AND FINALLY: We got a buzz out of this story

Pilot opens cockpit window.

An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing B737-760 from Djibouti to Dire Dawa was on final approach when it flew through a swarm of locusts, suffering what was described as a huge number of insect impacts into the engines, windshield and nose.

One crew member said: “It was like rain. The windscreen wipers were not able to clear the windshield anymore, so we went round, climbed to 8,500ft, depressurised the aircraft, opened the cockpit side window and cleaned the windscreen by hand.”

Amazingly, it happened again on second approach, necessitating the same actions by the crew. The aircraft diverted to its ultimate destination, Addis Ababa, where it landed safely about 90min after leaving Djibouti.

To the list of talents required of a pilot, it seems we must now add windscreen cleaning – by hand, of course.

Index/Home page
 

OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum

Keith Wallis, Canterbury

Pilots cleaning the cockpit windows? Don't tell Michael O'Leary, or do Ryanair cockpit crew have to do that already? The locust nose "art" resembles something Embraer could adopt for its aircraft!

Michael carrivick, Wokingham

A good story, and full marks to the crew for good airmanship and thinking matters through.