Re: Boeing CEO’s statement next new airplane will cost $50bn

The true problem here is that the 737max and A321neo are so efficient that the cost to develop a new airplane greatly exceeds what can be made back by efficiency gains. It really isn't going to make sense to design a new airplane until there is some completely new technology that significantly exce...

Re: Spirit Airlines News and Discussion - 2024

steamgauge wrote:

https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/airlines-lessors/spirit-airlines-nets-419m-cash-sale-leaseback

Sale-Leaseback on 25 A/C, I can't imagine the lease rates being favorable

Re: Routes you've flown that are no longer served

ITM-NRT JL
MTH-MIA AA
HAM-EWR CO
EWR-JFK PA
MSY-SHV DL

Re: Spirit Airlines News and Discussion - 2024

Does NK board regret their F9 decision now? Seemed as if it wasn’t a smart decision when it was made. As for “failing business defense” I read the FTC guidance on that and for an airline (or any business) not in Bankruptcy already the FTC isn’t going give it much weight. And their guidance even addr...

Re: Harwich factory to make jet fuel out of faeces in world first

Realistically though, such ideas fall short due to several reasons: large amounts of water needed for smaller output volumes, time taken, and overall cost incurred in the process. Everyone would benefit if this idea works industrially, but I just dont see it happening yet. Don’t worry, if there is ...

Re: Air Peace Demands Heathrow

nickya340 wrote:

They won’t go to Gatwick or Stansted?
Ok send them to Luton then

Re: Los Angeles Basin (BUR/LAX/LGB/ONT/SBD/SNA) Aviation - 2024

I would have just stuck with easier to understand 1xx, 2xx, 3xx, 4xx etc. Adding a letter to the gate is unnecessarily complex. I also would combine T4 and T5 because once AA completes renovation, it will functionally be one terminal with two concourse. Exactly the same as Delta's current T2/3 and ...

Re: FOD penetrates the fuselage of a UX787 in SDQ

Speed tape to the rescue!

Don’t let the US press get a picture of taped over holes though or it’s another Boeing disaster waiting to happen.

Re: What aircraft have you flown transactlatic?

Transatlantic
742
752
762
763
772
DC10
A343
A346

Transpac
747SP
744ER
772

Re: What happened to the Space Jet?

I have not seen any kind of comprehensive post-mortem on the Space Jet program. I wish there was something out there, as it seems like it would be a fascinating case study. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) spent so much time and money on the program, and seemingly got pretty close to production, o...

Re: Airlines selling F upgrades cheap, undercutting Elite flyers

Pity the poor lower management QF staff who finally got business class upgrades on departure written into their new enterprise bargaining agreement. But as QF now sells upgrade prior to departure, there are no biz class seats on departure! Also pity the person who paid over $1000 for 1 F seat when ...

Re: Airlines selling F upgrades cheap, undercutting Elite flyers

Elite customers are not "entitled" to an upgrade. They get an upgrade if the airline chooses to give them one. You want to sit in first/business class? Then buy first/business class. THIS. All day long... Nobody is entitled to free upgrades on demand, of course. The problem is that airlin...

Re: Airlines selling F upgrades cheap, undercutting Elite flyers

B777LRF wrote:

So they’re selling the seats instead of giving them away? What exactly is wrong with that?

Airlines selling F upgrades cheap, undercutting Elite flyers

I have a question about this AA policy and how widespread it is. Traveling as family of 4, weeks after booking my ticket, AA offered upgrades to F for $60 each on one leg, and that filled the F cabin. This was 2 weeks out. I took advantage of that. The original ticket was Economy Basic (iirc) but bo...

Re: Southwest nearly hits LGA tower

WN flight almost fell and broke its neck…

Re: Southwest nearly hits LGA tower

I'm wondering who was doing the flying - Captain with the HUD, or FO who wouldn't have it. Seems like winds maybe were moving around a lot. METAR in the video claimed 16 knows right down the pipe, but on the first approach they reported a tail wind, so I'm confused what the real winds were. Winds c...

Re: 747-8i Combi orders

It wouldn't have done anything. Modern non-747/A380 wide-bodies are practically combos anyway with the sheer capacity they offer, especially the 77W. Although I agree it would've been amazing to see a KLM 748 combi. I was hoping for KLM to request 5 at the last minute before the final rolled off of...

Re: FAA issues eclipse travel impact

Well we will be at SAT for the totality and then departing at the end. We board with about 30 minutes left in eclipse and liftoff when it’s basically over, flying west. Hopefully because SAT is the first city in the path we will avoid the havoc. Kids have school the next day…

Re: FAA issues eclipse travel impact

Where in the article does it talk about flight cancellations?

Re: Man boards Delta SLC flight with a stolen boarding pass

Does delta have passengers self scan now?

Re: UA 737-800 Loses Body Fairing In Flight

It must not have been that big of issue to the safety of that particular airframe because it's back on revenue generating flights as of a couple days ago. May not have been much of a safety issue but those fairings cover areas where there are damage prone systems, so once those become exposed it in...

Re: UA 737-800 Loses Body Fairing In Flight

Av Herald posts many incidents a week, the threshold point that they become news varies with the public appetite. Airbus incidents aren't news that a Boeing incident now is. I really suspect a lot of problems cropped up because the line came to a crawl with the MAX crashes, lots of experience and t...

Re: Boeing 737 MAX Fails Dozens of Tests in FAA Audit

The most interesting part is that both Boeing and Spirit failed audits with regards to the door plug. Months after the door plug incident. Fair use excerpts: "In the wide-ranging investigation, Boeing failed a check which dealt with the component that blew off the jet, known as a door plug, th...

Re: iAero Group files bankruptcy

Where’s Sir Larry when you need him?

Re: What's Going on with Southwest Today (WN)?

Is the hold at gate cascade partly due to the newer rules about total time sitting on a plane on the “tarmac” without departing?

Re: AS1282 PDX-ONT decompression event, returned to PDX, FAA temporarily grounds 737MAX9 for inspections

I was under the impression that much of the communication about the door was handled outside of Boeing's formal maintenance system because much of the work involved Spirit Aerosystems contractors who do not have access to said system. This has been suggested to be one of the reasons the bolts were ...

Re: AS1282 PDX-ONT decompression event, returned to PDX, FAA temporarily grounds 737MAX9 for inspections

Maybe they are failing to provide records they don’t actually have because nobody documented it? Not saying that’s good, just saying that this is often a problem with subpoenas because they demand non-existent documents and then get bent out of shape when no documents are produced.

Re: The hydrogen A380 concept discussion

Any upgrade to the A380 could be applied to more practical or already efficient aircraft designs, thus negating the point of the A380 no matter how you improve it.

Re: Does Delta have an oversupply of widebodies?

I'm mostly referring to the NYC-LAX/SFO markets that are currently seeing almost exclusively 767s. Also ATL-LAX/SFO/SEA, routes along those lines. Putting brand new A330neo's on JFK-LAX multiple times a day is clear proof that they have too many heavies right now. That's for utilization. Those same...

Re: EWR Airport redevelopment

Option 1 is more suitable for connecting airport, with proportionately less O&D. Shorter walks, not trains, to curb is what’s preferred for O&D, particularly domestic. Does anyone have the breakdown of EWR’s passenger flows (domestic to domestic, domestic O&D, international O&D, dom...

Re: AS1282 PDX-ONT decompression event, returned to PDX, FAA temporarily grounds 737MAX9 for inspections

It’s better for morale to can the manager who failed the company and “retrain” the worker who failed the process.

Re: UA 757 Leading Edge Slat Delaminates in Flight

legosrule7 wrote:

DocLightning wrote:

pugman211 wrote:

That's just gonna be a slat replacement, few hours repair tops.

There’s damage to the underlying wing leading edge, too, so probably a bit more than that.

d8s wrote:

A little duct tape and it will be just fine!

Add Bondo to the shopping list....

Re: AA 737 Overrun at DFW

How badly does one have to screw up a 737 landing to over run at DFW?

Re: AS1282 PDX-ONT decompression event, returned to PDX, FAA temporarily grounds 737MAX9 for inspections

While the photo does not prove the bolts were not installed, the evidence clearly suggests they were not reinstalled because there is no damage where the bolts would be, but there was indications of other damage. This was an egregious error made by Spirit, Boeing, and the IAMAW. And why would one t...

Re: AS1282 PDX-ONT decompression event, returned to PDX, FAA temporarily grounds 737MAX9 for inspections

This is the "smoking gun" from the NTSB Preliminary Report. The image is from Sep 19, 2023 18:39 local time after Spirit had repaired the rivets just forward of the left Mid Exit Door Plug. The image shows that 3 out of 4 locking bolts were not present just before the interior was restore...

Re: AS1282 PDX-ONT decompression event, returned to PDX, FAA temporarily grounds 737MAX9 for inspections

Sorry if this was asked upthread, what’s the actual purpose of the plug? Do you get more seating since it’s not an emergency exit? Or is it to save weight related to it not being a functional door and slide? Or both? I’ve always been curious about that. Both. You either get 3 seats instead of 2 or ...

Re: BUR replacement terminal construction begins

I’m sure we will see some more new service and new entrants once complete as this will be the most beautiful secondary airport in So-Cal. The current facility is cramped with very few concessions and amenities so this will be a huge draw to flyers aren’t the LA basin. Honestly, I doubt the terminal...

Re: AS1282 PDX-ONT decompression event, returned to PDX, FAA temporarily grounds 737MAX9 for inspections

I love these absolute statements. Do you have a citation to this claim? Was it determined that the pressure controller was the issue, if so, by whom? I have not read anything that says the pressure controller was the cause of the pressurization warnings. Have you? (Cite?) Obviously the pressure con...

Re: AS1282 PDX-ONT decompression event, returned to PDX, FAA temporarily grounds 737MAX9 for inspections

This new Air Current article has details of the assembly timeline. https://theaircurrent.com/aviation-safety/127-days-the-anatomy-of-a-boeing-quality-failure/ Aug 31, 2023: During initial manufacturing inspections, Boeing discovered that Spirit had improperly installed rivets just forward of the le...

Re: AS1282 PDX-ONT decompression event, returned to PDX, FAA temporarily grounds 737MAX9 for inspections

Considering how many “loose bolts” are being found among so many aircraft that haven’t had an incident or history of pressurization alerts, it leads me to believe that loose bolts aren’t the cause and probably not a failure mode per se, at least not if loose means under-torqued. As an engineer, you...

Re: AS1282 PDX-ONT decompression event, returned to PDX, FAA temporarily grounds 737MAX9 for inspections

Considering how many “loose bolts” are being found among so many aircraft that haven’t had an incident or history of pressurization alerts, it leads me to believe that loose bolts aren’t the cause and probably not a failure mode per se, at least not if loose means under-torqued. As an engineer, you ...

Re: Could Embraer build a larger jet to compete with MAX and NEO

They couldn’t because they couldn’t meet the volume production to fill fleets nor compete on price.

Re: What happened to flight engineers when 2 man cockpits were introduced?

In 1990 at LAX I met a DC-8 cargo flight crew (can’t remember the carrier) while waiting for a flight. I spoke mainly with the FE, and at the time, found it insanely strange that he had no flying hours, and had no intent on piloting. He was an engineer, and that’s all he wanted to do. What if he wa...

Re: AS1282 PDX-ONT decompression event, returned to PDX, FAA temporarily grounds 737MAX9 for inspections

Time for a laugh. Article on ABC News about the ANA 777 clipping the Delta 717 at ORD: https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/ground-collision-boeing-planes-chicago-sparks-faa-investigation-106388652 Ready? Quote: "...Boeing faces increasing scrutiny following a series of mechanical failures and ...

Re: Japan Airlines A350 collides with aircraft at HND

There is a pretty big contingent - I am one of them - that thinks current NOTAMs are garbage. I hope, but doubt, this event will change. The taxiway closures and cranes are insane. Agreed. The crew or dispatchers of MH17 should have read the NOTAM warning about the active war zone they were about t...

Re: AS1282 PDX-ONT decompression event, returned to PDX

Pretty quick inspection for a Max 8: yup, no door plug. Good to go. They're actually checking the over-wing exits, but yes, one expects they will find nothing out of the ordinary. Political theater. “We intend to do something to show we are proactive by wasting time, money and resources inspecting ...

Re: Japan Airlines A350 collides with aircraft at HND

Indeed. The CVR of the Dash will clarify what information the crew thought they had, whether there was some doubt or not about it (e.g., the F/O questioning about the clearance). I also expect the Dash crew heard the ATC instructing JL516 to continue their approach. But then, maybe they just though...

Re: De-icing in FL

How do you define "light surface frost"? How does your co-worker on the ramp define it? Even light frost has the potential to disrupt airflow and lift. Because "light surface frost" is subjective my carrier stuck to a "clean aircraft concept". I was a certified deice t...

Re: DL Sued for Serving Drunk Off-Duty FA Who Groped, Kissed Other Pax

1. Are people saying sexual assault isn’t so bad as long as it’s a pretty woman doing it instead of a man? Just because the charges were pled down doesn’t mean it wasn’t sexual assault. 2. She was returning from a funeral. Who’s funeral? Some otherwise good people can’t handle the death of a close r...

Re: Emirates Tim Clark proposed to Airbus an A380 replacement

Just ask Boeing for a 777-10, they can probably actually give it to EK, it'll probably be more fuel efficient than any double decker, and and they'll definitely build it if you offer them a 100 frame order. The large quad is likely gone for good. A 777-10 is definitely far more likely than any larg...