No, I wasn't landing a fighter jet on an aircraft carrier or trying bungee jumping. This one is simple. Book yourself on a night flight to Delhi in December and you will get more than you ask for. Chances that the flight will be delayed due to fog and poor visibility at the Delhi airport will be at 100%. The chances that you are in landing queue at a number greater than 10 will again be 100%. You will soon find the pliot's announcement saying there is a 'traffic jam' in the sky and asking you to sit back and enjoy your flight.You could, if the plane did actually go in circles but it doesn't. It keeps changing altitude at the end of each circle and there is a fairly significant change in cabin pressure. If you can still hear anything after completing two circles, you should be surprised.
However fog does have its advantages if you specifically asked for a window side at the airline counter. Delhi has so far the most beautiful night lights visible from an aircraft. You can see beautiful well arranged lights shimmering on the ground like they were stars, some white and others yellow. You can see the peculiar fog patterns on the ground. At some places the lights will be dimmed by the fog and a few hundred meters away you can see bright lights with absolutely no fog. Put in the landing queue makes it all the more delightful to watch the Delhi night light for so long.
The airliner doesn't expect us to stay in the sky forever, so eventually you get to land braving the fog and near zero visibility. The pilot's voice cracks on the speakers and announces that you are now ready to land and that cabin crew should take landing positions.( I think he means-hang on for dear life).
You get to fasten your seat belt and the descent begins. The night light gets bigger and brighter. The fairy tale world up from the sky slowly disappears and you start getting the feel of the 'real world'. The pilot apparently overshoots by a few dozen meters. The wheel hits the ground rather smooth and then comes to a screeching halt. (I remember counting till 10 before it came to a complete halt. i bet it was close to 10 seconds). This however is a little different from the braking in buses(you get to fly there without actually taking a flight). Here you get to experience 4g to 6g, all free of charge. The pilot announces the outside temperature (2 degree C) and hopes that we enjoyed our flight. Sure, I did! and hope to do it again :-)
ps: Back to probabilities, the chance that you find fog in December in Delhi and finding yourself in a long landing queue is 100%. The chances of a successful landing to enjoy the freezing weather is definitely not 100% :P
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6 comments:
lol @ This however is a little different from the braking in buses(you get to fly there without actually taking a flight).
beware of those DTC (?) buses......or those blue line ones.......I have seen many a unsuspecting pedestrians being their victims in my short stays at Delhi.....
and I love fog........though air-travel in fog is something I do not get excited about :)
i have traveled in DTC and the bluelines. the pedestrians donot cross the road carefully either.yes, they are notorious for knocking down people.
i'm glad you made the landing! i also enjoy a scenic view of almost any city. something about all those lights :)
i am glad i made it:). if the airport is approached from the sea you miss much but otherwise the night lights are always beautiful :)
The Blue and Red Lines made me very nervous during my time in Delhi (5yrs)!
you should try out some of the bus routes with winding roads in kerala. they don't even brake for the curve.
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