英航 777客機，在倫敦希思魯機場，著陸前失去動力，飛機最後安全降落，全世界捧正機長被為英雄，他謙遜地發表了，副機長才是控制安全降落的真正英雄。
令人失笑的是，副機長 Mr. John Coward，Coward 在翻譯為中文是 『膽小鬼』或 『懦夫』，昨天他是 Hero 『英雄』，英國之英雄！
《BBC》Co-pilot controlled crash-landing A British Airways jet that crash-landed at Heathrow was being controlled by the co-pilot, it has been revealed.
Captain Peter Burkill told a press conference Senior First Officer John Coward brought the plane in to land on Thursday afternoon. Mr Burkill was greeted with massive applause as he made his way to give a short statement at the airline's headquarters in west London.
All 136 passengers and 16 crew survived the incident.
Mr Burkill thanked the crew who demonstrated "the highest standards of skill and professionalism", but he said because of the ongoing investigation he could not comment on what caused the incident.
'Most remarkable'
He also praised passengers and rescue staff for the way they reacted when the plane was forced to ditch short of the runway.
"As British Airways flight and cabin crew we are trained on a regular basis to deal with emergency situations," he said.
"We have procedures to follow and everyone knows their place.
"Flying is about teamwork and we had an outstanding team on board."
He said Mr Coward had done a "most remarkable job" in landing the aircraft.
First Officer Conor Magenis was also praised after he "continually assisted" in the operation.
Mr Burkill and Mr Coward are said to have shared a curry on Thursday night after the incident.
The plane's cabin services director Sharon Eaton-Mercer joined Mr Burkill and Mr Coward on the podium.
'Unfamiliar circumstances'
The pilot praised the cabin director and her staff, some of whom suffered minor injuries making sure passengers were safe.
He said Ms Eaton Mercer only left the aircraft after she was certain those on the flight deck were unharmed.
"I want to thank the passengers too for their calmness and good sense during extremely unfamiliar circumstances," Mr Burkill said.
He also thanked the fire, ambulance and police personnel for their quick response to the crash.
Investigators are trying to find out what caused the incident. The plane is thought to have suffered a sudden loss of power on approach.
但香港明報還是遲了，忘了，還未察覺，還是說正機長技術高超呢？
【明報專訊】因失去動力而緊急迫降倫敦希斯羅機場的英國航空公司班機事故，英國首相白高敦讚揚機師處變不驚。
調查人員目前正在檢查飛機的「黑盒」，希望藉此找出飛機引擎為何在降落前突然失靈。
航空事故調查局首席檢查員金恩表示，事故原因需要一段時間調查，但三十天內會先公開一份較完整的報告，最後的報告則可能需要更長的時間；在調查的過程中，一旦有任何飛行安全相關的新發現，將會立即採取必要的行動。
調查人員昨天約談機長柏奇爾與他的兩名副機師，了解失事的原因。柏奇爾告訴記者，他和其它組機人員目前都很好，並在說明結束後，大家相約到餐廳吃咖哩大餐，「希望生活儘速恢復正常」。
四十三歲的柏奇爾今天幾乎成為各媒體報導的英雄人物，盛讚他以高超的技術，神乎其技的化解了一場可能墜機爆炸的悲劇。
他的鄰居形容，這位高挑英俊的帥哥機長，平日待人謙遜有禮，表現實在令人激賞。
TVB News：初步調查顯示，日前英航客機緊急降落，希思羅機場前，引擎故障，無回應加速指令，客機突然失去動力。
看TVB新聞片點擊上圖 或 看片
最後08年01月21日
【明報專訊】英航BA038班機的英雄班底正式會見記者，詳談歷險經歷。事故後廣獲讚譽的43歲機長伯基爾(Peter Burkill)表示，居功至偉的其實是肇事時負責控制飛機的41歲副機師科沃德(John Coward)。
記者會上贏掌聲
據報道，科沃德在事發時駕駛客機準備降落，當客機離地僅183米、不足40秒內便陸時，他發現飛機的速度遠低於他設定的水平。他請伯基爾一起用力推動控制桿，但引擎沒有反應，而他瞬即發現控制桿在搖晃，意識到飛機失速。
千均一髮之際，他冒著令飛機加快下降的危險，把機頭向下調以維持飛行速度，讓飛機滑翔方式掠過樓房與機場外的公路。在接近機場圍欄時，他用盡飛機僅餘的動力把機頭往上調，讓飛機越過屏障，滑落在跑道邊的草地上，化解了一場災劫。
英航消息人士透露，伯基爾在危急關頭，果斷決定不浪費時間接手科沃德的掌舵工作，爭取了全機人保命的黃金時間。兩名機師全神貫注控制飛機，無法抽出時間通知乘客作防範工作，亦來不及向機場控制塔發出求救信息。
肇事客機機艙服務員領班伊頓—默瑟(Sharron Eaton-Mercer)的表現亦備受讚賞，她在確保所有乘客安全脫險後才撤離飛機。她與兩名機師在記者會上現身時，贏得一片熱烈掌聲和喝采。伯基爾稱讚全機服務人員「忘我無私」，迅速而有效率地疏散旅客，表現出「最高標準的技術與專業」。他還感謝乘客表現鎮定。
申延閱覽：BBC
'No thrust' on stricken BA plane
Co-pilot controlled crash-landing
Experts probe Heathrow air crash
Passenger criticises BA treatment
Airliner crash-lands at Heathrow
