Plane Power

Power. The word itself has a gamut of incredible meanings. 

The power of an experienced pilot?

The power generated by a two-year old Rolls-Royce engine?

The power of perseverance embedded in the fare-paying passengers of Taca Airlines flight 009? 

Yes, on the 3rd of August 2011, that was what power truly meant to me. 

"This is your captain speaking. We are about to depart in 5 minutes time. Please fasten your seatbelts," the captain warned. I was about to leave London for Singapore, for which I would arrive in thirteen hours time. Suddenly, the airplane accelerated and at the speed of 100 knots and it ascended into the air. In eight minutes, it was already 12,000 feet above sea level. I looked around the airplane, which seemed so intriguing. The loud noise generated from the engines was deafening me. I peeped through the window and only noticed the clear blue sky which was full of nimbus clouds staring back at me.

Suddenly, the airplane jerked abruptly. I presumed it simply was a turbulence, however, there was no confirmation from the captain. The PA system went alive. The first captain announced that there was a rapid depressurisation that had occurred somewhere in the roof of the first class cabin. In a split second, chunks of debris were floating violently in the air, hitting anyone that was in it's way. The wind, theoretically, three times than that of a tornado, was hitting the passengers at a temperature of -17 degrees centigrade which is around 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit. Faces covered with blood was a common sight. Despite the oxygen mask hanging, the plane had to lower its altitude in order to regain the oxygen supply, which would last for only 22 minutes. At this point of time, one thing was certain - the plane was in danger or crashing.