apt. Alexander Akopov is being hailed as a hero after safely landing a passenger aircraft that was severely damaged in a hailstorm over Istanbul, Turkey, last week.
According to The Telegraph, Akopov had just taken off for Erkan, Cyprus, with 127 passengers on-board when “hailstones the size of golf balls” began battering the AtlasGlobal-operated Airbus A320, damaging the nose and shattering the windshield.
Akopov had no choice but to turn the plane around and attempt a “blind” landing at the Ataturk Airport, using only the plane’s instruments to guide him.
According to The Telegraph, Akopov had just taken off for Erkan, Cyprus, with 127 passengers on-board when “hailstones the size of golf balls” began battering the AtlasGlobal-operated Airbus A320, damaging the nose and shattering the windshield.
Akopov had no choice but to turn the plane around and attempt a “blind” landing at the Ataturk Airport, using only the plane’s instruments to guide him.