Who has ever seen the movie Fate is The Hunter with Glenn Ford, Rod Taylor, and Suzanne Pleshette? In that fictional movie, a plane was brought down immediately after takeoff. Even though it had an engine failure there had been a cup of coffee on the center console that shorted the equipment out and they ended up killing a good engine...

(Written on 03/26/2023)(Permalink)

I think if the FAA is aiming to increase the length of CVR black boxes, there should be time stamps on the digital readouts so that it would be easier to identify the flight where there was an issue or crash. I would be interested in knowing exactly when the voice recorder starts recording. Personally I think it should start before the actual pre flight checklists because sometimes just the chatter in a supposed sterile cockpit may reveal if there are any oddities.

(Written on 03/26/2023)(Permalink)

Probably would already be in production if Kelly Johnson were still around. He would probably be designing hypersonic interceptors.

(Written on 03/18/2023)(Permalink)

I think that in the latter years of the 747's lifetime, perhaps an engine upgrade to more fuel and noise-efficient engines would have prolonged the inevitable. I can see why so many of them are used in cargo traffic these days, because the cost of shipping is easier to justify than in passenger configurations.

(Written on 02/25/2023)(Permalink)

Hawthorne Airport is only about 10 minutes South of Santa Monica. I don't know if they have the capability to integrate a high number of aircraft into their field. They may not have much hangar space to accommodate the number of aircraft that may want to be based there.

(Written on 02/19/2023)(Permalink)

I think this letter was the final nail in the coffin. ragic Flight School Crash Reminder of Danger Posed by Airport September 16, 2022 Open letter to the Santa Monica City Council and city officials: The tragic deaths of a trainee pilot and an instructor at Santa Monica Airport on September 8 are a salutary reminder of the danger we all live with due to the continued operation of the airport before its planned closure in 2029 ("Two Killed in Plane Crash at Santa Monica Airport," September 9, 2022). We grieve for the two lives lost in this accident, as well as for those in previous accidents at, or connected with, this airport. We're also keenly aware of the danger presented to our health, our homes, and our lives by this airport, whether due to accidents or toxic emissions. Nestled among houses, apartments, schools, preschools, play fields, parks, and a large business park, one thing this airport should absolutely not be used for is flying lessons. Among the more than 1

(Written on 02/19/2023)(Permalink)

My question is why only United? Has anyone from the FAA checked other operators of the Boeing 777 to see if anyone else did the same thing? There are a lot of triple 7's in the sky.

(Written on 02/11/2023)(Permalink)

If, in fact, this was an intelligence-gathering balloon, chances are it did not plan to wait until it circumnavigated the globe back to China to have the info downloaded. It would have been equipped to radio data back to China at any point on the journey. My question is how was this balloon made to maneuver? Did it have flight control surfaces that popped out when they needed to alter course? If our intelligence gathering community is so great, wouldn't they have been able to detect any radio signals eminating from the balloon and block or jam those signals?

(Written on 02/11/2023)(Permalink)

It could have worked with incendiary ammunition.

(Written on 02/11/2023)(Permalink)

I guess the airlines would have to be hit hard in the pocketbook for that plan to be buried in a hurry. If passengers refuse to fly single-pilot flights, there will be a lot of empty airplanes.

(Written on 02/11/2023)(Permalink)