It was a fabulous day and the Captain announced that we were flying towards Fingal's Cave (Fingal's Cave is a sea cave on the uninhabited island of Staffa, in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, known for its natural acoustics and made popular in music by Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture.). He went on to say that he was going to make a low pass and that passengers on the port side would get a really good view. He then went on to ask passengers not to all crowd over to the port side or we would tip the plane over.
It was a really low slow pass which I'm sure would not have been countenanced by the Powers That Be.
However, he got a rousing cheer of thanks from his passengers and I think everyone on board would have retold that story many times.
In this risk-averse world where such actions could not be hidden or overlooked because of modern monitoring in and outwith the plane such experiences are unlikely. I think the world is a sadder place as a result.
What a marvelous story! I was once on a flight from Atlanta to London and we flew over Manhattan on a very clear night. Never will I forget the lights from NYC and since it was October, there was a baseball game and the stadium was a great bowl of golden light. Thankfully, I was on the left side of the plane and in a window seat!
ReplyDeleteKay, it's moments like that that stay with us and are savoured thousands of times in our memory.
DeleteTwo of my friends are licensed to pilot small (sports) aircraft, and I have been flying a few times with one of them. Once, he circled Ulm Minster for me - it was an unforgettable experience, too. He and I were the only people onboard the ultralight plane, though.
ReplyDeleteYour story is great - but I must admit I am one of those risk-averse people when it comes to flying etc., and would rather not have a pilot on a scheduled flight change his course just so that the passengers could get a better look at something on the ground.
Meike, I recall that in those days the planes routinely flew down the West Coast and approached Glasgow from that direction if the wind was from an easterly direction so the pilot probably didn't actually change course so much as change altitude. I'm used to the jets now which fly very much higher but I often recall getting a good view of Iona Abbey 'back in the day'. That doesn't, of course, alter the fact that he flew rather lower than usual.
DeleteEverything these days is safe safe safe and sometimes I can understand it but once in a while I wonder about the old what if? Life is too short for what ifs and it's nice to see something different once in a while.
ReplyDeleteAmy, New Zealand has a rather different approach in my experience. I remember going helihiking in the Southern Alps and being amazed flying up to and then walking through creaking ice up on the glacier. I know the pilots and guides are excellent and very well trained but there was still a deal of risk up there. I also never quite got used to my neighbour coming home in his helicopter and landing in the adjacent lifestyle plot.
DeleteYou are so right - the modern Health & Safety police would have a conniption fit.
ReplyDeleteMany years ago I was able to visit Staffa and go inside the cave. It was an incredibly moving and memorable experience.
(and clearly before my panic-about-getting-on-a-boat days 🥺)
Jayne, every day is a school day. I didn't know the word 'conniption' but I do now!
DeleteBeautiful photo for a spectacular memory
ReplyDeleteModern monitoring does take away a lot of beauty in the moment atmosphere.
To deal with it, I tell myself, it can also save lives when preditors are out and about.
Maywyn, it seem to me that the very act of living is a major risk in many parts of the world.
DeleteWould that be a British place, built in Britain? After merger of BOAC and BEA to form BA, 1974?
ReplyDeleteTasker, it was a British plane built by Vickers-Armstrong and flew commercially from 1953. Yes. BA was formed in1974 just before I came to Lewis so I flew with BA until they gave up the internal Scottish routes.
DeleteI am in two minds about this. It is a pity that such things can no longer be undertaken, but then where does care and careless meet? The Costa Concordia disaster is a pretty good example.
ReplyDeleteI my workplace we often moaned about things were could not longer do that did benefitted our customers. But in the last twenty years of that job I saw the disturbingly high number of employee injuries fall to close to zero because of much stricter and strongly enforced rules.
Andrew, the Costa Concordia was the first thing that came to my mind when I read Graham's post. I didn't mention it in my comment because I didn't remember the name - only now that i have read your comment. It was off the island of Giglio, that I know.
DeleteAndrew I'm not sure that flying that low was inherently dangerous but I certainly take your point and it probably left little room for error.
DeleteI'm glad there were obedient passengers on board, or you may not have been here to tell the tale! :)
ReplyDeleteMany memories of riding in Viscounts. They weren't in service that long.
ReplyDeleteRed, I can't recall how long I travelled in one but they were very expensive to run on short routes.
DeleteWell done that Captain!!!
ReplyDeleteI think we all enjoyed it Cro.
DeleteThat's a lovely story. Is taking risks with care really taking risks? We are too wrapped in red tape these days.
ReplyDeleteJanice, I agree there is too much red tape. Taking risks with care is only a risk when it goes pear-shaped!
DeleteI agree with the commenters who like the safety of rules and rule following but I have to also agree that the world has less room these days for adventures and calculated risks. If we could compare fabulous memories against lives saved, I wonder which side would have the higest numbers?
ReplyDeleteThat's a very interesting question, Kylie. I couldn't even begin to guess at an answer.
DeleteOn balance, I think I prefer the pilot to stick to the course he was assigned, but if there should be a pod of whales on the ocean and he could get a little closer…..we’ll that’s another matter entirely!
ReplyDeleteYes, David, we all have things we will make an exception for. I was fortunate enough when in New Zealand to fly in a small plane on a whale viewing. Quite wonderful seeing them from above.
DeleteI often watch Air Crash Investigation, in fact I used to watch it night after night but watch it less so now, and there was one where the pilot flew his passengers over a regatta, or similar, so they could see the sailing boats. He flew low and crashed and they all died. I prefer it if the pilot sticks to the rules although I can appreciate your enjoyment on the day. The investigators could not understand why he was off course and crashed where he did until they found out about the event that he must have deviated to show his passengers.
ReplyDeleteRachel, that sounds an interesting programme. It's not one I've seen nor, in fact, knew of before now.
DeleteThat sounds like an interesting flight. My Bill said a similar thing happened when he migrated fom Switzerland in 67. Th electra he was on took the new arrivals down for a closer look at Ayres Rock/ Uluru in the middle of Australia.
ReplyDeleteI was on the first flight of a Fokker Friendship into Mt Hagen in the mountains of PNG back in the 60's. All the locals were at the airport to see the big ?? plane arrive. So the pilot tipped the plane on its side and did a circle of the airport waggling the wings. I was petrified as the airport is surrounded by towering mountains. Oh the things we survived!
Diane, oddly the most scared I've ever been in a plane (I'm usually a very good flier) is when they hit clear air turbulence. Now the planes can 'see' it in advance but when I flew home from Perth one year the plane from Sydney hit CAT and, if I remember correctly, two cabin crew were killed. I know that we were greeted with great relief when our family realised we were not on that plane. It also happened to me flying down the Island chain here one day in a very small plane.
DeleteWhat a wonderful experience a pilot with a little imagination gave to his passengers, who no doubt have never forgotten it. You know me, Graham, I'm all for adventure but like my risks to be calculated ones. I'm against over regulation where people no longer think for themselves.
ReplyDeletePauline, it was a wonderful experience. I've been very fortunate in that I have flown frequently around the islands in helicopters and well and very small planes which often fly low anyway.
DeleteNo doubt an experience to store in memory. Have to admit I was never much of a risktaker myself, though - plus I tend to suffer from travel sickness by any medium... My experience of flying is limited to a few times between c. 1967-79: Once to Spain, twice to England, and the last time from Karlstad via Stockholm up to Skellefteå in northern Sweden. That time I made the return journey by train, but that was the plan from start (not to do with fear of flying as such). But for a variety of reasons I've never been up in the air again since!
ReplyDeleteMonica, apart from my life in New Zealand which involved a lot of flying I would never have flown much if I'd not lived on an Island and flown a lot for my job. I only fly now for hospital visits if I need to go to the Mainland.
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