TUI Airways Lauds Pilot's 'Impressive' Sideways Landing In Stiff Crosswind.
TUI Airways on Monday hailed the sideways landing maneuver of its pilot, captured in a video that went viral.
The company was proud of “her impressive landing in adverse weather conditions,” a TUI spokesperson told HuffPost without identifying the pilot. “It showcased how highly skilled and well trained our pilots are.”
Crosswinds topping 45 mph buffeted the airliner as it landed at Bristol Airport in southwest England Friday after a flight from Menorca, Spain, video shows. The Boeing 757-200 approached the runway at a sideways angle and touched down safely.
“It is always fascinating to watch planes landing in strong crosswinds and it is fantastic to see such amazing skill by the pilots.” wrote YouTuber Mraviationguy, a self-described “plane spotter” who posted the video on Sunday.
Sideways landings aren’t uncommon, but do require “the utmost of your training to kick in,” commercial pilot Daniel Fahl told CNN in 2012. “It does look dramatic, but that’s just because the airplanes are so susceptible to the wind. But that’s how they’re designed. They’re designed to be weather vanes that point into the wind.”