Flying into Baghdad - Steep Spiral Style!

[DesertFalcon]

A hair-raising flight into Baghdad
Commercial flights From Jordan offer a harrowing trip.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6590586/Robert Brand, a South African pilot on Royal Jordanian Flight 814 finishes a "corkscrew" descent Friday to evade would-be attackers above the terminal at Baghdad International Airport, just outside Baghdad. The one-hour flights from Amman, Jordan, to Baghdad are filled with plenty of drama for both passengers and flight crews.

Go here to read the rest of the story:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6590586/

By SLOBODAN LEKIC

 

[Cutlass1287]

I wonder how much that flight crew gets paid?

 

[Cpt. Underpants]

Now I'll sound like a real old fart, but in my past life, in SAA (South African Airways) we used to do the same manoevres over Victoria Falls, Bulawayo and Harare (all in what was then known as Rhodesia) in 737's - over the top at 20,000, gear down, speedbrakes, spiral descent to land, staying within a 5 mile radius of the airport - the only safe area the security forces could guarantee. SAM 7's were the problem, never saw any, never heard of anyone getting hit by one (except the two Air Rhodesia Viscounts) so I guess it worked. Extra pay? Bwahahaha.

Reminds me of the time we used to sit at the pool at the Polana Hotel in Maputo (Mozambique) and watch the SAAF nailing the ANC with Macchi's...

I'll save that one for another day.