A zoom climb is a climb where the rate of climb is greater than
the maximum for a sustained climb, as determined from the thrust of
the aircraft's engines. During a zoom climb, the aircraft gains
potential energy at the expense of kinetic energy.
"I wasn't paying much attention to the flight until,
climbing out, there were several loud thumps occurring roughly
simultaneously along both sides of the aircraft. "Bird strikes," I
thought. A few seconds later, there was a bit of smoke and the
stench of burning bird that seemed to confirm my guess. There was a
turn to the left, and I assumed we were returning to
LGA..."
Source: Susan O'Donnell, an American Airlines
Boeing 767 pilot who was a passenger on US Airways Flight
1549. O'Donnell recently recounted her experiences in an article
for the Allied Pilots Association.
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