LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — A Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and her crew are visiting Gwinnett County Airport this weekend to raise support for educational programs designed to inspire future aviators.
The aircraft known as Aluminum Overcast is one of the last flight worthy B-17s able to fly with passengers. Owned by the Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, this B-17 and her crew are educating visitors on the importance of its mission during the Second World War.
Today thru Sunday, EAA’s Gwinnett chapter 690 is working with the crew of the historic warbird to inspire the public’s interest in aviation-related fields. Guests are invited to tour inside the B-17 and even fly aboard the silver flying fortress.
‘Aluminum Overcast’ pilots John Litiachi and Lorraine Morris prepare for flight in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Morris says the B-17 is like flying “a cement truck without power steering”. (Charles Atkeison)
“EAA 690 is fortunate to be able to host the B-17 Aluminum Overcast Tour as it helps to provide funds to support our youth programs,” EAA spokesperson Louis Pucci said on Thursday. “Our youth programs include a STEM-oriented aviation build program; Young Eagles, an introduction into aviation; youth aviation summer camp, and flight scholarships.”
This EAA chapter, like many across the United States, is made up of volunteers who are pilots or who have worked in the aviation industry. In addition to the education and events, EAA will help one earn their pilot’s license.
Inspiring the next generation to fulfill a career in aviation is the goal of this B-17s crew. They fly the hulking aircraft backed by 20,000 hours of flying time.
The window view over the port wing of the B-17 ‘Aluminum Overcast’. (Charles Atkeison)
Aluminum Overcast is 75-years-old and remains a living testament to the men who crewed the thousands of B-17s during the war. For many visitors, they are drawn to the aircraft to honor a relative who had served aboard the massive aircraft.
“This flies like a cement truck without power steering,” Aluminum Overcast pilot Lorraine Morris said moments after landing on Thursday. “The only hydraulics we use are for the breaks and the cowl flaps — everything else is manual.”
During a typical B-17 flight, the aircraft burns nearly 200 gallons of fuel per hour. Its four engines hold 37 gallons of oil and 1700 gallons of fuel each. Many of the B-17s were fitted with auxiliary fuel tanks during the war.
The B-17 Flying Fortress was a hero of World War II Across Europe and the Pacific. (Charles Atkeison)
“You sit in the aircraft and you can’t really dwell on flying the airplane because you get all choked up,” Morris discussed as we sat in the cockpit. “You think of all the men that were in it, and all the people who didn’t come back.”
Morris added that the stories from her passengers have been unbelievable. She only wished there was enough time to tell them all.
“Some people will come up to it to pet it, and one gentleman kissed it because he kissed the B-17 every time he got done with the flight,” she said. “Many people will not even come near it because there are too many memories.”
The EAA Aluminum Overcast tour concludes in a few weeks following four stops across Georgia. Flights and tour details are available here.
November 08 – 10, 2019 | Lawrenceville, GA November 12, 2019 | Milledgeville, GA November 15 – 17, 2019 | Savannah, GA November 22 – 24, 2019 | St. Simons Island, GA
(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
PENSACOLA, Fla — The North American air show season began with a star-spangled flyover salute above Super Bowl LIII and was followed by several jaw-dropping aviation moments during the year ahead.
AvGeekery.com has compiled our top six “oh wow!” stories we covered during the 2019 air show season. We know that each time a military or civilian aircraft performs, it is truly stunning.
We take a look back at both the historic and interesting moments of the recent season. If you recall one aviation moment which made you gasp this year, please comment below.
Aerobatic ace Julie Clark performsaboard her T-34 Mentor. (Image: Clark Airshows)
6. Aerobatic Airshow Pilot Julie Clark Retires After 40 Years
Julie Clark began flying American aerobatics in 1978, and on October 19, she said farewell as she retired from the air show industry. Clark’s patriotic aerobatics aboard her T-34 Mentor aircraft pushes the limits of flight.
Across North America, Julie has been a staple at air shows for forty-two years. Nicknamed “Free Spirit”, Clark has flown the same aircraft everyone of those years. She laughs and says, “It’s my best friend”. Her final performance will be on November 17, during Nellis AFB’s Aviation Nation air show.
“I’m gonna miss being apart of this great industry,” Clark said “We talk about STEM/STEAM and bringing in young people into this industry. We need that, we want to keep the crowds up and we want to keep the innovations going.”
5. Navy’s Super Hornet Demo Team Cancels Season
The U.S. Navy’s popular Super Hornet demonstration team cancelled their five remaining air show appearances in June in order to train new pilots. The squadron performs at air shows across North America aboard the Rhino — an F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet jet.
An F/A-18E Super Hornet, assigned to VFA-106, performs a touch-and-go on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in April. (US Navy)
Known as the VFA-106 Gladiators, the demo team decided to spend the last half of the season training new pilots for 2020 and beyond. The announcement came as the Navy’s last legacy Hornets are being phased out for the Super Hornets.
“The mission of VFA-106 is to provide the fleet with superbly trained replacement aircrew to support fleet readiness,” VFA-106 Commander Brandon M. Scott said on Wednesday. “This mission will always take priority over displaying the remarkable Super Hornet across the country.”
4. Canadian Snowbirds Pilot Safely Ejects Prior to Crash
The Royal Canadian Snowbirds suffered their first jet crash in years on October 13 as the team prepared to perform at the Atlanta Airshow.
One of the Royal Canadian Snowbirds CT-114 jets performs during a recent air show. (RCAF)
The Snowbirds nine CT-114 Tutor jets had just taken off from Falcon Field about fifteen miles from the air show site at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. As the investigation continues, details of the Snowbird 5 accident have not been released.
What we know is an issue occurred aboard the Snowbird 5 jet minutes following take-off. Pilot Captain Kevin Domon-Grenier pointed the jet toward a vacant field and successfully ejected away. He was recovered and visited a nearby hospital for a few hours to be checked out.
It was the squadron’s first crash in eleven years. Moments following the crash, the rest of the air show was cancelled.
3. U.S., Great Britain Air Force Jets Perform NYC Flyover
The jets of the United States and the United Kingdom performed one of the largest military flyovers on August 22 above New York.
The late-morning tandem flight featured six Air Force Thunderbirds jets, followed by the Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows’ nine-jet delta. Two American F-22A Raptors and two F-35A Lightning IIs followed in a diamond formation.
Britain’s Red Arrows salute the Statue of Liberty during their flight over the Hudson River. (RAF)
The massive formation over Manhattan brought sky watchers to the windows of the skyscrapers. Social media was abuzz with images and video of the rare formation as the nineteen jets flew past.
“It was certainly a history making flight,” New York Airshow spokesperson Chris Dirato said. “It was exciting to see these teams make their way down and back up the Hudson River, while passing the Statue of Liberty.”
The Navy’s Blue Angels were originally to have also flown. However, the team dropped out one day prior due to having logged the maxium flying hours for the week.
2. Allied Warbirds Retrace D-Day Route on 75th Anniversary
America’s own D-Day squadron successfully flew fifteen C-47s/ DC-3s to the United Kingdom in May to join up with their European counterparts to create a historic June fly over to honor the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
Three C-47A Skytrains soar over the White Cliffs of Dover on May 31, during one of several practice flights leading up to their D-Day flight. (photo: Rich Cooper/D-Day Squadron)
The U.S. C-47A Skytrains and DC-9 aircraft flew in a huge formation with their European counterparts. They crossed the English Channel on June 5 for a formal flyover over Normandy Beach in France.
“Few veterans of D-Day are still with us, and this celebration may be our last chance to honor these brave war heroes,” D-Day Squadron’s executive director Moreno Aguiari told AvGeekery.com. “We are committed to ensuring their significance and sacrifice is fully appreciated for generations to come.”
The aircraft also dropped nearly 200 paratroopers over France along the way. A few of the Skytrains in attendance, Thats All — Brother! and Placid Lassie, make regular stops at U.S. air show sites.
1. First Female F-16 Demo Pilot Announced … then Quickly Replaced
The U.S. Air Force announced on January 29 the selection of the first female to both command and pilot the F-16 Viper Demonstration Team for the next air show season. Thirteen days later, Capt. Zoe “SiS” Kotnik was removed from duty due to a lack of confidence by her base commander.
Capt. Zoe Kotnik IS all smiles after a certification flight at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. (USAF SRA K. Reaves)
For nearly two weeks, Capt. Kotnik was the gem of the Air Force across social media. Her own social media account — filled with gratitude and cockpit videos set to popular music — was deleted the day of the stunning announcement.
“I removed Capt. Kotnik from her position as the commander of the Viper Demo team, because I lost confidence in her ability to lead the team,” Col. Derek O’Malley, Commander of 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw AFB, stated on February 11.
Kotnik said on Jan. 29 that she looks forward to having “an influence on younger generations.” She was poised to break new ground for women in her new job.
“I know first hand how impactful air shows can be and what a difference it makes to young people to see just one example of what they too can do and who they can become,” she added.
(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
It’s hard to believe that its already been almost two months since American Airlines retired their MD-80 fleet. If you recall, the Mad Dog retired to some really unique fanfare that honored the long-serving jet. As huge MD-80 fans, we covered the drawdown and eventual retirement of the beloved jet.
The skies over DFW are quieter since American retired their fleet of MD-80s. But if you are an avgeek, you are probably still missing those old smokey JTD-8s and shiny American fuselages over the DFW Metroplex. Well today, spotters at DFW got one last treat. Tail number N9677W flying as AA flight 9648 departed from DFW at 3:32pm en-route to her retirement spot at Roswell, New Mexico. There she joined many other American Airlines MD-80s who are also resting comfortably in the low-humidity environment.
If you look at the video above, you’ll see what is likely to be the start up of the last American MD-80 at DFW Airport. (Be sure to check out the puff of smoke at 3:30 as the APU shuts down after start up.) Special thanks to our friend Dylan at Boneyard Safari for the video.
The MD-80 aircraft stayed behind for a few months even as the rest of the fleet departed for Roswell. American Airlines said the jet stayed behind for deicing training at DFW Airport. There were a few rumors that N9677W might be headed for Founders Plaza at DFW Airport originally. Unfortunately for avgeeks, her flight to Roswell proves that the rumor for that particular aircraft will not materialize.
A few of AA’s Mad Dogs will probably escape the shredder
While most of the MD-80s will be turned into scrap metal, there are a few that might find a second life. A few MD-80s sent to Roswell over the past couple of years have returned to service, most notably for Laser Airlines in Venezuela and Everts Air Cargo, based out of Alaska.
The MD-80 that flew today was only 20 years old having first flown in 1999. American acquired TWA’s MD-80s back in the merge between the two airlines in 2001. As part of the acquisition, American continued to operate some of the last MD-80s off the line from the Long Beach factory until the retirement of the type in September. When American retired the fleet, some of the aircraft had flown around half the cycles approved for the type, meaning that structurally, the jet could still fly safely for a number of years longer with the required maintenance and upkeep.
Photo: Everts Air Cargo
Possibly two more chances to see an American MD-80 Mad Dog fly
If you missed today’s last American MD-80 flight out of DFW, there is still a bit of hope to catch an American MD-80s departure. There are four American Airlines MD-80s parked at the Tulsa maintenance center. It is rumored that those two jets will be donated to aviation maintenance schools sometime in the future. We’ll keep you updated as we find out more.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A secret military winged spacecraft glided out of Earth orbit on Sunday touching down at the Kennedy Space Center at the conclusion of a record breaking mission.
The uncrewed Air Force X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle spent 780 days in space performing detailed experiments for the military. The winged spacecraft glided on automatic from low Earth orbit to a pin-point landing at 3:51 a.m. EDT.
Today’s landing was the second by an X-37B on the three-mile-long runway previously used during NASA’s space shuttle program. The runway is adjacent to the X-37s designated processing facility next to the iconic Vehicle Assembly Building.
This flight was scheduled to deploy several small satellites and perform classified “on-orbit testing of emerging space technologies,” according to the Air Force. The space plane is operated from a control room while on-orbit with an open payload bay facing Earth.
The X-37B is an experimental test program to demonstrate technologies for a reliable, reusable, unmanned space test platform for the U.S. Air Force. (USAF)
“The safe return of this spacecraft, after breaking its own endurance record, is the result of the innovative partnership between government and industry,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein said on Sunday. “The sky is no longer the limit for the Air Force and, if Congress approves, the U.S. Space Force.”
The classified flight of the reusable mini-space shuttle lifted off a top a SpaceX Falcon 9 from the space center nearly 26 months ago. This was the third mission flown by the first of two reusable X-37Bs.
“The X-37B continues to demonstrate the importance of a reusable spaceplane,” Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett stated. “Each successive mission advances our nation’s space capabilities.”
The Air Force has announced the sixth mission of the X-37B program is scheduled to launch a top a ULA Atlas V rocket in spring of 2020.
(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
But there’s another, lesser known turboprop whose sound is also unmistakable. It’s the Antonov AN22. The AN-22 first flew in 1965. It was designed as a strategic airlifter that could land on short, austere runways throughout Russia. The plane has a crew of between 5 to 8. The front of the craft is fully pressurized with the ability to carry up to 28 passengers. The after compartment is only partially pressurized.
The AN-22 is powered by four turboprop engines each with two counter-rotating props each. A total of 68 AN-22 were built. Only 6 remain active. Antonov airlines operates the only civilian AN-22 still in service. The Russian Air Force operates 5 planes.
The AN-22 can carry up to 176,000 lbs of payload. By comparison, the C-17 can carry around 170,000 lbs of cargo/passengers.
Bonus: Why does the AN-22 have two tails?
Here’s one for trivia night. The AN-22 looks pretty similar in shape to the AN-12 just with two tails. The second tail reduces the height requirement for the tail and allows for better engine out performance.
Also, if you need to wow your friends at trivia night, the NATO reporting name for the AN-22 is ‘cock’. And now you know.
Southwest Airlines reported their third quarter earnings this week. At the earnings call, CEO Gary Kelly was asked about whether Southwest was considering other aircraft in the wake of the 737 MAX grounding. His answer, while not totally surprising, did raise some eyebrows. He stated that Southwest Airlines’ board of directors has asked the company to look at other options to diversify the fleet.
Southwest and 737s are like Peanut Butter and Jelly
Since Southwest’s first flight back in 1972, the airline has been a Boeing 737 airline. With the exception of a couple stints flying the 727 in the late ’70s and early ’80s, Southwest has flown every generation of the ‘baby Boeing’ jet to include the grounded MAX -8 series. Southwest has thrived with the jet. A single fleet type simplifies scheduling, training, maintenance, and operational equipment are all reasons why flying just the 737 made sense. Over the past decade with the 737NG series, Southwest has been able to offer transcontinental service and more recently unlock central America and Hawaii with a single type of jet.
Why would Southwest have a change of heart?
For Southwest, the MAX was supposed to represent a new era of service. With more efficient engines, Southwest would be able to add extended routes like Phoenix (possibly even Denver) to Honolulu and Houston to Central and South America. After the two 737 MAX crashes by LionAir and Ethiopian Airlines, the MAX was grounded back in March, taking 5% of Southwest’s fleet and expansion plans off the table for all of 2019.
The single fleet type that for so long was seen as a benefit, is now seen as a potential liability for the airline. With the MAX grounded and potential pickle-fork issues with NG-series jet, Southwest is beginning to realize that they could be in a very vulnerable position if there is another 737 grounding in the future.
The fact that Southwest might choose a second jet is far from a foregone conclusion. Southwest CEO Gary Kelly has a much more nuanced statement both in a CNBC interview and the recent earnings call after Q3-2019 earnings. In the call, Gary was asked to comment further based on the CNBC interview and discussion of Southwest needing to acquire a second fleet to remain competitive.
Gary replied, “Mike ([Van De Ven]-Operations VP) led that effort as late as 2011 when we agreed to launch the MAX. We gave a very serious look to an alternative…I wouldn’t prejudge the answer at all. We’ve been extremely successful for 48 years with a single fleet type. I know that our Vice President of Flight Operations would agree…So, there are plenty of good arguments for just I really feel like it’s just acknowledging the obvious and I feel like we have a duty to look at the question and especially in light of what’s going on right now. So, hopefully that answers part of the question.”
You can read and listen to the full call here. It makes for an interesting listen but it doesn’t exactly sound like Southwest is feeling an immediate need to stray from their winning formula very soon.
What could Southwest choose?
Even without an immediate push to acquire a second fleet, we are avgeeks and we love talking about the ‘what-ifs’ of the aviation industry. If Southwest decides to pursue a second fleet, they have a number of options on the table that they could select from and one fanciful one that makes us think…what if? We look at 4 potential options.
New A320NEO fleet comes with series of comfort improvements
Spirit Airlines announces a massive order for 100 A320NEO-series aircraft with an option for an additional 50 aircraft. Deliveries will begin in 2020 and continue through 2027. The MOU includes a mix of Airbus A319, A320, and A321 models.
Spirit has one of the youngest fleets of major US airlines. The average age of their aircraft is just 5.6 years. They currently operate 138 A320-series aircraft, including A319, A320, A321, and A321NEO jets. Over the next two years, Spirit will add 48 new NEO aircraft.
“This new order represents another milestone for Spirit,” said Spirit Airlines’ President and CEO Ted Christie. “The additional aircraft will be used to support Spirit’s growth as we add new destinations and expand our network across the U.S, Latin America and the Caribbean. We look forward to working with our valued partners at Airbus to finalize our agreement.”
Spirit Adding Passenger Comforts
It might sound like a bit of an oxymoron for Spirit Airlines to focus on improving the passenger experience. After all, they were the first US airline to charge for carry-ons and water. And they famously touted that they pre-recline their seats in an attempt to mitigate passenger issues due to their notorious tight seat pitch. For a while, Spirit was the butt of jokes for the occasional crazy passenger along with their reputation for delayed flights, poor service, and fees. This viral video by Brent Pella from late 2017 has almost 5 million views.
If you’ve flown Spirit recently though, you’ll notice that they have made a concerted effort to improve the customer experience. Their website now clearly explains their fee structure. They have focused on improving the customer experience too. They have added a variety of for-purchase unique snacks and drinks. The airline has also become more active on social media channels in an attempt to engage their customers and mitigate issues.
Spirit is adding new coach seats. The middle seat will have an additional inch of width.
Spirit has formalized their passenger experience improvements into a program called the Guest Initiative. In December 2019, Spirit plans to unveil an aircraft cabin redesign as part of its Invest in the Guest initiative. The cabin redesign will improve the look and feel of the interior while adding new, more comfortable seats that provide additional usable legroom. Spirit’s new seats will feature thicker padding, ergonomically-designed lumbar support, and a full-size tray table. Middle seats will also gain another inch of width, and every seat will gain nearly an inch of pre-recline compared to Spirit’s current seating configuration, with exit rows adding even more.
Spirit now flies over 600 flights daily to 75 destinations. They are adding 100+ jets over the next few years. And they have rightly placed a focus on improving customer service.
Have you flown Spirit recently? How was your experience? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments below.
Space is a serious endeavor. It is a dangerous and no-fail environment. Even just one error can lead to a catastrophic end as we saw twice in the Space Shuttle program. Against that backdrop, there is still room for moments of levity. Some of the more memorable moments of NASA are a witty comment by an astronaut or a catch phrase said by a mission controller at just the right moment for comedic relief. That’s why the the tradition of a wake up call is so unique.
Did Wake ups Start With the Space Shuttle?
Nope! A wake up call to astronauts is a time-honored tradition at NASA. Just like you and I, the first moments after waking up can set the tone for the day. NASA’s Mission Controllers ensured that they provided the astronauts with the best opportunity for a great day. While the wakeup call first started during the Gemini program and continued throughout Apollo and Skylab, it truly shined during the Space Shuttle era. The morning would typically consist of a relevant song for the day. Occasionally though, a special guest would join in the fun. Here are our top 5 wakeups:
5.) “Good Morning Space Shuttle!”
Back on September 30, 1988, actor Robin Williams woke up the crew from STS-26. He did a riff on his classic “Good Morning Vietnam” with a “Good Morning Discovery!” His wakeup came on the first day of a mission to deliver a satellite that would later be used for communications between the ground and various satellites to include the ISS. While there were other cases of celebrities offer a wake up and word of encouragement, the Robin Williams wake up was one of the more iconic greetings. In the video, you’ll see the mission controllers giggled like school kids as Robin Williams delighted crowds both on terra firma and in space.
On Monday, Gulfstream announced their new G700 jet at the annual NBAA conference in Las Vegas. The new Gulfstream will fly up to 19 passengers in comfort offering a master bedroom, bathroom with shower, and large galley. The jet will offer cruising speeds at .9 mach (.925 mach max), just 10% lower than the speed of sound. At .9 mach, the jet will have a range of 6,400 nm. Slowing to .85 mach for a longer range (similar to 747 speeds), the jet will offer an impressive 7,500 nm range.
Cabin mockup of the Gulfstream G700
While the new the new Gulfstream made its public debut yesterday, only a mockup of the fuselage was made available to the public at the Vegas conference. The actual first flight of the aircraft isn’t expected until 2021 with first delivery in 2022. Qatar Airways was announced as the first customer. They have committed to 10 aircraft for their private jet fleet. Flexjet will be the North American launch customer. Each G700 jet is expected to cost $75M.
G700 is a new jet but an evolution of G650 technology
Generated Image of the New Gulfstream G700
The G700 will build on the features of the G650. The aircraft is touted to have a taller, longer, wider cabin than its predecessor or near-size competition. It will feature 20 G650 style windows, a crew rest area, and a new winglet style.
In an announcement, Gulfstream President Mark Burns said, “The Gulfstream G700 takes the very best elements from our most innovative products and unites them with cutting-edge advances to create an all-new, advanced-technology aircraft that redefines safety, comfort and range at speed.”
G700 entering a competitive market
The new G700 will compete against the Bombardier Global 7500 aircraft, seen here. (Matti Blume [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)])
The larger G700 will enter a competitive landscape for the high-end, large private jet market. Bombardier has already begun to field their Global 7500 that features a slightly longer range and one foot longer than the forthcoming G700. Still both jets face competition from larger but slower 737BBJ, 787 BBJ, along with Airbus and Embraer business jets.
Running a modest (~3600 follower) aviation themed Facebook page for the past four years has been quite an education in human online behavior. I have a following of fellow professional aviators, air traffic controllers, aviation industry employees and general lovers of aviation. Most everyone abides by the unwritten laws of “netiquette” but there are of course always a few of the usual characters who don’t play well with others.
Pedants will pick out a minor mistake or unimportant nuance to trumpet superiority. Last worders must always finish any argument, and reading comprehension aficionados will repeat your point back to you as if it was their idea. Sometimes just not responding to a provocative comment will make the person doing the commenting explode. I don’t use the ban hammer often but rather try to talk excitable respondents down off the ledge. But occasionally I get a live conspiracy theorist to happen by. These guys are the most fun of all.
Pick Your Conspiracy…OK! “Chemtrails”
There are many flavors of conspiracies out there from 9/11 “truthers” to flat Earthers to the ur-conspiracy surrounding the Kennedy assassination. Rather than the dissipation of pockets of unknowing as you might expect now that we have the sum total of human science and discovery in our phones, access to the internet only seems to have injected steroids into many conspiracy theories. Confirmation bias kicks into overdrive as whole communities spring up around crazy ideas.
This image has nothing to do directly with the story. But it’s by Vic from Flickr (CC 2.0- https://www.flickr.com/photos/59632563@N04/6104068209)
Joseph Pierre, a psychiatrist writing in Psychology Today, makes the point that conspiracy believers venture from a healthy scientific skepticism into nihilistic denialism. Any and all facts are subject to question regardless of any evidence, no matter how convincing, as a matter of principle. I suppose there’s an attraction to walking around believing that you have secret knowledge to which few others are privy.
What are Chemtrails?
Chemtrails- A340 belching out Chemtrails
In aviation circles, the conspiracy of choice is known as the “chemtrail” conspiracy. A portmanteau of chemical and contrails, itself a combination of “condensation trails”, the chemtrail conspiracy posits that the lines in the sky which originate behind high flying aircraft are not condensation from the moisture in aircraft exhaust, but actually a chemical spray of nefarious origin designed for a sinister end.
These chemicals can be either psychotropic substances which are designed to keep a restive population compliant, or a melange of metallic particles which are used to control the weather or “geoengineer” the planetary climate by blocking solar radiation. This particular conspiracy dates back to the late 90s and appears to have been sparked by a military research paper speculating about a future method of warfare that might include chemical dispersion from aircraft.
A Bit of Truth In Chemtrails
The use of aircraft to spray chemicals, usually fertilizers and pesticides, has a history dating back to the 1920s.
Crop dusting could very well be the inspiration for Chemtrails (Photo: Charles O’Rear)
The first aerial application of agricultural chemicals took place in 1921 from McCook Field in Dayton, Ohio. More recently, the US military undertook a large scale defoliation effort from 1962 to 1971 during the Vietnam conflict. Dubbed Operation Ranch Hand, Air Force C-123 Provider aircraft dispensed an estimated total of 20 million gallons of herbicides over Vietnam jungles.
Given this history, it isn’t too great of a jump for the conspiracy minded to believe that the government has just upped their game and is now using commercial aircraft to poison the population or control the climate. Adherents will often conflate high altitude contrails which are a product of jet exhaust with low altitude wing top mist generation which is a result of the generation of lift in high humidity environments. Entire websites complete with well produced video content exist to promulgate chemtrail theories.
My Very Own Conspiracist
As I’d had thoughts about addressing this subject for awhile, I had the good fortune to have a true believer find his way onto my page. Let’s call him Rob (name changed). Rob started out sending me private messages asking how it was that an attitude indicator (artificial horizon) could stay erect to the horizon if an aircraft is actually travelling over a globe.
It’s actually a fair question and a real issue. He was unknowingly describing an actual phenomenon called “Earth rate” or “Earth transport” precession. An uncorrected gyro actually would slowly become inaccurate if it stayed true to its starting location as an aircraft travelled the globe. Both of these effects are accounted and corrected for in modern flight management computers.
This explanation was answered by an angry response that he’d taken an attitude indicator apart and saw no such correction mechanism. This was probably true in that general aviation aircraft don’t need such mechanisms due to their high cost and short range. A link to a Wikipedia article was met with a scoff. I didn’t really expect him to believe in anything from Wikipedia, did I? How stupid did I think he was after all?
The conversation continued in this fashion. He’d ask why an aircraft travelling in a straight line over a globe wouldn’t simply leave the atmosphere as if on a tangent line. The reply that aircraft don’t fly in straight lines but use barometric pressure to maintain altitude in the atmosphere which is curved over the planet was also scoffed at. I hadn’t “proved” anything.
It then occurred to me that he was a flat Earth believer. Rather than chase him off, I asked how he had come to his views. He mentioned that a ride in a helicopter some years past had provided him with his epiphany. He never did say exactly how that ride convinced him of the flatness of the Earth though.
I then asked for some reference material. A trove of internet memes and links to videos followed. These memes would show things like graphic representations of an aircraft flying off into space on a straight line course, or a picture of drain or fuel dump vents on airliners as proof of the conspiracy.
Concerning chemtrails, he eventually conceded that rather than a conscious conspiracy of many thousands of commercial pilots and aircraft mechanics, the chemtrail chemicals might actually be added into the fuel directly, thereby limiting the conspiracy to fuel handlers and refiners.
The Pendulum Proves The Conspiracists Wrong
Looking for a simple way to demonstrate the Earth was not flat which would not rely on technology which he mistrusted, I recalled seeing a heavy four story pendulum hung in a stairwell in the Franklin Institute science museum in Philadelphia. Every morning employees would set up a circle of chess pieces under the pendulum and set it swinging. The pendulum would knock down the chess pieces as the day progressed thereby demonstrating the rotation of the Earth. There was no way to ignore that!
Benjamin Franklin was a freemason
The answer came back that Franklin was a Freemason and, well, nothing that he touched could be trusted. Interestingly, that was followed by several videos showing Masonic iconography which depicts the sun the same size as the moon with a flat horizon in the background, so it was difficult to know whether the Masons were with him or against him. What was clear was that a thread of mystical religiosity informed his world view and he was not going to let anyone pop the bubble.
What was also clear was that he wasn’t going to attempt to address any incongruities that I raised such as how I could video call my wife from China where it was clearly dark at noon. This was just fascinating to me. I clearly didn’t want to know the “truth” of his “research” which consisted of internet memes and videos posted by like-minded conspiracists.
Is It Harmless?
By all accounts my interlocutor seemed like a nice guy who got on well enough in society to hold a job and function normally. He mentioned that his job involved some sort of mechanical proficiency, and he did spend quite a bit of time on Facebook, so he wasn’t obviously a technophobe. I even admired his inquisitiveness about the world.
He was thinking about things that many people never consider, but at some point he wouldn’t make the leap to the rational conclusion. Many of his positions started with a bit of truth which was then extrapolated to fantasy. The Psychology Today article referenced above noted that a confusion of the notions of “believe in” versus “believe that” might be part of the cause of these belief systems.
I can’t say that walking around believing in a flat Earth or chemtrails is an unalloyed tragedy. If it works for him, then great. In the words of that great 20th century philosopher, John Lennon: “Whatever gets you through the night is alright.”
Guessing I’m right about Chemtrails
One of the attributes which is emblematic of all conspiracies is that they’re unfalsifiable. Any time an explanation is offered, there will be a counter-explanation which can’t be verified. One of the best depictions of this was the scene from the first Terminator movie where Michael Biehn tries to explain to an incredulous prison doctor how robots from the future are coming to kill Sarah Connor.
Of course the joke here is that there actually were robots coming from the future to commit mayhem. But then, it was only a movie. Or was it?
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For a few years now, we’ve heard from Boeing that a NMA (or New Midsized Aircraft) is in the works. While Boeing has yet to officially name the jet, many have dubbed it the Boeing 797, following Boeing’s numerical designation for aircraft. At the major airshows, Boeing touts progress in the design, drops a few rumors about the NMA, says many airlines are interested, and then stone-cold silence follows. Recently, a new rumor has popped up. Flight Global recently reported that Boeing is looking at an engine upgrade for the Boeing 767 as an option for the NMA. Here’s why we think this option might be more likely than not.
An earliy rendering of the Boeing NMA Aircraft from 2018. (Boeing)
Boeing 767: A Resilient Design
The Boeing 767 first flew in 1981. It is design that is approaching 40 years old. Yet the design has been remarkably resilient over the years. The original intent of Boeing’s 787 was to replace the larger 767 fleet. To an extent, this is happening. American Airlines is set to retire their 767 fleet by the end of 2020. They are replacing the jet with the 787-8, providing a better passenger experience with lower operating costs, and slightly increased capacity. Other airlines like Delta and United have upgraded their 767 fleet to include new business class experiences and fresh interiors.
United Airlines Boeing 767-200; N613UA@JFK, July 1995. Photo by Aero_Icarus
While some airlines are slowly retiring their fleet, there are still a number of operators flying the jet worldwide. In fact, the last passenger 767 was delivered in 2016. Additionally, the aircraft is still in production with large backlogs for cargo operators UPS and FedEx. Boeing also has a large contract for 179 of the ‘frankentanker’, the KC-46 for the Air Force. (It’s called a ‘frankentanker’ because it has 767-200 fuselage combined with a 787-like cockpit, and wings from the 767-300 version). In short, Boeing currently has a backlog of over 100 orders that stretches well into the next decade at current production rates.
Delta Air Lines Boeing 767 Arrives at Honolulu International Airport Photo: Avgeekery
Three reasons why A Re-engined Boeing 767 Makes Sense
With the technologically advanced 787 in Boeing’s portfolio, many wonder why a re-engined 767 would make much sense. The answer lies in the fact that an upgraded 767 represents a low-cost way for Boeing to provide enhanced economics without significant risk. We dig into three reasons why this option is pretty attractive for Boeing on the next page.
As of this writing, the 737 MAX remains grounded with projected return dates now stretching into the first quarter of 2020. Boeing has not as of yet submitted the software fix for the controversial MCAS system to the FAA for evaluation. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) recently indicated that they will seek their own additional testing of the software fix possibly resulting in a staggered return of the aircraft to service.
The post-mortem examinations of what went wrong at Boeing and the assumptions that were made concerning the flawed MCAS software continue. At issue is one assumption made early on that any malfunction in the MCAS system would be immediately recognized by average pilots as a malfunction known as “runaway stabilizer” for which a checklist already exists.
The stabilizer trim system is used by the pilots or the autopilot to keep the horizontal stabilizer in “trim” which means keeping the stabilizer aligned with the slipstream of air. It does this by actually moving the entire stabilizer a through a range of angles which change with airspeed. An “out of trim” stabilizer means the stabilizer is not perfectly aligned with the passing wind. This results in the need to hold force on the control column to maintain altitude. Letting go of the controls in such a condition would result in an undesired climb or descent. A well trimmed aircraft will stay where you put it.
In the 737 MAX, the stabilizer trim is normally controlled electrically through a motor, but can also be adjusted manually through a wheel and handle on the center stand. This system has a failure mode known as “runaway trim” wherein the motor runs after the control column electric trim switch has been released most likely due to a sticky or failed switch. This malfunction can quickly result in an unflyable condition if not quickly corrected. It is this failure mode which is addressed by the “runaway stabilizer” checklist reproduced above.
Continuously or Continually?
Boeing engineers were also counting on pilots using this same runaway stabilizer checklist in the event that the MCAS system, which also uses the stabilizer trim, malfunctioned. The problem with this assumption is that the two malfunctions can appear to be very different things. During a classic stuck switch runaway trim, the trim wheel in the cockpit starts spinning and does not stop. That’s the definition of “continuously” and is correctly annotated as one of the conditions on the top of the checklist.
An MCAS malfunction, however, presented quite differently. During that malfunction, the MCAS system would spin the trim wheel forward for a specified amount and then stop. If the pilot then used the trim switches to adjust the trim in a nose up direction, a malfunctioning MCAS would wait five seconds and trim forward again after each input by the pilot. This “very often; at regular or frequent intervals” behavior of the MCAS system is the definition of “continually”, not “continuously”.
Did a grammatical error doom the 737 MAX? (Image: Boeing)
This is exactly what happened to Lion 610. After reversing the MCAS inputs multiple times, the captain passed control of the aircraft to his first officer who was apparently unaware of the inputs the captain had been making. He never countered the next MCAS input which doomed them.
From Dictionary [dot] com:
In formal contexts, continually should be used to mean “very often; at regular or frequent intervals,” and continuously to mean “unceasingly; constantly; without interruption.”
Is this a minor and pedantic point? Perhaps, but perhaps not. English is the international language of aviation, and all pilots are expected to be proficient in English to be qualified to fly in international airspace. The pilots of both Lion 610 and Ethiopian 302 were likely not native English speakers and were highly unlikely to be aware of such a nuance as the difference in meaning of these two words.
They were, however trained in the various failure modes of their aircraft, and were not likely to be expecting the intermittent behavior of the failed MCAS system. The pilots of Lion 610 had no knowledge of the existence of the MCAS system as it was not included in their flight manuals. The pilots of Ethiopian 302 did have the Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) published by Boeing describing the MCAS system, but were still slow to recognize that their problem originated from a bad MCAS system until too late.
In Conclusion
Aircraft flight manuals should contain all the information needed by pilots to safely operate their aircraft. This information should include accurate descriptions of possible failures, the recognizance of such failures, and best practices on how to solve or mitigate problems that arise. The omission of the existence and description of MCAS from the MAX airplane flight manual only compounded the problems faced by the two mishap aircrews. Faced with a fusillade of warnings and distractions which served to conceal the real nature of their problem, they were defenseless against a poorly designed and undocumented but deadly adversary.
