西南航空出事航班飞行员被赞“钢铁般的意志”

Southwest Airlines Pilot Praised for Her 'Nerves of Steel'

This is What’s Trending Today…

An American pilot who made an emergency landing Tuesday after the plane lost an engine is being praised for her “nerves of steel.”

The pilot, Tammie Jo Schults, was flying a Southwest Airlines plane from New York City to Dallas, Texas, when the engine blew and broke apart. She landed the plane safely in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Sharp pieces of the engine struck and broke one of the plane’s windows. One passenger died after being partly sucked out of the plane. That passenger, Jennifer Riordan, was sitting next to the window that broke.

Seven other people were hurt.

Schults, who is 56 years old, took the plane into a fast descent¹. Passengers used oxygen masks and prepared for the force of landing.

Schults’ clear thinking during a high-pressure situation helped save many lives.

Schults is familiar with high-pressure situations. She got her first flying experience in the United States Navy, touching² down fighter planes at speeds of 240 kilometers per hour.

She was one of the first female fighter pilots in the Navy.

As the Reuters news agency reports, Schults wanted to become a pilot from a young age. In a story on the fighter plane blog F-16.net, she said she tried to attend an aviation³ career day at her high school. But she was told they did not accept girls.

After serving in the Navy, Schuts joined Southwest Airlines as a pilot. She started working there in 1993.

On Tuesday, Schults calmly told air traffic control that part of her plane was missing, and that she would need emergency workers on the ground after she landed.

Passengers praised Schults for being calm and caring in an extremely difficult situation.

One passenger, Diana McBride Self, wrote on Facebook, “Tammie Jo Schults, the pilot came back to speak to each of us personally. This is a true American Hero...A huge thank you for her knowledge, guidance and bravery...”

Another passenger, Alfred Tumlinson, thanked Shults and her crew. He told the Associated Press, “She has nerves of steel. That lady, I applaud⁴ her. I’m going to send her a Christmas card...for getting me on the ground. She was awesome⁵.”

And that’s What’s Trending Today….

I’m Ashley Thompson.

Words in This Story

suck - v. to pull (something) with the force of moving water, air, etc.

descent ?- n. ?the act or process of going from a higher to a lower place or level?

aviation - n. the business or practice of flying airplanes, helicopters, etc.?

applaud ?- v. ? to express approval of or support for (something or someone)?

awesome - adj. extremely good

1 descent   

n.下降，下倾，斜坡，坡道，血统，世系

参考例句：

• We watched anxiously during her descent from the tree.我们焦急地看着她从树上爬下来。
• Many Americans are of English descent.许多美国人的祖籍是英国。

2 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

3 aviation   

n.航空，航空学，飞机制造业

参考例句：

• Ten years ago,they began to develop the aviation. 十年前，他们开始发展航空工业。
• Pilots of large aircraft are masters of aviation.大型飞行器的驾驶员是航空学方面的专家。

4 applaud   

vt.鼓掌欢迎，赞同；vi.鼓掌欢迎，欢呼

参考例句：

• The pupils that had been watching started to applaud.一直在一旁观看的小学生们开始鼓起掌来。
• Please don't applaud until everyone has performed.请在每个人表演完毕后再鼓掌。

5 awesome   

adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的

参考例句：

• The church in Ireland has always exercised an awesome power.爱尔兰的教堂一直掌握着令人敬畏的权力。
• That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了.