Fasten your seatbelts

Soldato
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Was on a Monarch flight in the early 2000s and the generators in the engines failed, had to do an emergency landing at Ciampino airport. Pilot was throwing the plane into the ground before we ran out of electricity. Pretty sure a Britannia plane ended up taking us home.

Early 2000s Monarch was likely a 757 - these have a RAT (ram-air turbine) to provide power in extreme emergencies. Not only that, both engines have generators as well as the APU in the rear of aircraft. It's a beyond-slim chance you were in a scenario were the pilot was getting you down "before you ran out of electricity".
 
Soldato
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Although the media reporting the 6,000 ft drop as the cause is not correct. It didn’t drop 6,000 ft. It had already diverted to Bangkok and that was on descent. If it was 6,000 ft it would have shown people pinned to the roof and the pilot would have not likely kept control of the aircraft. It was probably 20-30 ft drop.
You can actually see it on the flighttracker data, it goes from 37,000 to 31,000ft in a second.
 
Soldato
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You can actually see it on the flighttracker data, it goes from 37,000 to 31,000ft in a second.
It really doesnt. The 6000ft descent occurs later and is clearly controlled. The media reporting of the incidient is shocking. As FR24 says 'Some media reports have erroneously reported the pilots’ initial descent toward Bangkok from 37,000 feet to 31,000 feet as the turbulence event. While the aircraft may have continued to experience turbulence during that descent, it was a standard descent to a new flight level controlled by altitude selection in the aircraft’s autopilot.'


a4ZjzOph.jpg
 
Soldato
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It really doesnt. The 6000ft descent occurs later and is clearly controlled. The media reporting of the incidient is shocking. As FR24 says 'Some media reports have erroneously reported the pilots’ initial descent toward Bangkok from 37,000 feet to 31,000 feet as the turbulence event. While the aircraft may have continued to experience turbulence during that descent, it was a standard descent to a new flight level controlled by altitude selection in the aircraft’s autopilot.'


a4ZjzOph.jpg
This is really interesting. It looks like that sharp drop was around 150-200 ft.
 
Associate
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London.
That's an Airbus thing - Boeing don't have them.

Someone should have told this plane that it didn't have one.
 
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Associate
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Except the 747-8, 757, 767, 777, and 787 :p

My bad, you are correct however (unless I'm mistaken again) - they all provide additional hydraulic pressure to the flight controls etc not electrical power with the exception of the 787 since its FBW. I was thinking electrical backup due to previous posts. I'll amend my comment to be - the B737 (one of the most common aircraft in the world) definitely does not have a RAT.
 
Caporegime
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I think it is quite common in this area. My first ever trip to Australia we went on Japan airlines and when flying on the second leg from Japan to Aus was some monumental turbulence that the whole cabin smelt of the brown stuff! It also feels ten times worse when it is night outside!
 
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Soldato
Joined
11 Sep 2009
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13,992
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France, Alsace
It really doesnt. The 6000ft descent occurs later and is clearly controlled. The media reporting of the incidient is shocking. As FR24 says 'Some media reports have erroneously reported the pilots’ initial descent toward Bangkok from 37,000 feet to 31,000 feet as the turbulence event. While the aircraft may have continued to experience turbulence during that descent, it was a standard descent to a new flight level controlled by altitude selection in the aircraft’s autopilot.'


a4ZjzOph.jpg
Thanks! I am happy to stand corrected!
 
Associate
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18 Jan 2010
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London
Claim to fame, I've been in a light bus crash

Basically went through the back of a van, other than the sound didn't notice much of a bump.
I've also been in a bus/coach when it crashed into the back of a van on the A2. I was pretty drunk and half asleep when it hit the van. I headbutted the seat in front of me but didnt really do me any damage. The windscreen of the bus was cracked everywhere and everyone else on the bus was fine.
 
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