trooper508 From United States of America, joined Jun 2007, 10 posts, RR: 0 Posted (1 year 2 weeks 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 14788 times:
The last few times I've been in Charlotte, NC (visits are several months apart and I was there today) my kids and I have stopped by the airport overlook parking area to watch the LH flight from Munich arrive. About the time we can just spot the plane in the distance, an elderly woman walks into the grassy area, faces the plane, and begins what I can only describe as a singing prayer/chant. It is not in English. She gets very loud and alternates between opening her arms towards the plane and up to the sky. She follows the plane with her gestures/chant through touch down and continues until you can see the tail pulling into the gate on the far side of the airport. Then she leaves. As far as I can tell, she doesn't do this with any other flight. She hasn't been there the few times I have seen the flight leave CLT. If I had to guess, I would say she is Native American and is offering some kind of thanks for a safe flight.. (I approached her today as she was leaving to ask what she was doing, but when I got about two car lengths away and called out to her, she put up both of her hands and stared at me, so maybe there is something else going on with her.)
So.....has anyone in CLT seen this woman before? Do you know what she is doing? My kids think that maybe she has a family member on the flight and she is there to wish it a safe landing.
This started a discussion with my kids about what rituals people do before flying and if I thought other people do what this lady was doing?. Other than praying, I said I didn't know, but its a big world, so I would bet people do lots of things. I said I would post this on A.net and see if we could find out. Any stories?
southwest737500 From United States of America, joined Mar 2011, 594 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (1 year 2 weeks 2 days 2 hours ago) and read 14495 times:
I have know idea, every time I go i see her my mom and I always talk about it
Planes I've been on: Dash8,CRJ 200,CRJ 700,CRJ 900,ERJ 175, ERJ 190, 717,732,733,734,735,737,738.A319,A320,A321,762,763
Jalap From Belgium, joined Oct 2007, 347 posts, RR: 1 Reply 6, posted (1 year 2 weeks 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 11872 times:
My guess is that she's a spotter and has already spotted all LH A340's, except one! With every arrival, sho hopes and prays than this time it will be that one registration she still has to spot...
FLYjoe From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 250 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (1 year 2 weeks 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 11601 times:
Quoting Jalap (Reply 7): My guess is that she's a spotter and has already spotted all LH A340's, except one! With every arrival, sho hopes and prays than this time it will be that one registration she still has to spot...
That's funny. I was at the overlook last Tuesday when LH was arriving and she wasn't there. I didn't notice at the time, but now that this thread popped up the last few days, I realized I did not see her.
HullCitySpotter From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2012, 49 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (1 year 2 weeks 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 11143 times:
We know she's just happy to see an A343 on that video... Imagine what she'd be like now the A346 comes in! When I was on the EY A346 a few years back I was singing how happy I was to the bloody thing; in my head . Not like that mind!
jbirdav8r From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 4459 posts, RR: 22 Reply 10, posted (1 year 2 weeks 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 11118 times:
Ahhh yes! My sim partner and I encountered her out there a while back...we would head to the overlook most days after we'd get finished in the box.
On one particularly windy day, the A340 sailed down the runway and had to do a go around...she had a conniption over that...
Tbone354 From United States of America, joined Sep 2010, 73 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (1 year 2 weeks 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 8245 times:
She has a thing for large 4 engine jets. So far as I can tell only LH flies anything with 4 engines into CLT. And only the 340 at that. I know. I know. A 747 or two have visited CLT in the past. But the LH 340 seems to be one of a kind. BTW. I kind of enjoyed her chant. It was soothing and quite relaxing. I am glad I stumbled upon this thread.
southwest737500 From United States of America, joined Mar 2011, 594 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (1 year 2 weeks 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 8037 times:
chepos From Puerto Rico, joined Dec 2000, 5968 posts, RR: 12 Reply 17, posted (1 year 2 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 5852 times:
I'm surprised no one has called the Homeland Security department on her, some people out there see something which they consider different and think it is some sort of threat. Example, people see you taking pictures of planes and here come the cops thinking you are plotting something.
iclcy From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2006, 256 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (1 year 2 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 5668 times:
Maybe its something to do with the logo - a crane bird. For Native Americans, cranes are associated with good luck & peacemakeing amongst other things.
aloges From Germany, joined Jan 2006, 8357 posts, RR: 47 Reply 19, posted (1 year 2 weeks 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 5188 times:
I'd love to know if any of the pilots have ever noticed her... that would finally give me an indication whether or not this:
Quoting FedExDC-10: While I'm not a commercial pilot, I do know that on landing all I see is runway and nothing else. LOL. Elvis could be on the threshold waving and I wouldn't notice it.
trooper508 From United States of America, joined Jun 2007, 10 posts, RR: 0 Reply 20, posted (1 year 2 weeks 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 4926 times:
Quoting iclcy (Reply 18): Maybe its something to do with the logo - a crane bird. For Native Americans, cranes are associated with good luck & peacemakeing amongst other things.
Ah, interesting. Didn't think about that, but that might have something to do with it. She really seems to be praising whatever she sees and she's not doing it for any other airline, so it must be related to something specific in the Lufthansa logo.
Quoting chepos (Reply 17): I'm surprised no one has called the Homeland Security department on her
Me, too. I wouldn't doubt that at least the airport police are aware of her. She's not acting in any kind of threatening manner. The times I've been there, people have looked at each other and laughed, but people didn't scatter, no one pulled his/her kids away, etc.
I hate that I couldn't talk with her. We'd really like to know what she is doing.
Quoting Tbone354 (Reply 14): I kind of enjoyed her chant. It was soothing and quite relaxing. I am glad I stumbled upon this thread.
Yes. Been whistling it since yesterday. Seems like she's in a good place (and who on this website wouldn't be with an A340-600 landing right in front of him/her?).
rjm777ual From UK - England, joined Nov 2011, 246 posts, RR: 0 Reply 21, posted (1 year 2 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 4461 times:
I was out taking pictures at IAD and airport security asked me what I was doing. Yet there's a lady dancing toward a plane, and shes all good. Whats up with that?
davidkunzVIE From Austria, joined Mar 2007, 431 posts, RR: 5 Reply 22, posted (1 year 2 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 4292 times:
Well, I'm from Vienna and, quite frankly, I know how Freud could hail from here. There's not a single day when i'm out in the streets or on the underground without seeing somone acting, well, unusually, talking to themselves or others without being asked. This city can make you go nuts but I love how everyone handles it. We just don't mind. It's a matter of "live and let live."
There's such a thing of freedom of expression both here and in the United States. Thank god.
And, to be honest, on certain days, when i'm out spotting at VIE, i feel like dancing, too, when an A340 or a T7 touches down at dawn. Kudos to her for actually doing it, whatever her motivation might be.
jbirdav8r From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 4459 posts, RR: 22 Reply 23, posted (1 year 2 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 4139 times:
Quoting aloges (Reply 19): I'd love to know if any of the pilots have ever noticed her... that would finally give me an indication whether or not this:
Lining up on 18C you can see the cars at the overlook but you can't tell too much about individual people.
southwest737500 From United States of America, joined Mar 2011, 594 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (1 year 2 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 4112 times:
Yea but , that's a observation area, u were probably in a restricted area
Planes I've been on: Dash8,CRJ 200,CRJ 700,CRJ 900,ERJ 175, ERJ 190, 717,732,733,734,735,737,738.A319,A320,A321,762,763
25 jbirdav8r: It is kind of neat, really. You can be Christian, Muslim, Jewish, or even (as many on this site seem to be) atheist, but some positive energy in the
26 dadoftyler: Gang....does she do this every afternoon or is there a pattern of what days-of-week she shows up? DoT
27 NASCARAirforce: When I flew through there in January 2011 I saw an ATI DC-8 landing while we were taking off and their was an AN-124 parked on the ramp There was a d
28 boberito6589: When does Frontier bring these aircraft to CLT?
29 jetblast: CLT got service even they don't know about yet
30 JOYA380B747: Is better to transit through CLT than NYC/ORD/DFW, if I am coming in from Europe?
31 jamesontheroad: It depends where you're going; can be a bit of back track if you're going anywhere in the north-east or mid-west. Other than that, I've now spoken wi
32 aeroblogger: The airport itself is nice and compact, and very functional, if a bit claustrophobia-inducing at times. It's definitely not worth going out of your w
33 N766UA: The A343 needs all the help it can get climbing out, maybe she's a Lufthansa employee?
34 rduddji: Depends on your destination. I'd say DTW/ORD for Midwest, ATL/IAD for the Southeast. If you go to CLT, you're stuck with US as your only connection.
35 crj900lr: It could be a religious thing, we have a few guys at work who go and pray several times a day, everyday, in a quiet corner that faces the north. They
36 aeroblogger: Which I don't see a problem with... US is a better airline than UA or DL.
37 jmc1975: I think it might be an ancient Melungeon ritual. There is still a sizable Melungeon population in the TN/NC/SC/VA region that for the most part, has i
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