Editors note: This article will be updated as we learn additional information. Latest update: 29 Dec 24, 1400 EST
JeJu Air Flight 2216 Crashed At Muan International Airport Killing 179 People, 2 Survivors
A Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crashed at Muan International Airport in Jeollanam, South Korea today. Flight 7C2216 was scheduled from Bankok, Thailand to Muan, South Korea. In video footage, the jet was seen landing on the runway without its gear extended before slamming into an approach lighting berm.
The Boeing 737-800 aircraft involved in the crash was HL8088. According to Airfleets.com, it first entered service in April of 2009 with Ryanair. The jet later entered service with Jeju Air in 2017.
Video below. We warn you that the footage is difficult to watch.
🚨#BREAKING: Video shows crash of Jeju Air Flight 2216 in South Korea. 181 people on board.
At least 28 killed in South Korea plane crash, fate of 151 people still unknown pic.twitter.com/QnmB9PbcDO
Many Fatalities on JeJu Air Flight 2216, Only two survivors
There were 181 people on board including 175 passengers and 6 crew members. A translated South Korean news report stated, “All passengers who crashed at Muan Airport are presumed dead except for 2 survivors.”
Video online showed an engine issue prior to landing
A video posted on X showed a Jeju Air 737-800 with an engine issue. Multiple posts online say that this was the same aircraft involved in the accident.
🚨🇰🇷 SHOCKING FOOTAGE: BIRD STRIKE SEEN ON JEJU AIR FLIGHT 2216 BEFORE CRASH
Flight Radar 24 data shows a typical approach profile to runway 1 with the last information received at 450 feet AGL. The data shows a slight climb prior to the data stopping. Flight Radar’s blog on the crash states that “there are multiple possible possible explanations for why an aircraft would stop sending ADS-B messages, including loss of electrical power to the transponder, a wider electrical failure, or pilot action on the flight deck.”
Based on the position of the video (see previous post), it would appear that the 737 was landing on RWY 19 (in the opposite direction of the last received ADS-B position). This leased us to believe that the final ADS-B messages we received represent preparation for a possible… pic.twitter.com/b4EIkNBBss
AirNavRadar reported that the same jet declared an emergency two days earlier. However, it appears to be due to a medical emergency onboard.
We can confirm that yesterday, December 27, 2024, the Boeing 737-8AS (Registration HL8088) involved in today's accident declared an emergency and diverted to Seoul.
AirNavRadar reported that the same jet declared an emergency two days ago and diverted to Incheon International Airport. However, a Korean news source states that the reason for the diversion was due to a Chinese passenger complaining of head and chest pain.
Flying a B-52 close behind a tanker during air refueling is one of the most demanding maneuvers in aviation. It may look steady and controlled from the outside, but inside the cockpit, it’s a tense balancing act.
Air refueling is supposed to be a very benign maneuver. But there is nothing ‘normal’ about being in a large aircraft just 6-18 feet away from another airliner-sized jet.
For the uninitiated, it’s more of a clench your jaw, squeeze your calves, and a ‘give it all you got’ type of moment. That apprehension leads pilots to tend to over-control the aircraft. New pilots will typically attempt to move too abruptly into the contact position. Their nerves and lack of experience mean that they’ll either get too close (forcing a breakaway) or fail to maintain a stable-enough position to grab a plug.
From experience, I can tell you that even the most generic, blue-skies weather air refueling between two large aircraft is an intense moment. Add weather, turbulence, darkness, a student boom operator, or a maintenance issue, and the intensity of the moment skyrockets.
It takes discipline, focus, constant practice, and a conscious effort to ‘chill’ while air refueling. Many instructor pilots teach with a mantra that says, “Slow is fast, and fast is slow.” Start stable, stay stable. While the mission requires refueling, it actually wastes more time to make a hasty attempt and fail than to just move towards the refueler at a steady pace.
So I get it, air refueling is hard…What’s your point?
Photo: US Air Force
My point is that the guys in these pictures have balls of steel. B-52 and KC-135 pilots used to execute a ‘confidence’ maneuver known as wifferdills. They not only did it in a dissimilar KC-135 and B-52 formation (which is challenging), but they did it IN contact, meaning that they were less than 20 feet away from each other with a boom connecting the two of them.
The maneuver was designed to build confidence. It was typically reserved for the instructor upgrade program. The philosophy was that air refueling wasn’t just about flying the perfect airspeed, holding a precise attitude, and heading.
As a KC-135 pilot, it was more important to be a stable platform. Any control inputs should be predictable. Any abruptness or large adjustments would make the receiver’s job harder, if not impossible. For the B-52 pilot, it was important to teach upgraders that successful air refueling meant following the tanker.
They should do what the tanker does to get the gas. If the pilot successfully followed the tanker and avoided focusing on the horizon or other distractions, they would get the gas. To prove this, the instructors’ crews would coordinate a wifferdill. If the student stayed ‘on the boom’ during the maneuver, they would be surprised to recognize that they were slicing through the sky at sharp (but not heavily loaded) bank angles.
Do they still do this training?
Sadly, no. This training was done when the KC-135 and B-52 were both part of Strategic Air Command, or SAC. SAC pilots took intense pride in flying excellence, professionalism, and discipline. Once SAC was dissolved, KC-135s moved over to Air Mobility Command in the early 1990s. The wifferdill ‘confidence maneuver’ faded with the command. Air refueling today is much more benign.
The Concorde was said to be ahead of its time in the 20th century, achieving a speed of 1,354 miles per hour — twice the speed of sound. The Concorde was capable of flying from London to New York in under three hours. It was discontinued in 2003, and none of the 20 Concordes made are still flying today.
Some passengers are curious if there are plans for an even faster jet, and many companies from around the world are working tirelessly to achieve this milestone. Here are four revolutionary jets looking to make history in the future.
Boom Overture: The Self-Proclaimed ‘ World’s Fastest Airliner’
Four Jets Promising to Travel Faster than the Concorde 5
Boom promises the Overture jet to achieve a Mach speed of 1.7 above water, and can carry a range of 64 to 80 passengers in a business configuration. United Airlines states an overture flight from Newark to London would take three and a half hours. Also having been ordered by American Airlines and Japan Airlines, this could be one of the more accessible high-speed jets one would board in the near future.
Former Concorde Pilot Mike Bannister got to pilot the Overture during a flight deck test and had this to say about Boom’s promising supersonic aircraft:
“I’ve long believed that Overture is the rightful successor to Concorde…After experiencing Overture’s flight deck, which is incredibly well designed and delightful to fly, my excitement and enthusiasm for this aircraft has only intensified.”
Boom is also developing its own engine known as ‘Symphony’ with StandardAero assisting in both production and testing in San Antonio, Texas.
Founded in Denver, Colorado, Boom’s Overture aircraft will be assembled in Greensboro, North Carolina. Boom press releases indicate that the Overture may be able to fly with passengers starting 2029.
Venus Detonation Ramjet: Faster than the Concorde?
Top Speed
4,603 miles per hour
Capacity
Unknown
Range
5,000 miles
Planned Year for Service
Unknown
While Venus Aerospace manufactures its own jets, the company is creating a buzz around a new hypersonic engine. The Venus Detonation Ramjet 2,000lb (VDR2) promises to become a ‘major breakthrough’ in fast travel.
The VDR2 comprises just one simple engine that can hope to achieve up to 3,000 miles per hour, or Mach 6, on its aircraft. This versatility allows other manufacturers to potentially build their own supersonic jets with a capable engine such as the VRD2.
The Texas-based company has partnered with Ohio company Velontra to develop this new engine. Velontra Chief Operating Officer Eric Briggs addressed the media on this partnership:
“We can’t wait to dig in, make the first one fly, and ultimately perfect an engine concept that has lived mostly in textbooks but never as a production unit in the air.”
Venus Aerospace is hoping to give the engine its first drone-operated flight in 2025.
Venus also plans to begin production of the Venus Stargazer M400 some point in the 2030s. The Stargazer is slated to seat a dozen passengers at a time and achieve a Mach 9. At 6,905 miles per hour, such aircraft would fly from New York to Tokyo in just an hour.
Nanqiang: From China to Los Angeles in Just Two Hours?
China also has plans to develop a hypersonic jet that may also achieve Mach 6. The Nanqiang No. 1 is said to fly anywhere in the world in two hours or less — “just as convenient as riding your local bus.”
Having started in 2019, the project is taking place at an unnamed location inside China’s Fujian Province. Lead project scientist Yin Zeyong claimed the Nanqiang will ‘change human civilization’.
The Nanqiang’s engine will be a combined cycle engine. The lab dubbed it the “MUTTER” engine, standing for ‘”‘multi-ducted twin-turbines ejector-ramjet’. The engine will also be equipped with two supplemental turbine engines.
In terms of seating capacity, the Nanqiang is currently planned to only have 10 passenger seats.
The similarities with Venus Aerospace don’t stop there. China will also plan to conduct a drone-piloted flight of the Nanqiang in 2025. The lab projects 2035 as a tentative date for when the plane will officially be ready to fly passengers.
Will the Yunxing Be First to Fly?
Yunxing Aircraft designed by Space Transportation for supersonic travel.
While not promised to be as fast as the Nanqiang No. 1 or Stargazer M400, the Yunxing will still look to achieve speeds of up to 3,045 miles per hour. At Mach 4, the Yunxing is said to be twice as fast as the Concorde.
As a tradeoff for slightly slower speeds compared to the other “Mach 6” jets, the Yunxing will be able to carry as many as 70 passengers at a time. A hypothetical London flight to New York would take the Yunxing under two hours.
The Yunxing will also be able to fly at an altitude of over 65,600 feet. Passengers who fly as high as 50,000 feet are able to see the Earth’s curvature.
Despite the successful test flight, Chinese professors claim more fine-tuning can be done to make further improvements on the Yunxing. Despite this, Space Transportation is aiming to get the Yunxing in service by 2027. This is a good handful of years before we could get to see the Stargazer M400 or Nanqiang No. 1.
Elegant and offering pressurized cabin comfort, the Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador found a brief niche with BEA British European Airways, whose image was elevated because of it. A crash with Manchester United Team defined an otherwise mid-century airliner
Design Origins of the Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador
As had occurred in other parts of the world, sights set on World War II’s end signaled a beginning—in this case, of commercial aviation no longer interrupted by conflict and the development of passenger, cargo, and mail aircraft optimized for it.
Taking its name from Lord Brabazon of Tara, the Brabazon Committee was established in Britain to study the emerging markets and then determine the most suitable types to serve them, whether powered by piston, turboprop, or pure-jet engines.
Aircraft Was Designed To Replace The DC-3 and Vickers Viking
Airspeed AS 57 Ambassador G-ALZR of BKS, Liverpool 1968. Image: Calflyer001, CC 2.0
One encompassed European routes, on which the Douglas DC-3 and the Vickers Viking had mostly been deployed, but their replacements needed to incorporate increased seating and the latest technical advancements.
Airspeed was selected to fill the Brabazon Committee’s Type 2A requirement.
Founded in Yorkshire by Alfred Hessel and Neville Shute Norway, both of whom were airship engineers, in 1931, it entered the aerial stage with its AS.1 Tern, a small glider which attracted publicity because of its record-breaking flights. It was followed by its first powered airframe, the ten-passenger AS.4 Ferry, which featured two de Havilland Gipsey II engines and a third upper wing-mounted Gipsey III.
Airspeed Was Formed
Renamed Airspeed (1934) Limited that very year after it was financially-supported by Swan Hunter Wigham Richardson, Ltd, Tyneside Shipbuilders, it was able to embark upon a more ambitious design program, eventually producing the AS.6 Envoy, the AS.8 Viceroy, and the AS.10 Oxford.
“With the outbreak of war in September 1939, Airspeed found itself with a range of aircraft which did not meet the beckoning requirements of the Royal Air Force (RAF), and in 1940 it was announced that de Haviland Aircraft Company had purchased a controlling interest in Airspeed (1934) Limited,” according to BAE Systems.
It was subsequently chosen to manage the Ministry of Aircraft production facility in Christchurch, New Zealand, one of Britain’s commonwealth countries.
Although it concentrated on the production of de Havilland types, such as the Mosquito, the Sea Vixen, and the Vampire, it was tasked with developing Britain’s first purposefully-designed post-war airliner.
“Entered upon in 1943, the Airspeed AS.57…had been seen as belonging to a second post-war generation to replace improvised aircraft or types not ideally suited to the routes, which would be hurried into operation when the war ended,” advises C. Martin Sharp in DH: A History of deHavilland (Airlife, 1982, p. 287).
Design Features of the Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador
Resembling, in overall configuration, the Fokker F.27 Friendship and the Handley Page Herald of the day, the AS.57 Ambassador featured a clean, all-metal, almost circular cross section fuselage with an 82-foot length. Low to the ground, it facilitated boarding, loading, servicing, and maintenance.
One of its cornerstones was its thin, high-aspect ratio, high-mounted, 115-foot wing, which increased speed, decreased drag, and afforded unobstructed passenger views from the cabin.
Power was ultimately provided by two 2,625-hp wing-installed, nacelle-encased, 18-cylinder, two-row Bristol Centaurus 661 radial engines, whose advantages were many.
A large power reserve in the event of engine loss.
A high cruise speed.
The ability to in- or decrease cruise speed based upon departure delay or other-airline competition on the same route.
Yaw axis control was achieved by means of three vertical fins and drag was decreased with a retractable tricycle undercarriage.
How Many People Could the Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador Carry?
Airspeed initially considered 40-passenger four-abreast and 60-passenger four- and five-abreast internal configurations in a pressurized cabin.
How Fast Could The Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador Fly?
Speed varied from a 260-mph cruise to a 312-mph maximum. Range was 550 miles, sufficient for most continental European routes.
An Elegant Design
“The Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador was an elegant, high-wing, two piston-engine airliner design with triple tail fins,” according to BAE Systems’ “Airspeed Ambassador: The Elizabethan Class Airliner of the 1950s” entry. “It had its origins in the Brabazon Committee’s Type 2A (category), originally calling for a piston-powered short-haul feederliner intended to replace the Douglas DC-3 to Ministry Specification 25/43.”
Two prototypes were authorized and their performance was seen as leading to airline interest and orders.
Flight Test Program Ready To Launch The New Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador
Powered by two 2,400-hp Bristol Centaurus 631 engines and piloted by Chief Test Pilot George B. S. Errington and Flight Engineer John Pear, the first prototype, registered G-AGUA, took to the air from Christchurch on July 10, 1947 still in unpressurized form. Although its 45-minute maiden mission could be labeled “satisfactory,” it revealed a few shortcomings, including less-than-effective ailerons and the need for additional flight control development.
The second prototype, G-AKRD, featured both pressurization and a fixed tail bumper to minimize under-fuselage damage in the event of runway strikes when it first flew in August of 1948. But while the airfoils of both were designed to increase lift, they revealed that they required additional strengthening, which delayed the program.
The type’s pressurization was tested when a fuselage was submerged in Portsmouth Docks, located only a short distance from the production plant.
Launched With An Order For 20 Aircraft
BEA, which placed a 3 million British pound launch order for 20 aircraft on September 23, also provided input about needed modifications for its routes, particularly a 47-passenger interior.
A third prototype, conforming to an Ambassador 2, introduced the more powerful Bristol Centaurus 661 engines and gross weight increase from 45,000 to 52,500 pounds. This was later increased to 55,000 pounds.
Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador Enters Service
Having principally operated smaller, earlier-generation aircraft, such as the Vickers Viking and the Douglas DC-3, BEA eagerly needed the larger, more modern Ambassador to enhance its image and cater to greater demand, particularly on the well-traveled continental routes, during the summer of 1951.
Because the modification-caused delays hindered timely delivery, it temporarily operated a loaned example, registered G-ALZN, replacing some of its Vikings between Northolt and Paris.
Delivery of its first full-production standard aircraft, G-ALZS, enabled it to enter a new chapter in its history. As the largest, most modern, and luxurious type it ever operated, it emphasized its newly-introduced prestige by dubbing it “Elizabethan Class,” and each was named after a notable figure from the Elizabethan era. It was inaugurated into service between London and Paris-Le Bourget on March 13, 1952.
Initial Success
Although it progressively replaced its Vikings with AS.57s and took delivery of all 20 ordered aircraft by March of the following year, it introduced all-first-class Silver Wing service on certain routes.
“The Elizabethan Class was an instant success, so other key routes were quickly introduced and at one point, the Ambassador became BEA’s most used aircraft, each attaining more than 2,230 flying hours per annum,” according to BAE Systems.
In its April 17, 1955 timetable, by which time it had already begun to take delivery of turboprop-powered Vickers Viscounts, it advertised, “Fly BEA Silver Wing: First Class services to Paris, Brussels, and Lisbon,” the first two of which were served with Ambassadors.
“Elizabethan airliners leave London Airport daily at 1:00 p.m.—flying time one hour, 20 minutes,” its timetable further noted. “Daily return service leaves Paris at 12:30 p.m.” The Brussels flight departed at 12:45. “Special ‘Silver Wing’ lunch served,” it emphasized.
An aircraft schematic indicated a three-person cockpit crew consisting of the captain, the first officer, and the radio officer; a forward galley and baggage compartment; a 47-passenger cabin with some rear-facing seats; and an aft wardrobe, toilet, and freight hold. Its “Elizabethan” aircraft, it stated, were de Havilland-Airspeed AS.57s, of which it operated twenty.
Tragedy Strikes With Manchester United On Board
Newspaper coverage of the Manchester United crash. Image: edwin.11 Flikr
Although the type was involved in a few nonfatal mishaps, its record was shattered on February 6, 1958 when aircraft G-ALZU, chartered by Manchester United and operating as Flight BE 609, failed to achieve airborne speed at the Munich-Riem Airport.
After beating Red Star Belgrade and making it through to the European Cup’s semi-finals, the football players boarded the AS.57, which made an intermediate refueling stop in Germany.
Under the command of Captain James Thain, it twice conducted its acceleration run, only to be twice aborted because its engines failed to achieve their full power output.
Despite mounting snow and slush, the crew elected to make a third takeoff attempt, now penetrating near-blizzard conditions. Plowing through speed-inhibiting accumulations, it was unable to reach its rotation speed and careened through a fence and into a house instead.
“Thick flames began to envelop the plane…the house caught fire before a hut filled with tires and fuel exploded,” according to Tom Herbert’s “Munich Air Disaster” coverage of the crash in the London Evening Standard.
Of the six crew members and 38 passengers on board, two of the former and 21 of the latter perished, and it took a decade to exonerate the captain, who was initially accused of attempting the takeoff without proper deicing, before the probable cause was ultimately determined as obstructing surface conditions.
Program Conclusion
In order to market the Ambassador, P. E. Gordon-Marshall of the de Haviland business department was appointed to the Airspeed board, but de Havilland itself acquired control in 1948 and fully absorbed it three years later.
“The Airspeed spirit remained, and nothing did more to keep it alive than the stalwart service which the fleet of Ambassadors…gave it for five to six years on the routes of BEA, albeit under the name Elizabethan, which the airline bestowed on it,” according to Sharp (op. cit., p. 289).
After those five or six years, it began to replace its AS.57 fleet with faster, turboprop-powered Viscounts, to which its passengers flocked when given the choice, leaving it to operate its last revenue service on July 30, 1958.
Nevertheless, as the type’s only original carrier, it was able to claim many achievements—namely, it resulted in lower operating costs, a decline in time needed for maintenance, higher load factors than those experienced by any other aircraft it had flown up to the summer of 1957, and a longer service life of its Bristol Centaurus engines than that of any other powerplant it had employed.
In March of 1957, it recorded a 71.9-percent load factor on its Ambassador flights and during the five years preceding it, its fleet had accumulated 151,741 airborne hours.
Second-hand examples were subsequently acquired by the likes of Autair International, BKS Air Transport, and Dan-Air.
Program Discontinued
While it was originally envisioned as offering turboprop power in a later version, de Havilland, increasingly focused on pure-jet Comet development, discontinued the program after two Ambassador 1 prototypes, a single Ambassador 2 prototype, and 20 production-standard Ambassador 2s had been produced.
Sole Survivor That You Can Still See Today
Aircraft G-ALZO, first delivered to BEA on November 25, 1952, became the last to survive, although only in static form.
After its initial operator career, it was used for VIP and transport flights by the Royal Jordanian Air Force in 1960 and then acquired by Dan-Air three years later, at which time it was retrofitted with a rear fuselage cargo door by Marshall of Cambridge, enabling it to undertake passenger and freight flights. The aircraft operated the type’s last scheduled service on September 28, 1971.
Only one AS.57 Ambassador remains today. Image: Alan Wilson
“It was then retired to the Dan-Air Maintenance Base at Lasham,” according to the British Airliners Collection website. “It remained at Lasham until 1986, when it was donated to the British Aircraft Collection and transported by road to Duxford. After long-term restoration in its Conservation Hangar, it was rolled out to join the other airliners in the collection in April 2013.”
It appears that American Airlines will suspend or change some international routes next year as the company doesn’t have the new aircraft from Boeing on hand for them.
With Boeing dealing with multiple internal issues, delays on aircraft have been very common. Many airlines have had to wait as long as six years for deliveries.
Boeing Jets Ain’t Showing
American Airlines (AA) has reportedly suspended several international flights and delayed the start of others as a result of Boeing orders arriving later than expected.
An American Airlines spokesperson responded to Quartz for comment. The spokesperson’s message is as follows:
“As a result of ongoing Boeing 787 delivery delays, American is adjusting service on certain routes in spring 2025 to ensure we are able to re-accommodate customers on affected flights…We’ll be proactively reaching out to our impacted customers to offer alternate travel arrangements and remain committed to mitigating the impact of these Boeing delays while continuing to offer a comprehensive global network.”
An American Airlines Boeing 787-9 from London Heathrow on short final for Runway 24R at LAX | IMAGE: Dave Hartland
Notable Routes Put on Hold
AA clarifies that the company did not cancel any routes as a result of these delivery delays, but suspended or will soon suspend them. These suspended flights will restart later than expected.
AA’s Chicago-Paris route has been suspended since September. While the airline originally projected the route will restart in April 2025, that tentative month has been changed to May.
The Miami-Paris route will be suspended starting in May, with no clear timeline when the route will return.
The Miami-Bueno Aires route currently has three daily flights. But starting in April, there will only be two available for travelers.
Boeing workers gaze upon their work at the handover ceremony in North Charleston as Boeing delivered the 100th South Carolina made 787 to American Airlines (Photo by Mic Smith)
Boeing’s Backlog
According to Boeing’s website, there are 785 aircraft that have yet to be delivered for the 787 aircraft. American has 25 787-9 aircraft still unfilled. United Airlines, Riyadh Air, and Lufthansa are three airlines with more 787s in waiting.
Boeing recently restarted production after extended delays due to quality issues and an extended strike by its factory workers.
Pegasus Airlines recently placed an outstanding order of at least 100 of the Boeing 737-10 MAX aircraft. The company currently has almost $60 billion in outstanding debts due to ongoing problems such as delivery delays and safety issues.
A disgruntled Delta Air Lines customer vented his frustration on Reddit after the airline allegedly gave his first class seat to a dog that belonged to another passenger.
The passenger outlines his conversations with Delta customer support, and it appears there are mixed messages when they compare to the airline’s official policies.
Image: By Acroterion from Wikimedia Commons
‘Downgraded for a Dog’
Reddit user ben_bob shared a story on the Delta subreddit r/delta about a dog allegedly taking his first class seat.
Before an undisclosed flight, ben_bob states that Delta upgraded his seat to first class due to a seating change. About 15 minutes later, Delta changed his seat again to ‘a worse seat than I previously had’.
When ben_bob asked the desk agent what happened, she only said ‘something changed’. When ben_bob had his chance to board, he was ‘livid’ to find a dog in the seat. The dog was leashed to its presumed owner in the adjacent seat.
Ben_bob contacted Delta’s customer chat support. A representative told him there’s nothing that could be done since customers ‘may be relocated for service animals’.
“There is no way that dog has spent as much with this airline as I have … What an absolute joke, 😅” ben_bob wrote.
“What’s the point of being loyal to this airline anymore, truly. I’ve sat back when others complained about this airline mistreating customers lately and slipping in service levels, but I’m starting to question my allegiance as well. 😡”
The Reddit thread has 3,500 upvotes and 1,300 comments. There’s a mixed reception towards ben_bob’s story. Some readers agree with ben_bob while others criticize his reaction and argue that the owner could be disabled.
A220-100 reg N101DU wearing Delta colors. Image via Delta
Delta’s Dog Policies and Official Response
It appears that Delta may have stepped out of bounds with their decision. As it states on the official website, service animals aren’t allowed to occupy a seat or ‘encroach upon another customer’s space’. Service animals must only sit on the owner’s lap, in the owner’s legroom or in an adjacent legroom if the owner purchased an adjacent seat.
People Magazine reached out for comment about the incident. A Delta spokesperson responded with the following:
‘Delta teams are aware of the customer complaint and are researching the details of what may have occurred.’
The spokesperson encouraged ben_bob to speak with Delta directly. The response message concluded by clarifying that service animals are accommodated on Delta flights without disrupting seating assignments.
A Holiday In The Desert Unlike I Had Ever Experienced Before
Christmas, 1990 Operation Desert Shield, Seeb Air Base, Muscat, Oman
In Camp Nacirema, (“American”, spelled backwards) the off-duty flight crews, support personnel, and security police gathered at the Muscat Rose Saloon for beers under the cool, black starlit sky.
My tent-mate and fellow KC-10 copilot, Kirk Shepherd, and his crew returned from a mission and treated us to a low-altitude KC-10 flyby, using a legal circling approach maneuver.
David Dale (second from the right) at Camp Nacirema in 1990.
It Was A Circling Approach, Not An Airshow
A circling approach is a landing maneuver used when an airport has an instrument approach to get below the clouds but not to the runway of intended landing. If the winds are out of the south but the only approach available is to the north, the crew will fly the northbound approach until below the cloud layer, usually not lower than 500 to 1,000 feet above the ground.
Once clear of the clouds, the crew breaks off the northbound approach and turns 30 degrees right or left and flies to the north end of the airfield, then begins a 180-degree turn, keeping the field in sight and completes the landing to the south. It’s a visual maneuver flown below the clouds once the airport runway and surrounding environment are in sight.
Appearing Like Santa Over The Camp, Right On Time
Many crews had accomplished this approach, which conveniently overflew the camp’s saloon at 700 feet above the ground. Right on schedule, Kirk’s huge KC-10 appeared in the night sky, heading right for us. As they overflew the camp, their boom operator turned on all of their underbelly refueling guidance lights.
Great View Of The KC-10
This is a collection of red, yellow, and green lights in two parallel rows used to tell a receiver aircraft if he was too close, too far, or in the correct refueling position. At the same time, the boom operator lowered the flying boom and wagged it left and right, as Kirk banked the airplane left and right, in a wave to the crowd below. We all cheered and raised our cans of Smithwick Irish Ale, Newcastle Brown Ale, or O’Doul’s non-alcoholic beer.
Wing King Was Not Happy
Our wing commander, not amused by the display, announced that Kirk’s was the last fly-by to be flown over our camp. We protested, saying they were just flying a practice circling approach. He was in no mood to change his mind.
“It was a circling approach right up until the wing-wag. Then it became an airshow. No more!”
A Special Call Back Home Thanks To MARS Radio
MARS Radio.
As the military build-up continued, air crews routinely monitored BBC broadcasts over the airplane’s High Frequency (HF) radio to keep up with the diplomatic efforts and ensure we were aware if war broke out in the middle of our eight-hour missions. The HF radio also came in handy for calling our families back home.
The Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) is a volunteer organization that uses U.S. amateur (ham) radio operators to complete calls to our military dependents. From our KC-10 flying high over the Arabian Peninsula, we contacted a radio operator in the States and he or she patched us through to our home telephone in Louisiana.
“I Love You, Over”
Before beginning the conversation, the radio operator explained that they would be monitoring the call and had to switch a dial from Receive to Transmit to carry out the link between the two parties. At the end of each statement my wife or I had to say, “Over,” to let the radio operator know that the other person would now talk. The brief conversations went something like this: “How are you doing, Karin? Over.” “All is fine here. Over.” “I love you. Over.” “I love you, too. Over.”
The touching conversations became memorable for the slogan, “I love you. Over.”
Made The Best Of The Holiday Away
Night one of Desert Storm. Image: David Dale
We closed out 1990 with an outdoor Christmas celebration where I sang in the choir on a wooden stage complete with a fake decorated Christmas tree. I remember thinking that we were in the Middle East, surrounded by dry desert sand and not far from that Little Town of Bethlehem.
Operation Desert Shield provided just what the name implied. We provided a protective air shield over the Arabian Peninsula while ships full of combat personnel and equipment offloaded in ports throughout the region. Our country and allies completed the largest military buildup since World War II in record time.
Avgeekery salutes all the men and women of our great nation and our allies who are serving our far away from home this holiday season. Thank you for what you do.
It’s Christmas Eve and my first officer’s seat has a problem. There is a lever down below his left hip which allows the seat to recline back and forth, and that lever isn’t adjusting to the perfect spot. We discovered this at the beginning of our flying day in Buffalo, NY, a city without company maintenance support.
His seat is stuck at an incline and it will not raise forward again. The plan for that day is for the first officer to fly to St Louis, Missouri, followed by my flight to Detroit and then his short hop over to Chicago’s Midway airport, where maintenance personnel can either fix or replace his seat.
He Said It’s Not a Problem. Let’s Press For Now.
We decide that the seat is safe and usable. We takeoff with our holiday travelers bound for the Midwest. The only challenge to our circumstance is that my first officer is about 5-foot, 4-inches tall and carries a plump belly. He’s what we call a 4 X 4: four feet high and four feet wide.
The flight to St Louis is uneventful and to compensate for the reclined seat, my first officer pulls his seat up a little closer to his control yoke. His landing in St Louis is smooth and as he decelerates, I take over the controls using the tiller to the left of my yoke and taxi the 737 to our assigned gate.
Just One More Leg To Go Before Christmas
Forty-five minutes later we are airborne again with 130 passengers bound for Detroit to begin their Christmas holiday. As the sun begins to set, it’s now my first officer’s “leg” and he takes off with a 737 full flight of holiday-clad travelers and their gifts bound for Grandma’s house. We descend over Lake Michigan and set up for the approach to Runway 22 Left, with the skyline of downtown Chicago brightly lit against the night sky off our right wingtip.
It’s Challenging To Land At Midway Under The Best Of Conditions
Chicago Midway Airport
Chicago Midway is known for its short runways, only a little over one mile long, when most airports boast runways of two miles long. Short runways are a challenge and don’t provide much of an opportunity for a gentle flare and smooth touchdown under the best of conditions.
It can be done, but if the plane can’t be on the ground smoothly in the first 1,500 feet of runway, then it’s time to plop it down and tell the deplaning passengers, “Go Navy!” when they ridicule a firm touchdown.
My first officer is concerned about the short runway. With his seat reclined a bit more than he’d normally have it, he moves his seat even closer to his control column, unbeknownst to me. He’s nicely aligned with Runway 22L and I see the visual glide path lights of two white and two red lights, indicating he is on the correct descent path, not too steep and not too shallow.
On Glide Path
The 737 glides over the runway threshold, pointing at a spot 1000 feet down the runway. In a normal scenario, at 30 feet above the ground the pilot gently raises the nose, known as the flare, to decrease the descent rate and prepare for touchdown.
I only see the 1000 foot aim point looming ahead with no increase in pitch or initiation of a flare. At 10 feet my only thought is, “Oh man!” as we contact the ground like an F/A-18 that grabbed the third cable.
Welcome to Midway
The aircraft landing gear is built to withstand this firm impact and it was safe but it’s not comfortable for those riding in back. We call it a “carrier landing” and have all had that embarrassing moment at one time or another.
Jolly ‘Ole St. Nick Strikes Again
The plane slows and I take over controls at 60 knots, turning slightly left on the high-speed taxiway. My first officer, aka, Santa’s Little Helper that night, sheepishly tells me, “I went to flare and the yoke hit my belly.” Only on Christmas Eve could I laugh about that landing.
Two Modified Civilian C-130s (L-100) Flew With Airline Seats, Overhead Bins, and Even Airline-Style Windows
Lockheed Martin’s C-130 is as American as apple pie. As a military airlifter, the C-130 has plied the skies since 1954. Over 2,600 C-130s have been built. The highly modified C-130J is still in production today. The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a military workhorse. The Hercules has been a steadfast contributor transporting cargo and personnel to nearly every military conflict, humanitarian effort, and numerous other tasks like firefighting for almost 70 years.
As an avgeek, you might think that you know everything there is to know about the versitile Hercules transport aircraft. But you might be surprised to know that the C-130’s civilian counterpart, the L-100, has also operated as a full-on passenger airliner, complete with airliner seats and real airliner windows.
Rare Air: The Civilian C-130 Airliner Explored
Lockheed L-100-30 N3867X departs the Mojave Spaceport with a Tepper Aviation callsign. Image: Alan Radecki (Akradecki), CC BY-SA 3.0
A few years after the launch of the C-130, Lockheed began to explore other potential markets for their Hercules. Lockheed came up with a modified C-130 and called it the L-100. The L-100 wasn’t that much different than the C-130. It maintained the same exterior profile. There were some notable differences though.
The L-100 was slightly modified for the civilian market. It featured none of the military avionics (lacking a TACAN, UHF radios) and any defensive systems. The L-100 and the C-130 both featured Allison T56 engines. The L-100’s engines feature slight differences to conform with commercial noise and emission standards. The L-100 was designed to carry outsized cargo and personnel to austere airfields.
Big Hopes For The C-130 Airliner That Never Materialized
Lockheed had big hopes for the L-100. Lockheed assumed that the robustness of the Hercules would be attractive to airlines looking to tap into new markets. The thinking at the time was that smaller cities and municipalities with short airfields required an aircraft that could takeoff and move high volumes of cargo.
The L-100 would be able to fly up to 100 passengers with cargo to their destination. With the cargo and fuel capacity of the L-100, the Lockheed ‘airliner’ would be able to connect distant cities.
Jets and Better-Suited Aircraft Made L-100 Less Attractive To Airlines
Unfortunately, for Lockheed this strategy never really paid off. By the mid-1960s, passengers were beginning to become more accustom to the speed and comfort of jet travel. Many smaller airports expanded to accommodate larger jets.
For shorter flights, the DC-6, Convair 580, and other commuter aircraft could accomplish the mission with adequate comfort. Jets like the DC-9 and 737-200 were also hitting the market that could connect regional routes in even greater comfort.
Airlines began to institute a hub and spoke system where smaller airports were connected to a large international or regional airport for follow on travel. This made the capabilities of the L-100 less of a requirement and too much for the typical needs of an airline.
L-100 Did Sell Though In a Limited Capacity
Delta Airlines L-100. The airline operated 3 examples of the L-100 in a cargo configuration during the 1960s. Image: RuthAS CC 3.0
The L-100 did have some limited success though. Pan American World Airways placed an initial order for 12 L-100s in 1962. The airline never took delivery. Delta also operated 3 L-100 aircraft in a cargo configuration.
That Makes This Modified C-130 Airliner Even More Rare
Back in 1990, Lockheed put together a supplemental type certificate for a L-100 to operate in a full passenger configuration. The interior would feature a fully carpeted cabin with overhead bins, full size airline windows added to the fuselage, and 3 by 3 airline seats throughout the cabin.
Indonesian Airline Merpati Nusantara would become the first and only customer of the L-100-30(P). Our friends at LaJeteepress detailed these two aircraft stating “the two aircraft were purchased from Indonesia cargo operator Pelita in 1986- PK-MLS and PK-MLT. Pelita had operated the aircraft in the national transmigration program where settlers were moved to less crowded islands from Java and Bali.
LaJetee Press highlighted the Merpati L-100-30(P) in a post. Only two modified examples of this L-100 ever flew.
Despite flying for Merpati, they flew in Pelita’s colors until modification to passenger configuration at the Lockheed Aeromod Center in Greenville, SC.
PK-MLT was the first modified in 1990, with pallet mounted seats, structural strengthening, and systems modification for passenger services. Twenty-two 727 passenger windows were also fitted along with emergency exits, galleys and lavatories. The cabin was all-coach with a 3-3 and 3-2 abreast seating for 97 passengers. Baggage containers were fitted to the rear loading ramp.
PK-MLS was next to be modified in 1992 with plans for further aircraft being done by IPTN in Indonesia, but Merpati only needed two aircraft modified.”
Airline Service In an L-100-30(P) Only Lasted Five Years
By 1995, the airline began receiving the Fokker F100. The story of the C-130 as an airliner may be a lesser-known chapter in its history, but it’s a testament to the aircraft’s versatility.
General Paul Tibbets was just 30 years old in 1945 when he piloted the B-29 Enola Gay bomber on its mission to drop the atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. As an Air Force Public Affairs Specialist, in 1999, I was fortunate to hear the then 84-year-old Tibbets speak and also shake his hand at a reunion of the 509th Composite Group at Andrews Air Force Base.
Crews of Enola Gay and Other B-29 Bombers Trained for Historic Mission
Tibbets commanded the 509th in 1945 when he and his 12-man crew took off in the Enola Gay from Ushi Point Airfield on Tinian Island in the Pacific Ocean. During the reunion, the Air Force presented the Group with the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with valor). The Air Force Association hosted the reunion.
The Crew of the B-29 Enola Gay. Col. Paul Tibbets is in center. | Image: U.S. Air Force
Close to 100 veterans from the 509th, all at least 75 years old, were at the reunion. The group had never received medals or other official recognition in all the years since 1945. This was due to security concerns, and some clearances finally lifting. The veterans listened intently as Tibbets stepped up to the podium and began to speak.
Gen. Paul Tibbets Addressed Group 54 Years After Enola Gay Mission
I admit I wondered about what Tibbets might say about the Hiroshima mission and the Enola Gay. I was curious about what he might feel, 54 years later, about dropping the first atomic bomb used in war.
With pride and firmness evident in his voice, Tibbets began by praising his men for the way they performed their duties in 1945. He said they were professional and focused during the months of training in Utah and on Tinian Island before the mission.
He continued, adding that the 509th did what it had to do and ended the war, and that no one should criticize them, despite some negative comments over the years about the destructive force of the atomic bomb. When Tibbets finished speaking, his men, some using canes and walkers, and others in wheelchairs, stood and cheered their commander.
B-29 Enola Gay about to land. | Image: U.S. Air Force
Other Members of 509th Composite Group Expressed Pride in Mission of B-29 Enola Gay
Other members of the Enola Gay crew have expressed similar feelings. Second Lt. Russell Gackenbach served as navigator on “Necessary Evil,” one of the two B-29s that flew as observation planes on the mission. During a 2017 interview with NPR, Gackenbach said, “After 73 years, I do not regret what we did that day. All war’s hell. The Japanese started the war. It was our turn to finish it.”
Mushroom cloud over Hiroshima after detonation of atomic bomb from the B-29 Enola Gay. | Image: Russell Gackenbach
Another airman on the mission was Sgt. Melvin H. Bierman. He served as tail gunner on the “Necessary Evil” and had a clear view of the mushroom cloud. According to his son, Mitchell Bierman, his father didn’t say much about the war but was proud of his service. He was convinced they had saved more lives by forcing Japan to surrender, but did regret the loss of life.”
One crew member on the mission, Capt. Robert A. Lewis, did express some remorse about the destruction from the bomb that struck Hiroshima. Lewis, who was co-pilot on the Enola Gay, wrote, “My God, what have we done?” in his journal as the aircraft flew away from the city.
Still, Lewis acknowledged the seriousness and even the necessity of the mission, later stating, “Today I’m pleased the bomb hasn’t been used again. I hope it has become a deterrent force, and maybe we won’t have so many wars.”
B-29s parked at Tinian Airfield during WWII. | Image: NATIONAL ARCHIVES & RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
For me, the opportunity to meet General Tibbets and listen as he addressed his men was a true privilege and a highlight of my career in the Air Force.
During stall testing of the 717 program (formerly the MD-95), the aircraft departed controlled flight. That’s a nice way to say that the jet stalled, rolled, and went inverted. The test pilots on board masterfully recovered the jet and survived to live another day. Here’s the video proof:
With every new aircraft type, test pilots are tasked to test the limits of aircraft. With great preparation, they meticulous plan every maneuver. The flight testing typically confirms computer analysis and helps ensure that the normal flight envelope is safe. The test pilots also test maneuvers outside of the normal envelope.
The test pilots recovered the aircraft and lived to fly another day.
This video is both fascinating and yet pretty disturbing too. We did some research and put together some details that shed some light on the highly unusual flight.
According to a comment on a similar video posted on Vimeo, the 717 was on a test flight in warning area W-291 over the Pacific off the coast of California. The particular 717 was the first off the line. The aircraft had previously experienced some unusual stall characteristics. This test was an attempt to determine why so that engineers could solve the issue.
In the video above, you can see that the pilots initiated a powered approach to stall in a climbing right bank. As the angle of attack increases, the jet appears to stall, then rapidly rolls left, and snaps inverted over a span of about 1 1/2 seconds. The test pilots were prepared. They pulled the power to idle as the speed rapidly climbed (you can probably hear Bitchin’ Betty scream “overspeed”). The crew then accepts the unusual attitude, and works to reduce the roll (most likely using a combination of rudder and the control tabs). They then pulled on the yoke to recover from the unusual attitude. After congratulating each other that they saved the jet, they gingerly returned the jet to normal flight, returned to base, and then most changed to a fresh pair of underwear.
The test pilots did many things right. While the aircraft most likely exceeded the +2.5G load limit, they limited any asymmetric forces on the jet by not attempting to ‘pull’ on the yoke while the wings were not level. Once they leveled the wings, they had to pull to return to level flight and arrest the very steep descent. They avoided the temptation to pull aggressively in order to minimize altitude loss. An aggressive pull could’ve over-G’d the aircraft further and led to a secondary stall and/or spin.
The flying days for this particular test aircraft were limited. This test aircraft was later retired and broken up. Of the 156 717s built, 99 remain flying today. The last Boeing 717 was produced in 2006.
If you are a MadDog or 717 pilot, we’d love to hear your perspective on this incident. Post your thoughts in the comments below.
Low-cost Turkish airline Pegasus Airlines placed a significant order for at least one hundred Boeing 737-10 MAX jets. After months of slow orders, this latest order is a boost for the manufacturer.
Pegasus has been loyal to the Boeing brand of aircraft since its inception 35 years ago. The reason for the large order of 737-10 jets is so the airline can ‘meet growing travel demand’.
New Wings for Pegasus
Boeing announced on Thursday that Pegasus Airlines had placed an order of at least 100 737-10 MAX aircraft. Pegasus can also exercise an option to order 100 more in the deal, for a potential of 200 aircraft in the entire order.
The 737-10 MAX is the company’s largest jet to date, with up to 230 seats and a range of 3,100 nautical miles (5,740 kilometers). This current-gen aircraft also reduces fuel use and emissions by 20% compared to previous-gen aircraft.
Pegasus Airlines CEO Güliz Öztürk had these encouraging words during the Boeing press release:
“Boeing aircraft have been an integral part of our operations since Pegasus entered the aviation industry in 1990. We are pleased to be expanding our fleet with the new Boeing 737-10 model aircraft. We continue to invest in our fleet in line with our growth targets in Türkiye and globally, and to expand our network by launching new routes.”
Boeing President and CEO Stephanie Pope also expressed her excitement on the airline’s decision to order new 737-10 MAXes.
“We have been a proud partner of Pegasus Airlines since their inception and we are excited to welcome them as the newest 737 MAX customer…We appreciate their trust in the Boeing team and we look forward to delivering on the 737-10 and its promise of greater efficiency, versatility and reliability.”
This new order brings the total number of 737 MAX family jets on order overall to over 1,200.
Where Both Companies Currently Stand
Pegasus is looking to receive new aircraft for connections all over Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Pegasus also has nine Boeing 737-8s currently on order. From Airbus, Pegasus is waiting on six A320-200s, 46 A320-200 neos, and 57 A321-200NXes. All of the A321s on order are scheduled to be delivered to Pegasus by 2029.
In 2023, Pegasus executives claimed the airline would switch to an all-Airbus fleet and would phase out its Boeing jets.
According to Boeing’s Commercial Market Outlook, airlines based in Europe and Asia will acquire nearly 8,000 single-aisle jets by 2055.
As of September 2024, Boeing has outstanding debts of about $57.65 billion. The company has suffered financial losses for six years due to safety issues, production delays, and worker strikes. In late October, the company managed to raise $21 billion through a stock fundraising effort.
