I can't remember where I saw it, or when, but there was an old joke that went something like this- "in the cockpit of an airliner of the future there will be two occupants - A Man, and a Dog". The Man is there to feed the Dog. The Dog is there to bite the man if he touches the controls.

(Written on 02/03/2023)(Permalink)

"The hydrogen used in the Rolls-Royce AE 2100 is of the green variety produced at the European Marine Energy Centre in the Orkney Islands of Scotland." So, made using Wave/Wind = Green. They doesn't say where the RR Tests were, but probably not the Scottish Islands or anywhere near by, which would mean transport of the H2 by Diesel powered boats and lorries, (electric versions exist, but were not mentioned, they would be if they were going for maximum green credentials). Anyway, this is just a test. The conundrum here is that to create a full Green infrastructure and supply chain there would be great expense that would take quite while to recoup, and huge amounts of Carbon expended in it's construction, if not it's operation. And that doesn't include the massive task of producing new-gen aircraft with cryogenic fuel systems. But you can't knock them for trying, gotts start somewhere. Personally, I think at least in the near term, SAF may be the way forward. Production

(Written on 12/02/2022)(Permalink)

If it is a matter of the fire risk of Lithium batteries, could they not use Alkaline Button Cells, AFAIK these have not been implicated as a fire risk. As for the RF interference of the bluetooth part, maybe they could have a timed "sleep" mode that only turns on the Tracking after a pre-set delay that is based on a fair estimate of the flight duration - including an allowance for any 'reasonable' operational flight delay.

(Written on 11/04/2022)(Permalink)

Seems like a bit of an over reaction from her. Also, perhaps a bit of an over reaction here too in some cases, maybe. Picture the scene at the fbo: "Hey, everything's blank on the booking screen, and we ain't got no planes 'cos they've all been deleted, but it seems they're all OK, oh and you FI's you aint got no bookings so take the rest of the day off... ah, we have a student just turned up, hey Jeff you take 'em, pick any plane in the hanger, you'll be fine..." Or "No Tail numbers, no bookings, no anything much, sombody's been messing about in here.. Oh bugger, ok let's dig out the paper tech logs and see which planes are good to go, and keep a few FI's on standby while we wait to see which students show up, what a PitA..." The hack seems more like the Cyber equivalent of spray-painting graffiti on the bosses car rather than crawling underneath to cut the brake pipes. And even if she'd been more subtle, just clearing a tag or extending a CoA inspection, does anybody

(Written on 10/16/2021)(Permalink)

As a longtime EK passenger I have often flown in their B777 and A380 as Economy (cheapskate clients) and Business (Skywards miles or status upgrades), and I would always favour the A380 if I could make it work with my route and schedule. Pre-C19 Sir Tim was quite pro-A380, and it seemed to work specifically for the EK Hub-n-Spoke model; what better for high demand trunk routes to slot constrained airports such as DXB-LHR/LGW. Post-C19 I guess the B777 will be first out of mothballs, but if I have to fly UAE<->UK and there is even one A380 still being used going to LHR/LGW, that's the plane I will be on, however I have to juggle my plans to suit. For as long as EK still have A380 flying in their fleet I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting to choose it as my preferred option. That's a purely my selfish passenger perspective. Sadly, I get it that Sir Tim has to look at a new reality and do what's best for the airline, which means in the near future the A380 has gone from Flagshi

(Written on 05/15/2020)(Permalink)

Divide amount of Fine (19.7m) by number of aircraft (791) = $24,905 each I don't know, but just asking, how does that relate to the cost of the head-up guidance systems involved. What is 25k against the cost of a 737NG For that matter, how does this relate to the salaries of the technicians, supervisors or managers, whoever it was that ultimately was responsible for the erroneous sign-offs. I'm just trying to get a handle on the sums involved to understand if this is Proportionate or Punitive.

(Written on 03/13/2020)(Permalink)

What about the good folks who drive the bus and serve the coffee. When a US flight crew have bounced across the pond, and had a little lie down in a hotel in a country of concern before returning to the land of the free, do they have to immediately go home for the next couple of weeks, binge watching box sets before they can put their uniforms on again. And what about European flight crew, are they locked in a box as soon as they land in the home of the brave, shuttled in a disinfected wagon to some remote hotel until they can return to the desolate wasteland they call home. Are they even allowed in, or are the European firms desperately hiring US Passport holders to fly their planes, With the no doubt intended reduction in transatlantic traffic, what about The Slots, Are airlines searching their fleets for the smallest plane that can only just make it with full fuel and empty seats so they can hold their precious Gate at the appointed time. I'm curious and interested in

(Written on 03/13/2020)(Permalink)

If it was announced prior as a "Final Flight", maybe there were some 'Enthusiasts' or 747 fans who specifically booked to be on that historic flight. They may have appreciated the extra time on board.

(Written on 11/09/2019)(Permalink)

Sadly text does not always carry 'tone of voice' In my opening paragraph there was intended to be more than a hint of sarcasm, holding a mirror to the perpetrators of this nonsense who would charge anyone seeking just a little enjoyment abroad to be personally responsible for the imminent death of the planet. Me, I fly about 50,000 miles a year at 35,000ft, for work, and I don't feel too bad about it in the grand scheme of things, maybe I should... Also I fly about 30-50hrs a year as a PPL turning dinosaurs into noise for the fun of it. The airfield I fly from is just that, a field, with lots of grass and trees happily slurping up much more CO2, I believe, than the little aeroplanes that live there spew out.

(Written on 10/18/2019)(Permalink)

I've just re-read the article and see that I overlooked one significant detail, that the Frequent Traveller Tax would not apply to those who travel for 'Work', oops, so that would make some of my comments redundant. However it also begs a couple of other questions. First, just what proportion of the travelling public are 'Frequent' Leisure Travellers. I've got to assume that anyone who can indulge in frequent leisure travel would need a significant disposable income, and have an occupation with some flexibility to arrange enough free time to make good use of their travel. I suspect they are a fairly small sub-set. Then there is the matter of what counts as 'Work' or 'Leisure', how to you classify it, and more importantly how to you verify it. Would it be self declared at booking: "Are you travelling for (Tick one) [Work] [Leisure]" Would you have to provide some kind of supporting document to show you are working. If you had a business trip where you then stay on for a

(Written on 10/18/2019)(Permalink)