Teen survives in wheel well of Maui flight

[n4gix 4,970]

Okay, I'm just wondering where in the wheel well he found space to fit his body, and how did he know he wouldn't be crushed by the gear when it retracted?

 

I mean, it's not as though they waste a lot of room in those wells, and there aren't any convenient 'shelves' one can lie on... :unsure:

[Matthew Kane 1,343]

Okay, I'm just wondering where in the wheel well he found space to fit his body, and how did he know he wouldn't be crushed by the gear when it retracted?

I was searching for pictures of 767 wheel wells and didn't find any image good enough to get an idea where someone could fit. I am guessing their must be a cavity behind the nose wheel when it retracts up (or in front).

 

Not sure where but since this happens a few times every year there obviously is some space somewhere. There are some pretty good 3D models out there of the 767 so some of the modellers must have some idea.

[KingGhidorah 209]

Careful there ytz, before you know it one of your fellow flight simmers might be going to the wheel well of their 767 using Ezdok, with a plastic bag over their head and their bare feet in a bucket of ice water :lol:  Just kidding there, Dillon, don't do it.

[HawkDsl 50]

Well I feel bad for the young adult ("Child" at 16, please... If he hit someone in the mouth, everyone these days wants to charge 'em as adults. Pick one. Those years are confusing enough).

 

 

The real story is what was so horrible at home that the poor man though a ride in the wheel well was a better option.... I was just thinking I hope it's not because they cut him off of GTA on X-box... but then other reasons could be really bad.

 

At any rate, I hope all get the help that they need.

[Matthew Kane 1,343]

Well I feel bad for the young adult ("Child" at 16, please... If he hit someone in the mouth, everyone these days wants to charge 'em as adults. Pick one. Those years are confusing enough).

It doesn't matter how old they get as they are always someone's 'Child'  :rolleyes:

[HawkDsl 50]

 "they are always someone's 'Child'  :rolleyes:"

 

Well yea! As far as reporting goes, if something happens to them, they are reported as a "Child", if they do something to someone else, they are reported as a "teen" or "Young Adult". In the USA, there is no "Age of responsibility" like other country's have. Forever kept is the proverbial grey area it seems.

[NGXfanatic 85]

It's debatable that the kid should be charged or not, but someone needs to be held responsible for allowing this person to evade detection and manage to hide in the wheelwell.  Can you imagine what the terrorists are thinking, here's a way to totally circumvent the TSA.

[PhantomTweak 3]

Our airport security is laughable at best. Now the Iraelis...There is airport security!

I am no security expert, by any stretch of anyone's imagination, but I did serve in the Marines, and out of habit I look at security areas with a jaundiced eye, wondering where the holes are, what could be done to circumvent, etc, (it's a habit) and at every airport I've gone through since they "tightened" security I've seen that one person, trained in the proper use of firearms, could walk through an airport and onto a plane with minimal effort and few shots fired. Single pistol, 2 15 round magazines...

 

The person (notice the avoidance of the age issue ) went through a perimeter fence and hopped the plane as it taxied to the runway. No security other than a chain-link fence, and THOSE are easy to open a hole in, under, through etc. No sensors, camera views of the fenceline, no patrols, nothing.  This is NOT security. Why should the poor guy be charged for the failure of the TSA?

 

Anyway, just my 2¢ worth...

Pat☺

[HawkDsl 50]

 

 

evade detection and manage to hide

 

I saw in a movie once... anyone carrying a clipboard or waring a hard had, or both... is allowed anywhere without question.

[goates 583]

 

 

The real story is what was so horrible at home that the poor man though a ride in the wheel well was a better option...

 

Teens aren't exactly known for critical thinking or great risk analysis. Hence the many videos on YouTube of teenagers hurting themselves in many creative ways ("Hey, watch this!!!"). Being upset about something at home would just make things worse. Add in a lack of knowledge about what parts of a plane are pressurized (how much does the general population really know about aircraft?), and you arrive at a poorly thought out plan.

[bjratchf 80]

It wasn't me!

[fluffyflops 1,883]

we had it happen at Virgin a few times in Lagos, and Nairobi with stowaways trying to get to UK/Europe

 

Still staggering to think he survived though.

[tf51d 284]

The reason I say charge him, is it wasn't just his life he was risking, but the lives of everyone on board. If he damaged some of those hydraulic lines, the landing gear may have failed, forcing a wheels up landing, Then it's anybodies guess what would have happened. Stunts like this has to be deterred in any way possible. The stakes are just too high not to.

[NGXfanatic 85]

Our airport security is laughable at best. Now the Iraelis...There is airport security!

I am no security expert, by any stretch of anyone's imagination, but I did serve in the Marines, and out of habit I look at security areas with a jaundiced eye, wondering where the holes are, what could be done to circumvent, etc, (it's a habit) and at every airport I've gone through since they "tightened" security I've seen that one person, trained in the proper use of firearms, could walk through an airport and onto a plane with minimal effort and few shots fired. Single pistol, 2 15 round magazines...

 

The person (notice the avoidance of the age issue ) went through a perimeter fence and hopped the plane as it taxied to the runway. No security other than a chain-link fence, and THOSE are easy to open a hole in, under, through etc. No sensors, camera views of the fenceline, no patrols, nothing.  This is NOT security. Why should the poor guy be charged for the failure of the TSA?

Yep, the Israeli's have mastered the art and science of airport security.  Even before 9/11, I read much about the thoroughness and careful planning they put into securing their airports, and I thought to myself that they took the subject too seriously.   Boy was I wrong once September 2011 arrived. 

 

Good point on the vulnerability of airports to easy access though chain link fences.  It's just too easy for someone to sneak past them, especially under the dark of night.  About 2 years or so ago at my hometown airport KPHL, a deranged man just burst his way through the fence in his car and drove onto the active runway, leading to a police chase and major disruption to airport operations. 

 

The only solution I could think of would be to install multiple fences with barbed wire, piled on nice and high, all though the perimeter of the airfield.   Unfortunately, I suppose airport authorities would balk at the cost, and it would be difficult to justify the expense in light of the few times these incursions have occurred in the past.   It's akin to fitting a fail safe, GPS linked transmitter to the blackbox of commercial airliners, in reference to another little recent incident that the industry is forced to react to, after the fact. 

[Matthew Kane 1,343]

So basically what he did was hibernate for 5 hours. I thought we moved on from that but goes to show we are still mammals.  :lol:

 

They have found cats that survived in the wheel wells before too and they are probably better at hibernation then humans are, so the reason why they have been found to survive as well.