XPost: rec.aviation.piloting, rec.travel.air   
   From: orfairbairn@earthlink.net   
      
   In article <4Iadnf0U6f43WKDbnZ2dnUVZ_judnZ2d@rcn.net>,   
    "Dudley Henriques"  wrote:   
      
   > "Bertie the Bunyip"  wrote in message   
   > news:Xns99283707081C9nunyfjukkinbidness@207.14.116.130...   
   > > "Dudley Henriques"  wrote in   
   > > news:0MSdnbmigYQxuKDbnZ2dnUVZ_uSgnZ2d@rcn.net:   
   > >   
   > >>   
   > >> "Bertie the Bunyip"  wrote in message   
   > >> news:Xns9928FDE82AC5nunyfjukkinbidness@207.14.116.130...   
   > >>> "Dudley Henriques"  wrote in   
   > >>> news:BsGdnWSSXoUdi6DbnZ2dnUVZ_o6gnZ2d@rcn.net:   
   > >>>   
   > >>>>   
   > >>>>  wrote in message   
   > >>>> news:1178399818.924719.9430@p77g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...   
   > >>>>> On May 5, 5:10 pm, Mxsmanic  wrote:   
   > >>>>>> Aircraft normally wait for thunderstorms to pass before taking   
   > >>>>>> off. No aircraft is safe in a thunderstorm.   
   > >>>>>   
   > >>>>> So most likely the Kenya Airways flight didn't follow procedure or   
   > >>>>> receive clearance?   
   > >>>>   
   > >>>> Hard to say not knowing the exact situation, but in my opinion, only   
   > >>>> a pilot with a death wish accepts a takeoff clearance in the middle   
   > >>>> of a thunderstorm.   
   > >>>   
   > >>> It doesn't neceesarily follow that he took off in the middle of a   
   > >>> CB...   
   > >>   
   > >> I agree. To do that would have been against all my sense of logic   
   > >> anyway. Stranger things have happened, and pilots do indeed from time   
   > >> to time push weather for one reason or another but I'd hate to second   
   > >> guess this poor guy at this point. It's been my experience that what   
   > >> appears almost certain immediately after these things seldom carries   
   > >> through the investigation.   
   > >   
   > > Precisely. I've flown in that part of the world quite a lot and the CBs   
   > > have to be seen to be believed. I've been at 310 and had the tops   
   > > further away than the bottoms as often as not. The size of them is also   
   > > astonishing and seeing into a large, tight group of cells is next to   
   > > impossible, even with the best radar. It's hard work but it has to be   
   > > done or you're on the ground for the best part of six months there.   
   > >   
   > > Bertie   
   >   
   > Reminds me of an old story I heard once that was going around UAL for   
   > awhile;   
   >   
   > >A major airline hired a new first officer right out of post graduate school   
   > and stuck him in the right seat of a 737 with a crusty old Captain who came   
   > up through the ranks after dropping out of high school.   
   > On  their first flight together, the Captain told the first officer to just   
   > sit back and watch and do absolutely nothing.   
   > The Captain took off, climbed to FL 360 as filed and leveled off. He set the   
   > autopilot and inertial nav for waypoints and told the first officer that he   
   > was going to take a nap. The first officer was to touch nothing.......do   
   > nothing! Under NO circumstances, was he to disturb the Captain.   
   > The Captain went to sleep.   
   > The first officer sat there watching the panel. After a while he noticed on   
   > the weather radar a HUGE storm ahead directly in the path of the airplane.   
   > He watched with interest and gathering alarm as the storm got closer and   
   > closer.   
   > At about twenty miles, the storm looked absolutely frightening; the biggest   
   > thing he had ever seen in his life. He just stared at it on the screen while   
   > he pondered the Captain's request not to be disturbed for any reason.   
   > Finally, fearing that if a course correction wasn't made immediately, the   
   > storm would tear the airplane apart, he decided he couldn't wait any longer   
   > to wake the Captain.   
   > "Captain.......Captain" he said, "wake up sir...look at this!! It's my   
   > sincere recommendation sir, that we circumnavigate that storm   
   > immediately!!!!!!!!!!!"   
   > The Captain awoke in a start and took one look at the radar screen;   
   > "Circumnavigate my ass!!!!!!. We're goin AROUND that son-of-a-bitch!!!!!"   
   >   
   > Dudley Henriques   
      
   Reminds me of a story from an old, retired UAl Captain friend of mine:   
      
   A friend of his was copilot in a Convair from Elko, NV to Las Vegas,   
   back in the 50s. Captain was similar to the above   
      
   Captain: "I want you to sit there, shut up and not touch anything unless   
   I tell you to!"   
      
   FO: "Yes, Sir"   
      
   After 1/2 hour into the flight (in solid IFR):   
      
   Captain: How come we're only doing 140 knots?"   
      
   FO: "Oh, do you want ne to raise the gear, SIR?"   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)