Jumpseat: Cleared via Earthquake 1A Arrival

Les Abend

Monday, November 21, 2011 at 11:02 PM ET

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Narita Airport (photo taken in 2009)

Key Takeaways:

The 2011 Japan earthquake presented unprecedented challenges for airline crews, highlighting the lack of established procedures for large-scale natural disaster diversions.
A B777 crew, led by Capt. Randy Trommer, demonstrated exceptional professionalism by proactively selecting alternate airports and managing fuel efficiently under pressure.
The crew exhibited outstanding adaptability and resourcefulness, overcoming significant logistical hurdles on the ground, such as fueling and arranging passenger/crew welfare and onward travel.
The article praises the crew's "creative professionalism" and strong crew resource management (CRM) as exemplary in navigating an unforeseen crisis.

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(November 2011) Opening scene: Inside a B777 cockpit approximately 250 miles off the eastern coastline of Japan. The first officer is massaging the right touch pad of the display unit with his index finger. The cursor arrow hovers in the vicinity of the emergency checklist page now shown on the lower EICAS (engine instrument and crew alerting system) screen.

Captain: Let’s go to the checklist.