#mid-air

Kievit (Northern lapwing)

In 1983, Air Canada Flight 143 faced a nightmare at 41,000 feet. The Boeing 767 ran out of fuel mid-air, not because of mechanical failure, but because of a shocking human error; workers had miscalculated the load, confusing pounds with kilograms. Instead of 22,300 kilograms, only 22,300 pounds of fuel was pumped in, less than half of what was needed for the journey. With both engines dead, the plane turned into a 132-ton glider. Panic should have followed, but the captain, Robert Pearson, had an unusual skill: he was an experienced glider pilot. Using those instincts, he guided the powerless jet in silence, calculating every move to keep it aloft. The crew spotted an old decommissioned airstrip in Gimli, Manitoba, once a Royal Canadian Air Force base, now partly converted into a racetrack. With no engines, no hydraulics, and no second chance, Pearson managed a near-perfect landing, skidding the plane safely to a stop. Miraculously, all 69 passengers and crew survived. The incident became known as the “Gimli Glider,” a legendary example of calm leadership, quick thinking, and aviation skill under impossible circumstances. It remains one of the most astonishing survival stories in aviation history, proof that even in the face of disaster, the right mix of training and courage can save lives.

04-16-25 | MisterLemonzMen.tumblr.com/archive

The Rocketeer Movie cards 85: Mid-Air Death Struggle!

(lol i no longer care to be rebloggable or generalisable - the goal is thick description in qual research where i am both the instrument & subject & this blog is a repository & exercise for an audience of one: me me me) 

Konnor Kelly

Arise - Wood Duck by JimCumming