Just about anyone who’s ever flown in an airplane has probably thought it at some point or other, if not every time: The thought that you might not survive this flight. It usually hits me during take-off and especially at landing. So far, I’ve been fortunate — aside from one instance in which the plane that brought me back to Chicago actually bounced rather spectacularly on the icy runway (inducing paroxysms of terror throughout the cabin and even a nerve-shattering scream from one hysterical passenger), landing has generally been a pretty smooth affair, as it is for most of the thousands of flights that take place each day. But it isn’t always that way. And Discovery Channel wants to tell you all about those heart-in-your-mouth air travel moments starting tonight, April 23, with the premiere of its new series World’s Scariest Plane Landings at 10pm ET/PT.
World’s Scariest Plane Landings pretty much makes my little bouncing-plane story look like a ride on the playground swings. With astonishing footage augmented by firsthand accounts of terrified passengers and skilled pilots who lived through them, this series closely examines some of the most harrowing near-death experiences endured by air travelers. The series will explore incidents like the “Miracle on the Hudson,” in which Captain Chelsey Sullenberger became a national hero when his quick thinking and prowess at the controls brought his distressed plane safely into the waters of the Hudson River, saving hundreds of lives.
So bring your seat forward, make sure your seat belt is fastened, see that your tray is in a fully upright and locked position and prepare to join the ranks of the terrified who have survived some of the world’s scariest plane landings.