Straighten up and Fly Right!



Videolink

Couldn't resist these dramatic moments when a Deutsche Lufthansa A-320 airbus with 137 passengers on board attempts a landing in rough winds at Hamburg, Germany. The plane is forced to come in sideways, it attempts touchdown at 45 degrees to runway.

Then the the port undercarriage wheels hit the ground and bounce off, sending the plane up at an angle which pushes the port wing down to the runway. The wingtip clips the ground momentarily before the pilot is able to correct the tilt and bring the port wing up again, showering a cloud of debris and dirt as it does so.

The pilot manages to lift the plane up and despite buffeting winds to slowly gain ascent. He does another circuit and uses another runway for landing.

He does so by "inducing the plane" (quite an understatement in that kind of crosswind!) safely onto another runway where the winds were kinder.

Brilliant flying!