The 70-year old pilot saved the day!

[steingar]

This is yet another example of the media getting it completely wrong. Apparently one of the ground crew was sitting right seat and managed to advance the throttles too much, allowing the aircraft to lift off. The pilot landed it safely.

Of course, it was the pilot's job to mind the throttles, along with everything else. Instead of saving the day he managed to fix his own bollux. Those Brits!

 

[ScottM]

Can you say CYA?

 

[gismo]

This is yet another example of the media getting it completely wrong. Apparently one of the ground crew was sitting right seat and managed to advance the throttles too much, allowing the aircraft to lift off. The pilot landed it safely.

Of course, it was the pilot's job to mind the throttles, along with everything else. Instead of saving the day he managed to fix his own bollux. Those Brits!

Unless the co-pilot wrestled with the pilot over the throttles I can't see why the pilot couldn't have closed them long before they got enough speed to lift off. And AFaIK it wouldn't have lifted off at all unless someone pulled back on the yoke or they had the trim set way nose up.

 

[jsstevens]

Yesterday AvWeb said pilot averts disaster:
http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/PilotAvertsDisasterOnAccidentalTakeoff_201128-1.html

Today they're saying "Hero or Hoax" with no explanation.

I admit, unless it was supposed to be a high speed taxi, given how long it takes to spool up those turbines, it seem a little fishy.

John

 

[SkyHog]

The video says it was supposed to be a high speed taxi.

So, I can see how it got airborne (like 10 feet, but still). Good job to the pilot, although I question his thinking that he couldn't fly a pattern and land.

 

[tonycondon]

maybe the pilot was looking for one last trip around the patch, and the copilot had other ideas?

 

[mikea]

... Good job to the pilot, although I question his thinking that he couldn't fly a pattern and land.

As I read it, the jet was not in airworthy condition.

 

[etsisk]

They DID say that the "co-pilot" "froze on the controls", so it might well turn out that he was trying to back off on the throttles for a while before he could get control of them back from the idiot ground crew guy.