> >
> >> > This is a true story published in the Chicago Tribune "Travel"
> section
> >> for
> >> > Sunday, June 6, 1999 in a story entitled "Choppy Skies - A
> white-knuckle
> >> > flight on Air Zimbabwe" by Gaby Plattner. It seems that Plattner was
> >> > travelling with a backpacking group through Africa as they found
> >> > themselveswaiting in Kariba airport for a flight to Hwange...
> >> >
> >> > " Our flight was delayed, so we settled down to wait. And wait. Three
> >> hours
> >> > later, we were finally told the plane was ready to board. Air
> Zimbabwe
> >> > bought many of its planes second-hand from other airlines, and the
> one
> >> we
> >> > got into was no exception. Dirty and ancient, the mid-size jetliner
> was
> >> > clearly one that no one else had wanted. Inside, we settled into the
> >> seats
> >> > with 80 or 90 other passengers and waited. And waited some more.
> >> Finally,
> >> > the pilot's voice came over he loudspeaker.
> >> >
> >> > 'We're all ready to go ladies and gentlemen. However, we've been
> waiting
> >> for
> >> > the copilot, and he still hasn't arrived. Since we've already waited
> so
> >> > long, we're just going to be flying without a copilot today.'
> >> >
> >> > There was a nervous buzz through the cabin. He continued, 'If any of
> you
> >> > feel uncomfortable with this, feel free to disembark now and Air
> >> Zimbabwe
> >> > will put you on the next available flight to Hwange.'
> >> >
> >> > Here he paused.
> >> >
> >> > 'Unfortunately, we are not sure when that will be. But rest assured,
> I
> >> have
> >> > flown this route hundreds of times, we have clear blue skies, and
> there
> >> > are no foreseeable problems.'
> >> >
> >> > No one in Plattner's group, doubtful as they might have been, wanted
> to
> >> > wait any longer at Kariba for a plane that may or may not
> materialise,
> >> so they
> >> > stayed onboard for the one-hour flight. Once the aircraft reached
> >> cruising
> >> > altitude, the pilot came on the loudspeaker again
> >> >
> >> > 'Ladies and gentlemen. I am going to use the bathroom. I have put the
> >> > plane on auto-pilot and everything will be fine. I just don't want
> you
> >> to worry.'
> >> >
> >> > That said, he came out of the cockpit, fastened the door open with a
> >> rubber
> >> > band to a hook on the wall. Then he went to the bathroom. Plattner
> >> > continues: Suddenly, we hit a patch of turbulence. Nothing much, the
> >> cabin
> >> > just shook a little for a moment. But the rubber band snapped off
> with
> a
> >> > loud 'ping!' and went sailing down the aisle. The door promptly swung
> >> > shut.
> >> > A moment later, the pilot came out of the bathroom. When he saw the
> >> closed
> >> > door, he stopped cold. I watched him from the back and wondered what
> was
> >> > wrong. The stewardess came running up, and together they both tried
> to
> >> open
> >> > the door. But it wouldn't budge. It slowly dawned on me that our
> pilot
> >> was
> >> > locked out of the cockpit. Cockpit doors lock automatically from the
> >> inside
> >> > to prevent terrorist from entering. Without a copilot, there was no
> one
> >> to
> >> > open the door from the inside. By now, the rest of the passengers had
> >> become
> >> > aware of the problem, and we watched the pilot, horrified. What would
> he
> >> do?
> >> >
> >> > After a moment of contemplation, the pilot hurried to the back of the
> >> plane.
> >> > He returned holding a big axe. Without ceremony, he proceeded to chop
> >> down
> >> > the cockpit door. We were rooted to our seats as we watched him. Once
> he
> >> > managed to chop a hole in the door, he reached inside, unlocked the
> >> door,
> >> > and let himself back in. Then he came on the loudspeaker, his voice a
> >> > little shakier this time than before.
> >> >
> >> > 'Ah,... ladies and gentlemen, ... we just had a little problem there,
> >> but
> >> > everything is fine now. We have plans to cover every eventuality,
> even
> >> > pilots getting locked out of their cockpits. So relax and enjoy the
> rest
> >> > of the flight.'
> >> >
> >> > Ahhhhh Africa... What a wonderful place!!!!! - Never a dull moment !"
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >
>