I’D Asked Peter What He’D Do If His Plane Ever Lost Power … He Said Stay Calm and Glide It In. That’s Exactly What They Did

By ADAM ASPINALL

THE hero captain who saved the lives of 136 passengers when his jet crash-landed at Heathrow airport predicted it might happen.

Peter Burkill, 43, from Worcester, had just 3 0 seconds to decide what to do when his Boeing 777 lost power 500ft above London’s rooftops on Thursday.

The jet, travelling from Beijing, narrowly avoided homes and a busy dual carriageway on the airport perimeter.

But according to his neighbour, it was all in a day’s work for Captain Burkill and that he had talked to her about the possibility of such a situation occurring in the past.

Valerie Firminger, 65, said: “Peter is the most professional and highly-trained man I have ever met.

“If there was ever anyone you would want in charge of a plane in that type of scenario then it would be him.

“In fact, because I’m not much of a flyer, I’ve asked him lots of times how he would cope if a plane lost the use of one or two of its engines and each time he’s told me that he would just remain calm, take control and glide his way back into land and that is just what he did this week.

“He was cool, calm and collected.”

Heathrow airport is still getting back to normal this morning after the crash-landing and investigators are still no closer to finding the cause of the power failure which brought the plane out of the air and could have led to disaster.

Crash investigators will move the 209ft, 142,900kg plane this morning and continue their research into the incident from the eastern BA hangars at Heathrow Airport.

Last night a spokeswoman for the Air Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) said: “The plane will be moved tomorrow morning between 8am and 11am.

“It will be moved to the eastern hangars at Heathrow and will remain there for the duration of the investigation.”

The AAIB’s preliminary report into the incident, which left 18 of the 136 passengers needing treatment including one with a broken leg, is due out in 30 days.

Meanwhile the family home Captain Burkill shares with his wife Lynn and three young sons was deserted yesterday as the family chose to stay out of the media spotlight.

Captain Burkill, who is reported to have 20 years’ flying experience under his belt, is supposedly shocked at his new found hero status.

Neighbour Valerie said: “They are a lovely, sociable couple but I think they have been surprised at the media interest and so they have taken themselves away for a few days to get away from it all and relax.

“Peter has been through a traumatic time and there is still a long way to go with any investigation so they will need some time to themselves and people mustn’t forget that.”

Pilots’ union Balpa said Captain Burkill and his first officer John Coward, who actually landed the plane, had gone out for “a quiet curry” after the landing and were “embarrassed” by media coverage.

Last night the Professional Pilots’ Rumour Network website was also full of compliments from fellow pilots.

“I am only just starting out on the path to a commercial career but it does make me feel incredibly proud to be entering a profession with such amazing professionals,” a contributor named as Happy Fran wrote.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown praised the pilot’s “professionalism”. And BA boss Willie Walsh described Captain Burkill and his team as “heroes”.

adamaspinall@mrn.co.uk

(c) 2008 Sunday Mercury; Birmingham (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.