This news story out of Ireland is not really about home technology, but maybe it will inspire a few 'Wow!'s at the office and make you go home and hug your cell phone. It might also make a few people re-think cell phone use regulations on airplanes.
During a flight last Thursday, a pilot lost all electrical power, radio and radar. He was guided to a safe landing with nothing more than SMS texting and a quick-thinking air traffic controller.
With a radio communications blackout on board, the pilot of the plane repeatedly called the air traffic control at a nearby airport to tell them about his problem and his intention to approach the airport from the sea.
When he lost audio telephone contact, the air traffic controller began texting five different people on board and communicated to the pilot that he had a primary radar signal on the aircraft and would allow them to land there. He then used texts to guide the 30-year-old plane in.
The plane landed safely, and the ATC is being heralded a hero.
From [Irish Times via Gizmodo]
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Yikes! What if he did not have the pager? Instant missile target practice.
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