands of crows swarmed around the Algiers International Airport. I was captivated by the intricate design the cloud of birds was painting over the reddish sky of a mediteranean sunset. Alas, my heart was not filled with magical contemplation but with dreadfull fear. I was less than one hour due for take off.
I’ve heard many people stating with a connaiseur voice that birds can not take down an airplane but rather cause some minor troubles and that airplanes can safely land on water. They are the blessed ones for they can fly with their hearts light and their minds astonished on the level of technology that us, the human kind, have managed to achieve.
Me… I am an aviation engineer and I am terrified to fly under regular conditions. But when I see thousands of birds casually flying just hundreds of feet from the runway I feel the same thing any ordinary person would feel with a gun pointing at his head. Safety off.
For the two beliefs could not be any more mistaken. Birds had taken down airplanes. And they probably will. And, no! Airplanes can not safely land on water. Or at least they didn't until this guy came into play. Chelsey B. "Sully" Sullenberger. The man - the hero.
As far as I know his plane was the first commercial aircraft that was not designed to land on water – and land on water did. Safe! So far, all live attempts of this kind ended up in disaster with the plane broken to pieces and most of the passengers dead. This is by far a true display of magnificent airmanship and a victory of technology and expertise over gravity and laws of nature.
I hope that the A320 gets its well deserved place in the museums of aviation because this plane and it’s pilot were the heroes of the day when all airplane crashes were avenged even in a small percent. Because that day – is the day that nobody died. That day is history.
A320 / “Sully” Sullenberger
