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Flight Sim’s Most Serious Gamer Has No Mercy For Bush League Sim Pilots

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Flight Sim’s Most Serious Gamer Has No Mercy For Bush League Sim Pilots

Almost every avgeek younger than 40 has played Microsoft Flight Simulator (aka Flight Sim or FSX) on the PC.  FlightSim started out as a solitary event.  Sim pilots would take off, fly around completely empty skies, and land.  As the internet evolved, connected gaming became more common.  Today with Steam, there are entire virtual worlds with full-on simulated ATC, multiple sim-pilots, and thousands of possible aircraft.

With any new environment, there’s bound to be a comedian.  David, also known as AirForceProud95, is just such a guy.  He’s turned social flight simming into a YouTube video series that has over 66 million views.  We had the opportunity to catch up with David recently to learn more about him and his schtick.

Our interview with AirForceProud95

1.) Hey David!  Great to chat with you.  Tell us a little about what makes you an avgeek.

I’ve been fascinated with aviation for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I always loved going to the airport to record planes taking off and landing and then posting the videos on YouTube. I got my first copy of Flight Simulator X when I was 12 years old and started uploading flight sim videos to my channel as well. My interests in flight sim actually led me into real-world flying and I’m now working towards a professional flying career.

2.) You are known for some highly-entertaining flight-sim videos on Youtube under the username AirForceProud95.  How did you get started on these videos?

I’ve been making YouTube videos since 2008 but the real juicy ones didn’t come about until late 2014. I mostly recorded “realistic” flight sim videos at first but then I started recording some regular multiplayer sessions with my friends whenever ATC would come online. I focused on humor in these videos rather than realism and I noticed that they started getting a lot of attention so I ran with the concept. And here we are today.

3.) In your videos, you seem like you have some decent flying experience and you sound fairly professional.  What’s your street cred?

I am a commercial pilot with a multi-engine rating with just over 200 hours currently. If my flight sim hours were worth anything I’d probably be sitting left seat in a Boeing 777 by now. I guess that’s not how the system works though.

4.) How did you get your username AirForceProud95?

It’s the result of a very complex algorithm that my 12-year old brain developed. My dad was a pilot in the Air Force, I was proud of him, and I was born in 1995. Hence… AirForceProud95.

5.) Your videos are impressively popular.  They’ve even been featured on Mashable and other media outlets.  Do people now recognize you when you play flight sim? 

All the time. It’s cool coming across people who know me from YouTube but it also makes recording new videos more of a challenge. Genuine reactions are always the best but people usually act differently when they know they’re being recorded (it can be pretty obvious). I usually make it work by joining random servers and trying out different accents, some of which I need to work on…

6.) Do you ever feel bad after trolling some people on Flight sim?

Not really. The goal is to have other players laughing and adding to the conversation rather than just getting people triggered. I’ve found a rhythm now where I can make entertaining videos without ruining anyone else’s time by building conversations rather than just slinging insults (Results may vary when squeakers are present).

7.)  What’s your favorite all-time video that you’ve made?

My original “Trolling as an Air Traffic Controller in FSX” video is probably my favorite. The dialogue between pilots and ATC in that video is priceless and there was a great sequence of events. If I had to show somebody only one of my videos to convince them to subscribe it would be that one.

8.) Do the videos make enough money from ads to be your primary job?

Yes, but I still approach it as a hobby. That’s what makes it fun. I’m still in college so I have other things to focus on but it’s been awesome watching the channel grow especially considering where it all started.

9.) What’s your favorite plane?

I’ve always loved the Lockheed L-1011 Tristar. It represents the glory days of commercial aviation and is super nostalgic whenever I see it in the old Delta Air Lines widget scheme. I’m also a big fan of the A-90 Orlyonok.

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Delta Air Lines Lockheed L-1011-500 Tristar (N754DL/1181)

10.) Thanks for joining us!  Anything else that you’d like to say to your fans reading about you on Avgeekery?

My pleasure! I think I’ve blogged enough so far but I’d like to thank anyone out there who watches my videos!

Highlights From United’s Last Flight of the Boeing 747-400 to Hawaii

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Highlights From United’s Last Flight of the Boeing 747-400 to Hawaii

We’ve posted quite a bit of coverage about United Airlines last 747-400 flight. For over 47 years, United has operated the Queen Of The Skies…the double-decker jet.

United really rolled out the stops for passengers on the last flight.  It included a meal far better than typical chicken or beef.  United provided a champaign toast, a first class menu to all aboard, and left the first class section open as a lounge.  It was a throwback to a different era where service was more important than profit.

November 7th marked the end of 747 service.  After the flight from San Francisco to Honolulu, the last 747 flew to Victorville for storage and eventual dismantling.

Both United and Delta are retiring their fleet of Boeing 747-400 in 2017.  By the end of 2017, no major US airline will operate the Boeing 747.  This will be the first time that a major US airline has not operated a 747 since 1969 when Pan Am launched the type.

The Boeing 747-400 launched in 1989.  The upgraded 747 offered upgraded engines, a two-man cockpit, and beautiful winglets the increased efficiency.  The upgraded 747 allowed flights that connected far-away places like Chicago to Hong Kong and New York and Shanghai.

The 747 is quickly being relegated to cargo service but a few airlines are skill sticking with the giant Boeing jet. As major US airlines retire the Boeing 747, other international airlines like Lufthansa, British Airways and Korean Air will continue to fly the Queen of the Skies in their fleet.

Gordon Bethune: The Man Who Turned Continental Airlines Around

Kim Clark
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Gordon Bethune: The Man Who Turned Continental Airlines Around

Gordon Bethune, the legendary CEO that turned Continental Airlines around when it was teetering on the brink of collapse, is one of the most acclaimed and colorful airline executives in U.S. history. Bethune left his operations executive position at Boeing in February 1994 and joined the troubled airline as Chief Operating Officer in the nick of time: at that point, Continental ranked dead last in on-time arrivals and lost baggage. They did rank #1 in one performance metric, however: customer complaints.

Prior to Bethune coming on board, Continental had ten chief executives over a two year period who all resigned or were outed from their positions. During that time, the airline filed for bankruptcy not once, but twice. Previous management employed a strategy of union busting and paying employees substandard salaries. Management was constantly at odds with workers and a former CEO went so far as to completely void union contracts.

Union Busting and Threats

At one of its lowest points, in January 1981, Texas International Airlines made a bid to acquire Continental. TIA made the offer even though Continental already had plans to merge with Western Airlines. TIA already owned almost 10% of Continental’s shares and threatened to vote its shares against the planned merger with Western. Meantime, the hostile situation with TIA CEO Francisco Anthony “Frank” Lorenzo grew worse. Lorenzo was feared by employees and for good reason.

Lorenzo was the former head of Eastern and was well known for instituting cost cuts, requiring pilots to fly excessively long hours, delaying aircraft repairs and outsourcing maintenance work to cheaper, less experienced outside contractors. Pilots, machinists, and flight attendants were often fired for not adhering to strict and arbitrary absenteeism rules and Lorenzo went so far as to fire some whistle blowers for allegations of insubordination and unsubstantiated claims of drug use.

Gunmen on the Ramp at the Miami Airport and a CEO’s Suicide

Eastern flight attendants and pilots unions went on strike in March 1989 after negotiations failed to produce labor agreements. Meantime, according to Eastern Airlines pilot James L. Caufman, private security forces entered the ramp at the Miami airport with guns and removed machinists from their jobs. Caufman witnessed the illegal lockout from the cockpit of an A-300 he was in at the time, parked on the ramp. Thousands of non-union employees were laid off.

Lorenzo was a known union buster who went head to head with Continental Chairman Alvin L. Feldman who strongly objected to TIA’s acquisition of Continental. An employee group lawyered up in an effort to halt the take-over but financing for the group fell through. Meantime, TIA wound up acquiring 49% of Continental’s shares. As Continental was preparing to publicly announce the acquisition, Feldman committed suicide in his LA office. In November, the legal battles were over and Lorenzo was elected to Continental’s Board of Directors. Even though TIA was the parent company, the merged airlines operated under the Continental brand name.

Post-Merger Bankruptcies Kept Continental Struggling

After the merger, Continental and its mechanics union could not reach a labor agreement after 19 months of negotiations and a strike ensued in August 1983. The airline continued to operate but filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy a few weeks later and laid off 65% of its workforce. Of course, the bankruptcy filing meant any existing union contracts were null and void. Lorenzo and his management team claimed high labor costs would force Continental to go out of business; while the unions said the bankruptcy was a shady legal maneuver intentionally filed to void union contracts.

In 1984, Continental started to operate profitably once again but bankruptcy protections remained in place until 1986 and agreements had to be worked out with creditors to pay off debt over a decade-long period. At that time, Continental’s pilots received an average salary that was 30% to 50% lower than before the bankruptcy filing.

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Continental ‘acquired’ New York Air. Seen is a transitional livery. Photo by Aero Icarus from Zürich, Switzerland (CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikipedia)

Continental emerged from bankruptcy on June 30, 1986 and in October of that same year, former American Airlines Senior VP Thomas G. Plaskett became CEO. Shortly afterward in early 1987, Continental merged with Frontier, People Express, New York Air, and several commuter airlines and became the third-largest U.S. airline with hubs in New York, Houston and Denver. The hasty mergers led to a very high number of customer service complaints, however, so Plaskett was removed as CEO and Lorenzo resumed his position as head of the airline.

N578PE 408 Boeing 727 243 Adv cn 21661 1394 Continental Airlines. 6715903765
A Continental 727 in Peoples Express colors. Continental’s fleet was a mishmash of colors and types in the 1980s. By Andrew Thomas from Shrewsbury, UK (CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikipedia)

Lorenzo consolidated the acquired airlines into one system and saddled Continental with mounting debt. By 1990, Continental was filing for bankruptcy once again, blaming its problems on the cost of interest on its debts and jump in fuel prices because of the Gulf War. Continental Airlines was $2.2 billion in the red thanks to Lorenzo’s fast growth now/pay later strategy. Later that year, Frank Lorenzo was forced to retire and sell his controlling stake in Continental Airlines’ to Scandinavian Airlines Systems.

Continental’s Recovery – Going Forward

When Gordon Bethune assumed control in 1994, Continental Airlines had several black eyes and was on the verge of filing for bankruptcy a third time. Bethune had completed an Advanced Management Course at Harvard Business School and laid out a plan before the Board of Directors, but at first, the Board was reluctant to make him Chief. After six months in a high-level operations position, Bethune won them over with a plan developed with Continental consultant Greg Brenneman. The plan outlined complete change instituted by a new leader, not an interim manager or committee. It was called the Go Forward plan and included product, finance, people and marketing changes.

Embed from Getty Images

Go Forward was put into action and Bethune opened the door of his executive suite to all employees, as a way to eliminate the “us-versus-them” culture that had developed under previous managers like Lorenzo. Bethune says, “We sent word into the field that henceforth we wanted our employees to use their judgment, not follow some rigid manual. When faced with an atypical situation, employees were instructed to do what was right for the customer and right for the company.”

The newly minted Continental CEO took control of cutting costs, controlling pricing, and implemented new marketing programs. The “Fly to Win” marketing plan focused on achievement and involved apologizing to travel agents for past regressions and offered them fair commission payments so they would start booking passengers on the airline again. Part of the new marketing plan involved dropping unprofitable routes and a general stance against anything that didn’t make money.

Under “Fund the Future,” the new financial plan, Bethune updated the financial system so he was always aware of how much money was being earned or lost daily. He renegotiated leases, postponed payments, improved Continental’s pricing structure and refinanced debt to avoid bankruptcy. He stated, “The first step in making a profit is to stop doing the things that are specifically causing you not to make a profit. Stop doing the things that lose money. To stop losing money, one of the things we had to do was stop flying that 18% of our routes.”

The star CEO also implemented the “Make Reliability a Reality” program aimed at improving service. Basic improvements were implemented, like prompt baggage service and on-time arrivals. Bethune used on-time percentages from the Department of Transportation as measures of reliability.

The Turn Around Plan

On a very basic level, Bethune simply treated people better and was able to overcome in-fighting between employees and departments. Reflecting on his predecessor years later, he said, “to be honest, the deal culture that had started with Frank Lorenzo still existed at Continental. Deal makers look at problems and think deals. To deal makers, the solution is always more deals.” To counter the negativity, the new management team went so far as to open up the company’s books to employees so they could see the truth, including why there may be layoffs and why pay raises might be delayed due to iffy finances. He then offered employees a $65 bonus every time the airline was ranked in the top five for on-time arrivals and performance as measured by the government.

Under the Go Forward Plan, the airline began to turn around. Customer service complaints turned into glowing reviews. All 200 planes in the fleet got a sleek new look and were painted the same way. Prior to that, Continental was flying five different liveries from the merged airlines. The result of the new uniform look for all Continental aircraft was a visual message that said the carrier had become professional and a better operator.

Continental 737 130 N77204
Although the jets weren’t new, a new unified livery brought the visual appearance of a refreshed, forward thinking airline. This Boeing 737-100 is seen in Fort Lauderdale in 1996. Photo by By Torsten Maiwald [GFDL 1.2 (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html) or GFDL 1.2 (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html)], via Wikimedia Commons
Bethune got rid of 18% of Continental’s routes because they were cash negative and shifted the airline back to a hub system, which means rather than flying from smaller cities to large ones, he placed focus on popular destinations and increased fares. In no time at all, Continental was earning more revenue while flying fewer planes.

A path towards success

The result was a resounding success. By making major changes in the day-to-day operations and corporate culture, Bethune helped Continental turn the corner toward profitability. He tried to make Continental a place where employees would be happy to work, placed real emphasis on customer service, streamlined the carrier’s image, and made hard decisions to cut unprofitable routes. Continental’s stock price rose from $2 to over $50 per share under his leadership. Fortune Magazine named Continental Airlines among the 100 Best Companies to Work for in America for six years in a row.

Gordon Bethune retired from Continental at the end of 2004. Today he is the lead director for Park Corp. Hotels and Resorts, an emeritus board member for New York Academy of Art, and serves on the Board of Directors of Sprint Corporation. Previously, he served on the Board of Directors of Honeywell and Prudential Financial. In May 2010, a merger agreement was reached between Continental and United Airlines. Its stock now trades under the UAL ticker symbol.

 

 

Watch: Air Defense Command Taught Interceptor Crews How To Survive After Ejection

Bill Walton
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Watch: Air Defense Command Taught Interceptor Crews How To Survive After Ejection

When the Air Force’s 1365th Photo Squadron shot and produced the film “ADC Life Support Training School” in 1968, Air Defense Command (ADC) had just been re-named Aerospace Defense Command. The Command’s mission was to provide comprehensive air defense of the Continental United States (CONUS). ADC therefore directly controlled all active measures, and was tasked to coordinate all passive means of air defense. This video, uploaded by YouTuber AIRBOYD, takes a look at ADC’s school designed to train flight crews to survive during and after ejection or bailout.

[youtube id=”FnHQ8VSeUwc” width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”]

F 106 Delta Dart 87th FIS
Official US Air Force Photograph

At this time ADC was equipped primarily with Convair F-106 Delta Dart and F-102 Delta Dagger single-engine jet interceptors. The First, Fourth, Tenth, and Fourteenth Air Forces along with Air Forces Iceland were responsible for a maximum of 25 Air Defense Sectors by up to 23 Air Divisions. Reorganized, consolidated, and restructured several times between ADC’s establishment in March of 1946, its brief deactivation in 1950 and its reestablishment on 1951, ADC became a separate command in 1975. ADC was inactivated in March of 1980 and its mission passed on to Air Force and Air National Guard squadrons.

F 106s 5th FIS over Mt Rushmore 1981
Official US Air Force Photograph

ADC’s week-long Life Support Training Schools taught many of the same principles as the Air Force’s other survival schools as well as the Navy’s Aircrew survival school at Pensacola. While not specific to ADC training or ejection, the procedures and practice methods are well represented in the film. Landing procedures, harness egress and parachute handling, water landings, personal flotation device procedures, survival raft procedures, parachute dragging, an actual landing after parasailing release, and much more are shown in the film. The training was conducted at Tyndall AFB in the Florida panhandle and at Perrin AFB near Sherman in northern Texas beginning in 1964.

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Official US Air Force Photograph

Blue Angels Homecoming Airshow To Feature Top Aerobatic Aircraft

Charles Atkeison
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Blue Angels Homecoming Airshow To Feature Top Aerobatic Aircraft

PENSACOLA, Fla. — The final air show of the year for the Blue Angels, the GEICO Skytypers, and a few of the top aerobatic pilots will take place this week as they perform popular demonstrations above the airfield at Naval Air Station Pensacola.

The U.S. Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron will conclude their 71st season with their annual Homecoming Air Show at the Cradle of Naval Aviation. Great weather with cool temperatures is forecast for the two-day airshow which will take place at Forrest Sherman Field on Friday and Saturday.

Gates will open both days at 8:00 a.m. EDT, and the first flights will begin 90 minutes later. Tickets remain available online and will also be available at the gate.

In addition to the two daytime shows, a Friday evening air show will illuminate the airfield by the Skytypers, the Shockwave Jet Truck, and a jet-powered Waco bi-plane known as “Screamin’ Sasquatch”.

America’s Pride, the Blue Angels, will wrap Season 71

The Blue Angels six blue and yellow F/A-18 Hornets will take-off around 2:00 p.m. each day to begin their flight demonstrations. The Diamond Team will split into a Delta and two solos minutes later as they perform nearly 30 maneuvers demonstrating the handling characteristics of the Navy’s Hornet aircraft. Stay alert for the solos’ famous sneak pass from behind the crowd.
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Photo: Charles A. Atkeison

Homecoming for the Blue Angels will be the last public flight demonstrations with the squadron for three of its pilots. Boss and Angel 1 pilot Cmdr. Ryan Bernacchi is returning to the fleet in a few weeks, and the Blues are welcoming Navy Cmdr. Eric Doyle as their new Boss for 2018-19.

The Blues also selected two new pilots in June to fly the sleek F/A-18 Hornets, Marine Maj. Jeffrey Mullins of Memphis, Tennessee, and Navy LT Andre Webb of Lawton, Oklahoma. Current pilots LT Lance Benson, who has served as Angel 4 for two seasons, and CDR Frank Weisser, who replaced fallen Blue Angel Capt. Jeff Kuss in August 2016, will both return to the fleet this month.

Maj. Mullins will fly in the Angel’s Diamond next season, while LT Webb, an F/A-18 instructor pilot, will serve as the Blue Angels new narrator and advance pilot.

GEICO Skytypers to Perform Three Warbird Demonstrations

The Pensacola airshow will also mark the final performances of 2017 for the world famous GEICO Skytypers. The squadron of six historic Navy SNJ-2 aircraft will demonstrate the same formation flying as the pilots of World War II and Korea, who took to the skies in the same aircraft to practice wartime aerial maneuvers 75 years ago.

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Photo: Charles A. Atkeison

“The end of the year show is always bittersweet we are very happy to finish a safe and productive year flying for our fans,” Skytypers Flight Leader Larry Arken remarked on Tuesday. “It is also nice to take a break and start working on so many exciting opportunities that we have for 2018.”

The team will highlight a rare twilight airshow performing in both the diamond with two solos, and the delta formations. “A majority of the team’s pilots are former Naval aviators, so the show is a bit of a homecoming for the Skytypers as well,” Team spokesperson Brenda Little said from Pensacola.

The GEICO Skytypers spend their time at each airshow site visiting local hospitals and education centers with their public outreach program. The team also hosts student groups at the airshow for a candid discussion plane side, and offers them the chance to climb aboard their historic aircraft.

The civilian aviation team, whose history dates back to the 1970’s, is concluding its 11th anniversary season as the GEICO Skytypers.

The John Klatt Air Shows powerful “Screamin’ Sasquatch” jet engine Waco bi-plane will showcase its worth, powered by over 4,000 pounds of thrust. The red aircraft piloted by Jeff Boerboon will take to the Gulf Coast skies performing aerobatic stunts which continues the stun the crowds.

Boerboon explained with a grin that the airshow crowd will hear a powerful jet engine and only see a red bi-plane; and they will continue to look around for another aircraft from where the jet engine sound is coming.

“It’s just a crazy airplane that we call cartoon aerobatics,” Boerboon said. “It’s a beefed up airplane and it’s doing things that bi-planes, or any planes, aren’t suppose to do. How many airplanes have you seen pull up to 1200 feet, stop on a vertical line, pierrot around in a torque roll and then accelerate to 80 m.p.h. going straight up? Never, never!”

Pilot Randy Ball and his popular Vietnam-era MiG-17F jet aircraft will perform over Sherman Field. Ball, who is concluding his 27th year performing in airshows, will maneuver his silver delta winged aircraft at near the speed of sound and pull nearly 8G’s as he follows the tactical performances of the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

Several static aircraft will be on display on the tarmac and inside the nearby Naval Aviation Museum. A special Kids’ Zone will be open through out the air show providing aviation themed slides and inflatable bounce attractions.

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Photo: Charles A. Atkeison

(Charles A. Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)

Blast From The Past! World Airways Set To Return?

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Blast From The Past! World Airways Set To Return?

When we first heard rumors, we thought it might be an April Fools joke.  But a quick check of the calendar proves that today is November 8th and April is way in the past.  This seems to be real news!

A recently-formed company called 777 Partners acquired the intellectual property of World Airways Inc. The company plans to launch long-haul 787 service between the US and Asia along with Latin America. According to the press release, they are negotiating with Boeing and intend to acquire 10 Boeing 787 aircraft.

Ed Wegel, Founding CEO of World commented, “World has a rich and storied history dating back to 1947. It was once the world’s largest independent charter airline, and served the US military and other clients with great distinction for many years.

“Today, we are proud to begin preparations to launch scheduled operations from the US to Asia and Latin America. We will be partnering with low cost, short haul carriers in the US and in the regions we serve to provide connecting traffic to and from our initial planned gateways. We plan to announce our new brand look and feel within the next few weeks, under the direction of our Founding CMO, Freddie Laker.”

777 Partners says that World Airways will be the first US-based long haul low-cost carrier.  While that is true, the airline is far from the only LCC flying wide-body jets.  Airlines like WOW, IcelandAir, Norwegian, and Level have launched international low-cost flights in recent years, mostly between the US and European destinations.

About World Airways

World Airways has a very storied and unique history. First launched in 1948, the airline always had close ties to the government, winning a number of government contracts to fly military, cargo, and sometimes even clandestine operators to far away destinations. Based in Oakland, World Airways one of the primary carrier to fly troops and cargo into and out of Vietnam during the War.  World Airways had a number of unique accomplishments. It was the first airline to operate the hinge-nosed version of the Boeing 747. It also was the last airline out of DaNang.  In 1975, World Airways received considerable attention as it was the last western airline to fly out of DaNang as it was falling to the North Vietnamese.  It rescued 268 people on a very overloaded Boeing 727.

After the war, World Airways continued to fly government contracted freight and passengers along with a number of civilian charters for schools, sports teams, and tours.  In the 1990s, it acquired a fleet of MD-11s to replace tired DC-10s.  The airline later added a few 747-400s to the fleet to handle growing demand after 9/11. World was acquired by American Trans Air’s parent company in 2006.  It ceased operations in 2014, blaming high fuel prices and the reduction of military contracts in the wake of sequestration and the downsizing of contract airlift requirements in the Middle East after American troops exited Iraq and reduced their presence in Afghanistan.

This new version of World Airways is expected to be headquartered in Miami.

United 747 Fleet Is Retired — So How Can You Still Fly On ‘The Queen Of The Skies’?

Kim Clark
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United 747 Fleet Is Retired — So How Can You Still Fly On ‘The Queen Of The Skies’?

It has been 47 years since Boeing rolled the first 747 off the assembly line. Boeing has made more than 1,500 of the Queen jumbo jets since 1970. The first one took its maiden flight in January 1970 with Pan American Airways. This year will mark the first time since then that the US operated 747 passenger planes will be missing from the skies, as Avgeeks around the world make plans to celebrate its send-off.

By the end of 2017, United and Delta will stop flying the passenger planes. In fact, November 7 was the last day of operations for United’s 747 fleet. United commemorated the occasion with a special flight between San Francisco and Honolulu, complete with retro styling for the flight crews who will wore 1970s style uniforms and featured music from the ’70s when 747s were the newest jet in the skies.

Delta has not finalized plans for the final flight but has scaled back routes to include only international destinations. The remaining 747s still in the air that are operated by US airlines are represented by a few charter jets and cargo operators. But that does not mean the 747 is going away completely. Avgeeks, take heart: even with United’s retirement and Delta’s planned send off, you can still catch a flight on a 747 if you fly internationally.

The Good News: Major International Airlines Are Still Flying The 747

British Airways

British Airways 747
British Airways Boeing 747-400 taking off at Sydney Airport. Photo Jeff Gilbert (http://jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6124192&nseq=24)

British Airways is still proudly operating 747-400s. With 36 of the aircraft still in service, British Airways holds the distinction of being the largest operator still using the planes. It does have a replacement plan under way, however, and is phasing out the 747s and replacing them with long haul twin jets like the Boeing 777, Boeing 787, and Airbus A380 and A350. CFO Steve Gunning, who spoke at an IAG investor event November 3, said the incoming twin jets are 30% more fuel efficient than their 747 predecessors and the airline will save $196 million in fuel costs over the next five years by retiring the older planes. The last British Airways 747 is expected to take its final flight in February 2024, according to Gunning.

Lufthansa

In fact, Lufthansa is still flying the 747-400 domestically between Frankfurt and Berlin for a limited time. According to Zach Honig at The Points Guy, Lufthansa will operate as many as five roundtrip domestic 747 flights between November 14 and November 30. Most of these are longhaul flights. The airline has not committed to a definite schedule frequency for the flights but if you want to catch one, you will have to settle for coach class since Lufthansa’s 747-400s don’t offer first class but rather, a beefed up business class option.  The airline also operates a fleet of Boeing 747-8is and 747-400 cargo aircraft.

Korean Air

Korean air 747
Korean Air Lines Boeing 747-8 at Frankfurt Airport. Photo tjdarmstadt (wikimedica commons: Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

Korean Airlines continues to operate the 747-8 Intercontinental. The passenger version of the plane made its debut in 2011. The jumbo jet can fly up to 8,000 nautical miles and seats up to 467 passengers.

Korean Air was the first airline on the planet to operate both the freighter and passenger version of the 747-8. “Korean Air has been a valued Boeing customer for more than 40 years,” says Ray Conner, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Conner goes on to say, “I am confident that the 747-8 will continue to play an important role in Korean Air’s long-term success.” Currently, Korean Air operates 737s, 747s and 777s in it’s fleet of 88 Boeing passenger jets. It’s cargo fleet are all either Boeing 747-400s, 747-8s or 777s. The airline took its first delivery of the 250-feet and 2-inches long 747-8I this summer. Boeing says the Korean Air delivery was likely the to be the very last one ever. In the U.S., no passenger airlines placed orders for the 747-8i and no future orders are expected.

China Airlines

China Air 747
China Airlines Boeing 747-400 in Frankfurt(Main) International. Photo Schummchen (wikimedica commons: Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

Other operators

In total, as of July 2017, there 489 Boeing 747 aircraft in service for commercial airlines, according to Flightglobal Ascend. They are made up of eight 747-200s, five 747-300s, 370 747-400s and 106 747-8s and are sprinkled across a number of international carriers, with previously mentioned Lufthansa,Air China, and Korean Airlines as the primary operators new -8i. Other airlines like El Al, KLM, Virgin Atlantic, and Qantas still operate the -400 series.

Boeing 747 Freighters Still in Demand

Today,  747 passenger plane operators have declined. The numbers will dwindle further over the next few years. On the flip side though, there are still operators of the Boeing freighter, some brand new. Qatar Airways just picked up its very first 747-8 freighter. Boeing does not have direct competition for its freighters which boast a huge, cavernous interior. The company expects to continue to manufacture the freighters but only plans to produce about six per year. Even though the Queen of the Skies is going to be for the most part flown out to pasture, orders for freighters occasionally roll in. Additionally, Boeing says its other jets such as its 767, 787 and the 777 will benefit from the transition away from the 747.

United Airlines Says Mahalo To The Boeing 747 With Final Passenger Flight

Bill Walton
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United Airlines Says Mahalo To The Boeing 747 With Final Passenger Flight

The appropriately named United Flight 747 pushed back from gate 86 at San Francisco International (KSFO) on Tuesday November 7th 2017 and departed about an hour late due to an air conditioning issue at 1200 local time. The 747-422 (N118UA- MSN 28811) made a pass over downtown San Francisco and the Golden Gate before heading southwest. When the flight landed at rain-soaked Daniel K. Inouye International airport (PHNL) in Honolulu almost six hours later and taxied to terminal M, the flight had re-enacted the first United Airlines 747 passenger flight some 47 years ago. The jet, delivered in 1999, sported a special retro “Friend Ship” hybrid livery first seen a month previously when United’s Family Day event at SFO featured the jet. Below is the final departure of a United Airlines 747 from SFO, posted on Twitter by United.

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Boeing 747 flies into the sunset. Image courtesy United Airlines

United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz was on hand to greet the passengers. Throwback uniforms, period-specific on-board entertainment, and a special 1970s-inspired menu along with a disco-era feel all contributed to the flight’s atmosphere being similar to that first United Airlines 747 passenger flight to HNL on July 23rd 1970. That first SFO-HNL flight was made using a 747-100 aircraft. The “Mahalo” flight used a 747-400- a more advanced version of the same basic aircraft.

Today, Boeing 777 wide-body airliners as well as next-gen 787s, even Boeing 737-900s fly the SFO-HNL route for United. Ah the wonders of Extended Twin Engine Operations (ETOPS).

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The first United Airlines 747. Image courtesy United Airlines

UAL flight 747 took nearly six hours to cover the 2,458 mile flight. The flight ended with Honolulu crew adding a giant lei over the “Queen of the Skies”.  Check out the beautiful photo of the 747’s arrival at HNL posted on Twitter by Jaspreet Singh.

United’s Flight 892 took more than ten hours to fly the 5,863 miles from Seoul in South Korea to SFO on October 29th 2017. That flight was the final United Airlines international 747 passenger flight. With the retirement of the 747 from passenger routes by United, the only American passenger carrier to continue flying the 747 is Delta Airlines. But Delta will stage a similar final 747 passenger flight in December of 2017, which will bring the era of US-based 747 passenger flights to a close.

First flown on February 9th 1969, the 747 entered service with Pan American Airlines as the aircraft’s launch customer on January 22nd 1970. United’s first 747 passenger flight took place on June 26th 1970. On April 22nd 1985 United acquired Pan Am’s Pacific routes and 11 747SP aircraft. Between January 29th and January 20th 1988, one of those 747SPs, dubbed “Friendship One”, set a new world circumnavigation speed record of 36 hours, 54 minutes, and 15 seconds. Another United 747SP was later converted into NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA).

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Image courtesy United Airlines

BREAKING: Former MLB Pitcher “Doc” Halladay Dies In Crash Off Florida Gulf Coast

Bill Walton
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BREAKING: Former MLB Pitcher “Doc” Halladay Dies In Crash Off Florida Gulf Coast

Update #1 Nov 7, 2017 6:22PM PT:  Icon Aircraft released a statement on the crash.

“We were devastated to learn that former MLB pitcher Roy Halladay died today in an accident involving an ICON A5 in the Gulf of Mexico. We have gotten to know Roy and his family in recent months, and he was a great advocate and friend of ours. The entire ICON community would like to pass on our deepest condolences to Roy’s family and friends. ICON will do everything it can to support the accident investigation going forward and we will comment further when more information is available.”

Original report:

At 1300 local time on Tuesday November 7th 2017, eight-time MLB All-Star and two-time Cy Young award winning pitcher Roy “Doc” Halladay was killed when the ICON A5 light sport amphibian aircraft he was flying crashed into the Gulf of Mexico about ten miles west of St. Petersburg in Florida. The aircraft came to rest inverted in shallow water. Halladay was 40 years old.

No cause for the crash has yet been determined and an investigation is underway. Halladay had only owned the 2018 ICON A5, a Special Edition dubbed the “Founder’s Edition 001”, since October 12th 2017. The aircraft, N922BA, was registered to his father.

The ICON A5 Aircraft

The ICON A5 is a two place light sport aircraft powered by a Rotax 912 iS fuel injected four cylinder engine producing 100 horsepower and turning a 3 bladed pusher-configured composite propeller. The aircraft required a waiver to increase its maximum takeoff weight to remain within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) light sport category. Some controversy clouded the ICON A5 due to a revised purchaser’s agreement from May of 2016 that removed mandatory cockpit voice and video recording devices.

Equipped with folding wings, a whole-airframe Ballistic Recovery Systems parachute system, and a unique (in category) angle of attack indicator, ICON A5s have been flying since 2014. Three A5s have been lost in fatal mishaps; this is the second one this year.

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Image Courtesy ICON Aircraft

“Doc” Halladay’s MLB Resume

Roy “Doc” Halladay pitched for a total of 16 seasons in the big leagues. He broke into “the show” with the Toronto Blue Jays of the American League (AL) in 1998. He played 12 seasons there and then another four seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies of the National League (NL). Halladay won 203 games with a 3.38 ERA.  He also won the Cy Young in 2003 (in the AL) and 2010 (in the NL). On May 29th 2010 Halladay pitched the 20th perfect game in MLB history. “Doc” Halladay then threw the second no-hitter in MLB postseason history in the same season- the first pitcher to accomplish that feat since Nolan Ryan in 1973. Halladay will be eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019.

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Provides the Full Spaceflight Experience

Charles Atkeison
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Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Provides the Full Spaceflight Experience

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Exploring space with new simulators and witnessing the thundering launch of a rocket into Earth orbit and beyond are a few of the highlights designed to educate and excite the public at the Kennedy Space Center’s Visitor Complex.

As families look toward America’s Space Coast for its sugar beaches and great seafood, the excitement of the Kennedy Space Center is also tops on their list. The next generation of space explorers and engineers are leaving their princess dresses and superhero outfits behind for flight suits and NASA caps, and interacting with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) core values not provided in most schools.

One of many jewels located on the Merritt Island wildlife refuge is NASA’s fourth space shuttle orbiter Atlantis, on display with a 43.21 degree tilt to allow guests the only unique opportunity to view the inside of a payload bay. Atlantis helped deliver supplies and hardware to assist in the construction of the International Space Station, and she served as a platform in space as astronauts made the last servicing call to the Hubble Space Telescope.

A Journey Through Space Program History

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Photo by Charles A. Atkeison.

The Visitor Complex is also host to updated exhibits featuring artifacts from both the early days of the space program and the space shuttle, and today includes a high quality mission to Mars simulation aboard a future Orion spacecraft. The newly added Cosmic Quest allows visitors to take a realistic mission to Mars, the space station, ride a rocket launch, or test your steady hand as you capture an asteroid.

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Photo by Charles A. Atkeison.

“Never before have we been able to offer our younger guests the opportunity to engage directly with NASA designed missions in this way,” KSC Visitor Complex chief operating officer Therrin Protze said. “By introducing Cosmic Quest, guests discover firsthand how to launch a rocket, redirect an asteroid, and build a habitat on Mars – all based on real NASA missions. This game play experience is designed to inspire and educate young people about STEM.”

As you move from the historic rocket garden toward the Orbit Cafe, you will likely meet up with a former astronaut during your tour. Astronauts from the Apollo and shuttle programs provide both insight and behind-the-scenes details of their space flight and what it took for him or her to earn a space flight.

“I always enjoy coming back to the Kennedy Space Center as it brings back a flood of memories from my days launching on the space shuttle,” said former NASA astronaut Dr. Don Thomas who flew four times aboard the space shuttle. Thomas is one of a handful of astronauts who visits the space center to speak with children, both young and old, about what it is like to travel in space.

“It’s great fun participating in Dine With an Astronaut,” Thomas noted as we stood near shuttle Atlantis on Sunday. “Besides a discussion of what space food is like and how we prepared our meals in space, it is a great opportunity to share some personal stories from my four missions in a more informal setting. I think the astronauts enjoy it as much as the visitors.”

Thomas discusses in length about one of his favorite shuttle missions in his book Orbit of Discovery. A popular book located in the Visitor Complex gift shop, it expands upon his own discussion and a personal question and answer session with the guests.

Experience The Thrill Of A Launch

Adjacent to Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center is the Shuttle Launch Experience and the ability to simulate the feel of a real shuttle launch. The astronaut engineered and test-flown flight simulator rotates into a launch position and provides a rumble and G-forces during lift-off. You’ll likely hear the clanging of loose change and keys from pockets following the 45-degree rotation prior to flight so be warned.

“To get my launch fix these days I enjoy the Shuttle Launch Experience which does a great job simulating what a launch aboard the space shuttle was like,” Dr. Thomas explained. “All the vibrations, rattling, and rolling takes me back to launch days when I was all strapped in and ready to go.”

See The Shuttle Successes And Failures Up Close

One longtime NASA engineer who rose to chief of the processing of the space shuttle orbiters for flight appreciates what the center has accomplished in sharing the whole story of the shuttle program. He later notes that the newly added Challenger and Columbia exhibit is an added value to the Visitor Complex.

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Photo by Charles A. Atkeison.

“It’s pretty amazing to have Atlantis right here, and I tell guests we never had this view while we were working on it,” said Terry R. White, former shuttle processing chief who today serves as a NASA docent near shuttle Atlantis. “It was in a hanger all surrounded by steel. So the only one who had this view — until this display was set up — was an astronaut on a spacewalk, or an astronaut aboard the space station.”

“It’s a little bit heartbreaking to see it in this state, but now it serves a whole new role as to educate people,” White explained. “Hopefully we can educate in the needs to continue flying in space, and get everybody around the world to fund it because we receive so many benefits from space.”

White adds he prepared Atlantis for each of her 33 space flights in one way or another. He also worked to process space shuttle Challenger for flight, including her ill fated final flight in 1986. He recognizes the benefits of the Visitor Complex newly opened memorial to Challenger and Columbia.

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Photo by Charles A. Atkeison.

“Recently they opened a nice memorial to both crews and the vehicles — they did a nice presentation,” White said as he gave a nod of appreciation. Fourteen windows peer into the life of each astronaut lost aboard Challenger and Columbia in 2003. From the music they performed, sports they played, and the hobbies they enjoyed, the Visitor Complex pays tribute to the two crews.

As you pass from the crew remembrance you next embark upon a dark room highlighted by two blue illuminated large windows each framing a section of debris from each of the lost orbiters. A section of Challenger’s left fuselage and the burned window frame from Columbia’s cockpit are on permanent display several meters from their sister ship.

I asked Terry White if placing the orbiter debris on public display felt right with him, “From my point of view, let people see it, understand it, and maybe that will make them make different choices in the future. Let people analyze what we need to do to make things safer.”

As White spoke to admirers of Atlantis, this aerospace journalist watched as his friendly manner and motivated discussions brought visitors together to lean in and learn more about the storied spacecraft. In 2011 and after 30 years of processing space shuttles, Terry White was named a Kennedy Space Center Living Legend by his peers and NASA management.

Bus tours of the business side of the Kennedy Space Center will take you to historic areas such as the space shuttle runway, a real Saturn 5 moon rocket, and the massive Vehicle Assembly Building. The 526-foot tall building, featuring a huge United States flag and the NASA logo on one side, is one of the largest single story buildings in the world by volume.

The VAB provided NASA a place for the precise stacking both the Saturn V and 1B stages, and later, the stacking of the shuttle’s solid rocket boosters and subsequent mating of the space shuttle’s three key components, orbiter, external tank, and boosters. Shuttle pilots called it the “sugar cube” as its small white box shape was the first space center landmark returning crews saw on approach to its three-mile long runway.

The Hall Of Fame For Space Heroes

Heroes and Legends featuring the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame is an exciting new exhibit designed to inspire future space explorers and open their minds. Simulated holograms and virtual reality will allow you to soar with astronauts as they detail the story of a selected mission.

The newly upgraded Astronaut Hall of Fame is also located in the new building following its move from its former location at the main gate of the space center. This past May, two former shuttle astronauts, Michael Foale and Ellen Ochoa, were inducted into the Hall during a public ceremony beneath Atlantis — both of whom flew aboard the now retired shuttle.

Kennedy Space Center is short drive east from Orlando along highway 50 with a right onto the 405 at Titusville and into the space center. Travel north or south on I-95 will also make travel easy as you take exit 215 and stay east.

Gates open at 9:00 a.m. EDT, and the multiple ticket options will allow guests to explore different regions of the space center based on your schedule. Tickets are available online via KennedySpaceCenter.com or at the entrance to the space center.

(Charles A. Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)

Watch: Those Close To The 747 Say Their Goodbyes And Share Their Experiences

Bill Walton
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Watch: Those Close To The 747 Say Their Goodbyes And Share Their Experiences

747s will soon disappear from passenger service by the tow remaining US operators. That’s not news. But this video from CBS Sunday Morning is an entertaining and revealing look at Boeing’s iconic jetliner. While air freight companies will continue to fly 747s, many passenger airlines like United are planning to retire the jumbo by the end of the year. In fact United will fly their last passenger flight on Tuesday November 7th. The video includes interviews with historians, pilots, and others connected with the 747.

[youtube id=”6SsnBmRt4i4″ width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”]

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Image courtesy Boeing

An Incredible Journey

First flown in 1969, the 747 entered service with Pan American Airlines in January of 1970. Boeing has produced 1,539 747s (all variants). Since 1990, the Air Force’s two VC-25As (747-200Bs) carried the President of The United States. Other military 747s include the E-4B airborne command post, the YAL-1 airborne laser platform, a pair of (now-retired) Shuttle Carrier Aircraft for NASA. There were also several experimental types including the KC-33A aerial refueling tanker (not produced).  There were also a few novel ideas for ‘the queen’.  They included the 747 CMCA cruise missile carrier, and even the 747 AAC (Airborne Aircraft Carrier) which was intended to launch ten small fighter aircraft.

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Official US Air Force photograph

747s have also been used as aerial fire-fighting platforms, and for the Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). 21 major models of the 747 have flown since production began in 1968. A major star in movies, 747s demanded top billing in the Universal Pictures disaster films “Airport 1975” from 1974 and “Airport 1977” from 1977. The climactic scenes of 20th Century Fox’s 1990 drama “Die Hard 2” starred a 747 as did the 1996 Warner Brothers drama “Executive Decision”, Columbia’s “Air Force One“ from 1997, and New Line Cinema’s 2006 film “Snakes On a Plane.”

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Image courtesy NASA

The Panther: The F9F Panther Was The First Jet-Powered Grumman Cat Fighter

Bill Walton
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The Panther: The F9F Panther Was The First Jet-Powered Grumman Cat Fighter

Grumman’s Panther Jet Was The Navy And Marine Corps Jet Workhorse of the Korean War

Grumman built several notable fighters but their F9F Panther was the first jet powered fighter. One of the workhorses of the Korean War and the very first jet aircraft flown by the Navy’s Blue Angels, the Panther was one of many designs conceived during World War II that were dependent on the slow pace of turbojet engine development to get off the ground. Ironically the genesis of the Panther actually traces back to the two-seat Grumman G-75 design that lost out to the Douglas XF3D-1 Skyknight in 1946.

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Official US Navy Photograph

A Different Breed of Grumman Cat

Even though the Navy’s Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer) issues a contract to Douglas for the F3D-1, they also issued a contract to Grumman for two XF9F-1 (G-75) prototypes in 1946. It’s been said that BuAer doubled down when they issued contracts to both companies. In any case, BuAer agreed with Grumman’s revised plan to develop a different single-seat design (the G-79) under the contract issued for the G-75. That’s how the G-75 became the G-79 (F9F-2) and then became the straight-winged conventional tailplane-equipped F9F Panther.

F9F 5 Panther of CAG Carrier Air Group 2 in flight c1954
Official US Navy Photograph

Engine Technology Fails Another Jet Fighter- For a Time

Grumman test pilot “Corky Meyer” flew the prototype on November 21st 1947. But like all jet-powered fighters in development at the time, the Panther went through considerable engine churn for quite some time- even after production started. Initially powered by the Pratt & Whitney J42 turbojet engine- a contract-built version of the Rolls-Royce Nene, Panthers were fitted with permanent wing tip tanks to provide enough fuel for the inefficient (read thirsty) jet engines of the time. Irony strikes gain:  The tip tanks actually improved the Panther’s roll rate.

F9F 5 Panther of VF 154 on USS Princeton CVA 37 in May 1953
Official US Navy Photograph

The First Fighter/Attack Guys?

After passing carrier qualification testing the F9F-2 Panther was cleared to operate from aircraft carriers. Equipped with four 20 millimeter cannons mounted under the nose of the aircraft and capable of carrying bombs on underwing hardpoints and rockets on underwing rails, Panthers were fighter-bombers from the start. Close air support (CAS) became a primary role for both Navy and Marine Corps Panthers. Early F9Fs experienced tailhook and aft fuselage problems that were so severe that entire aft fuselages were pulled from recovering jets. Grumman fixed these issues before the next major variant of the jet was introduced.

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Official US Marine Corps Photograph

Slower in the Pattern Around the Boat = Good Thing

The F9F-4 was a development of the first jet cat with a longer fuselage to increase internal fuel capacity and larger vertical stabilizer for better lateral stability. Originally powered by Allison J33 engines, many F9F-4s later received the tried and true P&W J42 engines. One new aspect of the F9F-4 was pressurized bleed air used to simulate higher speed across the flaps. This modification, using engine compressor stage bleed air, yielded a nine knot slower stall speed and a 7 knot slower approach speed. F9F-5s received another thousand pounds of thrust when they were powered by the stronger P&W J48 engine. Anti-stall fences were mounted just outboard of the wing roots as well.

F9F 2 Panther of VF 24 over Korea in June 1952
Official US Navy Photograph

The Panther Heads to Korea

Panthers became operational with VF-51 Screaming Eagles during May of 1949 and VF-11 Red Rippers at Naval Air Station (NAS) San Diego a few months later. During August of 1949 VMF-115 Silver Eagles at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point received their first Panther jets. The first Navy Panther squadrons to see action in Korea were VF-51 and VF-52 Knightriders. The Marines of VMF-311 Tomcats arrived first in Korea during December of 1950 flying their F9F-2B Panthers.

F9F VMF 115 Pohang 1953
Official US Marine Corps Photograph

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