In the Cape, we’re no strangers to the gale force winds that hold us back as we attempt to take a step forward across the busy intersection. Now, while weather conditions around the world are testing the ability of pilots, when a successful battle between Mother Nature and man’s attempt at beating gravity is caught on video, it’s amazing to see what pilots actually have to go through.

Oklahoma City is no stranger to gusts of winds so similar to us and has recently been the battlefield of such a showdown. Last week Wednesday, KFOR pilot Jon Welsh was flying in when he and a photojournalist Steve Johnson noticed a United Express plane preparing to land. Aboard the plane was a group of students and teachers from Crescent High School and were warned before they left Houston airport it would be a bumpy ride.

The plane landed after it came to the landing strip sideways and hovered in midair for a few second before landing perfectly, although bumpy, in the middle of the runway.

United Airlines sent KFOR a response after viewing the video:

“All of our pilots are trained to land in heavy cross winds as part of our rigorous training program. This pilot did a great job of executing his training and landing the aircraft safely, and we are confident that any of our well-trained pilots would have done the same.”

Well done.

[source: huffingtonpost]