A new video of a Qatar Airways pilot landing his flight at London's Heathrow Airport after a tense battle with Storm Eunice has gone viral on the Internet. It showed the pilot, Captain Khalifa Al Thani, trying hard to control the Boeing 777-300ER as winds speeding up to 12mph swaying the aircraft briefly on Friday. The deft handling by the Qatar Airways pilot, when hundreds of other flights were cancelled at the London airport, has earned him global praise from aviation experts as well as fliers.
The video, which also has a side-by-side clip of the plane recorded by YouTube channel Big Jet TV, shows Captain Al Thani from inside the cockpit controlling the yoke with one hand and the throttle with another on his final approach to the runway. Aviation experts have described Captain Al Thani's technique as “a well-executed ‘textbook' crosswind landing”.
Take a look at the video, which has collected more than 428K views on Twitter till now.
Amazing - here's my friend Captain Khalifa Al Thani landing his Boeing 777 ????????✈️ in #StormEunice ???? at a windy London Heathrow Airport today…a side-by-side video with BigJet TV's ???? now famous commentary ???????????? pic.twitter.com/lVGJzsBo8m
— Alex Macheras (@AlexInAir) February 18, 2022
The pilot has thanked Big Jet TV for the “awesome coverage” of his landing at Heathrow amidst Storm Eunice.
“One of the most impressive clips I have seen in a long time. And, we aren't seeing the feet working the rudder pedals as he lands it at over 100mph. Total respect,” one person said.
One of the most impressive clips I have seen in a long time! And we aren't seeing the feet working the rudder pedals as he lands it at over 100mph. Total respect. https://t.co/xlJc05zgSk
— Vin Paleri (@VinPaleri) February 19, 2022
Another called the video and the pilot's skill fascinating.
This is fascinating. What skill these pilots have! https://t.co/SYp3Rtm1Mt
— Janey (@FannyIngabout) February 19, 2022
“Terrifying and hot in equal measures,” read one of the comments.
Terrifying and hot in equal measures. https://t.co/XaANxaqnt2
— Charlotte Nickels (@LaliNickels) February 19, 2022
Here's some more:
Few things more satisfying than to watch a skilled craftsman at work! https://t.co/ZRDj5kjDdk
— Neil Garratt AM (@NeilGarratt) February 19, 2022
Just wow ...
— Sᴜᴢᴀɴɴᴇ Bᴇʀɴᴇʀᴛ (@suzannebernert) February 21, 2022
To all the Pilots who managed this in #StormEunice ...
Hat's off ???? https://t.co/e57lrDliO5
Amidst the fierce Storm Eunice, two Air India pilots also managed to land at the Heathrow airport on Friday. Big Jet TV praised the Indian pilots -- Captains Anchit Bhardwaj and Aditya Rao --, calling them "very skilled”.
Many planes were forced to abort their landings or circle over the airport. One of the most powerful tempests in Europe since the "Great Storm" hit Britain and northern France in 1987, Storm Eunice sparked the first-ever "red" weather warning for London on Friday.
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