A huge airliner enroute Toronto to Portugal runs into trouble. It's fly-by-wire. The controls and indicators are all computerized. Then the flight deck begins to get strange signals half way across the Atlantic Ocean.
First, some enigmatic indications about oil temperature and pressure, which make no sense to anyone. Then a signal that the right engine is losing fuel. Nothing can be seen visually because it's night time. The crew interpret this as a computer error and begin transferring fuel from left to right.
But it's not a computer error, it's a mechanical problem caused by sloppy maintenance. The problem is now that they're transferring fuel from a sound tank into a tank that is losing fuel. So they're soon empty and must glide a vast distance to the nearest airfield.
It was a terrifying experience for the passengers, many of whom thought they would die during the half-hour glide. Even WATCHING it makes you tense. There isn't any adequate explanation for why people are attracted to suspenseful movies or programs like this. There are plenty of explanations -- but none are adequate.
First, some enigmatic indications about oil temperature and pressure, which make no sense to anyone. Then a signal that the right engine is losing fuel. Nothing can be seen visually because it's night time. The crew interpret this as a computer error and begin transferring fuel from left to right.
But it's not a computer error, it's a mechanical problem caused by sloppy maintenance. The problem is now that they're transferring fuel from a sound tank into a tank that is losing fuel. So they're soon empty and must glide a vast distance to the nearest airfield.
It was a terrifying experience for the passengers, many of whom thought they would die during the half-hour glide. Even WATCHING it makes you tense. There isn't any adequate explanation for why people are attracted to suspenseful movies or programs like this. There are plenty of explanations -- but none are adequate.
