Aer Lingus Captain Clodagh O’Farrell flew us to safety during a recent category five storm, with the first landing aborted.
We ask this real life hero about her day job…
Clodagh, what made you want to fly?
I grew up in Portmarnock near Dublin Airport and our neighbours were airline pilots; one of whom had a beautiful red sports car. I remember one of the pilots coming out to talk to me as I sat on the wall admiring the car. I would have been around six at the time. We chatted and I told him that maybe one day I would like to fly. Fast forward 25 years and as I crossed the Atlantic on a flight and told my Captain where I came from, we made the connection only to discover that he had been the owner of the beautiful sports car! Living close to Dublin Airport, we were always lucky to be able to watch the flights heading in and out, which of course sparked my interest in flying. I did my first flying lesson when I was 16 and loved it. I was bitten by the bug. I always fancied the notion of getting to see the sun every day above the clouds.
What do you love most about airplanes?
I really enjoy physically flying the aircraft. There is huge variety to our job with different destinations, weather, people…every work day is different and offers varied challenges. I really love when you set the take-off power and you hear the engines and honestly, I have to stop myself from smiling each time. The excitement…the adrenaline, as you speed down the runway, ready at any second to react to anything. It’s fantastic! And of course, we have the best views an office could offer!
What do you talk about in the cockpit?
What don’t we talk about? Actually, nothing below 10,000 feet which is the busiest part of our flights and we have a strict policy governing that. There’s a time for chat and a time for quiet and the job at hand always takes priority.
Are the skies getting more turbulent, Clodagh?
In my experience, turbulence is no more frequent and no more severe than it was when I started flying over 25 years ago. There are many more planes in the skies now, and with all those extra passengers having the ability to report turbulent events via social media, we do get to hear about more. Charting and weather maps have become more advanced over the years allowing us the ability to re-route around areas where more severe turbulence is forecast.
How do you keep your cool in stormy situations?
Planning! On the day of Storm Darragh, the work began hours in advance of the flight. The weather forecasts are quite accurate, but they only give an approximate time frame for when the conditions may occur. We formulate a plan for the most restrictive weather and when the wind is as close to our limits, as it was on this occasion, we have a plan B and a plan C. This plan largely revolves around fuel management. It ensures that if we can’t land at our destination, we always have an alternate airport where we can safely.
Outside of the cockpit, are you also calm and calculated?
It’s easy to be calm in work because we have strict procedures to follow and we are trained to manage all sorts of eventualities. That coupled with years of experience facilitates the calm. Outside of the cockpit…I’d like to think I’m calm, although my family might laugh at that!