Chapter 16: Turbulence! The First Collision
Editor: Atlas Studios
Most of the people were still half asleep and unaware. Those that were awake merely glanced around and then lowered their heads to continue doing what they were doing, as though this shaking was something normal. The wings of the airplane would start trembling at times in high-altitude turbulence, but this did not necessarily represent danger. Passengers could only put their faith in the personnel of the aircraft.
The flight attendants remained as steady as usual, seemingly having experienced such turbulence countless times. They were professionally trained to maintain their calm in times of emergency, and it was also the best way to stabilize the emotions of the passengers.
No one expected that the airplane would lose gravity all of a sudden and be sent into freefall in a violent shake. The sudden sense of helplessness in the air caused everyone in the cabin to scream. Things that were not buckled down, such as glasses, drinks, books, and snacks, floated up all at once and then fell again, causing chaos.
"The plane is passing through strong turbulence. Passengers, please fasten your seat belts and store away all sharp objects and your luggage." The soothing voice of the flight attendant came immediately. She was just as frightened just now, but she regained her composure and professionalism to calm the passengers down a little.
Lin Mo put down the book. He could very obviously feel that the plane had dived more than two hundred meters according to the measurements of this world. It was trivial for the Air Rider legions but was definitely too unusual for an ordinary commercial plane.
The passengers' hearts were still beating fast. The body of the plane vibrated violently, flying up and down erratically, the difference very apparent, but it was falling at a faster speed. Screams of shock repeated, and even the flight attendants were now ghastly pale and holding on to the fixtures in the plane so that they would not be thrown down by the strong shock. Things that had yet to be stored away like bags, iPads, phones, and the like were like live weapons. Passengers screamed as they were hit, and their faces swelled considerably.
The flight attendant who appeased the passengers previously switched the intercom to the cockpit. However, her shouts were met with no response. According to previous situations, the captain or co-pilot should be the ones to report the flight status to the passengers to appease them.
Most of the passengers in the first-class cabin were social elites and more sensitive than ordinary people. When they saw the abnormal expression on the flight attendant's face, they started to let their doubts show, and someone demanded to know what happened loudly.
The flight attendant ignored the questions of the passenger and glanced into the glass of the cockpit. She lost all color and immediately opened a secret compartment from a certain part of the wall in the cabin. She retrieved a key and inserted it into the keyhole of the cockpit. The moment the door opened, a huge gust of wind with dozens of broken feathers blew in violently. Even passengers in economy class were affected.
The sound of strong wind raged throughout the cabin. Everyone was having difficulty breathing, and oxygen masks popped out automatically. All life seemed to be extracted from the cabin. The flight attendants and passengers alike covered their chests, scared to death, and desperately buckled themselves into their seats according to emergency regulations.
The entire aircraft stirred even more, and the keel groaned. By this time, even the dumbest person knew what was happening. Desperate cries sounded throughout the cabin, overwhelming the intense airflow in the cabin for a time.
Bang! The same flight attendant closed the cockpit door with all her might. The airflow stopped immediately, but the cabin was a mess. The entire plane shook violently, as if it could break at any time.
"Dear passengers, my apologies! Perhaps a bird crashed into the cockpit and caused the pilots to have an accident. Please stay calm! Please stay calm!" The senior flight attendant immediately assumed responsibility once something happened to the captain and the co-pilot. However, her face could no longer be described as pale; it had turned blue. The aircraft was still in autopilot mode, but perhaps an emergency signal to the airport tower had been sent. The turbulence in the stratosphere above ten thousand feet caused the plane to fall. If it encountered turbulence again after descending to the troposphere, it would still require human navigation. After all, a computer could not replace a human brain in dealing with special situations. A small mistake could prove fatal.
Everyone knew the plane was out of control now!
The flight attendant shouted, "Please calm down!" several times before the hysterical cabin stabilized.
"We need to do three things now!" the senior flight attendant said in her soft voice coupled with rapid breathing. The cabin was beginning to lose pressure, and altitude sickness might start occurring at any time.
"First, please wear the oxygen mask and fasten your seat belts. From now on, please do not leave your seats. Those wearing glasses, please take them off. Use your mouths to breathe and swallow often." The other flight attendants onboard carried out their duties and inspected every passenger to ensure they followed the order. Yes, it was an order. The senior flight attendant now had the highest authority in the airplane.
"Second, a pen and paper will be given out to everyone later. Please write down what you want to say, and we will store them in a safebox later." When she said that, repressed sobs immediately came throughout the cabin. A few children even cried out loud. Everyone knew that no accident in the air could rival one on the ground. This sentence was like telling everyone to write a will.
Short ballpoint pens and paper were given out. Everyone took them silently without exception. They sobbed desperately, covering their mouths as they tried to write on the paper. Nobody was more noble in death. Everyone calmed down.
"Third, I need help. Does anyone have experience piloting a plane and a strong body? Please volunteer!" The third sentence of the senior flight attendant gave everyone a glimmer of hope. Everyone stopped writing and looked left and right, hoping that someone would have some flying experience, even a little bit was good, or even perhaps someone was a flying enthusiast. As long as someone came up, they might still have a chance of survival, a straw to clutch at.
Some of them tried to stand up like a blind cat catching a dead mouse, but they immediately collapsed back into their seats like a deflated balloon once they considered the possible consequences of their actions. It would be tantamount to dancing on the edge of a blade, not to mention it was going to be very difficult to withstand the strong airflow in the cockpit. It was extremely likely for them to die in it if they could not withstand it.
At that moment, the voice of a young man broke the almost dead silence in the cabin.
"I want to try!" Click! With the sound of a seat belt unbuckling, a man in his early twenties stood up in the economy class cabin.
"You? Can you do it?" The middle-aged man beside him was in despair, but he was shocked as he looked at this young man who was enjoying his junior high physics textbook with great interest just now. Knowledge of flying a plane was worlds apart from flying a plane.
Many gazes centralized on this young man with despondent yet hopeful eyes, carrying the same meaning as the middle-aged man's question.
"I think it shouldn't be difficult!" The young man smiled slightly. His expression was completely different from everyone else's. There was no trace of fear or despair, only confidence and calm.
"Great! We're saved!" The atmosphere in the cabin seemed to be like the March rain. No matter whether it was real or fake, it gave everyone hope. They thought this young man had flying experience but did not think that it was a different sort of 'experience'!
Right now, he could only make a Hail Mary effort. There was no other choice.
"Hello, may I know how to address you?" The senior flight attendant looked at the young man eagerly. In her eyes, he was like an angel who descended to save people in distress.
"Call me Lin Mo!" The young man walked through the aisle to the cockpit. It seemed like the shaking plane had little effect on him, and he did not even need to support himself to walk steadily. The senior flight attendant's eyes lit up with even more confidence.
When that young man named Lin Mo approached, she said quickly and clearly, "The glass of the cockpit was probably smashed by birds. The air pressure is very low, and the wind is strong. Rush inside the moment I open the door and put on the oxygen mask as soon as you can. Check the captain and co-pilot first. If they're no longer with us, you'll have to take their position. Sit on the pilot seat and put on the captain's headset and receive the commands from the ground tower. Press the buttons they instruct you to press. Pay attention to the operating lever, and make sure it's steady. If you can't hold on, let me know immediately, and I'll get someone to take your place!"
The senior flight attendant explained very clearly. She harbored almost no hope for the captain and co-pilot. They were probably dead.
-- Gift
received