That’s why you get the window seat. Then you know.
Then again, there are some things you just don't want to know THAT bad.
For a number of decades I had to travel this Country for border to border East, West, North, and South. A lot of flying was involved. On a Piedmont flight from Charleston, WV to a city in VA where Virginia Tech is located.. Plane was a twin Engine Japanese YS Series aircraft. It took us through a bad Thunderstorm just over in VA. I was in a Wing seat. Turbulence was so bad a Stewardess fell sick in the aisle. Yep, we got scared then. Right then, a bolt of lightning hit the left engine right in front of my eyes. Pilot extinguished the fire some how. Made an Emergency landing at a little nearby airport that had the runway length. New River Valley Airport as I recall. It was closed for the day. Had to wait for taxi service in the morning.
About 6 years later, boarded a United Airlines DC8 in Denver. Took off for Portland. About 1/2 way there, one right side engine failed. Pilot turned back to Denver, About 10 minutes from landing back in Denver, the second engine on the right failed also.
Since it was an Emergency declared, the entire runway was lined with fire engines and equipment. We went in praying as the right wing was very low and we were leaning right in our seats. We sure had a great Pilot that day. He got us down safely with only the wing tip hitting the runway about three times before he got us stopped far from the terminal.
After this, I quit that job and have never flown again. Nor ever will again.
I've always been someone that never minded flying. Still don't. And I've jumped out a few "Acceptable to passing" aircraft over the last 25 years.
What keeps me from flying, and on the road instead, if I can drive there, is the BS tied to security, and cost. I can drive on a round trip, in most cases, for less than a flight costs. Here to Maine, I'll drive. Here to Florida, same. Here to Sacramento, that's when flying becomes more cost effective, if it's a solo trip, and it's not one that would included stops in CO and NE, to visit family. Or AZ for that matter, because with 2 or more, stopping for the night isn't an issue.
But, if i had gone through that, I would solidly swear off flying, more than I currently have. Especially after 9/11.
Last time I flew was in 2018, out fo Sacramento, to visit with a few friends in the medicinal and recreational MJ trade out there. I never look forward to interacting with TSA, because metal detectors are not my friend. I could walk through them naked (And have considered doing so in the past), and still set them off. 2 plates in my head, knee and hip replacement, pins and plates in my leg and foot, and metal in the left side of my mouth, upper and lower teeth are all screwed in caps.
Yes folks, my cremains will have a scrap value.
Needless to say, TSA gives me a LOT of close scrutiny, because of it, and it took me a few trips to the local courthouse, everywhere i have ever lived, to not have have the deputies ready to pat me down. Even with the card from my doctor, and even now, when I walk though to lock my sidearm up, before going into do my buiness in the building, I still warn them that I'm going to set it off, both times, when I go back through it.
A few of them now just have me step through, hand over my bag for scanning, wait for me to walk out of the locker area, and just wand me, at this point. Saves a step in the long run. The truly demented among them have me go around, and come back through, with the FNG at the sensor, and let him or her wand me, after I set it off.
you should see the look on their face, when they get up by my left cheek and eye. Priceless.
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