# An unexpected passenger (airplane) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 22, 2015, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unexpected-passenger-airplane/723121 "2015-06-22T03:49:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2015, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unexpected-passenger-airplane/723121/41 "2015-06-23T23:53:33Z")
> [@blue\_infinity](#): > > That’s a lucky feline. It could have ended in a catastrophe. When the pilot saw the cat, reduced power and immediately flew back towards the runway, I wondered how many people watching from the ground were worried that something had gone badly wrong. They must’ve been relieved to learn there was no mechanical fault, and all the passengers (including the cat) were purr-fectly safe. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unexpected-passenger-airplane/723121/42 "2015-06-24T11:08:26Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > You can see the cat’s shadow, and the pilot _should_ have seen it during the preflight. But if the cat was not moving, and if he’s just looking at the leading edge, wing tips, and control surfaces, it would be easy to overlook. Also, I wonder if it’s possible for the cat to jump into the cavity of the wing _after_ the pilot has done his checking, and strapped the seat belts for take-off. (Is there another opening, other than the one we see?) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unexpected-passenger-airplane/723121/43 "2015-06-24T11:13:07Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Is it just me or does the cat look like it’s having a great time after the first minute or so? Stretched out, forepaws draped over the strut, looking forward with the wind in its hair (and ears), thinking **This is still better than JetBlue**. I thought the opposite - that the cat was upset (albeit not terrified) and was just hanging on until it felt safe to move. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unexpected-passenger-airplane/723121/44 "2015-06-24T12:08:51Z")
Yeah, \*\*Gyrate \*\*I’m with you. You can see the cat meowing at the beginning in a way that looks to me like he’s pretty stressed. I think after that it’s just hanging on. Those forepaws aren’t draped over the strut in relaxation, it’s hanging on for dear life. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unexpected-passenger-airplane/723121/45 "2015-06-24T19:21:06Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > I’m guessing the the fabric on the lower part of the wing will need to be checked for holes: a cat in full fear mode has everything hard and sharp at its disposal fully extended and engaged. I propose changing the wing structure to cardboard boxes to mitigate this in the future. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unexpected-passenger-airplane/723121/46 "2015-06-24T21:46:53Z")
> [@GargoyleWB](#): > > I propose changing the wing structure to cardboard boxes to mitigate this in the future. So, does this prove, conclusively, that the thing Shatner/Lithgow saw on the wing of the plane was not feline? Or did this saboteur fail miserably? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unexpected-passenger-airplane/723121/47 "2015-06-24T22:33:20Z")
> [@G0sp3l](#): > > So, does this prove, conclusively, that the thing Shatner/Lithgow saw on the wing of the plane was not feline? \ :::"Aw, Isn’t that cute? He’s trying to claw my eyes out.” - Ned Flanders::: ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unexpected-passenger-airplane/723121/48 "2015-06-25T09:21:07Z")
> [@blue\_infinity](#): > > That’s a lucky feline. It could have ended in a catastrophe. > > (sorry) As is well known, cats can fall from arbitrarily high buidlings without damage. But I was first introduced to the idea by the entertainment essay on the back page of an avaiation magazine, where the author recounted all the stories he knew of animals falling or jumping from planes (don’t throw chickens out of a plane…) If you’re high enough, a cat can jump out of the plane, slow down to terminal volicity, hit the ground running, and back to scrounging for dinner later that day. Same author also did a great essay on why helicopters should fly witin the specified ground-speed / altitude envelope, so he wasn’t only interested in animals hitting the ground… ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unexpected-passenger-airplane/723121/49 "2015-06-25T13:16:41Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > Same author also did a great essay on why helicopters should fly witin the specified ground-speed / altitude envelope, so he wasn’t only interested in animals hitting the ground… [Height-Velocity Diagram](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicopter_height%E2%80%93velocity_diagram), aka ‘dead man’s curve’. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unexpected-passenger-airplane/723121/50 "2015-06-25T14:37:58Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > Yeah, \*\*Gyrate \*\*I’m with you. You can see the cat meowing at the beginning in a way that looks to me like he’s pretty stressed. I think after that it’s just hanging on. Those forepaws aren’t draped over the strut in relaxation, it’s hanging on for dear life. I thought it was brave reaching in to get the cat out after the flight. I would have run like hell and let it come out on it’s own, assuming that it would not be happy. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unexpected-passenger-airplane/723121/51 "2015-06-25T16:08:23Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > [snip] (don’t throw chickens out of a plane…)[/snip] Turkeys are still good, though, right? ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unexpected-passenger-airplane/723121/52 "2015-06-25T17:47:31Z")
If Snoopy can be a WWI flying ACE, then this kitty can be a wingwalker. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unexpected-passenger-airplane/723121/53 "2015-06-27T00:21:10Z")
That whole ride was really the cat’s meow! ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unexpected-passenger-airplane/723121/54 "2015-06-27T06:45:16Z")
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