Re: Bypassing sanctions, Iran received 4 A340-300 over the Xmas weekend

Is South Africa and Dubai a party to the sanctions? Does supplying airliners to Iran violate local laws?

Also, why is this airline going to fly these planes to? They need to carry a bunch of people a long way to be economical.

Re: Bypassing sanctions, Iran received 4 A340-300 over the Xmas weekend

Time to get rid of sanctions and supply the Iranians with some new fuel efficient equipment for once and for all. There *ought* to be penalties for nations that arm terrorists and build nuclear weapons. (I already know this sanction doesn't solve the problem itself .. but anything that raises the c...

Re: Davis-Monthan AFB F-16 stores

As far as I know, it's possible to get every part for every variant of the F-16. I don't think LM has declared end-of-supported-life for any F-16 model used by any air force. So yes, it's possible. That said, it's probably cheaper and faster to buy a used F-16 from the market. Norway just sold 32 F-...

Re: US Marines develop 'Lightning Carrier"

It also should be noted that while 30 knots isn’t that fast compared to airborne assets, it is still quite quick, and while carrier are big, the ocean is much bigger. Let’s say a Satellite spots a carrier. How long will it be before any ordinance can actually make it to the target? 30 minutes? A ho...

Re: Why Hypersonic Missiles DON'T Make Sense

A hypersonic missile might be a very good missile to attack a well defended, fixed static target. Assuming it can be made hard to hit (and otherwise, what's the point).

A hypersonic missile will always have more terminal energy to evasive maneuver than a merely supersonic missile.

Re: Goodbye KCM (known crew member)

My argument isn't that FAs or pilots or gate agents or anyone else should get "faster" screening. Rather, if you separate airline employees into a separate lane, it ensures everything runs smoothly and now crew members aren't backing up pre-check (which people pay for). In my (PreCheck pa...

Re: Goodbye KCM (known crew member)

The article mentions a case where a FA brought meth through KCM as one of the reasons KCM is being retired in favor of a TSA-run program. I'm not condoning the FA's behavior (and I believe they should be prosecuted in accordance with the law) but what business is it to TSA if someone is bringing il...

Re: SQ to acquire 25% stake in Air India

The data points that exist dont support this view. Since Tata takeover, AI has been improving its reliability, on time performance etc. The interiors will get refurbished. The network is expanding from its Delhi Centricity with new flights to USA from BOM and BLR. I'm pretty certain that in due cou...

Re: Oldest airliner that can legally fly paying passengers

Ok. Next question. What’s the oldest JET in regularly scheduled airline service. Probably a 737-200. Still quite a bit out there. By some half-assed research of mine, there's a good amount in the Canadian Arctic, at least 1 in the Congo, and still going pretty strong in Venezuela. I'm positive ther...

Re: SQ to acquire 25% stake in Air India

Question: There have been, for a literal generation, many many plans to make Air India a better, more profitable airline. They were done by smart, well-intentioned people (and some with approriate experience). They have *all* failed. Why do you think Tata/Singapore will do better? What's the differ...

Re: Oldest airliner that can legally fly paying passengers

Ok. Next question. What’s the oldest JET in regularly scheduled airline service.

Re: Oldest airliner that can legally fly paying passengers

The DC3 will get you pretty up there in terms of age. You won't see it flying out of LHR JFK or PVG but still there in niche flying. And I would include the Basler conversion in that since the airframe is still vintage. Other than that, I'd say some Venezuelan DC9 or a 732 in the Canadian Arctic wo...

Re: Oldest airliner that can legally fly paying passengers

The DC3 will get you pretty up there in terms of age. You won't see it flying out of LHR JFK or PVG but still there in niche flying. And I would include the Basler conversion in that since the airframe is still vintage. Other than that, I'd say some Venezuelan DC9 or a 732 in the Canadian Arctic wo...

Re: SQ to acquire 25% stake in Air India

The data points that exist dont support this view. Since Tata takeover, AI has been improving its reliability, on time performance etc. The interiors will get refurbished. The network is expanding from its Delhi Centricity with new flights to USA from BOM and BLR. I'm pretty certain that in due cou...

Oldest airliner that can legally fly paying passengers

What is the
(1) plane built longest ago
(2) that can legally fly
(3) multiple paying passengers in scheduled service.

It has to meet all legal standards including noise standards. But to the extent the rules have grandfather clauses, they can be used.

Re: Goodbye KCM (known crew member)

KCM came into being because they tried to force a pilot into a body scanner or pat down and wouldn't let him through. He and the union, rightfully, raised a stink and KCM came into being. This was before Pre Check existed. Even before 9/11 had a Captain scheduled to work SJCNRT and he alarmed going...

Re: Goodbye KCM (known crew member)

Wrong, TSA is not trained to screen for narcotics. If they come upon one, a LEO can be contacted, but they are not trained for that specific issue… https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/medical-marijuana If they find them they do detain the passenger till DPS arrives and...

Re: Goodbye KCM (known crew member)

Personally, I hope whatever new program they put in place simply results in a dedicated airline employee lane at the checkpoint. Realistically, it doesn't take a big difference in time comparing KCM to putting your bags on the belt with only fellow employees in front/behind you. It is waiting for I...

Re: Goodbye KCM (known crew member)

I'm curious what the argument is that flight attendents should get faster screening than other people flying for business purposes? (Yes, I realize that the plane cannot fly without either crew or passengers.) The plane cannot fly with missing crew members. It can fly perfectly well with missing pa...

Re: Goodbye KCM (known crew member)

The article mentions a case where a FA brought meth through KCM as one of the reasons KCM is being retired in favor of a TSA-run program. I'm not condoning the FA's behavior (and I believe they should be prosecuted in accordance with the law) but what business is it to TSA if someone is bringing il...

Re: CX Cargo and Medium-haul Order

StTim wrote:

FluidFlow wrote:

Hmm third runway equals more slots equals more 321Ns and to keep the fleet simple 10-15 350s in regional configuration. Freighter should be 777Fs.

They would need to be 778F's due to the global restrictions on emissions.

Re: Goodbye KCM (known crew member)

Personally, I hope whatever new program they put in place simply results in a dedicated airline employee lane at the checkpoint. Realistically, it doesn't take a big difference in time comparing KCM to putting your bags on the belt with only fellow employees in front/behind you. It is waiting for I...

Re: Goodbye KCM (known crew member)

The article mentions a case where a FA brought meth through KCM as one of the reasons KCM is being retired in favor of a TSA-run program. I'm not condoning the FA's behavior (and I believe they should be prosecuted in accordance with the law) but what business is it to TSA if someone is bringing il...

Re: Carrier Air Wing 1993 vs today

Every Super Hornet would definitely be launching with 10 AMRAAMa, pair of sidewinders and centreline tank. Starting 700nm apart they would be meeting half way so there is no need for wing tanks. The Super Hornets would target multiple F-14, rapidly fire all 10 AMRAAM and then return straight back t...

Re: Carrier Air Wing 1993 vs today

Super hypothetical question: 3 Nimitz's with the 1993 air wing go up against 1 Nimitz with the 2020 air wing. Both start 700 nm apart in the open ocean, with known positions. Who wins? Lucky the Super Hornets can carry 10 AMRAAM each. There will be 100 Tomcats in the ocean in the first hour. I'd ex...

Re: Carrier Air Wing 1993 vs today

Super hypothetical question: 3 Nimitz's with the 1993 air wing go up against 1 Nimitz with the 2020 air wing. Both start 700 nm apart in the open ocean, with known positions. Who wins? (Yes, I know both sides would have escorts, and time travel is difficult and .... etc. Now answer the question in t...

Re: SLS / Orion - Tests, Launches, & Developments

Francoflier wrote:

I suppose it all comes down to whether engineers are better at engineering or at underpromising...

Re: Boeing C-32 Replacement?

These planes get alot fewer hours/year than the ones in commercial service. It therefore makes more economic sense to keep using the paid-for hardware longer. Economically, these should be some of the last 757s replaced with newer hardware. As of 2020 over 60% of the 757s ever built were still flyin...

Re: SLS / Orion - Tests, Launches, & Developments

The mission seems to be doing better than estimates for fuel consuption (like 1%??). I'm curious why that is? Better than expected ISP from the engines, loaded more fuel than expected, etc.

Re: SLS / Orion - Tests, Launches, & Developments

Avatar2go wrote:

Re: Flying hours per Aircraft

Also depends on flight time coding. In the US MIL, each flight has a code for the mission—initial training, continuation training, operational support, combat, combat support, etc. It’s a long list and it, in the end, relates to which bucket of money the funding comes from. I take 3 pilots out on a...

Re: Smallet Mach 2 fighter

kitplane01 wrote:

What is the smallest Mach 2 fighter?

Ranked by empty weight
Has to go Mach 2 in level flight
Has to have a weapon

Smallest Mach 2 fighter

What is the smallest Mach 2 fighter?

Ranked by empty weight
Has to go Mach 2 in level flight
Has to have a weapon

Re: Flying hours per Aircraft

Do you think the average number of flight hours equals the flight hours per pilot? The pilot pool for one type per aircraft could be bigger than the other. I've never seen that data. If there are more A-10 pilots per plane than AV8s, that would be interesting. I don't know where to find such data. ...

Re: Flying hours per Aircraft

Questions: What is it about the B-2 that requires so much more training hours than the B-1 or B-52? F-15E/Fs fly more than any other fighter. Can their training requirements really be so high? Shouldn't their mission require about the same training hours as an A-10? What are they doing that A-10 ai...

Re: Flying hours per Aircraft

Common phrase, Hope is not a Strategy. The line items are Operations & Maintenance; pretty loose after that in breaking it down by MAJCOM or service. My wing got about 4100 flight hours for 56 UE pilots. 1100 had to be “[email protected] by flying ASIF (TWCF) live missions- scheduled channel, SAAM, conti...

Re: Flying hours per Aircraft

Another thing to consider that all "training" flights aren't actually training. That's just the phrase that they use in peacetime. C17s flying deploying units around the world is included. So are P8s tracking Russian or Chinese subs. So are Alaskan Air Command fighters that patrol the bor...

Re: Flying hours per Aircraft

You’re making a huge assumption, incorrectly in my opinion, that training is the driver of flight hours. It isn’t, it’s budgets. Training is the base argument driven by experience levels, aircraft mission, training areas, exercise deployments, etc. Then it all goes into budget line items and “meat”...

Re: Flying hours per Aircraft

It was an improvement on what started as an experimental aircraft, which became a specialized attack type for the RAF in NW Europe from 1969, procured with maritime mods and simplified avionics for the USMC in 1972. A maritime multi role version with the RN effectively won a war 8000 miles from hom...

Re: Flying hours per Aircraft

You’re making a huge assumption, incorrectly in my opinion, that training is the driver of flight hours. It isn’t, it’s budgets. Training is the base argument driven by experience levels, aircraft mission, training areas, exercise deployments, etc. Then it all goes into budget line items and “meat”...

Re: Flying hours per Aircraft

Are you really comparing a VSTOL, often deployed from small assault carriers, type which is now ageing, with a widely used though also mature but built in much larger numbers conventional fighter and a converted airliner? What ‘leaps out’ is a lack of context. If I'm the Marine Corps, I might have ...

Re: Flying hours per Aircraft

Are you really comparing a VSTOL, often deployed from small assault carriers, type which is now ageing, with a widely used though also mature but built in much larger numbers conventional fighter and a converted airliner? What ‘leaps out’ is a lack of context. If I'm the Marine Corps, I might have ...

Re: The future of attack helicopters????