Editing SST: Death Flight (section)

==Plot==
On the flight of Maiden 1, the first [[United States|American]] supersonic transport, Captain Jim Walsh is the assigned pilot on an attempt to set a world speed record from New York to Paris. The flight crew includes the flight engineer, stewardess Mae and steward. The select group on the ceremonial first flight include passengers and executives. On board is Willy Basset, the designer of the SST, Tim Vernon, the Cutlass Airlines head of publicity who is having an affair with "Miss SST" Angela Garland, the model who is the public face of the new aircraft. Hank Fairbanks, an ex-pilot who now works for an airline group in South America as an aircraft buyer, accompanies the other VIPs, and wants to renew an earlier romance with Mae. Other passengers include Paul Whitley, Bob Connors, former sportscaster Lyle Kingman and his wife Nancy. Harry Carter, a television broadcaster and a reporter are at the airport terminal to cover the festivities.

Unfortunately, a disgruntled employee, wanting to  get back at Willy Basset, the designer of the airliner, sabotages the hydraulic system, causing an inflight massive leak of [[hydraulic fluid]]. Subsequent repair attempts by the crew cause an [[explosive decompression]] that breaks open a medical shipment of Senegal Flu, brought aboard by Dr. Ralph Therman. Consequently, the aircraft is refused landing rights in Europe. The SST eventually tries to divert to Senegal (the only country with experience in dealing with the virus). However, there is not enough fuel and the pilots are forced to make an emergency landing in a mountain pass.  Some of the passengers are killed, but most survive.