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Recent Comments:
Plane Answers: A closer look at technology in the Northwest overflight {Gadling}
Nov 4th 2009 3:55AM Well, I for one am not buying it. Not was Kent said, but what the NWA pilots declared as the cause of their potentially deadly mistake. I just don't buy it. Unless they release the CVR stating otherwise.....But I know the CVR only gives the last 30 min.....and as a side note, I think that is the stupidest thing ever put into an aircraft. Are the engineers really that challenged they cannot come up with a system that can record the entire flight? Go to Office Depot and pick up a little digital recorder, they can record for 6 hrs.....The CVR would easily tell what really happened.....This sort of thing angers me very much. They could have developed some major issues with the plane and just slept right through it. It is inexcuseable and should not be tolerated. For a severe failure of control and management in the cockpit with however many lives on board I think it's borderline criminal. Had that plane gone down and your kids were on it.....does a silly license(s) revocation seem fitting? This sort of thing cannot happen...laptop / no laptop -- sleeping / not sleeping the net result is the same. The public entrust their lives and their families lives to an airline - a plane manu - a flight crew and it just is horific that no one was home for over an hour or so......IMO, this is worse than when the SWA pilot overran 08.
Plane Answers: A heavy question {Gadling}
Aug 4th 2009 7:18PM The AA, was infact an Airbus. Long story short in the midst of wake turbulance the PIC elected to use FULL rudder deflection and the resulting extreme forces sheared off the entire empanage of the aircraft. Airbus updated the manuals as did AA in training. My personal thoughts....you will never find me seated on any Airbus. Boeing all the way for commercial. The plane that recently went down was an Airfrance Airbus. There was some rumors about the Pito system malfunctioning however I have a hard time believing that would cause a plane to break up mid air. There have been instances where the Pito / Static systems have either failed or were covered up before take off that caused CFT (Controlled Flight into Terrain). The black boxes have not been recovered and appears they will never be. The 30 day time frame for the black box becon has expired and the depths are some 20K feet. I can only hope for the sake of the families that French government pride will yeild itself and allow experts from the NTSB and abroad to help figure out what happened.
Plane Answers: Zeroing in on a few airplane systems {Gadling}
Jul 25th 2009 2:34AM Hi Kent!!
How come that ALT is double oh four when you're at 24,8?
It appears that you are in a desent...is it common practice to adjust the ALT from standard to local above 180?
Thanks
Plane Answers: "Chit-chat" did NOT doom Colgan flight 3407 {Gadling}
May 26th 2009 1:53AM 4 kts with flaps 10 degrees....not much at all, however I would think that would be a transitional number, Flaps were at 5 PIC called for flaps 15, so at the flaps 10 position, the flaps were in motion to 15. What would activate the shaker with flaps 15 on that plane?
As for the pay.......When I first started to persue my PPl, I talked to alot of people about going to the majors and they all said the same thing. It takes a large fortune to make a small fortune. If I just got dobne spending upwards of 40K - 60 K for my ATP onr my own, or at a school like Embry Riddle how the hell can anyone live on that kind of money? Is it done for a reason? Like to make sure the pilot really really wants it? or is it just more money in the executives bonus?
In any event, thanks for your take on this. I was thinking along the same lines as you...chatter was minimal, and the tasks were completed. Briefing was done - the failed check rides meant little to me, because he would have HAD to pass it just like everyone else.....I wonder why they didn't issue a PIREP at that time they saw the ice....If I am flying in behind them, that might be information I'd like to know about. Personally if you ask me, Colgan has some blood on their hands, 51 peoples worth. Thanks Kent.
Plane Answers: Airliners passing closely (with video) and how are tailwinds figured inflight? {Gadling}
Apr 23rd 2009 7:52PM I live on the shore line just North of Los Angeles. The Westerly winds keep LAX pretty clear. The marine layer burns off at different times come Fall. During September it's hit or miss, some days there is no layers and clear skys, other days it doesn't burn off and it's IMC or MVFR all day long. You should see the "Marine Layer" in City of Industry and more inland, makes LAX look like Alaska.
Thanks Kent for the postings.....ya gotta do one on when a 172 gets into wake turbulance!!!Good times!
Plane Answers: Pilots are either heroes or villains after an accident {Gadling}
Feb 19th 2009 1:39AM Hi Kent,
I too watched that video before I saw this post. I watched it very carefully and while I have my opinions on what may have happened based on the few facts that are known at this point I will bite my lip and wait it out. As for the ice build up on the leading edge of the stab, I believe they did a test on this. I thought it was simply that ice was more prone to build up on a thinner leading edge versus a thicker edge. I was absolutly shocked to see the results NASA found within that video. The airflow on the stab when put into a dirty config....I just sat here shaking my head. It sounds like the PIC had the right idea to clean it up....It just makes alot of sense to me if that is what happened withrespect to the planes position on impact, the reports of neighbors who hear these things fly overhead all day every day that the engines were very loud, that is inline with what the NTSB has stated so far in that the engins were in a power on setting. I don't know......it saddens me very much to hear of these things but like you dais, this is how aviation advances. It's a heavy price tag to pay that's for sure. Knowing the way the NTSB/FAA writes their reports there will be pilot error in there someplace. Me personally.....I'm only interested in how to overcome whatever happened, be it mechanical - electrical - human factors - training...whatever. Thanks for bringing this up as I too am just sick of reading all the "professional avaitors" opinions the main stream media spouts.
Plane Answers: Fear of flying, aging aircraft and more on those 'dings.' {Gadling}
Jan 16th 2009 1:01AM How Ironic?
Ya know, they say all things happen for a reason. The odds of a duel bird strike on initial climbout leading to total engine failure which leads to DITCHING in the Hudson River.....and everyone walks away. I was at work and had just turned on A.M. radie and heard an airliner went down and I froze. I thought to myself,.,....I hope those people get a good one. Turns out they couldn't have gotten a better pilot. From the Left Coast....I am humbled by the skill and awestruck by the outcome....and very thankful to that flight crew.
Plane Answers: Fear of flying, aging aircraft and more on those 'dings.' {Gadling}
Jan 15th 2009 4:34AM Wow...Kent, I believe you hit a nerve with the whole fear of flying.....To the guy stating the NYC crash was a 747....go look it up. There was another guy saying something about North Korea shooting down a commercial plane...that was Russia shooting down a KLM (i think) plane when its pilots entered and left their airspace by mistake...Russia just wanted another excuse to kill.
May I suggest this to you all that fear flying: First you need to be a realist....meaning something must be proven to you to believe it. Now, go study airliner / aviation accidents. After 261 I became fascinated with this and am just waiting for the NTSB to call me up for my thoughts (he he). I learned a tremendous amount of what it actually takes to bring down a plane. One thing does not cause a plane to fall out of the sky....it is a succession of major castrophic failures. Basically...it takes alot. Now, go look at you tube and look up Boeing testing.... Whatch what they do to a 777 wing during initial building of that plane. The stresses imposed were so unrealistic to real world usage...but the point was to hit their (and the FAA) marks and show the public the enormous loads the plane can take. Turbulance...even the worst bumps have no effect on the structure. The proof of just how well planes are build is out there......and finally if you are still afraid of flying...think about it this way...there are 3rd world countries that can barly feed their people and exist.....they operate airlines.....Their safety standards are about a chapter of ours. I would very much rather have my children on a plane than in a car.
If all of you who fear flying actually knew what it takes to become an Airline Transport Pilot you would feel alot safer in flight. Those pilots know very well you are trusting yours and your families life with them and they do not disrespect that...well...usually...some of them have drinking issues...buy hay, no one is perfect.
I have no issues on any current Boeing aircraft, I also like Crj's and most single engine aircraft.
I hope all of you that fear flying get some relief in all these posts and the info within.
To the lady in San Fran....I am in L.A. and if I was up there more, I'd be happy to take you up for a Bay area tour. Find a local flying club where the old timers gather and talk to them....I know there will be atleast a few guys that would love to take you up. Aside from making babies there is nothing better in this world than flying....that's my opinon of course!!
Plane Answers: Fear of flying, aging aircraft and more on those 'dings.' {Gadling}
Jan 13th 2009 7:31PM With respect to age and type aircraft used......2 things for me...I will never fly on any Md 80 series aircraft...and I will never fly Alaska Airlines. I studied ASA261 for months and that particular crash did it in for me. I love to fly...I fly as much as I possibly can and have my PPL....but for commercial....those two things are a no no. As for the age of the plane...it's just like Kent said, ya gotta just trust the maintenance guys. It's alot of work to become an A&P for the big boys...it's the people in suits that stare at excel spread sheets all day long that truley scare me. And not for nothing...but I personally that better training...better pilots....smarter crews all together along side with fantastic controllers are the main reasons we haven't had any major accidents. Minus the AirBus out of JFK just after 911. Full defelection with turbulance and you loose the tail.....I won't fly AirBus either. Thanks for the posts Kent....it's fantastic that you do this for all of us. Blue Skys!!
Plane Answers: Loud bangs, crosswind landings and F/A 'crosschecks' {Gadling}
Nov 18th 2008 3:10AM Bird strike on the belly of the plane maybe? hmmm, 15 minutes - climb out at an average of 2000 fpm is FL300...maybe not a bird strike. MAybe some kind of pressure issue with the cargo....something sensitive to pressure popped maybe?
