Lighthouse Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 I was saddened to learn this morning of the passing of Eric Moody, a couple of days ago, at the age of 84. I never met him personally but he was a Saints fan and occasional poster on this site. Eric was famously the British Airways captain who in 1982 safely landed a 747, after having ingested large amounts volcanic ash off the coast of Indonesia. If anyone wants to know more about the incident, including an interview with Eric, there’s an Air Crash Investigation episode based around the events of BAW009. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 (edited) "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We have a small problem. All four engines have stopped. We are doing our damnedest to get them going again. I trust you are not in too much distress" - Captain Eric Moody, June 24, 1982. RIP Sir 😥 Edited March 21 by trousers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kraken Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 Legend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
do i not like fizzy pop Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 (edited) That's really sad news. Hero and a Saint. RIP Eric, condolences to your family and friends. Edited March 21 by do i not like fizzy pop Plural not singular, obviously Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGTL Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 A hero to so many that night. RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
64saint Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 Here's one of his great quotes. Reflecting on the incredible events Capt. Moody mused: “When I learnt to fly in the 50s, flying was dangerous and sex was safe. “When I retired in the 90s, that had gone the other way around!” RIP Sir 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Challenger Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 I suppose being a Saints fan helped him cope with the stress of that flight. RIP. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy_D Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 Very sad news How he dealt with losing all four engines of the plane he was flying will always be legendary. RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitey Grandad Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 Legend. Rest in Peace, sir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VectisSaint Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 Very sad, wonderful to read about his heroics, not something I was really aware of previously. Is it too much to ask what name he posted on here as, maybe obvious to some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lighthouse Posted March 21 Author Share Posted March 21 18 minutes ago, VectisSaint said: Very sad, wonderful to read about his heroics, not something I was really aware of previously. Is it too much to ask what name he posted on here as, maybe obvious to some. West Stand. I’ve not seen him post for a while but I seem to remember him referencing some of his exploits on the Sala plane crash thread a few years ago. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy_D Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 This is all about the flight in question, including interviews with him. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suewhistle Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 18 minutes ago, Lighthouse said: West Stand. I’ve not seen him post for a while but I seem to remember him referencing some of his exploits on the Sala plane crash thread a few years ago. Yes, the poster was obviously well informed on the subject, and now we know. I'll have a look at that video when I've a moment. I've been in a 747's cockpit on landing once (thanks Fitzhugh F of this parish!) and it is some beast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Behind Enemy Lines Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 From a fellow Saints fan and aviator, it’s very sad news to hear. Have studied THAT flight in depth and only recently completed a recurrent Volcanic Ash course. My deepest condolence’s to all family and friends. RIP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy_D Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 22 minutes ago, Behind Enemy Lines said: From a fellow Saints fan and aviator, it’s very sad news to hear. Have studied THAT flight in depth and only recently completed a recurrent Volcanic Ash course. My deepest condolence’s to all family and friends. RIP. No exaggeration to think he and the rest of the crew saved many more lives than just that flight that day. The understanding of the danger that’s posed by volcanic ash that came from being able to forensically investigate the intact plane and engines completely changed how airlines deal with it. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAlehouseBrawlers Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 Sounds like he was real hero. Condolences to his nearest and dearest - RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lighthouse Posted March 21 Author Share Posted March 21 1 hour ago, Jimmy_D said: No exaggeration to think he and the rest of the crew saved many more lives than just that flight that day. The understanding of the danger that’s posed by volcanic ash that came from being able to forensically investigate the intact plane and engines completely changed how airlines deal with it. I don’t know how much of it was down to that flight (KLM had a very similar incident over Alaska not too long after) but volcanic activity is now routinely included in all preflight significant weather briefings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kraken Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 4 hours ago, Lighthouse said: West Stand. I’ve not seen him post for a while but I seem to remember him referencing some of his exploits on the Sala plane crash thread a few years ago. He also posted on the Malaysia flight 370 thread offering various snippets of interesting info. Quite hilariously, forum moron aintclever didn’t know who West Stand was and definitely didn’t like him “speculating” about events, and told him he didn’t know what he was talking about. Shortly afterwards it was pointed out who West Stand actually was, and that he had an infinitely better understanding of the scenario than basically anyone else in the thread (especially his accuser). Quite fond memories actually of me asking West Stand “please tell me that was you?” when asking if he was indeed the hero of BA009 and him replying “yes it was!”. I genuinely felt a bit humbled to share this mental online space with an actual real life hero. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derry Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 Eric was a good friend of mine. We both had season tickets in Block 5 along with Weston Saint and his brother Mike, He was real Saints supporter and even after giving up his season ticket he continued to watch all the Saints games, Eric was very much a local, a Testwood lad who lived in Sylvia Crescent as a youngster. He went to Peter Symonds in Winchester, thence to Hamble and BOAC which along with BEA became British Airways. I knew Eric when we were both going to School but not that well. However years later when we were both involved in the pilots union BALPA we met up again. For me, Eric was a great bloke who said it how it was. I will miss him RIP Mate. 28 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuckyNumber7 Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 Had the privilege of meeting him very briefly a few years ago. Knowing who he was and also that he posted on here I'd have loved to have had more of a chat with him but sadly didn't have time. He did seem like a lovely down to earth bloke. Very sad news. RIP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNSUN Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 Oh wow, I'd heard of this incident (I find Plane incidents interesting to read about although I shouldn't as a nervous flyer myself) but I didn't know he was a Saints fan. RIP Eric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Keef Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 Thank you guys for your contributions to this link. I didn't know him and I didn't know about him so I've learned a lot tonight. I do recall that someone was posting here during the Sala incident, who clearly had aviation experience and knowledge. It's good to tie up the loose ends. Thanks again for the posts here and RIP to one of our own. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan The Flames Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 The longest unplanned glide in aviation history. Condolences to his family and friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Saint Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 4 hours ago, Saint Keef said: Thank you guys for your contributions to this link. I didn't know him and I didn't know about him so I've learned a lot tonight. I do recall that someone was posting here during the Sala incident, who clearly had aviation experience and knowledge. It's good to tie up the loose ends. Thanks again for the posts here and RIP to one of our own. Agreed, thankyou for articulating my own thoughts perfectly too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eurosaint Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 RIP Eric, a great and brave man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gandalf Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 22 hours ago, Jimmy_D said: This is all about the flight in question, including interviews with him. Thanks for posting this. Remarkable achievement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CylonKing Posted April 5 Share Posted April 5 Just watching the latest edition of QI and Capt. Moody and his story is on. He looks so healthy, such a shame. RIP. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric The Red Posted April 5 Share Posted April 5 Yes just seen it as well. Captain Moody was brilliant and a lovely tribute on national television. At least they were able to record it before he passed away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSA96 Posted April 5 Share Posted April 5 (edited) Just seeing this thread now - RIP. Do remember his expertise on the Sala thread and, yes, him being questioned and told he shouldn't speculate on things he isn't an expert on. Classic internet. This is a great read: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8622099.stm Edited April 5 by CSA96 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted April 5 Share Posted April 5 The QI clip here: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/iSvUcaHkmrDMLWai/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huffton Posted April 6 Share Posted April 6 On 21/03/2024 at 20:38, derry said: Eric was a good friend of mine. We both had season tickets in Block 5 along with Weston Saint and his brother Mike, He was real Saints supporter and even after giving up his season ticket he continued to watch all the Saints games, Eric was very much a local, a Testwood lad who lived in Sylvia Crescent as a youngster. He went to Peter Symonds in Winchester, thence to Hamble and BOAC which along with BEA became British Airways. I knew Eric when we were both going to School but not that well. However years later when we were both involved in the pilots union BALPA we met up again. For me, Eric was a great bloke who said it how it was. I will miss him RIP Mate. As an aviation enthusiast myself I'm ashamed to say I didn't know he was a Saints fan, or that he grew up so local to me. Do you know if he stayed in the area or had moved away? RIP Capt Moody, a true hero Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derry Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 On 06/04/2024 at 08:54, Huffton said: As an aviation enthusiast myself I'm ashamed to say I didn't know he was a Saints fan, or that he grew up so local to me. Do you know if he stayed in the area or had moved away? RIP Capt Moody, a true hero After joining BOAC/BA Eric lived for many years in Camberley however his mother lived in Testwood. After retirement in 1996 at some point he moved back to the area. He lived in Chilworth for a number of years and a couple of years ago he moved to Romsey. I knew Eric, but not that well when he was at Peter Symonds, I met up with him again at BALPA in the early eighties and have been in contact with him ever since. Although I've spoken to his wife a couple of times since his death I haven't yet heard the PM result. It was a terrible surprise, so unexpected. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iansums Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 Just read an obituary about Eric Moody who was the heroic pilot who famously said the words “This is your captain speaking. We have a small problem. All four engines have stopped.” There was an Air crash investigations episode about it. A true hero. I think he used to post on here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kraken Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 5 minutes ago, iansums said: Just read an obituary about Eric Moody who was the heroic pilot who famously said the words “This is your captain speaking. We have a small problem. All four engines have stopped.” There was an Air crash investigations episode about it. A true hero. I think he used to post on here. It was a bit more than that, from memory: “This is your captain speaking, we have a small problem. All four engines have stopped. We’re doing our damnedest to get them started again. I trust you’re not too distressed.” 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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