Liz and I were going home Sunday after 11 days of Orlando with the YAPC::NA::2014 ( yapcna.org/yn2014/ ). Plane takes off, goes up up up, and around the time we reach cruise altitude, we hear a big bang and the plane shudders. I was just looking outside, and saw a big black thing (30-40 cm) tumble very fast just across the windows. It was something that hit the outer engine on the side I was sitting, or it was something that came out of the engine. They never told us what it was... Anyway, at some point the pilot tells us that the engine does not work and that they are not able to re-start it from within. A Boeing 747-400 can fly with 3 engines over the ocean, but they did not like to take the risk. Because, when another engine blows up (which is not unlikely, when the 3 remaining engines have to do the work of 4 engines), it will become very difficult to reach the other side. They told us they were discussing what to do. An engineer might tell them whether it would still be possible to re-start from within. Or whatever is wrong with the engine. Later: its not possible, we have to land somewhere. Maybe a complete new engine has to be flown in. Later: we will go to New York JFK, thats abig airport, lots of mechanics and engineers, best change to fix it, best place for connecting flights. Well, it took a while to get there. And the descent was quite rough, but the landing was even rougher. But we gave the pilot a big applause. There we are in a hotel (Holiday Inn Jamaica in Queens). Guy next to me in the plane, man of 64, heard that morning that his father in Croatia died. Funeral is Tuesday. Two old people, never been out of the USA, got a cruise on the Mediterranean for 3 weeks, and Monday evening the boat would go. Group of 14 people were going to a wedding Tuesday morning. Some US American army guys served in Afghanisated and would be decorated on Tuesday morning at an army base in Germany and their whole family and many friends were on the plane. They are all in the hotel with us now. All going to miss their special occasions. Liz and I will fly this afternoon at 17:55 (Dutch time 23:55) to Brussels, with Brussels Air. Arrival 07:10. At 10:10 we should land in Frankfurt. Get our luggage, find our car in the garage, drive home. Should be there before 15:00. Unload the car, and drive to Amsterdam for the Amsterdam Perl-NL Mongers meeting. It will be nice to be surrounded by friends again. Most important: we all live. Nobody injured. No luggage lost. Just another little adventure. The hotel is actually quite nice, and they have an Italian restaurant in here that is open almost all day (wow excellent omelet). I just am sorry for those other people that are going to miss important events in their lives.
Posted on: Mon, 30 Jun 2014 16:38:30 +0000
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