Anyone have more information/details about this incident? I have no doubt that the note was written with good intentions so as not to alarm pax who could see the repair to the flap from their window. Curious as to people's thoughts on this.
ikramerica From United States of America, joined May 2005, 21025 posts, RR: 60 Reply 1, posted (9 months 2 weeks 4 hours ago) and read 15502 times:
The missing bit that AS should have added was:
Replace the word "we" with "Alaska Air" and add "It is safe." or something similar at the end.
But it was a note for the next AS ground crew to be clear that they already know, not for the pax. Had they written it on the bottom side, maybe no pax would have noticed at all?
Of all the things to worry about... the Wookie has no pants.
Hiflyeras From United States of America, joined Jul 2011, 604 posts, RR: 1 Reply 2, posted (9 months 2 weeks ago) and read 14657 times:
Alaska made a statement today that whoever wrote this was not following established proceedure. I imagine they'll get a good tongue-lashing. Not very smart.
usdcaguy From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 753 posts, RR: 2 Reply 3, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 14315 times:
Friggin' hilarious. People freak out over the simplest of things. Next thing you know, a flight attendant will put a sticky on a Kosher meal saying, "We know about this" and the entire plane will expect to be blown to bits.
futureualpilot From United States of America, joined May 2000, 2561 posts, RR: 9 Reply 4, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 14268 times:
I find it amusing, it is nice to see a sense of humor these days but as hair triggered as people are, especially with aviation, it wasn't smart.
AirframeAS From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 14150 posts, RR: 26 Reply 5, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 14224 times:
Any pics? Where is that "This Thread Is Worthless Without Pics" icon?
A Safe Flight Begins With Quality Maintenance On The Ground.
spiritair97 From United States of America, joined Jan 2011, 1231 posts, RR: 1 Reply 8, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 13400 times:
Ooooh! I thought a passenger wrote a note and gave to a flight attendant. I was wondering why it wasn't just tossed out and disregarded. This would maybe make me a bit unsettled.
MaverickM11 From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 15720 posts, RR: 48 Reply 9, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 13190 times:
I've seen this on a few other 737 NGs--what exactly is going on here? What was cut out of the flap and why?
spiritair97 From United States of America, joined Jan 2011, 1231 posts, RR: 1 Reply 10, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 13085 times:
I forgot to ask, just out of curiosity, did the aircraft in question have blended winglets fitted on it's wings?
redtag501 From United States of America, joined Jan 2009, 24 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 12907 times:
Better to have left alone and put out a NOTAMs to all crew assigned to the aircraft to make an appropriate announcement to passengers or discreetly deal with individual questions and comments.
fr8mech From United States of America, joined Sep 2005, 4238 posts, RR: 12 Reply 12, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 12781 times:
Quoting spiritair97 (Reply 8): I've seen this on a few other 737 NGs--what exactly is going on here? What was cut out of the flap and why?
I don't know much about the NG, but I can make a reasonable guess. It appears that this area is in the exhaust path of the right engine (or is #2 on the NG?). An engine so low to the ground would have a tendency to pick things up and send them through the cold stream. The damage could be from this FOD hitting the surface. What you see here is a result of the interim repair to this surface. Just a guess. Or, someone dropped the flap on a ladder.
And, I doubt that this message is to the ground crew or the flight crew. The crews should already have this information in hand when they get to the aircraft.
This note is a public service announcement to the passengers that see this repair and think the aircraft is falling apart.
AirframeAS From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 14150 posts, RR: 26 Reply 13, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 12744 times:
Does anyone know the tail number to this aircraft?
A Safe Flight Begins With Quality Maintenance On The Ground.
I think it's great. It's perfectly safe, it lets the next ground crew know that they don't need to report it (again), and it should quell some passenger questions and concerns.
Quoting spiritair97 (Reply 8): This would maybe make me a bit unsettled.
How come? Wouldn't seeing apparent flap damage and not knowing if the airline knew about it be more unsettling?
Quoting MaverickM11 (Reply 9): I've seen this on a few other 737 NGs--what exactly is going on here? What was cut out of the flap and why?
They cut the corner off and potted (filled) the edge; standard temporary repair for honeycomb structures that have damage on a corner. Most likely ramp rash but, as others noted, could be FOD damage. It will fly like that until they get a chance to do a permanent repair or replace the flap.
Oh my lord I would have been carried away from the plane from laughter. That mechanic must have a big brass set on him... IMHO that does NOT look like its directed "towards the pilots"
usair330 From United States of America, joined Mar 2002, 787 posts, RR: 1 Reply 16, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 10939 times:
LMAO I'm expecting to see a report of some passengers that were passing a note around. But this is hilarious. I'm Sure the mechanic thought he was doing a good thing but obviously it got to deep.
fr8mech From United States of America, joined Sep 2005, 4238 posts, RR: 12 Reply 17, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 10820 times:
Quoting usair330 (Reply 16): I'm Sure the mechanic thought he was doing a good thing but obviously it got to deep.
Thinking about it a little more, the mechanic probably put it there at the request of some flight crew. That way the passengers don't bother the flight crew with questions about a 'thing on the wing missing'.
woodsboy From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 1011 posts, RR: 3 Reply 18, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 10623 times:
Years ago I was riding a DL L-1011 from SLC to ATL, I was seated so that the leading edge of the left wing was right outside my window. There were 6 long screws in varrying degrees of "unscrewed" (??) along a seam just inboard of the leading edge slat. One had to be protruding 4-6 inches out of its hole with the others not sticking out that much but certainly enough! I wish there had been a note telling me that they knew about that!!!
XT6Wagon From United States of America, joined Feb 2007, 3128 posts, RR: 4 Reply 19, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 10576 times:
Next time, put a "thanks" after it so it can't seem hostile.
Also a scribble or something like someone signed/initialed it would help re-assure people too, as that makes it seem more "official". Not suggesting the use of an actual signature or intial though as its clearly not proper FAA paperwork.
OB1504 From United States of America, joined Jul 2004, 2965 posts, RR: 8 Reply 21, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 9722 times:
Quoting ikramerica (Reply 1): Replace the word "we" with "Alaska Air" and add "It is safe." or something similar at the end.
Agreed. I can't blame the passengers for thinking this might have meant something along the lines of: "Your plane is going to crash, but it's okay because we already know it's going to, so the search and rescue teams will be in position."
I definitely would've brought it to the cabin crew's attention just to make sure everything was fine.
Tbone354 From United States of America, joined Sep 2010, 73 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 9497 times:
Perhaps the airlines should equip all passenger seats with a large red panic button? This could trigger a device to release a shot glass full of vodka which the passenger could consume and thereby calm some freaking exposed nerves. Just a thought. Any insignificant little thing is a crisis these days, especially where aviation is concerned. Beam me up.
pvjin From Finland, joined Mar 2012, 535 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 13 hours ago) and read 8725 times:
LOL, to me just knowing that those maintenance people know that this small piece of wing is missing and have verified that it doesn't cause any trouble during flight would be just calming. Of course they could have written that note a bit different way, but oh well, its better than not writing it at all no matter what Alaska says.
oykie From Norway, joined Jan 2006, 2575 posts, RR: 4 Reply 24, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 8177 times:
There seem to be a bit of a over-reaction on this note. Even if it is not a standard procedure. There have been pictures on A.net showing wings in much worse condition than this. I once flew on an ATR and one of the wings panels was not fasten on one side. Into the fuselage. It vibrated a lot in the air, but even if the panel would have fallen of the only risk would be that it would hit the tail. The flight attendant got a bit nervous when I told her about the loose panel, and she did notify the captain. The captain continued to the destination. I would actually have like it better if there was a note saying that the wing panel was not fasten and that this was not a mistake. However on my ATR flight, I believe that this was a mistake.
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25 BC77008: Well I'm just so thankful that everyone is alright and made it out of the plane safely!!!
26 flybynight: It is one thing for people on this website (who are aiviation buffs) to think a note like this is OK. I too would have understood it. But take your av
27 United787: I think it is hilarious and I probably wouldn't have been concerned because it is obvious that the cut was intentional due to the clean nature of shap
28 ikramerica: I know. It was touch and go there for a while... No doubt. The way it was worded could have been taken as a saboteur's threat by someone afraid of fl
29 anonms: The cut is really disconcerting, but I just.... love their wording. I would've had a helluva giggle fit if I saw that in-flight.
30 NorthstarBoy: When i see things like this it makes me honestly wonder sometimes why flight crews now-a-days are so inhibited about making announcements over the PA
31 flybynight: Very well said...and a smart solution.
32 cotparampguy: Was it for the passengers though? It seems like something they'd put there so it's not reported everytime someone does a walkaround after the plane ha
33 yeelep: Both of your suggestions are exactly what is supposed to be adjacent to the damage. A yellow dot indicates damage that is known and has been dis-posi
34 757gb: I absolutely agree, but the thing is that for many people who wouldn't even have noticed the note served to catch their attention to the fact that th
35 HAWK21M: Whats with the dusty look on the aft flap.
36 OB1504: Isn't that the whole point of a safety culture?
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