Through Silent Skies

Chapter Five

Keflavik airport is swelling to fill our windscreen. We're in constant contact with the control tower, but as there is no other traffic we are free to choose our own approach path. I'm relieved we're not having to manoeuvre around in a holding pattern as I'm informed the low level winds are both strong and variable. Our landing is going to be tricky enough as it is.

"Keflavik control; we are commencing final approach; confirm there is no other traffic in our vicinity."

"Albatross, the sky is clear. You are cleared to land. Emergency services standing by."

"Keflavik control; Understood."

I can see the toy sized fire engines below awaiting us. Two of the figures wearing bulky silvered flame resistant suits are struggling to hold on to an improvised flag showing the direction of the ground winds. There appears to be quite a fresh breeze blowing five hundred metres below. I turn slightly to get us nose into it.

"Dump gas to plus zero-five percent bouyancy!" I order Gloria. We're committed to landing now. "Gear down and check!" With my hands fully on the controls it's up to her to manage the other systems.

"Gear down and locked!" She replies. "Buoyancy plus zero-five; ready for emergency H purge, fire supression on auto, ready on manual initiation. Standing by for emergency cabin door release."

"Check."

So here we go. "Keflavik control. Albatross is committed to landing. Stand by!"

"Good luck Albatross!"

I press the intercom button and warn the passengers. "Brace! - Brace! - Brace!"

As we vent our hydrogen and become heavier I can feel the controls becoming more responsive; we glide closer to the runway, but just before we touch down an unexpected gust of wind lifts us a few metres upwards and pushes us sideways. Quickly I push the yoke forward and steer back on course. The ground seems so tantilisingly close but actually reaching it and staying landed could be difficult. Back on track again I take an instinctive decision that now is the time.

"Purge - Purge - Purge the wing!" I order while pulling back on the lever which will draw in and fold the arrowhead wing.

Blowing the gas and folding the wing does the trick. Albatross sinks the last few metres far faster than I would have liked and touches down with a hard slam of the landing wheels which prompts a few screams from the passengers. We bounce once and the nose lifts but a good shove on the yoke counteracts it and keeps us grounded. We're rolling slowly forwards but are quickly overtaken by the emergency vehicles. I ease on the wheel brakes and Albatross comes to a halt.

"Keflavik control; Albatross has landed!"

At once the firefighters leap out and rush towards us but instead of hoses they carry cables which they clip on to the tie-down eyelets located on the wing and gondola. The other ends are attached to their heavy vehicles so we shouldn't be blowing away now.

"Let's secure from flight status!" I tell Gloria. Quickly we run through the post-landing checklist, or as much of it as we can. Having made sure everything is as safe as can reasonably be expected I can at last switch the cabin doors to non-emergency manual control and allow Raul to let the emergency crew aboard.

"Your attention please! As you may have noticed we have successfully landed at Keflavik airport. Once the injured have been evacuated you will all be disembarked. If you require medical aid please make the fact known to the cabin crew or emergency personnel. Once the situation has become clear and arrangements for your accommodation or onward travel made you will be informed. In the meantime please exit the aircraft only when instructed to do so, and do not take any hand luggage with you. You will be able to reclaim it and your hold baggage later".

There's an urgent rapping on the outer crew compartment security door; Bryan unbolts it to allow the ambulance crew in to see Romas: Worryingly he's still unconcious. Efficiently he's assessed and transferred to a stretcher before being taken out to one of the ambulances, I can hear the sounds of the first of the passengers following him down the emergency steps to the waiting airport buses.

Soon all but Gloria, Bryan, Raul; the Icelandic fire chief supervising the operation, and I are left aboard. I'm determined to be the last to leave. As we disembark and an airport worker folds up the steps before closing and locking the door, a hydrogen powered 4X4 in high visibility livery, strobe lights on, draws up. The driver, when he gets out, appears to be a managerial type, sporting a dapper, neutrally coloured suit. Spotting me he shakes my hand and speaks in a brittlly accented english. "Captain Drake? I am Oddi Haradursson; Deputy Director of Operations for the airport. Congratulations on a safe landing! We will ensure your aircraft is secured as safely as possible. In the meantime Mr Eybergsson, our Director of Operations, needs to speak with you."

"Yes I'm sure he does; there will no doubt be the formalities to go through, as well as the investigations; and we'll need to discuss the interim care of our passengers. Oh, and if you haven't done so already I'll need to contact SkyBus and the European Air Safety Authority."

We're walking toward his car. Out of earshot of the last passengers boarding the shuttle buses his voice takes on a far more serious tone.

"Captain Drake; You may go through the procedures, but I doubt very much if it will make any difference. I'm afraid to say the situation is far more grave than that. The Director will explain as much as we know, but from what we learned before all contact was lost, it appears the world as we knew it is now a thing of the past."