FARK.com: (7057449) No, a pilot did not plunge his plane into a nosedive to avoid Venus. Venus

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		No, a pilot did not plunge his plane into a nosedive to avoid Venus. Venus (blogs.discovermagazine.com)		82
		More: Followup, first officer, pilot error, Air Canada, John McPhee

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14205 clicks; posted to Main » on 18 Apr 2012 at 5:54 PM | Favorite | share:

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doglover		2012-04-18 05:41:31 PM

Obvious revelation is obvious.

Revek		2012-04-18 05:58:53 PM

NO NO, It was uranus.

Charlie Freak		2012-04-18 06:03:23 PM

Venus can look an awful lot like an oncoming landing or recognition light. So can the actual lights of an actual oncoming aircraft. The trick is that if you have Venus and the oncoming plane in the same field of view, the two bright lights look an awful lot like the wingtip lights of an aircraft that is REALLY close. Further, if the oncoming aircraft is moving in your field of view, it looks like the false, close-in aircraft is trying to evade hitting you, which can cause you to evade in another direction.

BurnShrike		2012-04-18 06:03:33 PM

Why'd he pull up? I'd hit it.

upload.wikimedia.org

JonnyBGoode		2012-04-18 06:04:25 PM

Gyrfalcon		2012-04-18 06:04:44 PM

BurnShrike: Why'd he pull up? I'd hit it.

[upload.wikimedia.org image 200x336]

They meant "pull OUT! Pull OUT!"

lockers		2012-04-18 06:05:00 PM

Well that narrative isn't half as much fun.

mhuckins		2012-04-18 06:05:50 PM

Venus sounds like penis.

LeroyBourne		2012-04-18 06:07:02 PM

That was on the news this morning, they showed 'what it would have looked like', and yeah, it could have looked like a plane, but what I thought was disturbing, was the pilot had just gotten up from a nap.

proton		2012-04-18 06:08:20 PM

Oblig:

JonnyBGoode		2012-04-18 06:09:54 PM

JonnyBGoode		2012-04-18 06:10:33 PM

/shakes tiny fist at proton...

TravisBickle62		2012-04-18 06:11:10 PM

He did it cause he was tripping balls

Gyrfalcon		2012-04-18 06:12:23 PM

LeroyBourne: That was on the news this morning, they showed 'what it would have looked like', and yeah, it could have looked like a plane, but what I thought was disturbing, was the pilot had just gotten up from a nap.

Get ready to be really disturbed, because pilots take naps all the time.

kiwimoogle84		2012-04-18 06:13:41 PM

BurnShrike: Why'd he pull up? I'd hit it.

*snerk*

Boobies?

Mayor Bee		2012-04-18 06:13:42 PM

Was it burning like a silver flame?

Krymson Tyde		2012-04-18 06:14:18 PM

Revek: NO NO, It was uranus.

Whose? Mines unremarkable.

brantgoose		2012-04-18 06:16:07 PM

FTA: "The rabid badgers that broke loose in first class ate all the honey-roasted peanuts."

Noam Chomsky approves.

Sadly, as I always say, not everybody understands the genius that is Chomsky, so green ideas continue to sleep furiously on the university campuses of America.

toraque		2012-04-18 06:16:39 PM

TravisBickle62: He did it cause he was tripping balls

www.squidmobile.com

Luckily, the new airline dashboard cams were able to get this image of the pilot.

vodka		2012-04-18 06:17:09 PM

Why do we even need human pilots? They're stupid and make mistakes. Programmers never make mistakes.

skinink		2012-04-18 06:17:18 PM

"PULL AWAY PULL AWAY!!!! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD I DON'T WANT TO HIT IT, PULL AWAY!!!!"

i.usatoday.net

Thudfark		2012-04-18 06:18:52 PM

What? Again? This was only greenlit a while ago. Yeesh.

Mega Steve		2012-04-18 06:19:01 PM

And Venus was her name.

/She's got it
//Yeah, baby, she's got it

kiwimoogle84		2012-04-18 06:20:26 PM

Mega Steve: And Venus was her name.

/She's got it
//Yeah, baby, she's got it

What's your desire?

Mikey1969		2012-04-18 06:20:28 PM

Mind you, Venus gets extremely bright. If you got outside after sunset in the next few weeks you'll see it, shining like a laser in the western sky. It's so bright it gets mistaken for a UFO all the time (Jupiter does too; see Related Posts below). Even pilots have thought that many times in the past.

I don't care HOW bright it is, unless the damn thing is moving, I might interpret it as a UO, but NEVER a UFO. Seriously, I have never figured out how people make this mistake. I don't care how many images people post that shows Venus looking bright, or colorful, or low in the sky, or high in the sky, etc. If it ain't moving, I'm not mistaking it for anything other than a planet or star, unless I'm on some REALLY good meds...

LeroyBourne		2012-04-18 06:21:02 PM

Gyrfalcon: LeroyBourne: That was on the news this morning, they showed 'what it would have looked like', and yeah, it could have looked like a plane, but what I thought was disturbing, was the pilot had just gotten up from a nap.

Get ready to be really disturbed, because pilots take naps all the time.

I'm sure they do, but the co-pilot takes over. Surely, the co-pilot knew it wasn't a plane.
/and i won't call you surely again.

CrispFlows		2012-04-18 06:21:25 PM

CrispFlows		2012-04-18 06:22:00 PM

skinink: "PULL AWAY PULL AWAY!!!! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD I DON'T WANT TO HIT IT, PULL AWAY!!!!"
[i.usatoday.net image 640x461]

Oh goddammit so much, I lost the lead.

ISO15693		2012-04-18 06:23:02 PM

To recap:

Major news outlet: Yes
Subby: No
Actual story: Not clear

itsfullofstars		2012-04-18 06:25:27 PM

"mistook Venus for the oncoming airplane,"

Admit it, any of this have done this at a strip club before.

MaudlinMutantMollusk		2012-04-18 06:26:19 PM

Did he do it to avoid a repeat?

/because... fail

MaudlinMutantMollusk		2012-04-18 06:27:36 PM

MaudlinMutantMollusk: Did he do it to avoid a repeat?

/because... fail

That's my fail, BTW

/sheesh... read the frikkin tag, moran

brantgoose		2012-04-18 06:31:09 PM

FTA: " ... his nap lasted 75 minutes, far more than the 40 minutes allowed by the rules ..."

This is somewhat a) interesting; b) alarming; c) Fark-ready information.

Speaking of alarming ideas, here is one from the First Season of Bob's Burgers:

The health inspector promises to find out if Bob's burgers contain "... anything above the 4% allowable (human flesh) by the FDA ...."

Of course, the FDA doesn't allow nearly that much human flesh in ground meat, but think if they did! Besides, reading the regulations on insects, insect eggs and parts, rat faeces, etc. is probably just as alarming. And there's nothing you can do about it because brocolli is normally crawling with extra protein and fibre even when it's fresh from the garden.

gbv23		2012-04-18 06:37:38 PM

The "Men In Black" are real----they go around telling folks they were NOT abducted by "the grays"

cybersst		2012-04-18 06:37:55 PM

BurnShrike: Why'd he pull up? I'd hit it.

[upload.wikimedia.org image 200x336]

She's cheap on the hugs :(

wambu		2012-04-18 06:39:38 PM

Venus or Uranus?
i.imgur.com

Dinobot		2012-04-18 06:40:06 PM

*Frowns upon these shenanigans. *

BurnShrike		2012-04-18 06:40:38 PM

cybersst: BurnShrike: Why'd he pull up? I'd hit it.

[upload.wikimedia.org image 200x336]

She's cheap on the hugs :(

Yeah, but it's much easier to rape a statue without arms.

Charlie Freak		2012-04-18 06:50:28 PM

Mikey1969: Mind you, Venus gets extremely bright. If you got outside after sunset in the next few weeks you'll see it, shining like a laser in the western sky. It's so bright it gets mistaken for a UFO all the time (Jupiter does too; see Related Posts below). Even pilots have thought that many times in the past.

I don't care HOW bright it is, unless the damn thing is moving, I might interpret it as a UO, but NEVER a UFO. Seriously, I have never figured out how people make this mistake. I don't care how many images people post that shows Venus looking bright, or colorful, or low in the sky, or high in the sky, etc. If it ain't moving, I'm not mistaking it for anything other than a planet or star, unless I'm on some REALLY good meds...

Read up on autokinesis.

minuslars		2012-04-18 06:54:59 PM

Bermuda.

I Have The Touch of a Shocked Monkey		2012-04-18 07:04:55 PM

Why in the world would you want to avoid this?

johnnygew		2012-04-18 07:06:41 PM

Canadians: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the South to
avoid collision.

Americans: Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees to the
North to avoid a collision.

Canadians: Negative. You will have to divert your course 15
degrees to the South to avoid a collision.

Americans: This is the Captain of a US Navy ship. I say again,
divert YOUR course.

Canadians: No, I say again, you divert YOUR course.

Americans: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS LINCOLN, THE SECOND
LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNITED STATES' ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE
ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS
SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES
NORTH--I SAY AGAIN, THAT'S ONE FIVE DEGREES NORTH--OR
COUNTER-MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.

Canadians: This is a lighthouse. Your call.

Tillmaster		2012-04-18 07:08:16 PM

Wie Todesahnung, Dämm'rung deckt die Lande,
umhüllt das Tal mit schwärzlichem Gewande;
der Seele, die nach jenen Höh'n verlangt,
vor ihrem Flug durch Nacht und Grausen bangt!
Da scheinest du, o lieblichster der Sterne,
dein sanftes Licht entsendest du der Ferne,
die nächt'ge Dämmrung teilt dein lieber Strahl,
und freundlich zeigst du den Weg aus dem Tal.
O du, mein holder Abendstern,
wohl grüsst' ich immer dich so gern;
vom Herzen, das sie nie verriet,
grüsse sie, wenn sie vorbei dir zieht, -
wenn sie entschwebt dem Tal der Erden,
ein sel'ger Engel dort zu werden!

doglover		2012-04-18 07:10:45 PM

johnnygew: Canadians: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the South to
avoid collision.

Americans: Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees to the
North to avoid a collision.

Canadians: Negative. You will have to divert your course 15
degrees to the South to avoid a collision.

Americans: This is the Captain of a US Navy ship. I say again,
divert YOUR course.

Canadians: No, I say again, you divert YOUR course.

Americans: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS LINCOLN, THE SECOND
LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNITED STATES' ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE
ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS
SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES
NORTH--I SAY AGAIN, THAT'S ONE FIVE DEGREES NORTH--OR
COUNTER-MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.

Canadians: This is a lighthouse. Your call.

This always cracks me up.

BurnShrike		2012-04-18 07:14:55 PM

doglover: johnnygew: Canadians: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the South to
avoid collision.

Americans: Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees to the
North to avoid a collision.

Canadians: Negative. You will have to divert your course 15
degrees to the South to avoid a collision.

Americans: This is the Captain of a US Navy ship. I say again,
divert YOUR course.

Canadians: No, I say again, you divert YOUR course.

Americans: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS LINCOLN, THE SECOND
LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNITED STATES' ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE
ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS
SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES
NORTH--I SAY AGAIN, THAT'S ONE FIVE DEGREES NORTH--OR
COUNTER-MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.

Canadians: This is a lighthouse. Your call.

This always cracks me up.

Too bad it's an urban legend.

Keizer_Ghidorah		2012-04-18 07:16:14 PM

minuslars: Bermuda.

Bahama. Come on, pretty mama.

Loomy		2012-04-18 07:20:36 PM

BurnShrike: doglover: johnnygew: Canadians: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the South to
avoid collision.

Americans: Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees to the
North to avoid a collision.

Canadians: Negative. You will have to divert your course 15
degrees to the South to avoid a collision.

Americans: This is the Captain of a US Navy ship. I say again,
divert YOUR course.

Canadians: No, I say again, you divert YOUR course.

Americans: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS LINCOLN, THE SECOND
LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNITED STATES' ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE
ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS
SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES
NORTH--I SAY AGAIN, THAT'S ONE FIVE DEGREES NORTH--OR
COUNTER-MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.

Canadians: This is a lighthouse. Your call.

This always cracks me up.

Too bad it's an urban legend.

I'm pretty sure no one ever thought it was an actual transcript...

/Still cracks me up

hestheone		2012-04-18 07:20:37 PM

I don't know how many thousands of miles the guy who wrote the article was when the event occurred, but I am pretty sure that since he was not there in the cockpit his "However, I don't think that's the case, or it certainly isn't that clear." does not mean a damn thing to me.