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Watch an Emirates A380 make frightening landing in wind

Commentary: Germany's Dusseldorf airport is notorious for its crosswinds. In this video, Emirates pilots seem to be battling the gusts even after landing.

Chris Matyszczyk
2 min read

Technically Incorrect offers a slightly twisted take on the tech that's taken over our lives.


It's been one of those days. An Emirates passenger jet takes a coffee break.

It's been one of those days. An Emirates passenger jet takes a coffee break.

Getty Images

It's not necessarily fun being an Airbus 380.

Last weekend, an Air France 380 suffered extraordinary damage to an engine in midflight, as passengers looked out the window in fright. But it carried right on and landed safely.

The plane's future is also in doubt, as airlines switch to smaller aircraft that are more efficient to run (the rival 747 jumbo jet may go out of production too).

And then sometimes it has to land in very difficult conditions. 

Here is video from Thursday, as an Emirates A380 approached the ground in Dusseldorf.

The Local reports that the plane was coming from Dubai and encountered strong winds from the Xavier storm that has been sweeping across Germany.

The pilots seem to lean the plane into the wind and approach with relative calm. However, as soon as the plane touches down, a hairy slalom begins.

The Airbus can carry up to 550 passengers, and one has to wonder what those seated inside must have been thinking, just as they were preparing to relax. 

The plane veered to its left, having been pointing somewhat to the right on landing. Then it lurched to the right, as the pilots tried to keep it moving along the lines of the runway.

The whole thing might make a few of your nerve-endings shiver as you watch.

"Emirates flight EK 55 on 5 October 2017 landed safely in Dusseldorf under strong crosswind conditions. At no point was the safety of the passengers and crew onboard compromised," an Emirates spokeswoman told me.

Regardless of this particular storm, Dusseldorf has a reputation for its winds. As CNET reported a few years ago, compilations have been made of flights enduring scary landings at the airport.

In this case, Martin Bogdan, known as the Cargospotter, who filmed the landing, observed on YouTube: "This video shows the incredible skills of the pilots. Even after an unexpected wind gust after touchdown they managed to realign with the runway."

More than a million people have already marveled at the video on YouTube. 

Had I been one of the passengers, I fear I'd have got off the plane and walked with a slight zigzag for a while.

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