Your all-time favourite take-off or landing??

[Steve Crook]

Great question but so difficult to pin down to one or two....
*flying into Newark on a Continental DC-10 from Sydney via Honolulu. It was at about 10pm on Christmas Eve when we lined up for finals and I looked across to the lights of Manhattan as we flew past.
*landing at Heraklion, Crete on an Olympic 727-200 from Athens. All the morning flights had been cancelled due to bad weather in Crete. This was the first one in. We made three attempts to land - lots of engine pitch changes as we bounced around in cloud; at one point water become visible IMMEDIATELY below just as the pilot gunned it and up we went again. Got in on the third attempt.
*...and in the "goes without saying" category - Kai Tak landings

[Jason Carruthers]

My favourite landing would have to be back in 2005 arriving into MKY on a Qantas 733 it was overcast you could just see all these ships waiting at Hay point and we had these interesting vortices coming off the wing the landing itself was a lot harder then normal though.

Another landing was in 2007 On a Rex Saab 340 into Lismore descending through the clouds around all the hills in the nearby range. also it was a short hop from BNE the flight itself was about 20 minutes and the F/A still managed to serve a snack and a sweet afterwards.


My favourite take off would have been in 2007 on a DJ SYD-ADL flight taking off from Rwy 34L and turning left and having a great view of the Western Suburbs and the Blue Mountains.



J

[Ray P.]

Favourite takeoff and landing was in the back seat of an F/A-18B from Darwin (A21-109). The middle bit was just as excellent.

[Jason H]

Best takeoff was about a year ago on QF419 off rwy 25 763 VH-OGA. Very steep takeoff, have never experienced such an insane departure before


Worst landing was in January 2004 coming back from PER on QF566. a/c was 332 VH-EBA landing rwy 07. Very strong crosswind component on final made an interesting final approach, and we touched down very late, around taxiway Alpha. I was really worried if we would stop in time :S We took the last taxiway with a helluva lot of braking and full reversers.

[Stephen B]

Best takeoff - First ever ride in a 767. Was down the back, and it felt like we were almost going up vertically. A real rocket ship!

Most interesting landing - In a 737 to Melbourne, the pilot had to go around from only a couple of hundred feet due to traffic not clearing the runway. Told my friend who was nervous flyer they were still sweeping up what was left of the last one.

Scariest landing - In a C152 at Cooranbong NSW with a newly licensed pilot who didn't flare. I swear the wheels were up next to the windows. Aircraft (don't know rego) was destroyed at Port Macquarie several moths latter in a weather related crash.

Most interesting watched - watching 6 aircraft on approach to CBR at once as they raced in to beat the closure 1 hour before USAF Airforce 1 took off with George W back in about 2005. Never seen that much metal in CBR at once before. And the pilot of Airfoce 2 (SAM78002?) turned off the landing lights as he went past the fence to allow us to get better photos! What a nice American!

[matthew mcdonald]

My favourite Take off was in A6-EWC EK 772LR AKL-SYD. I will never forget the thrust that those GE-90's provided, simply spectacular.

My favourite landing was in the same aircraft upon arrival into 34L at Syd. The cross-wind was extremely strong and the lading was something out of this world being extremely hard.

[Kim F]

Best Landing - 1974 Cathay Pacific B 707 Hong Kong old airport.

14 year old. I was flying First Class from Perth and there were two transit stops. I had a Qantas Junior VJet Flyer Log book (stuffed if I know where it is now). After the 2nd stop which may have been KL, I dutyfully sent my log book via cabin staff to the cockpit. It was returned with an invite to visit the cockpit in flight. Sat in the jump seat, they gave me a headset and as we neared, they strapped me in for a night landing. I was gob smacked.

Best Takeoff - 1977 - Lufthansa B727 me thinks - Heathrow

This was just after the Germans had freed a hijacked aircraft in Africa and there were vows that this would be avenged by shooting down a Lufthansa aircraft. Apparently, each flight a sealed envelope to the flight crew with takeoof instructions that detailed which way to turn after becoming airborne. This was not broadcast but ATC had the same info. The takeoff roll was extended so when we lifted off, there was a rapid ascent followed by a steep turn. Put a rollercoaster to shame !

[Jeff Smith]

Most Exciting Landing

January 2008 flying United from KFLL - KSFO via KDEN:

I arrived in Denver around 1030 local and was scheduled to depart at 1330. I checked the weather report for San Francisco once I got to Denver and saw that they were experiencing a major storm going through the Bay Area. KSFO's ATIS for the 2 hours I was waiting had landing on 10L with departures on 10R. No ILS for 10L, they were using the VOR/GPS (B) approach, and ATC issued gate holds around 1330 my local in KDEN for all aircraft destined for KSFO. We didn't get a flow time release until 1600 local Denver time. So back to the pub I go to have a bit to eat. When we finally did depart after 3 gate and aircraft changes, it was 1640. Flying on United Airlines they allow you free audio headsets and also an audio channel to listen to ATC from the cockpit. We were cleared by the Ground Controller to taxi to the the holding point for rwy 26, but enroute the Controller that he had to get another release time from ATC and for the pilots to contact the company. Our taxi route was originally to taxi via G and hold short rwy26, but the controller told us to taxi via G, then left on B and right on F to hold short at F for rwy 26. Once the pilots sorted out the company, 5 minutes later they told the ground controller we were good to go, so the controller releases us to the tower and the tower clears us for a takeoff from F intersection. The pilots request the backtrack on 26 for full length departure (12000 ft). Approved we're airborn and finally on the way to KSFO.
The flight was uneventful. Prior to TOD the enroute controller changes out STAR from MOD3 to LOCKE1. During our descent and after handoff to Norcal Approach, we're cleared for the ILS19L approach. Five minutes later the controller tells us to expect vectors after LOCKE for the VOR/GPS B approach to 10L. We get down to 6000 in the sequence behind ASA295 (Alaska Airlines B739 callsign Alaska enroute from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico) and in front of AWE473 (America West A319 callsign "Cactus" enroute from Las Vegas, Nevada). I hear "Alaska295 turn right heading 140 descend to 3000, cleared VOR/GPS (B) approach runway 10L" He replies "cleared for the RNAV (GPS) 10L" ( he didn't have the VOR/GPS (B) onboard and the controller approves him. Let me also say that from 12000 all the way down we were in rain and "moderate" to severe turbulence during this approach. 3 minutes later the controller tells us "UAL77 turn left hdg 130, cleared VOR/GPS (B) 10L approach maintain 170kts until WESLA". The pilot does the readback and then we make the turn on the localiser for the VOR and are heading into the rwy. The Alaska in front gets the release to tower and shortly after we hear the Cactus behind us is cleared for the approach also. I'm looking out the window the whole time and we're still getting the bumpy ride on the way in. The controller tells the pilot that the previous aircraft reported Severe turbulence at 1500 ft 5 dme from the field. The pilot "definitely agrees with that." We get the handoff at 5 dme to tower and we're on their frequency long enough to be identified by the tower at 3 dme when I hear "San Francisco Tower, Alaska295 is missed approach rwy10L, executing missed approach procedure RNAV (GPS) 10L", at this point I was glued to the window watching us go into and out of the clouds and seeing the ground every once in a while as well as getting bumped around in the seat. I am able to make out the freeway below (so I know we're real close to the rwy) when I hear the engines speed up and our attitude started climbing when I realised we were also doing a Missed Approach. We get the handoff back to Norcal Approach and LONNNNGGGG vectors to the right for the ILS19L approach on the next go. But I also heard on our appch freq that the Cactus flight behind us did not make it to the runway either. Now the Appch controller has to deal with our 3 planes in addition to the 4 planes that were behind us. The winds were still 111/22, but they were going to give us the ILS appch. Unfortunately ASA295 after doing some fuel calcs declared to divert to their alternate KOAK (Oakland). Our pilot came on the air to tell the PAX that he had to do the Missed Approach due to after hitting the minimum alt and dme, the rwy was not in sight, but the good thing was we had lots of fuel to make many more attempts. He was also kind enough to explain that our next attempt to rwy 19L will be a Precision Approach and should be much easier. This time it was a perfect landing on the keys with no turbulence at all. With all that said I finally got to the gate around 1905 local time KSFO. I came home and checked www.flightaware.com and saw that ASA295 did land in KOAK and then 1 hour later they flew back to KSFO. A very interesting flight and very happy to experience this.

[Luke A]

My favorite would have to be Hamilton Island. Has anyone else got coments??
I remember going there twice many years ago with Ansett. The first experience for the arrival and also departure was on the 737. Such a short runway and I remember how much we were pushed forward after touchdown. Certainly could have been max reverse thrust. And as for the take off, after lining up, the brakes were applied as the engines stabalised. After about 10 seconds the breaks were released. Nothing beats a max performance take off. Great memories.

[AdamB]

Favourite take off - 17/04/09 from Sydney Airport, Boeing 737-800 flight DJ830 to Melbourne, finally underway after a five hour delay due to a bird strike, I think the flight crew were as frustrated as the pax as we were out of there in one almighty hurry climbing out very steeply & although probably no different to most take offs it felt very, very fast.
Funniest part of the whole trip was when after spending so long at gate 32 on friday, as we landed returning home I said to my wife I couldn't even bare to glance at gate 32 as we went to pick up our bags, guess which gate we pulled up to.......yep, 32.