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COUNCIL 14 ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER
July 12, 2014
Inside this issue:
Mahalo To Crew Members of Flight 201
Council 14 Commends Crew of Flight 201
Council 14 would like to commend the crew of Flight 201, HNL-GUM, on July 10th for going above and beyond the call of duty in representing their company, profession and their base in their professionalism.
Flight 201 left HNL approximately 3 hours late due to a previous mechanical issue. Approximately 3 and1/2 hours out, an electrical smell was noted by crew members while other serious issues began to surface in the cockpit. It was decided that the aircraft would return to HNL, however, these issues grew to necessitate landing the B-777 as soon as possible. Midway, an atoll located about 1300 miles away from Honolulu, was selected as the diversion location and the aircraft landed there a little over an hour later.
Host to the infamous Battle of Midway during WW2, the island now serves as a wildlife refuge and it’s working airport (there is another on Eastern Island, abandoned by the military) serves as a diversion location for aircraft emergencies. Last diversion of note was a Delta 747 in 2011, which sustained a broken windshield.
There are approximately 38 people living and working on the island. Most work maintaining the facilities, fire trucks and rescue equipment, while others work to maintain the wildlife preserve. Lodging facilities are limited at best.
After landing, the Midway crew wheeled up air stairs to door 1L. These air stairs were about 3 feet short of the height of the B777. The Midway crew created a human chain assisting passengers down to the landing and then down the very steep stairs with flight attendants assisting from the door above. The passengers were then escorted to the hangar area where golf carts would safely shuttle them to the gymnasium. Driving around the hundreds of unmoving, hip high, biting birds in the darkness was an experience in itself.
In the gym, the Midway crew members set about serving drinks brought from the plane and cooking up a hot meal for all. After a big round of applause by the passengers, Captain Shoemaker stood on the bleachers to give them a blow by blow explanation of what had transpired and that a rescue aircraft was being dispatched to take them back to HNL.
These experienced crew members kept the concerned passengers calm both inflight and on the ground. Three crew members rode over to the gymnasium with the passengers and assisted in answering questions regarding their checked baggage, connections, forgotten items and other customer service related issues.
The crew members that remained onboard assisted in taking down luggage from the storage areas to the door so that the Midway crew could continue their human chain bringing these items to the passengers in the gym. These crew members also searched seat pockets, retrieving forgotten items for these passengers.
Six hours later, the rescue B777 arrived from a canceled HNL-IAH flight and brought with them three mechanics to work on the injured aircraft. Leaving before day break would be the new goal as the thousands of huge birds on the island wake and begin taking to the skies of Midway. Bird strikes, be it broken wind shields or engine ingestion could ground the rescue flight.
Lifting off at about 04:46, the crew and passengers made it back safely to HNL at 08:42.
Mahalo to the following crew members.
Captain Dennis Shoemaker SFO
FO Frederick Langenard SFO
Purser Wes Chun
Roger Akimoto
Corinna Akimoto
Jan Bailey
Jeff Dang
Deborah Janis
Rod Kau
Rick Martines
Wayne Nakasone
Duane Serai
Ricky Umehira
COUNCIL 14 ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER
July 12, 2014
Inside this issue:
Mahalo To Crew Members of Flight 201
Council 14 Commends Crew of Flight 201
Council 14 would like to commend the crew of Flight 201, HNL-GUM, on July 10th for going above and beyond the call of duty in representing their company, profession and their base in their professionalism.
Flight 201 left HNL approximately 3 hours late due to a previous mechanical issue. Approximately 3 and1/2 hours out, an electrical smell was noted by crew members while other serious issues began to surface in the cockpit. It was decided that the aircraft would return to HNL, however, these issues grew to necessitate landing the B-777 as soon as possible. Midway, an atoll located about 1300 miles away from Honolulu, was selected as the diversion location and the aircraft landed there a little over an hour later.
Host to the infamous Battle of Midway during WW2, the island now serves as a wildlife refuge and it’s working airport (there is another on Eastern Island, abandoned by the military) serves as a diversion location for aircraft emergencies. Last diversion of note was a Delta 747 in 2011, which sustained a broken windshield.
There are approximately 38 people living and working on the island. Most work maintaining the facilities, fire trucks and rescue equipment, while others work to maintain the wildlife preserve. Lodging facilities are limited at best.
After landing, the Midway crew wheeled up air stairs to door 1L. These air stairs were about 3 feet short of the height of the B777. The Midway crew created a human chain assisting passengers down to the landing and then down the very steep stairs with flight attendants assisting from the door above. The passengers were then escorted to the hangar area where golf carts would safely shuttle them to the gymnasium. Driving around the hundreds of unmoving, hip high, biting birds in the darkness was an experience in itself.
In the gym, the Midway crew members set about serving drinks brought from the plane and cooking up a hot meal for all. After a big round of applause by the passengers, Captain Shoemaker stood on the bleachers to give them a blow by blow explanation of what had transpired and that a rescue aircraft was being dispatched to take them back to HNL.
These experienced crew members kept the concerned passengers calm both inflight and on the ground. Three crew members rode over to the gymnasium with the passengers and assisted in answering questions regarding their checked baggage, connections, forgotten items and other customer service related issues.
The crew members that remained onboard assisted in taking down luggage from the storage areas to the door so that the Midway crew could continue their human chain bringing these items to the passengers in the gym. These crew members also searched seat pockets, retrieving forgotten items for these passengers.
Six hours later, the rescue B777 arrived from a canceled HNL-IAH flight and brought with them three mechanics to work on the injured aircraft. Leaving before day break would be the new goal as the thousands of huge birds on the island wake and begin taking to the skies of Midway. Bird strikes, be it broken wind shields or engine ingestion could ground the rescue flight.
Lifting off at about 04:46, the crew and passengers made it back safely to HNL at 08:42.
Mahalo to the following crew members.
Captain Dennis Shoemaker SFO
FO Frederick Langenard SFO
Purser Wes Chun
Roger Akimoto
Corinna Akimoto
Jan Bailey
Jeff Dang
Deborah Janis
Rod Kau
Rick Martines
Wayne Nakasone
Duane Serai
Ricky Umehira
