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ssteve

Re: SpaceX - Tests, Launches, Developments - 2022

… and I’m wondering….. If I were U.S. Space Force what uses would I have for a 400 ton to orbit launch capability? And, maybe more importantly, what do the Russians & Chinese think U.S. Space Force will use that capability for? It's not only to orbit. There were whiteboard proposals for Starshi...

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ssteve

Re: Updated: U.S. Navy Considers Extending All Its Nimitz-Class Carriers

There is about as much in common with F-15C and the F-15EX as there is with the F/A-18A and the F/A-18E I'd be surprised if this were true, because the Super Hornet is so much more than just a Hornet with a newer engine and avionics... bigger, heavier, etc. OTOH I'll grant that the F-15C has only o...

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ssteve

Re: Voyager 1 stops communicating with Earth.

Oh, I misread. One scientist is missing V1, presumably simply because it's farther away, and farther into interstellar space. Not because there is an instrument difference.

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ssteve

Re: Voyager 1 stops communicating with Earth.

Some commanding has switched it from gibberish to ... unexpected structured data? https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2024/03/09/jpls-voyager-team-extremely-hopeful-after-ailing-faraway-craft-shows-signs-of-former-self/? Also NPR had an update, where one of the instrument scientists indicates that V1 h...

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ssteve

Re: John Oliver's Take on Boeing

I’m not at all surprised he was so bold in his calls for clearing house… last week he offered Clarence Thomas $1 million per year for life (and a 2+ million dollar motor coach) to resign from the Supreme Court. This was one of his more mundane asks. When Thomas&co make Chevron deference go away...

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ssteve

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

If the agencies are having a hard time doing oversight now, just wait until Chevron is undone.

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ssteve

Re: Any replacement for the C-17 ?

Is there a chance that... this type of roll-on/roll-off plane isn't needed?

Outside cargo may eventually be moved by giant bespoke octocopters anyways.

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ssteve

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

I don’t see this as a high level, 4th layer of Swiss cheese gap. I see it as a fundamental screw up. The process assumes that the workers are automatons who must be prevented from making procedural mistakes. It's a bit dehumanizing to be wrapped in all that tape. The culture at Boeing needs to enco...

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ssteve

Re: Voyager 1 stops communicating with Earth.

https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/02/h ... er-glitch/

Suspect memory corruption in FDS, but it's very difficult to debug.

ssteve

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

Don't get caught up in the semantics of the image being called a smoking gun make it seem like it's the only one. Another smoking gun is the hardware from the incident. It was said that any of the bolts being present would leave "witness marks" on the door plug. Which they've had for a few...

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ssteve

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

I believe DoctorVenkman is talking about finding loose bolts on any panel or installation on the 737-8, not just on the non-existent door plug. What has been plausibly attested to have happened is a unique scenario requiring a door plug. OTOH, the inspections noted loose fasteners, maybe. However w...

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ssteve

Re: Boeing narrows losses but holds off on 2024 guidance as 737 Max 9 crisis looms

The irony here is that the 737-9 door plug incident was a high probability scenario-- prob 1.0-- given that it shipped with missing hardware; hardware that was required for certification. The aftermath of that incident has the certification process trucking no travelled cert work, which is work that...

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ssteve

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

I wonder if the AS plane had any unusual bumping like a hard landing or something to push the plug off the track. Does the aircraft's computer show logs of flight characteristics? The aircraft flew on 145 departures before flight 1282 with no bolts holding the plug tight. The track must have held t...

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ssteve

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

Yes I was and did not see your response. Your point is a good one but someone had the line responsibility to put those bolts back on and they did not. Their ass needs to be fired and then go after QA. Mods: I think the topic is civil enough. Presuming gross negligence, firing is indicated. Even ben...

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ssteve

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

Let’s talk about the missing 4 bolts folks. Calhoun knew early on that they were not reinstalled and that is why he took the blame early on—class act nonetheless. But now they must know who specifically screwed up and how many people were involved. They need to announce that they have fired people ...

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ssteve

Re: Ryanair offers to buy any 737 MAX 10 cancelled by US airlines

MOL never lets a Boeing crisis go to waste.

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ssteve

Re: AA to layoff 656

This reminds me that the AA app has been giving me a login error that prompts me to "call customer service" for months. Can't wait to make that call.

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ssteve

Re: Boeing’s Troubles

You mean just like how Boeing leadership pointed all the blame for MCAS at two Tech Pilots who were just doing what they were told? Exactly, and anyone who is satisfied with that solution is willfully ignorant. (Again, a comment on companies in general, not Boing specifically) IMO, leadership has d...

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ssteve

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

Original source was a 2-post comment following a leehamnews article posted on 1/16 (so we all managed to miss it); some interesting replies by other Boeing employees following that as well https://leehamnews.com/2024/01/15/unplanned-removal-installation-inspection-procedure-at-boeing/#comment-50996...

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ssteve

Re: Boeing’s Troubles

Dominic Gates from the Seattle Times seems to believe the source mentioned above, and has written an article on it. Making it much less likely to be fake and more likely to be the truth. It's incredibly truthy. Reads like a very experienced technical employee knowing exactly how things work, and kn...

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ssteve

Re: Boeing’s Troubles

That said, t oo much sounds like my own, (and doubtless other) industries. What is really scary is how many people are saying that! "Things got out of hand" -- is often a scenario where warning signs are ignored to push the bottom line. It's likely common across industries because managem...

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ssteve

Re: Voyager 1 stops communicating with Earth.

There's no news there. For my part I suspect that the FDS SRAM instruction memory has a bit corrupted, as occurred on V2 just prior to the Uranus encounter in 1985. However in that case they were ~6-years post launch and had the engineers fully versed in the systems, vs now, they are 45 years post l...

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ssteve

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

Not sure if it was mentioned here, but regarding the records from Renton, there was this illuminating burner comment at leehamnews: https://leehamnews.com/2024/01/15/unplanned-removal-installation-inspection-procedure-at-boeing/#comment-509962 ... so they've known the plug was removed at Renton, fo...

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ssteve

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

Not sure if it was mentioned here, but regarding the records from Renton, there was this illuminating burner comment at leehamnews: https://leehamnews.com/2024/01/15/unplanned-removal-installation-inspection-procedure-at-boeing/#comment-509962 If you have been paying attention to this situation clos...

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ssteve

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

wjcandee wrote:
It was not immediately clear what caused the incident on Sunday and whether it was related to a manufacturing flaw."

NBC Nightly reported a cockpit window crack last week as "more window problems for Boeing."

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ssteve

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

Something that's been bothering me, and now Dominic Gates with more photos... Does this section of fuselage with the plugged door really have no insulation? I keep wondering whether it's removed for photos. Must be a cold row.

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ssteve

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

Followed by the inevitable comment that'll buff right out, and be fixed up with some speedtape. My personal newest favorite was "maybe they can still use the winglets?" That was truly hilarious. The poor JL A350 was reduced to ashes except for the wingtips and winglets, and still, someone...

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ssteve

Re: SpaceX - Tests, Launches, Developments - 2022

https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-t ... ruary-2024

Next Starship stack test flight as soon as February (next month?!), speculation about refueling lunar starship, mentions of Artemis program delays.

ssteve

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

Is there a list of certainties regarding this topic? I've been trying to keep up with this topic and the mix of comments not directly related to the incident is making it hard to pick out the facts/events/statements. avherald usually sticks to facts, but it also doesn't re-report guys like Dominic ...

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ssteve

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

mjoelnir wrote:
So it could have been designed bigger than the hole.

To truly not fit through the opening, a perfect circle is called for. Like manhole covers.

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ssteve

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

I think Dominic, who is a strong reporter, may have just bitten on some spin from the Crisis PR guys. Myriad Boeing employees have said that the door is routinely opened. We have photos of it open. It has to be painted, which might involve opening it (I don't know, but I saw it said by a Boeing emp...

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ssteve

Re: Three Delta A330s in Goose Bay

On the up side, you've been to Labrador. Not an easy place to tick off.

All the crews were probably peeved, too. Guessing they slept in the planes.

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ssteve

Re: Boeing E-4B Replacement News and Discussion Thread

fsnuffer wrote:
Power requirements. Redundancy. Floor space for battle staff. Take all three into account and the choice of airframe is clear.

Surplus A-380s?

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ssteve

Re: Boeing ponders KC46 RE per Leeham, may lead to 767neo?

Yeah, I know, potentially good for taxpayers. But it doesn't necessarily make it more mission capable and if the engines are heavier for same MTOW, they might actually reduce the fuel available for offload. Or maybe it's a push when you get to operating altitude, and then you have greater range, sur...

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ssteve

Re: Boeing ponders KC46 RE per Leeham, may lead to 767neo?

What is the problem that re-engining right now would purport to solve? Because I don't see one. The 747-200 engines on the AF1 planes seem to maybe sorta becoming long in the tooth from a maintainability standpoint 40 years after procurement, though there are still private operators. They're hardly ...

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ssteve

Re: Southwest Airlines orders 108 additional 737-7s From Boeing

https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/ ... milestones

ssteve

Re: Russian Invasion of Ukraine - Military Aviation News and Discussion Thread

That says the pilot is Russian? And that he declared at the US Embassy in the UAE? (Which presumably is Abu Dhabi... or maybe it's the consulate in Dubai.)

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ssteve

Re: Viking Twin Otter loses door inflight over Scotland.

Are "doors" on the MEL?

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ssteve

Re: SpaceX - Tests, Launches, Developments - 2022

Cynically, I couldn't get a permit to dig a trench for a leach field in my own backyard in 135 days. There isn't an ad hoc process for SpaceX. Instead you're asking for one to expedite things. And honestly, fine by me. I like the SpaceX idea of "challenge the requirements." We should be cl...

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ssteve

Re: USMC F35B Accident-Missing F35 (Pilot Successfully Ejects)

So how do you let the automation take over? Even the F-16's been retrofitted with a recovery mode for unconscious pilots. If that's the situation, the plane really ought to have an easy button, right?

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ssteve

Re: How do you lose an F-35?

Dude, where's my VTOL superfighter?

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ssteve

Re: US Marshals Service to looks to acquire newer Boeing 737

Do these get enough utilization where it's not just cheaper as a program to charter planes?

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ssteve

Re: SpaceX Rocket Explodes Minutes After Test Launch

This discussion does make me steal the term from planes and wonder how often failures are "uncontained." I'm not a rocket scientist

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ssteve

Re: GAO 2023 Assessment of NASA Programs

*to* Titan was a joke, I'm pretty sure. *on* titan the octocopter will be totally awesome.

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ssteve

Re: SpaceX - Tests, Launches, Developments - 2022

Both the brand new core and the flight proven side boosters were expended. Wow. Since I googled it... Viasat, 6400kg to orbit, 400kg (at least) ridealong. Viasat also dropping Ariane 6 for similar sat, open bidding. (1 was FH, 2 was ULA, 3 was Arianespace... next is still ULA. Security through hete...

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ssteve

Re: SpaceX Rocket Explodes Minutes After Test Launch

The good news is, the air conditioning in the camera van still works, although most of the windows being gone doesn't help the efficiency. No check engine light either. And the tail/brakes lights still work. Just don't try to go over 25mph. Elon tells me you can have it ready for the 24hrs of Le Ma...

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ssteve

Re: SpaceX - Tests, Launches, Developments - 2022

Did they do a static fire? Just not a long one? Or not 33-8 or however many actually fired up?

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ssteve

Re: US Navy E-XX to replace the Mercury

https://www.vaq34.com/oldtacamo/misc.htm

Edited to add:
https://www.vaq34.com/oldtacamo/info.htm

200kW

ssteve

Re: US Navy E-XX to replace the Mercury

Seems like a big step backwards Not sure if "big." More like "one" step. Apparently the C-130 was the prior TACAMO aircraft, through the 80s. When the E6 came online, it also took over "Looking Glass" mission from the USAF. This might indicate the USN is planning only ...

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ssteve

Re: Boeing B-52 Re-engine News and Discussion Thread

It's telling that they're removing the chin bumps which are basically there to make it safer to fly near terrain at night. Don't need that mission any more. Uhhhhhh, no. They're being removed as the Sniper pod provide much better imagery. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_Sniper_XR Yeah...

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