Re: JetBlue flight to Worcester stranded for 1 hour on tarmac...no ground agents at work.

This might be a silly question, but why are positions like "jet bridge driver" of "dude loading luggage" and so forth even jobs that are airline specific and not airport specific; episodically at smaller airports like this one? This just seems so odd to me that people had to sit ...

Re: Police pull pilot from plane moments before train crash

I'm thinking that any tower that has railway tracks nearby should have a big red button that would red-light all traffic and alert the railway authorities... Not a high cost item too. bug LOL, and it would get pushed by every teenagers, hoodloom, or frustrated motorist who had been stuck at the cro...

Re: Aviastar TU204 freighter catches fire in Hangzhou

I thought I read somewhere in the sale brochure that spontaneous fire was a value-added benefit to the TU204?

Joking aside, it is still good that this happened on the ground with no loss of life than at 12'000 feet with eight souls on board going down with a fire bird.

Re: FAA to prohibit many flight operations due to risk of ‘5G’ wireless interference

I found this Ars Technica article, AT&T/Verizon reject plea for 5G delay; airlines threaten mass flight cancelations , to be an illuminating take on this from the technology side of things. This quote is pretty damning of the FAA and airlines. "First, the DoT is now clearly saying that the...

Re: RR begins building worlds largest jet engine

Do we even know if this engine is being designed for commercial aviation? I can't think of a plane today or even tomorrow that would use this engines, but I could see a military aircraft that could.

Re: UA328 engine explosion at DEN

I am of two minds with the communication. Yes it was a little stressed, which showed, but it was a high workload situation and with high terrain ahead they did need a turn quite quickly so the communication was necessary. But whilst it was a little unclear it did not affect the outcome. I am consta...

Re: The US is setting up a supersonic test area over Kansas

Sorry, but I swear that this was an article that ran last month in the Babylon Bee. Are we sure this is legit, and not something that a second party media outlet grabbed unaware that the source was satirical? I mean, it would not be the first time a small outlet grabbed something from the Bee or The...

Re: Easyjet sued for discrimination by woman forced to move seat

Exactly. Just because *he* has chosen not to leave the Bronze Age, doesn't make it anyone else's problem! As I understand the situation this is a case of religious freedom, the reason for not seating them together was not one of gender, it was due to religious beliefs. It is totally unacceptable fo...

Re: UA will close FA bases in NRT, HKG, FRA

Bad for the foreign crews, but good for the U.S. based FAs who will now get to fly more of these routes. If it helps save more U.S. jobs overall, great news. Not for the customer!!! The foreign crews were much more professional and service oriented than the U.S. based crews. UA can't compete agains...

Re: PIA A320 (flight PK8303) crashes in Karachi

I do not see the an issue with cameras in the cockpit. The FDR can tell you how something thing happens, the CVR can explain why certain things events occurred, an in-camera monitoring system to show a lot more context to the why than a CVR can. Safety v/s privacy - that's all that there is to it. T...

Re: New York Air vs Eastern Air Lines 1981

If I am not mistaken, didn't Lorenzo ended up head of both airlines?

EDIT: As my grandkid would says, "Ninja'd"

Re: A taxiway at Chateauroux Airport gave in due to the weight of a British Airways Airbus A380

Actually someone who writes for Sam Cui looked at a tweet of photos from "various sources" tweeted by "airline_kitty". Hooray for modern journalism! That being said, the result is pretty ugly: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EVqpHl3XsAEXEbK?format=jpg&name=large Ref: https://twi...

Re: Would a 757MAX been better than the 737MAX?

Pft, 757MAX, I got a better chance of seeing a 727MAX before that will ever happen. Of course, while we are reviving dead Boeing, let's go all in on a 707MAX, you know for the same retro crowd who were all about the PT Cruiser, the New Beetle, the Prowler, and the relaunch Ford Thunderbird. Retro is...

Re: Can underwear being too heavy set off the TSA bodyscanner machine?

Last time I set one of those off, it was at DCA before I retired form USAToday. The TSA officer looked at me and asked if I had anything to say and I replied, "My name is Magnum Enormous, and I am on my way back to Vegas to start filming a new movie." He laughed at me and sent me on my way.

Re: Corona Virus outbreak - Aviation related News and Discussion Thread

It has been known, print media and print journalism has been on the decline at least in the US for the last decade if not longer. Is the Corona virus a last gasp for some brand versions of print media to survive another week, month, quarter, or year basically? Hmmm Ummm.... no, because the biggest ...

Re: DC/VA/MD Aviation Thread - 2019

Considering NYC still has NO 'direct' rail service to EWR, LGA and JFK, that is impressive. The AirTrains at JFK and EWR make it indirect, IMHO. And LGA has nothing. I would also argue that BWI doesn't have the same level of mass transit as IAD and DCA, which will both be on Metro. Getting to BWI r...

Re: DC/VA/MD Aviation Thread - 2019

Looks like the reports coming in now due to a rail yard construction delays from the contractors. Service to IAD likely will not begin not be until the fall of 2020 according to a radio broadcast on WTOP today. I wish they would put the story on the front page. :( The trip from the garage/Metro Stat...

Re: Probe launched after oxygen bottles on CX planes found half-empty before flight from YYZ to HKG

Well... if it's a little leakage as suggested, that's one ting; if it's half the tanks, that's a little different, and should be looked at appropriately. I can also see both sides involved if this was a case of sabotage as well; however, if this is a case of HK separatists, I'm sure they will get gr...

Re: Social Credit Score Impact on Chinese Air Transportation

I have to say I think its a great idea and frankly, we should look at something like this in the UK - although the snowflakes and bleeding heart liberals will cry all the way to the ECHR about it. We (the Brits) are in a few cases a shockingly poorly behaved race of people abroad on occasion and mo...

Re: LGB files criminal charges against Mesa Airlines for noise violations

How do you charge an airline with criminal charges? Who do you arrest, the entire airline?? Companies are charged criminally all the time. Yeah, usually by the Feds for high crimes, not some ultra left wing city council who has draconian laws relating to the airport and punishes airlines for landin...

Re: SFO bans sale of plastic water bottles

Weatherwatcher1 wrote:

c933103 wrote:

Then are they selling metallic water bottles instead?

They sell water in cartons like how milk is normally sold

Re: Rumor: American Airlines To Introduce Free WiFi

I sure in hell hope it works better than the free wi-fi I get on Amtrak. I can't even go up the NEC and keep reception. I'm not holding my breath though. Last flight I had was on Virgin, and I paid for the wi-fi and it was terrible. I think Amtrak is still cell-based 4G LTE tech, not satellite. Whe...

Re: Airports with spotting groups

BWI has one as well (both a spotter's page and a separate one by the airport.

Re: Looking for Dulles IAD spotting info - hotels and stuff

Mikhail, thanks for that post. That's some great info! I'm going to take some time and study everything you've mentioned. I was considering a side trip to BWI, but that may change to DCA now that you've mentioned it. Thanks!! Chris Another nice spot to hit if you want to do DCA, is just past Gravel...

Re: Rumor: American Airlines To Introduce Free WiFi

I sure in hell hope it works better than the free wi-fi I get on Amtrak. I can't even go up the NEC and keep reception. I'm not holding my breath though. Last flight I had was on Virgin, and I paid for the wi-fi and it was terrible.

Re: BOAC 747 set for display with Red Arrows

That's pretty cool. I just saw her a few weeks back at Heathrow, waiting for a flight back to the states.

Re: Passenger on AA from KIN-MIA asked to deboard to change from her romper outfit

This entire thread painfully reminds me of John Updaike's A&P . Personally, I hate the calls for million dollar lawsuits against AA. I've said this before, and I'll likely say this a hundred times over, people are people, and people will always do their own thing on or off their employer's time....

Re: Atlanta Mayor OK's Smoking Ban at ATL

You'll never meet a more rabid crowd than some anti-smokers... Cancer has that effect. Yeah, alcoholism too, and Alzheimer's from marijuana, and let's not forget the heart disease from sugar. Those smoking rooms were disgusting Although I do find the hypocrisy funny: Liberal politicians are SO anti...

Re: How do airlines rebook pax on canceled sold out flights?

Yeah, I did consider the reality that some would say "nuts with this", and without a hard guess, of say, 80 pax or 30% give or take choose not to, there's still a large number who get shafted.

It could take that two weeks, corgi dogs can get pretty lazy.

Re: HA Computer Glitch Massively Overcharges Customers

My biggest hangup on all this is (and it's not limited exclusively to the aviation industry), when will corporations start to take IT seriously? IT is a critic component of any company's ability to function at the most fundamental level today, yet no one is willing to spend a damn red cent on it. It...

How do airlines rebook pax on canceled sold out flights?

How do airlines rebook pax on canceled sold out flights? Let's say one is flying out of BWI on a small carrier that we'll call, I don't know, for the sake of discussion, called FORK, who flies a multi-configuration B767. FORK only has a few aircraft and destinations; therefore has limited fleet band...

Re: Bloomberg: Wow Air Collapse is Crashing the Icelandic Economy

Yeah, I saw this come over my desk and rolled my eyes. I don't have any does what Bloomberg does anymore. Iceland's stock in the tourist industry has been projected to dry up long before WOW ceased operation. I recall penning an article two years ago on the tourism departments projected figures for...

Re: Bloomberg: Wow Air Collapse is Crashing the Icelandic Economy

Yeah, I saw this come over my desk and rolled my eyes. I don't have any does what Bloomberg does anymore. Iceland's stock in the tourist industry has been projected to dry up long before WOW ceased operation. I recall penning an article two years ago on the tourism departments projected figures for ...

Re: Why Didn't DL Order the MD-95 & Save Long Beach Assembly?

As I have gotten older, I've devolved a soft spot for DC/MD planes. Sorta saddens me to see their numbers dwindling.

Re: Equine Flights

It seems like the underbelly would get used for something, though. My father bred and raced horses, several of which ran tipple crown, no winners. I don't recall ever sending any by air, but then again, we're talking bout the 50's here. Still, I would think with what a modern comparable plane of siz...

Equine Flights

The other day I had to dispatch a report/photographer out to BWI to catch an equine flight arriving for the Preakness. But, just causally wondering, how do these companies make money? I mean, you'd have to move quite a few horses per flight to make any money off a 727 these days, especially if you d...

Re: B 797 - One pilot cockpit?

Why not get rid of flight attendants at the same time? After all, 99.999% of the time they're nothing more than glorified cocktail waitresses. Just set up a vending machine in the back. Just sayin'. /s How many times does it need to be said, "Don't give Ryainar any more ideas!" :) CNBC ha...

Re: What are airport going to do with their A380 gates when they are no longer needed?

The spirit of airliners is fierce, whether the plane be small or big; and so it is with flight. The Way of flight is the same for man to man flies and for ten thousand a side flights.

Re: Airport outdoor observation areas

NGO, NRT, and ZRH have nice open air galleries. IAD has a nice spot there at Udvar-Hazy, and personally, thee's a hell of a lot of open space on top of he IAB there that could make for a wonderful open-air viewing area--hell, there's even door already there! DCA has Gravelley Point, Long Bridge Park...

Re: Updated: Aeroflot 1492 SSJ100 fire at Moscow (SVO) - 40+ confirmed dead

No way can it dump. And it doesn’t need to. Any airplane can land overweight in an emergency. It just needs an inspection if it does. Really?? It was both posted up-thread on here and being reported by RT and CNN that review of the ATC recordings when asked about dumping fuel, the crew responded th...

Re: Updated: Aeroflot 1492 SSJ100 fire at Moscow (SVO) - 40+ confirmed dead

HI all Just woke to this terrible news, condolences to the families. Quick question on the SSJ. Does it not have fuel dump capabilities? Slightly digressing, but the lightening strike has got me be a slightly worried. If it managed to fry the electronics, and disable systems, who is to say that eve...

Re: WOW Ceases Operations

There is one A321 sitting at BWI on the F pad. All of the pink WOW signs at the ticket counter were there yesterday, but they have since been removed and the screens saying WOW have been changed. Does anyone know what will happen to the aircraft? Flightradar 24 also still WOW arriving on-time as we...

Re: DC-3 HK-2494 crashes in Colombia, 12 dead

What I find tragic is that if a nice shiny Boeing or Airbus jet goes down and there are fatalities, you have a thread with 50+ pages, but if it's an old DC-3 with fatalities, it's lucky to see 21 responses total. If I ever decide to retire from Gannet and take up psychology, I would love to use thi...

Re: 4 Sikhs allegedly deboarded cause a lady felt threatened from them

Ok, I'll bite and play devil's advocate here. And, since I am not at work, I don't have to worry about IT or my publisher yumping on me for my lack of professionalism in my reply. Now, I won't speak for the rest of the world, but in the US, college and workplaces over the past decade have leaned to ...

Re: Atlas Air 3591 Down in Trinity Bay, Texas

With the advancement of cheap memory and cheap/inconspicuous camera technology, I wonder if, in the near future, we should start discussing a video recorder in the cockpit with a third black box - the cockpit video recorder. The cockpit voice recorder would become the cockpit audio recorder ("...

Re: DC-3 HK-2494 crashes in Colombia, 12 dead

What I find tragic is that if a nice shiny Boeing or Airbus jet goes down and there are fatalities, you have a thread with 50+ pages, but if it's an old DC-3 with fatalities, it's lucky to see 21 responses total. If I ever decide to retire from Gannet and take up psychology, I would love to use this...

Re: DC-3 HK-2494 crashes in Colombia, 12 dead

Amazing how dead this thread has become. Any case, here's an update: http://avherald.com/h?article=4c52f8b2&opt=0 On Mar 17th 2019 Colombia's Aerocivil (DGCA) released their preliminary report in Spanish providing the coordinates of the crash site at N3.5731 W73.0787 (editorial note: in the head...

Re: What is the future of NRT and HND?

I know my grandklids keep waiting for NRT to build one of those high velocity catapult launchways, for when the day comes when JASDF need to sortie Gundams against Godzilla and giant tentacle aliens arrive from planet hell aboard space-faring trains. or... something of the sort.I lost track of what ...

Re: Passenger suing United for shattered windscreen and fear it caused

Taking off my occupational hat to chime in. These are the kinds of articles that really make me loath the American legal system, or rather the lawyers themselves who clog up the legal system with crap like this. I suppose I should hire that guy on TV that I always see advertising, Mumbly Joe, what's...

Re: Japanese Kansai region mulls re-balancing its multi-airport system of KIX, UKB, ITM

I've always felt that the problem with the newer Japanese airports is that because they're green field projects in a country where land and in indeed any kind of development is expensive, they're very much away from the cities they serve. Now, if everyone could choose the airport they want, they'd ...