I’m struggling to believe that people are actually taking this “concept” seriously. I, too, looked for an April 1st date on the first piece I read about this a few months ago. This is not a viable concept. Period. And these boys from Trussville, Alabama – they don’t know what they don’t know. Their “founder” and “chief engineer” has a degree in chemical engineering with an emphasis on pulp paper studies. Their “operations specialist” and “captain” isn’t actually a pilot, but a retired Navy line officer. Their CEO’s background is as a dietician. It is unfathomable to think that a group of guys with no aeronautical engineering experience and no meaningful piloting experience know more about heavy jet design than Boeing, Airbus, General Dynamics, Lockheed, McDonald-Douglas, et al, COMBINED. The sweep and aspect ratio of the wingS are not conducive to Mach 0.9 flight. Three substantially identical wings aligned as depicted cannot be designed to function as intended due to

(Written on 05/21/2021)(Permalink)

The sole deicing "incident" I experienced was also in Nashville. Delta 757 to Atlanta (duh). Old, burly captain (we walked through security together, where he asked a 20-something guy who cut-off an old lady if he was late for his gynecologist appointment) came over the PA system and advised (as best I recall): "Folks, we're delayed. I don't know how long we're going to be. They ran out of deicing fluid. They said they had to go to the other side of the airport to get more. That was 30 minutes ago. Now they say the heater in the truck is broken and they don't want to come back out. I've called corporate and told them this is bu!! s#!+. They're calling American to get one of their people to deice us. We used to have competent, union people who did this for us - now we subcontract it out to people like this. I'll get us to Atlanta as quickly as possible, once it's safe to take off. Be ready." I absolutely love 757's...once we went wheels up, we were in Atlanta in no time!

(Written on 03/05/2021)(Permalink)

That feature alone adds a ton of economic advantages in that profile.

(Written on 02/12/2021)(Permalink)

Okay, I’m officially embarrassed after doing a little research. There were 110 60-series converted to “70-series” by adding the CFM56 engines back in the 80’s. Can’t believe I didn’t know that – I’m sure I’ve seen them; it’s just been a while. This one appears to be one of maybe only six still in operation today (another is operated by NASA).

(Written on 02/12/2021)(Permalink)

That's the first re-engined DC8 I ever recall seeing. Does anyone know what engines those are, and how they impact performance/range/economy?

(Written on 02/12/2021)(Permalink)

Take the 15% pay cut with the caveat the pay rate has to be re-normalized before any new hires can be made. That's a win-win: most everyone who wants to stays employed, and the pay cuts have a flexible expiration date that exactly coincides with actual recovery.

(Written on 08/28/2020)(Permalink)

This isn't "attempted" sabotage, it was ACTUAL sabotage. The only thing that was "attempted" was the murder of the passengers and crew on board. And that is what he should be charged with - 150 times. I don't care if he says his intentions were different, he actually sabotaged an airliner in a manner that could have reasonably led to the deaths of everyone on board, as well as some on the ground, had the plane either become airborne with faulty data or had an accident during the aborted takeoff. Prison for life.

(Written on 09/13/2019)(Permalink)

How much longer can Boeing "own" Southwest??? One airframe made sense when they were a modest regional - their first 13 years they owned exclusively -200 series aircraft. Adding -300's probably wasn't a huge transition for them. But now their fleet has grown to 4 sub-types (3 present and another on order), and I don't see that -700's and -800's will be "interchangeable" with MAX's like they were with -300's and -500's. So why should SWA be owned by an airframe, for the sake of commonality, when the commonality doesn't appear to exist any longer? Even a rumor that SWA has taken a meeting with Airbus would be an "Oh, $#I+!" moment for Boeing - that they've earned.

(Written on 07/12/2019)(Permalink)

The captain's explanation is, I believe, supported by the log available on this website. His ground speed was a high as 530 kts in the climb (while climbing @ 1,600fpm), but fell below 470 kts not long after leveling off, and was 450 kts after turning back. This supports his assertion that winds changed significantly while enroute, and were at a 90 degree angle to his flight path. The ETOPS calc he referenced is for a very remote circumstance, but it's a requirement for a reason, and he made the right decision.

(Written on 04/08/2016)(Permalink)

There was country song a few years ago about a guy living in an online fantasy world, pretending to be something special out in LA, when in reality he was - I believe the song said - 5'-3" and overweight, living in his mom's basement, driving an old Hyundai, delivering pizza, and had never been on a date. I'm not saying this is *that* guy, I just thought about that song while reading the comments here. I'm sure there's NO CONNECTION whatsoever. I'm SURE of it.

(Written on 04/01/2016)(Permalink)