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Have fun, Vicki! I'm looking forward to hearing how you liked your experience.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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It says a lot about the spirit of these folks who, even years later, are proud to have been part of a great airline. This feeling isn't limited to PAN AM. There was a recent gathering of Continental folks who had worked at/out of LAX during the "Proud Bird With the Golden Tail" days. Over 800 people showed up for dinner and drinks. It was held, appropriately enough, at The Proud Bird Restaurant with a great view of the south runway.
Frank in sunny, warm and breezy SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Reporting in - Virgin America was great. My iPhone ear phones worked in the media player so I could see and hear 24 TV stations, music galore and more all the way across country. Bought a sandwich to split with Art for $9, the coke was free.
Great experience for non- flyers like us. Wish they didn't charge $25 per bag. Cambria Suites in FLL is very nice too
See you all when we return in December.
-------------------- Vicki in usually sunny Southern California Posts: 951 | From: Redondo Beach, CA | Registered: Aug 2006
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Yay! Glad to hear it worked out so well. That stupid $25 bag fee is ridiculous. They didn't always charge that---they're just following all of the others (unfortunately).
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Southwest still doesn't charge for the first bag and most other airlines waive the bag charge if you have their branded credit card. It's the "Pizza Principle" of pricing. You only pay for what you want.
Glad it went well, Vicki. We have heard good things about Cambria Suites from other cruisers.
Frank in sunny and warm SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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I never had a Cub; my steed was a 1959 C150, one of "The First of the Many" of its ilk.
Don't think I'd ever have asked for a light-gun approach to KJFK. I did and was granted same at KELM (Elmira), KJVL (Janesville), KUGN (Waukegan) and a few others. KNYL (Yuma) at first hesitated but suggested I come in with a C172 as a flight of two. That was hairy; I lost the 172 in ground clutter (a 150's approach speed is a lot slower) and just aimed for the most likely runway. There were Marine C-130s waiting at the threshold for the small fry to clear their playground.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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As long as we're posting airfan videos, here's one of my favorite ones because it overflies two of my old neighborhoods, near Prospect Park in Brooklyn and near Corona in Queens, just before landing. This is the famous "Expressway" approach to Runway 31 at LGA from the cockpit:
It's filmed inside the cockpit of a Finnair MD-11 and at the last second they are told to go around due to traffic on the runway. The reason I like this video so much is because it shows how their training automatically kicks in as they quickly have to change just about everything without any notice. The MD-11 is a huge airplane---it's my second favorite behind the DC-10.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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I'm betting that was an MD11 not an L1011. The former was an evolution of the DC10 and the latter Lockheed's competition to the DC10 that never really made it.
Frank in sunny and warm SBA
Thanks for the clarification, Frank. I went to the China Eastern Wiki and checked their rosters; they had five or so of these MD11's- all converted to freighters around 2004. Must have been really high-hour rigs; each made countless trips on the LAX to old Shanghai Hongqiao and also old Beijing National. I believe they also may have had some SFO - China routes as well; not a big deal just an observation. Price-wise in the mid 90s I recall paying around $600 for a coach RT! Later that crept up to $7-800; now the China rides will generally set you back a grand or more in pre-purchase coach.
I got a kick out of paying about the same as a domestic long haul RT such as LAX to JFK, and getting to fly over the Great Wall of China in the bargain!
Posts: 588 | From: East San Diego County, CA | Registered: Oct 2004
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That sure should lay to rest any notions that an ATP - Air Transport Pilot - is someone who gets paid $200K a year just to ride airplanes that fly themselves.
No doubt this aircrew was just about to complete a nine hour EFHK-KJFK flight, on final, and confronted with one of Mr. Kisor's colleagues lacking his level of competence.
Quite some airmanship; surely lots of well-deserved applause back in the cabins.
Off topic, it always amazes me how aviation is a "mixture" of land and nautical terms. The aircraft has cabins and decks (or a c#*%pit), travels at a speed measured in knots, and dimensions of Fore and Aft but Left or Right, vice Port and Starboard.
Finally, and so long as this rail unrelated topic stands (I honestly expected it would either been locked or killed by now), allow me to reiterate my use of the four letter ICAO codes rather than the more known amongst the public three letter IATA codes. Likely because this is when I was in the Air Force and in communications, ICAO codes were "it" in any AM - Airlift Mission - message I handled. All military airfields have an ICAO - only some have an IATA. Further, some ICAO codes can give you an idea where you are, case in point above: E(Europe)F(Finland)HK(Helsinki). And very lastly, if I recall, wasn't there once on a "where in the world is Matt Lauer" segment of Today in which he rattled off an ICAO code as a hint?
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Henry Kisor: Don't think I'd ever have asked for a light-gun approach to KJFK. I did and was granted same at KELM (Elmira), KJVL (Janesville), KUGN (Waukegan) and a few others. KNYL (Yuma) at first hesitated but suggested I come in with a C172 as a flight of two. That was hairy; I lost the 172 in ground clutter (a 150's approach speed is a lot slower) and just aimed for the most likely runway. There were Marine C-130s waiting at the threshold for the small fry to clear their playground.
I once asked for a light-gun departure at KHOU; I was ferrying a Super Decathlon with a bad radio to the avionics shop. Not a problem. Phoned the tower, told them I would take off on 12 Right, then turn right and follow Telephone Road until I reached the limits of the Class B airspace.
I really loved that Decathlon. Soloed and passed my private checkride in it. For my final checkride prep with my instructor, we did spins & recovery. Under the hood. At night. Lots of fun!
-------------------- --------Eric H. Bowen
Stop by my website: Streamliner Schedules - Historic timetables of the great trains of the past! Posts: 413 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: Mar 2006
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quote:Originally posted by sbalax: Continental does have the Boeing 787 on order and the first aircraft has left the assembly building and is now in the paint hangar. It will, sadly, say United on it but will be delivered to Continental. The original plan was for it to be used to fly from Houston to Auckland and, possibly Houston to Lagos. Continental will start flying the latter mid-November with a 777.
Frank, it appears that your carrier (presume you are now retired) has had a change of heart regarding the first assignment of its 787's. Hope you can access the immediately linked Wall Street Journal article, but if not, here is a pertinent Brief Passage:
The U.S. launch customer, the Continental Airlines unit of United Continental Holdings Inc., plans to fly its new Dreamliners on domestic U.S. routes for six to eight weeks following expected delivery in the second half of next year, before shifting them to international destinations. Five planes out of Continental's 25-plane order—recently reduced from six—are due to arrive in 2012, three years behind schedule.
Dave Lundy, Continental's 787 fleet captain, said the airline will initially fly domestic routes from its hubs in Houston and Newark to familiarize flight and ground staff with the plane, as well as between 50 and 100 hours of nonrevenue international flights.
With my Labor Relations background, I have to ask questions like when the Seniority rosters are merged in whatever manner they are (guys and gals, for heaven's sake, work it out "on the property"; you don't want what some arbitrator imposed upon PanAm/National flight personnel), what will happen for training costs when former United aircrews - Officers and Attendants - decide they can bid on routes 787 aircraft are assigned to. I can see it now; the Senior Continental Officers (not as pronounced with Attendants given no mandatory retirement age) that 'want to fly 787 before they become Kiwis" will leave (not of course because they did something unsafe) and then training costs will simply be incurred in great part for United crews.
Finally, a thought of mine on liveries; while I don't know who was smoking what when United settled on their Battleship Grey, it is now largely gone (practically all my flying is on United - hey; I know my way around KORD Terminal #1; not too much elsewhere). Unfortunately, what I think was likely the most attractive of liveries out there, United's "Blended Blue' will be short lived, but the need to respect that a perfectly viable carrier, i.e. yours, that could potentially be "gobbled up' will live on - even after one Certificate is issued.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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To keep this thread down to railroad-related earth: It seems that pilots in general love trains. too. I read somewhere that a highly decorated British World War II pilot once was given a ride on the footplate of a steam locomotive some time after the war, and declared to all and sundry that it was the greatest experience of his life. (After, of course, getting married and the birth of his children, yada yada.)
Hmm. I became a pilot thanks to having met one on the California Zephyr who invited me to take a ride in his C172, and was utterly hooked.
THERE. The connection with Amtrak has been firmly established, and this thread can continue . . .
In fact, if you look hard enough, *everything* is connected to the railroad one way or another.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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I'm not the CO employee in this household. That would be my partner with soon to be 41 years of seniority starting on the ramp at SJC and currently an IAH based domestic Flight Attendant. That time also included some time in management in the Flight Kitchen, Inflight and as an Inflight Supervisor on the DC10 and 747.
The "break in" period for the 787 was expected. That's pretty much normal operating procedure with any new aircraft type. The only problem with trying to get a ride on one of these is that the scheduling will be pretty random.
The Continental livery will live on. United planes are slowly being repainted. A good percentage of Continental aircraft now have UNITED on them. That's much easier (and cheaper) to do.
It's hard to believe but the "new" livery is around 20 years old.
The seniority issue will be somewhat easier to handle since the flight attendants and pilots at both subsidiary carriers are represented by the same union -- AFA for flight attendants and ALPA for the pilots.
Frank in sunny but cool SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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quote:Originally posted by sbalax: The seniority issue will be somewhat easier to handle since the flight attendants and pilots at both subsidiary carriers are represented by the same union -- AFA for flight attendants and ALPA for the pilots.
.....but separate General Committees ---- hope not, but "are we Reeaadyy to RUUUUUMMMMMBBBBLLLLLE
But your immediate comment does remind me of an exchange I had at KDEN three years ago with an American female Flight Officer. Riding the subway there, she noted (she was a thirtysomething First Officer) she wasn't sure how much longer she was going to be able to hang on. I said "well can you get on over at Eagle?"..."No way, separate union, separate roster,,,and they don't like us over there"..,.."Isn't it all one company?"..."Yeah, about as far as the planes are painted the same?"....."Well where can you go to fly airplanes for a paycheck?'...."There's a Lithuianian freight carrier that's hiring and I could be a Captain as soon as I qualify on their planes....but my family and my life is in the Dallas area....I'll just stick it out until I'm recalled"...."Good luck Ma'am'..."Thank you".... END
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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..Travelers pick flights by price and schedule. But if you want to get there as planned, it’s worth paying attention to which type of plane you choose.
A data dive shows different types of planes within airline fleets have varying records for on-time arrivals and cancellations. At some carriers, older planes have more delays. Sometimes it’s brand-new planes that suffer more glitches. More important than age: How each airline flies and fixes particular planes impacts whether you’ll be late or stranded.
Travelers often don’t have an aircraft choice–airlines serve some routes only with regional jets or particular wide-body types. But many busy routes have a variety of aircraft, and passengers can pick planes when booking reservations.
There is Amtrak relevance to this article. There is mention of how Delta has been able to keep their fleet of DC-9 variants airworthy and out of the hangars.
Now that Richard Andersen, former Delta CEO and is now that of Amtrak, can develop maintenance practices as outlined in the article for Amtrak's aging fleet.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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I remember reading some years ago that the new Chief Mechanical Officer didn't think a preventative maintenance program was really necessary as most of the engines at that time were relatively new. Wonder how much he 'saved'.
As to DC-9's, I always enjoyed flying on them and did so regularly in Eastern's waning days, usually on a JAX-ATL hop. I guess to save money the pilot always powered up and used reverse thrust to leave the gate which of course avoided the need for the tug that shoves you out now (and did then on most airlines).
I heard the pilots liked the DC-9's because there was a lot less electronics and they could actively fly them rather than rely so much on instruments. The first time I was aware of the DC-9 was in college in the 60's and I saw one at PHL (Alleghany) next to a TWA Connie.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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We fly on Tuesday LAX-ORD (UA757-300 with a CAL cabin crew) and then ORD-FRA (Lufthansa 747-8i in Business Class) and then FRA-FCO (Lufthansa Business Class on an A320). We are especially looking forward to riding the 747-8i since only LH and Korean bought the passenger version. And two that were supposed to go to a now defunct Russian airline but appear destined to become the next Air Force One(s).
All is good. Only train ride recently was Shanghai to Beijing at 350KPH. Smooth, quiet, clean and half an hour early.
Frank in sunny and warm SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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How much do I, a Boeing 747 pilot, love the airplane that I fly? It’s tough, and maybe a little embarrassing, to answer. But as the iconic jet’s eventual retirement draws closer, I am surely not the only 747 fan who’s taking some very long flights down memory lane.
To share with you the jumbo dimensions of my 747 obsession, I could describe my wedding cake (hint: it had wings of marzipan, and four chocolate engines). I could share my Twitter moniker, @markv747. Or I could go farther back, to the day when I, an awkward 14-year-old, stood with my mom and dad atop the Pan Am terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport, and stared in wonder at the towering tail fins of the 747s all around us, as proud and promising to my wide-opened eyes as masts in a harbor
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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In my younger days, I LOVED to fly on a Convair 880.
-------------------- The City of Saint Louis (UP, 1967) is still my standard for passenger operations Posts: 1404 | Registered: Oct 2001
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Scariest flight - LGA to Albany on a Mohawk Airlines DC-3 going to the races at Saratoga, early 60's. Sat next to a fearless jockey, and we both white-knuckled it the whole trip because the engine on our side had noticeably loose mounting bolts.
Posts: 1530 | From: Ocala, FL | Registered: Dec 2006
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Here’s an airline trip report of mine from a couple of years ago: ‘Airport Hopping along the Coast’….and I get to do a repeat of this again in a couple of weeks. Stay tuned!
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Mr. GH, you are the last around here (whoops, save Ms. Sojourner) I ever would have thought to be an airfan.
Two weekends from now, I'll be on a United ERJ-145 ORD-RIC and return on same. My seat is way aft on the single seat Left side of the aircraft.
Now all that will be needed is clear weather for some flightseeing.
Annoying how on a United A-320 ORD-LGA three weekends ago, here I was seated in 3B, and the guy in 3A was asleep with the shades down. A perfect flying day and I could have just as easily been on a military aircraft . Now adding insult to injury, this turned-out-to-be a nice guy opened the shade in time for the approach to LGA RWY 31 (full view of Manhattan). He then said, "I would have been happy to change seats with you". "But I like to flightsee". "No problem, I can sleep anywhere".
For the return HPN-ORD, on an ERJ-145 I had my assigned seat aft on the Left. But when I had to reroute the outward trip to LGA, my seat assignment was lost. Oh, oh, first step to being bumped. The gal at the counter said "I will personally be handling that flight's boarding, don't know where, but you'll be on it".
She delivered, but I ended up asile amidship - and with shades drawn. My seat mate was a gal eight months pregnant (what the hell was she doing flying?) and not overly interested in flightseeing. I did sheepishly ask her "Isn't eight months two close to fly?". "Not according to my boss; you fly or start your maternity leave now" (wow, thank someone "topside" I was out of big business during 1981).
Finally, a few days ago, I was talking with FA friend, Maureen (Senior enough to forget United has a domestic network). I said to her, "Dear, flying overseas I always have the in flight map on and it's so nice to see an iceberg, a ship, and the landfall" "Oh, one of those interfering with those watching (pacified perchance?) the movies?" to which I just left that with a "yes Dear".
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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GBN, your comments about flightseeing remind me that in the 'old days' the pilot would often comment on points of interest we were passing over. I'm not sure why that nice practice ended but these days the flights that track your flight on a screen are good, but I wish they had more detail. If not the railroad tracks, then identifying rivers and small towns would be good.
But then my first flight on a DC-3 none of that was necessary. We were so low it was easy to follow the route from familiar roads, rivers, and railroads.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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Mr. Palmland, the last I recall of such was flying during 1983 ANC-ORD on a United DC-8 (good flightseeing acft) and the Captain pointed out the sights to the Left during the climb from ANC.
And on in-flight maps, I wish United's would show the aircraft's heading and course (it's no secret; it's on Flightaware). What's so funny is that the map shows a deviation from "undisclosed" course to heading, but how much is a mystery.
Now what if someone told me that somebody else had that info on their IFE, would I stop flying United? Not likely, it's the first airline I flew on during 1957, they had the MILW's Travel Desk (even if most of my flying with the MILW was on Northwest), and nowadays, I know my way around ORD Terminal 1, which was indeed handy when I had to reroute that flight from HPN to LGA.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: Mr. GH, you are the last around here (whoops, save Ms. Sojourner) I ever would have thought to be an airfan.
Just a notch below railfanning! For example....in July I could have taken Air Canada’s non-stop Halifax-Heathrow ‘767 but instead took a Q400 turboprop over to St. John’s, Newfoundland to connect into Air Canada’s little A319 narrow-body to cross the Atlantic. And I’ll do it again next spring when the brand new 737MAX take over the St. John’s – Heathrow route.
Posts: 239 | Registered: Feb 2004
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