Chapter 317 - Time to land

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"I have two tasks for you now. First—inform Xiahai Air Traffic Control to clear its runway and clearly mark the end for an emergency landing. Second—switch on your phone and go to maps, then and mark out Xiahai airport's location. I need to get our bearing right to ensure that we fly towards Xiahai and not any other city."

Tan Ningfu sat in the co-pilot's seat, as Xiao Luo calmly gave her instructions for the two tasks. The aircraft's communication system had been disengaged by Cui Jihou, so they could only rely on the smartphone's GPS and location services to serve as the plane's navigation system.

"Okay, sure."

Tan Ningfu took out her phone immediately, but she quickly found out that there she couldn't get a signal.

Xiao Luo handed her his device and said, "Use my phone instead."

Xiao Luo's phone was issued to him by the NSA. Before he handed the phone over to Tan Ningfu, he unlocked it and turned off the flight mode. Regular phones would not be able to receive a signal this high up in the air, but the NSA-issued phone was an enhanced version of smartphones, and could not only receive signals from terrestrial transmission towers but could also communicate via satellite. In effect, it could operate literally in any corner of the world at any time.

Tan Ningfu promptly contacted the Xiahai Airport ATC and conveyed Xiao Luo's message clearly. The moment they received the mayday call, Xiahai Airport Authorities immediately mobilized for an emergency landing.

Tan Ningfu then opened the Map app and marked out the location of Xiahai airport.

"We are flying off-course by forty-five degrees, Mr. Xiao."

Xiao Luo glanced at the location on the phone map and then started to alter the aircraft course.

"Brother, wow, what's the brand of phone? It's really powerful, it's getting a full bar of signal strength at this high altitude!"

Wang Yanzu was standing outside at the cockpit door and was very impressed by the phone. He had thought that the phone signal was supported by the mobile base stations on the ground. The usual coverage of a single base station was about five thousand meters, and he wondered how it was possible for Xiao Luo's phone to get a signal nine thousand meters up in the air.

Xiao Luo ignored him and concentrated on keeping the plane on a course heading to Xiahai airport.

The purser, her crew, and the passengers in the first-class cabin looked at Xiao Luo in awe. He was an enigma—not only was he a doctor who had just saved a life, now he was at the helm of the aircraft attempting to fly to the nearest airport and land safely. Even his phone was different from everyone else's, being able to receive a signal at such a high altitude. Everything about him suggested that this man was extraordinary!

"Mr. Xiao, may I… may I ask you a question?" Tan Ningfu could not contain her curiosity any longer.

"Yes, sure."

Xiao Luo was much more relaxed now as he had made the necessary adjustments and kept the aircraft heading on course to Xiahai airport. They were only within forty minutes of their destination, barring any mishaps.

"Where did you learn to fly a plane?" Tan Ningfu asked.

Xiao Luo thought of a random excuse. "By reading books."

"What? So, you have never flown a real plane?" Tan Ningfu was shocked.

"No, I haven't."

Xiao Luo nodded, and he was being honest as this was indeed his first time being in a plane.

"Mr. Xiao Luo, you're incredible! You have done such a good job on your first try."

Tan Ningfu was an optimist, and she could only see Xiao Luo's strengths. Had any other person been sitting in that seat, they would have undoubtedly been worried. Even first-time drivers would be nervous about driving a car, what more a complete rookie flying a plane. If this had been made known to the passengers, those who had just calmed down would start to panic once again.

The purser did her part to calm and comfort the passengers. After briefing the passengers on emergency evacuation drills, everyone knew that they were on course to Xiahai airport. And to keep them occupied until then, she and her crew had even organized singing sessions. It certainly helped to keep everyone relaxed and prevented them from becoming too anxious.

Before long, Cui Jihou was again screaming messages of doom. "Do not be fooled, that man will never be your savior, there's no way that the plane can land safety regardless of what he does. You should all embrace the end of your lives in your seats."

Needless to say, he was driven to madness by the stress of murdering both his wife and son and his problems at work. He wanted to take his revenge on this disgusting world, and he only sought nothing but death.

A muscular safety officer was provoked by his words and hit him with a few punches until Cui Jihou passed out, and his ranting came to an abrupt stop.

As a result of Cui Jihou's despairing words, the passengers became agitated again as it made them realize that they were soon to make an emergency landing. The final approach and landing were critical, and any errors here would mean certain death. Forty minutes wasn't a long time, soon the aircraft would be descending to a lower altitude, and they'd be approaching Xiahai airport.

Everyone was seated upright, and no one even dared to make a sound.

"Mommy, will we land safely?" A girl asked as she hugged tightly to her mother.

"Yes, we will, we surely will, and we'll see daddy soon," the mother said as she comforted her frightened child.

When the other passengers heard that, their hearts went out for all parents traveling with their children. At the same time, they couldn't help hoping that everything they were experiencing now would turn out to be like those scenes from disaster movies, where things would turn out well when there were kids around.

"Everyone, have faith in my brother, he will land the plane safely for sure," Wang Yanzu shouted out loud.

A flight attendant went on the PA: "Ladies and gentlemen, we have commenced our descent, please ensure your seats are upright and fasten your seatbelts. We will inform you again just before we make the landing. Please believe that God is with us, and have faith in Mr. Xiao. We will surely land safely at Xiahai airport!"

"That's right, we'll be fine, some fortune-teller told me that I will live to the age of 100, so I can't possibly be passing on at such a young age!" a middle-aged man in his fifties said loudly to cheer everyone up.

"Hahaha…"

Everyone laughed at the irony, it was interesting to hear that dying at the fifties was considered dying at a young age.

More people started to crack jokes, and the cabin's atmosphere had lightened up, keeping the gloom at bay.

In the cockpit, a call came through from Xiahai Airport ATC., and it was the voice of a lady air traffic controller. "Attention Boeing 747, attention Boeing 747—we have cleared the runway. The approach end has been marked with emergency lights. Your approach is good, landing is achievable. Good luck!"

"Copy that. Roger!"

Xiao Luo responded and adjusted the trim as they approached Xiahai airport.

Tan Ningfu was visibly nervous, and her legs were shaking slightly, but Xiao Luo had given her a much-needed sense of security, this man seemed to have an innate ability to calm others down and trust him.

The plane was in its final approach to Xiahai airport and was decreasing in speed and altitude. The city lights could be seen from afar, resembling a sea of stars in the sky. The rows of edge lighting clearly outlined the boundaries of the runway, and a pair of white blinking lights at the approach end of the runway looked like they were guiding the two hundreds of "lost sheep" on board the aircraft to find their way home.

Wasn't Xiao Luo at nervous at all?

Yes, he was certainly very nervous, he may have obtained the piloting ability to fly the plane, but it did not mean that he was equipped with the necessary experience to fly and land the aircraft. Most of the meters were damaged by the strong electromagnetic field in the thunderstorm, resulting in the malfunction of the plane's auto-landing function. He could only attempt the landing by sight.

"When we're landing, make sure you hold that yoke steadily and keep an eye on those two sets of lights on the left side of the runway, do you see it? Ensure that they are two red lights and two white lights; inform me immediately when there's any change." Xiao Luo reminded her.

"Yes. Okay, I got it."

Tan Ningfu answered, and her eyes were fully fixed on the two sets of PAPI lights.

That was a precision approach path indicator that provided guidance information to help a pilot acquire and maintain the correct glideslope to the runway. When it's changed, it meant that the approach was wrong and required immediate adjustment. Too high, and the force on landing may break the plane's landing gear. If the landing gear was compromised, it was equivalent to having a tire bursting on a speeding car, resulting in serious consequences.

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