http://i.imgur.com/FyTDLh.jpg
Yikes.
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I'm surprised they would get this close, let alone fly into the cloud. I would think they would steer well clear of the cloud and its abrasive effects.
They probably flew above it. By the time the cloud reached the city the height of the cloud was only 5000 feet.
Having lived in Arizona and been in a few of those, it is weird. Dust storms are not really fun but does not seem that dangerous. It is like someone throwing a shovel of sand at your car when it is done. I am surprised that the airplane did fly that close. Sand ingestion does not sound that bad, but the paper in sandpaper is the real harmless part. Shocked at that image!
You nuts, that's Southwest man, they open the windows in situations like these! LOL...
I heard they opened up the top of the fuselage before flying through it to create a new "beach theme" interior for that flight.
Here's a video taken from I believe a newscopter......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W4Cx...&feature=share
Apparently there was quite the discussion as he few thru the dust storm... (Not for hours or anything but from the looks of the video...for quite some time)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOL97mqzyNU
at this time I would like to say "HOLY SH!T!"