The 1983 Gimli Glider

[OldAirmail]

I'm sure most of us have forgotten the Gimli Glider

On July 23, 1983, Air Canada Flight 143, a Boeing 767-233 jet, ran out of fuel at an altitude of 41,000 feet (12,000 m) MSL, about halfway through its flight originating in Montreal to Edmonton.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwMqDnBCBwc[/youtube]

Anyone willing to try that one?

Let us know if you "live through it.

[Fozzer]

I must admit, I held my breath through most of that.... .....

...and I still cant separate my buttocks!.... ...!

(A good post!).

Paul.... ...!

[Apex]

Wow, absolutely inCREDible. Never knew about that one. Thanks for the post there. Great piloting saves lives, don't it?

[Hagar]

Nice video!

This a prime example of a pilot's gliding experience being very useful in loss of power situations with powered aircraft, just like the Hudson River incident 25 years later. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimli_Glider#Landing_at_Gimli

Captain Pearson was an experienced glider pilot, so he was familiar with flying techniques almost never used by commercial pilots.

I've always thought that some glider training should be included in the PPL course.

[papituwall]

Many thanks for this information.

[orenda14]

Buddy of mine deadsticked a Harvard into Gimli back in "59",m really messed his pants up, flew in there a few times myself back in the day but always under power, cannot imagine trying it with a 767, what a helluva pilot

[Anthindelahunt]

I remember that episode.Great pilot.Very scary.

Anthin.