Local News

Exeter or bust

Picture this. You're flying home form Amsterdam after partaking in the particular treats the city has to offer, you look out of the window and see the shredded remnants of the wheel hanging from the landing gear.

This comes after FlyBe grounded six of their Bombardier Q400 aircraft last month when problems with the landing gear caused them to collapse during landing.

Louise Walters, a BBC South West journalist was travelling on the flight.

"There was a mixed reaction on board. There were a couple people who were behaving in perhaps a way that did not help others - panicking, getting up out of their seats and trying to make phone calls to relatives.

"Most of the rest of the passengers thought well, one burst tyre, it will be ok, there were another three to land on.

"It wasn't until we had to adopt the brace position that we thought, oh my goodness this is serious."

The airport was on full alert and safety crews were standing by, so this obviously was something the pilots and ground-crew were seriously concerned about.

A spokesman for Flybe said the plane was "designed and manufactured to land safely after such an incident".

Yeah, that just fills you with confidence doesn't it.

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