David, please correct me if I'm wrong, but don't the elevators control the VERTICAL attitude? In both crashes I believe the MCAS initiated screw drive was found to be in the FULL DOWN position -- as were the airplanes' nose when they hit the earth.

(Written on 07.04.2019)(Permalink)

It's said that the only really stupid question is the one that didn't get asked ... so I'm asking. My question stems from the statements about using the manual crank to correct the trim. I gather that in the 737-800's (and maybe the whole 737 family) the entire elevator then must be what's being trimmed rather than much smaller trim tabs. Is this correct? If so, it seems (to me) that the expectation that the manual crank could EVER be fast enough to correct the trim in an emergency was far-fetched and unreasonable.

(Written on 06.04.2019)(Permalink)

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe I've read that the black box data from the Ethiopian Airlines' 800 Max showed that this "Danse Macabre" began when the MCAS somehow swapped an altitude input (37,012 feet ) with an AOA input indicating that there was a severe up angle. It automatically corrected the latter with a big down trim order to the elevators. The pilots had NO idea why their airplane had suddenly pitched down and they were being told told:"Stall." Boeing 800 and 900 Max airplanes have been operating successfully world wide for two years now. To the best of my knowledge, this problem hadn't happened until these two accidents (three, if you take into account the jump seat pilot's suggestion on the flight on the day before the Lion Air crash.) I'm not an aviator, but my engineering background in submarines tells me that President Trump was onto something when he said that airplanes have become too complex. I think he meant that pilots don't really know what the

(Written on 25.03.2019)(Permalink)

Congratulations. El Kabong!! You've just "discovered" what the aviation industry has known since it first started to make transcontinental and intercontinental flights. With few exceptions E-W flying takes longer than W-E. It's something about upper flight level winds that God has established flow from W-E. This particular flight got lucky. Most will arrive on-time or later than scheduled Before ANZ inaugurated this ORD-AKL-ORD service how long did it take for an ORD-originating passenger to get to AKL using the FASTEST connection possible? THINK, sir.

(Written on 08.12.2018)(Permalink)

Is this any way to run an airline? You'd better believe it is !! AIR NEW ZEALAND is second to none.

(Written on 08.12.2018)(Permalink)

Correction: It was a Braniff-crewed flight. I flew on it in 1979. The fare was only $15 more than First Class. Fares were still regulated then, so I paid the difference and had a fabulous experience.

(Written on 10.08.2018)(Permalink)

Although it's impossible to say, that the Truman administration was aware of it at the time, there definitely was good reason to use the bombs WHEN we did. Not the least of these was to convince the Emperor to stop the war. Japan was already beaten by every rational measure, but the fanaticism of their armed forces wasn't rational. The Emperor and those members of his cabinet who saw what we had == that they couldn't counter did the trick. They quit. FDR had invited the Soviet Union to join the war against Japan ,and Stalin had (gleefully) agreed to do so 90 days after the war in Europe was over. In probably the only time in memory that Stalin kept his word, the Soviets declared war on Japan on August 8th, 1945, The Japanese cessation of hostilities meant that all the Soviet Union was able to do was to seize the southern half os Sakhalin and the Kuriles, b it had NO say in what happened on the Japanese home islands. Had we not dropped the bombs, when we did, Japan's fut

(Written on 10.08.2018)(Permalink)

Quote "To simplify our fleet, American has agreed with Airbus to cancel an order for 22 A350s, an order originally made by US Airways..." Quote It's encouraging to see that American's management has decided to simplify its fleet. It has taken AA only four decades to grasp the concept and business model that Southwest has followed -- with "moderate" success -- since its inception. The efficiencies snd economies of AA's decision to go to the 787's will be lasting as well as beneficial, not only to the company's bottom line, but also to the flying public.

(Written on 13.04.2018)(Permalink)

WOW!! Great flying ...

(Written on 22.08.2015)(Permalink)

Back in the mid 1970s I was aboard a United 747 as it was on final approach to SFO. Back in those days you could listen on the in-flight entertainment system to whomever the cockpit was talking with on the radio. We were cleared to land on 28L and were making a nice smooth approach. At two miles out the following exchange happened (Flight numbers are made up. I can't remember them from that long ago, but I sure do remember what went on) : TOWER: TWA 335 you're cleared to cross 28 L and proceed to 28R for takeoff. TWA 335 (angrily): I'll be damned if Im going to cross 28L. UNITED182 Heavy's on final there. TOWER (with urgency, his voice an octave higher): UNITED 182 Heavy, can you make 28R? UNITED 182 Heavy: I'll try ... At the same instant we did an abrupt right turn followed immediately by a sharp left and about ten seconds later we landed -- hard -- on 28R. It was amazing -- I didn't think a 747 could do that, but it did. Anyhow, after we'd finally stopped ... UNI

(Written on 25.01.2015)(Permalink)