Paramount Pictures released the second Top Gun: Maverick trailer. While the previous Top Gun: Maverick trailer focused on the plot, this second trailer was heavy on flight footage.
As we mentioned in our first post, Mav is back with a story that is most likely entertaining and pretty fanciful. While it is highly unlikely that he would still be in the military as a Captain over 30 years later, Mav still looks spry in this latest clip. In fact, he somehow looks nearly identical to the way he did back in the mid-80s. About the only thing that has changed is that the Navy’s most famous fictional pilot has upgraded his F-14 Tomcat for a F/A-18 Super Hornet (Although we’ve heard rumors that the F-14 makes a cameo). This clip shows Mav back in the cockpit, deftly teaching students how to fly the F/A-18 Super Hornet.
This latest trailer doesn’t really reveal any new story lines other than Mav returns to teach the next generation how to fly. Still though, it gives avgeeks everywhere something to look forward to for next summer. Based on this preview, the high fidelity F/A-18 footage is sure to delight, even if the plot turns out to be corny.
Top Gun: Maverick flies into theaters on June 26, 2020.
If you had to pick the world’s original aviation city, you would probably mention Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, where the Wright brothers made their first flight. Or you might pick spots around the country and world where aircraft are produced like Seattle or Toulouse. Or you might even pick a city with exceptionally heavy air traffic like Atlanta or London Heathrow. You would probably wouldn’t think of Dayton, Ohio (unless, of course, you were a particularly knowledgeable avgeek with a focus on the history of aviation). Yet Dayton is, to many, inarguably the original aviation hub. Home of Wright-Patterson AFB and the US Air Force Museum, the city is awash in aviation history.
The Birthplace of Aviation
Wright Brothers Home in Dayton
The Wright brothers flew their first flight at Kitty Hawk but they called Dayton home. The brothers owned a bicycle shop in the city. It was there that they tinkered with designs that eventually led to the first heavier-than-air powered aircraft to fly with a pilot onboard.
Two years after the Kitty Hawk flight, the brothers would fly the Wright Flyer III in Dayton. Their work and the increasing interest in aviation would lead to the formation of Dayton Airport in 1928, making it one of the oldest airports in the world (in the Top 20, if not the Top 10). While that original airport came up against a bit of hardship, particularly in the face of the start of the Great Depression, it had so much support that it would eventually be turned into a municipal airport with three runways, opening with flights offered to the public in 1936.
Later in its life, the Dayton airport would go on to serve the U.S. military during World War II, as the U.S. Army leased the airport and it became the Dayton Army Airfield from 1942 to 1945. Afterward, the Federal Government deeded the airfield back to the City of Dayton, along with the surrounding military facilities, adding up to more than 550 acres of property. At that time, as a result, Dayton Municipal Airport was the largest commercial airport in Ohio.
The military’s interest in the airport still remained. Just two months after the property was deeded back to the city, a division of the Ohio Air National Guard was re-activated and stationed at the airport through the 1950s, with hundreds of military and civilian employees working and living at the airport.
Commercial Service to Dayton
Three days after Dayton Municipal Airport opened in 1936, TWA’s forerunner, Trans Continental and Western Airways, began service to Dayton with three flights daily. Dayton would later become a TWA focus city. In 1957, TWA provided the most departures out of Dayton, with 56 per week. At that same time, American provided 13 and Lake Central, four. Non-stop flights served New York, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. TWA was the first airline to begin jet service from the airport, in 1961, with Convair 880 aircraft flying on a route to Chicago (at the same time, the airport was further expanding, adding a new terminal to the tune of $5.5 million). TWA even offered widebody connecting service on their L1011s to the west coast.
PHoto: Dayton International Airport/flydayton.com
City’s Boom Makes Dayton a Commercial and Freight Hub
TWA’s focus on Dayton would be surpassed by Piedmont Airlines in the 1980s. Piedmont offered non-stop service between Dayton and nearly 30 destinations, as far away as California. The hub, Piedmont’s second in the nation (and followed only by hubs in Baltimore and Syracuse), was said to defy analyst expectations by exceeding traffic predictions. At the time, Piedmont was the 10th largest airline in the United States, and the 17th largest in the world. It joined the rank of major airlines as its annual sales exceeded $1 billion.
Additionally, at the time, Dayton was home to three major Fortune 500 companies. When you added in the business traffic from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the city was thriving.
The non-stop West Coast service to Los Angeles began in 1984. It was also Piedmont’s first foray into first-class service. In 1985, Piedmont opened a reservations center at the airport. Once Piedmont merged with US Airways, US Airways would continue operating out of the Dayton hub for several years.
Dayton’s Boom in Cargo Service
At the same time that Piedmont was operating heavily out of Dayton, freight carrier Emery Worldwide grew Dayton into a freight hub. They built an air freight sortation facility at the airport, completed in 1981. From 1946, when Emery was the first freight forwarder to receive a carrier certificate from the U.S. government, until 1986, Energy would remain the largest freight forwarder and integrated air carrier in the country. Its Dayton facility was one of the world’s largest air freight facilities, through the 90s. Emery constantly built onto the facility, making it larger and larger.
The facility, later taken over when UPS acquired Emery, would operate until 2006, when UPS closed the facility and moved its operations to Louisville, Kentucky.
A Sharp Decline
In 1986, the City of Dayton celebrated owning the airport for 50 years and the airport marked a passenger milestone of 4.5 million passengers. In order to accommodate increased traffic, a $50 million renovation was planned and then completed in 1989.
However, other factors would cause airlines like Piedmont and Emery and their successors to either move their hubs away from Dayton, or to close up shop altogether. One of these factors would have certainly been the decrease in manufacturing and industrial work in and around Dayton. For decades, the city was home to major players in American industry — NCR, Mead Paper Company, Dayco, Phillips Industries and others. In the 1980s and 1990s, however, jobs began moving out of Dayton, the population shrunk and, as a result, travel to the area, both business and leisure, shrunk with it.
Dayton would soon find that its once booming hub of an airport had become little more than a regional spot on the map.
Into the Modern Age of Aviation, One Step at a Time
Dayton, though, is nothing if not resilient. The airport continued to welcome other airlines following the de-hubbing of its largest carriers, both commercial and cargo, and it made baby steps toward keeping its facilities modern.
The first low-cost carrier came to the airport in 1995, AirTran Airways.
Yet more renovations occurred in the late 1990s, with a $25 million investment in the terminal building. The renovations lasted until 2002 and included new climate control systems, lighting, windows, doorways, ceilings, carpeting and shopping and dining outlets.
Following the tragic events of 9/11 in 2001, the Dayton airport would be one of the first airports in the nation to re-open for business.
Shortly after, Frontier Airlines began service between Dayton and Denver in 2005. Southwest joined Frontier in offering budget service to Dayton with flights to Denver as well, in 2012, and would also eventually offer service to other destinations, such as Florida, Baltimore and Chicago. It was estimated that this service would increase passenger traffic in the airport by 15 percent or more.
Dayton International airport in 2011 (Photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Texas141)
However, both Southwest and Frontier would pull out of the airport shortly after and move on to airports in Cincinnati and Columbus, just an hour away. Frontier discontinued its Dayton flights in 2013, facing competition from Southwest. Southwest Airlines lasted until 2017, though it gradually reduced its service before its eventual defection to Cincinnati.
Allegiant Air took Frontier’s place in 2015, soon becoming the only budget carrier serving Dayton, offering service to Florida.
All the while, the airport focused on improvement projects, such as the construction of a new air traffic control tower in 2011, a new multi-level parking garage in 2009, runway and roadway projects in 2009 and further ticketing counter and parking expansions in 2018.
Is there hope for Dayton International Airport in the future? Dayton leaders and airport officials seem to think so, as do travelers who’ve recently visited the airport’s beautiful new terminal facilities.
In 2017, the airport welcomed 138 aircraft operations per day, across its three paved runways.
The airport is currently served by American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Express (with seasonal Allegiant Air services). As of September 2019, there were 669k passenger enplanements on the year, with American Airlines (American Eagle) taking credit for most of those. That number represents a slight decrease from 2018. Passengers can currently fly nonstop to Atlanta, St. Petersburg, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Minneapolis, Detroit, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Houston and Washington, D.C.
The airport also reported this year that it had doubled the number of charter passengers it serves since 2015. Much of this growth is attributed to the launch of a music center near Dayton, which draws in headlining acts that often fly private aircraft into the airport, as well as increasing activity at casinos near Dayton. Sun Country Airlines is the largest provider of charters through the airport.
Additionally, cargo service still takes place at the airport, with FedEx Express flying to and from Memphis. (Otherwise, though, save for this smalls service, the cargo ramp sits empty.)
— Dayton International Airport (DAY) (@DAY_IntlAirport) October 29, 2019
The airport is hoping to attract more carriers with renovations moving forward, including low-cost carriers such as Spirit Airlines and Frontier. The renovations, which recently wrapped up, included new architectural features, wider TSA lanes, new restrooms, new USO space for military members and new shopping and dining options. Overall, the airport looks great now, though its future can’t be based on renovations alone.
The new interim director of the airport also has their eye on attracting more service to the airport. The city will face some difficulty in the years ahead, especially if they’re looking to land Southwest again, considering the airline’s difficulties following the MAX saga have led to significantly reduced growth by the airline and a reduction of service from other markets that are traditionally better known. New services from Frontier, Allegiant and Spirit are not out of the question though.
The city that invented modern aviation is stuck between celebrating their past, and making investments that they hope will drive a more prosperous future.
LAS VEGAS — The U.S. Air Force’s five hottest flight demonstration teams announced on Tuesday their individual air show schedules which will highlight a busy 2020 season.
The Thunderbirds, the F-22 Raptor, the F-35A Lightning II, the A-10C Thunderbolt II, and F-16C Viper — each a separate Air Combat Command demonstration team — will headline popular air show sites across the United States and abroad. The news gave the selected show sites cause to celebrate as the news was announced.
“The New York Air Show is excited to feature the Air Force Thunderbirds and F-22 Raptor,” New York Air Show Spokesperson Chris Dirato told AvGeekery.com following the announcements. “You can be sure that fans will be treated to some incredible performances.”
Thunderbirds 2020 will include their first female lead solo pilot, Maj. Michelle Curran. (Charles Atkeison)
The Thunderbirds will kick-off their season in February with a flyover of the Daytona 500 as the national anthem concludes. The six-jet team will spend the following month practicing six days a week before traveling to their first air show at Laughlin AFB, Texas.
The F-22 Demo Team will welcome a new pilot who will also command the team in the coming weeks. The new pilot will be announced publicly in late-January. The squadron is schedule to travel to Southeast Asia to perform at the Singapore Airshow in February.
“As a “thank you” for the outstanding support from Del Rio, Texas, and the surrounding community, Laughlin Air Force Base will host an open house and air show on Saturday, March 14, 2020,” Lt. Col. Gregory Moulton, Commander of the 87th Flying Training Squadron, said. “The one-day event will be headlined by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.”
Currently, the F-35 Demo Team are in the process of training a new pilot for the upcoming season. The team will perform at 16 show sites across the United States.
The Air Force’s F-35A Lightning II will perform at sixteen show across the United States in 2020. (USAF)
Several locations will feature both teams performing one after another, including in Anchorage, Alaska and the New York Air Show. The Thunderbirds is scheduled to perform at 36 locations during 2020, while the F-22 Demo team will perform at 25 sites.
The A-10, also known as the Warthog, is also training a new pilot who will also lead the demo team in 2020 and 2021. The crowd favorite Warthog will visit 20 locations.
Air Force Thunderbirds 2020 Air Show Schedule:
February 16: Daytona 500, Daytona Beach, Florida (Flyover) Mar 14: Laughlin AFB, Del Rio, Texas – Fiesta Of Flight Mar 21-22: Luke AFB, Arizona – Luke Days Air and Space Expo Mar 28-29: March ARB, Calif. – March Field Air and Space Expo: Thunder Over the Empire” April 4-5: Lakeland, Florida – Sun-N-Fun Fly In and Expo April 18-19: Maxwell AFB, Alabama – Beyond the Horizon Air and Space Show April 25-26: Columbus AFB, Mississippi – Wings Over Columbus May 2-3: Fort Lauderdale, Florida Fort Lauderdale Air Show May 9-10: Beale AFB, Calif. – Wings Over Recce Town, USA May 16-17: Shaw AFB, South Carolina – Shaw Air and Space Expo May 23-24: Miami Beach, Florida – Miami Beach Air and Sea Show May 28: Colorado Springs, Colorado – USAFA Graduation Fly Over June 6-7: Salinas, Calif. – California International Airshow June 13-14: Ocean City, Maryland – OC Air Show June 20-21: Youngstown ARB, Ohio – Thunder Over The Valley June 27-28: Hill AFB, Utah – Warriors Over Wasatch Air and Space Show July 4-5: Battle Creek, Michigan – Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival July 11-12: JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska – Arctic Thunder July 18-19: Duluth, Minnisota – Duluth Air and Aviation Expo July 22: F.E Warren AFB, Wyoming – Cheyenne Frontier Days July 25-26: Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota – Ellsworth Air and Space Show August 1-2: Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota – Grand Forks AFB Air Show August 15-16: Chicago, Illinois – Chicago Air and Water Show August 22-23: Avoca, PA – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Armed Forces Airshow August 26: Atlantic City, New Jersey – Thunder Over The Boardwalk Airshow August 29-30: New Windsor, New York – New York Air Show September 5-6: Gardner, Kansas – Kansas City Air Show September 12-13: London (Ontario), Canada – Airshow London September 19-20: Huntington Beach, Calif. – Pacific Airshow October 3-4: Minden, Nevada – Aviation Roundup Airshow October 10-11: Edwards AFB, Calif. – Aerospace Valley Air and Space Show October 17-18: Fort Worth, Texas – Bell Fort Worth Alliance Air Show October 24-25: Rome, Georgia – Wings Over North Georgia October 31-November 1: Sanford, Florida – Central Florida Air and Space Show November 7-8: New Orleans, Louisiana – NASJRB New Orleans Air Show November 14-15: San Antonio, Texas – JBSA Air and Space Show
2020 Air Force F-22 Raptor Demo Team Air Show Schedule:
(USAF)
2020 Air Force F-35A Lightning II Air Show Schedule
(USAF)
2020 Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II Air Show Schedule
(USAF)
2020 Air Force F-16C Viper Demo Team Air Show Schedule
(USAF)
(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off into the blue skies over America’s Space Coast Thursday successfully placing a resupply craft on a course toward the International Space Station.
The Dragon supply craft is making its third voyage to the space station, having flown in 2014 and 2017. Loaded with 5700 pounds of science experiments, the Dragon will spend one month docked to the station.
As the countdown reached zero, the Falcon’s nine engines roared to life lifting the commerical rocket off it’s seaside pad at 12:29:24 p.m. EST. The white rocket thundered into the deep blue sky riding a golden flame toward space.
The golden dot of SpaceX Falcon 9 heads to space leaving a smoke column behind. (Charles A Atkeison)
Minutes later, the core first stage seperated. Dragon successfully arrived on orbit and deployed its solar arrays and high gain antenna.
Unlike recent Falcon 9 launches, this was the first flight for this Falcon core stage. Once it had expended its fuel, the first stage separated and performed a controlled landing a top a floating platform located 180 miles east of Jacksonville, Fla.
SpaceX’s 19th supply mission since 2012 carries new science experiments which will study bone and muscle loss contributed to microgravity. Their findings will create a medication designed for astronauts performing long duration space flights.
Another experiment will look into how fire reacts and can be safely contained in a zero-gravity environment. Also riding to Earth’s orbital lab is a small satellite built by college students in Mexico known as AzTechSat-1. The cubesat will be deployed from the station in early January.
NASA’s nearby Kennedy Space Center hosted nearly 40 social media guests to view the launch. The popular NASA Social allowed the average citizen an opportunity to watch the launch from only 2.8 miles away.
“With the advent of social media, we are reaching people who may not get their news from the press,” NASA Internet Services Manager Brian Dunbar explained. “We try to connect with folks who use social media, some are focused on aerospace and some are not, and it gives them a look at what we do and they in turn convey that to their followers.”
On Sunday, space station commander Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency will grapple the cargo ship with a 55-foot robotic arm at about 6 a.m. Following Dragon’s capture, NASA’s mission control near Houston will command the arm to slowly align the craft with the station’s Harmony port for docking.
(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
These days, it is fairly common for commercials and viral videos to tug at your heartstrings. An emotional video is one tool that advertisers use to build brand loyalty, especially during the Christmas season. Add in a unique twist or unexpected turn and the result is viral video gold. The amazing thing is that we fall for it even when we know the tricks that advertisers use to manipulate your emotions!
Back in 2013, WestJet set the standard for an emotional and touching Christmas video. It was really the first time in a long while that an airline did something nice for their passengers and filmed it. If you recall, the late 2000’s and early 2010s were part of an era of airline austerity. Back then, airlines thrived on minimalism. It was a race to the bottom with less food onboard, smaller seats, less service, mergers ‘to serve you better’ and more fees.
Merry Christmas from WestJet. Photo: WestJet 2013 Christmas Miracle Video capture.
So to see an airline roll out a campaign where they spread the holiday spirit was downright fascinating. To date, almost 50 million people have seen the video. Unsurprisingly, the video has aged really well. There is something really creative and exciting when you watch passengers semi-jokingly tell a cheesy Santa video console at a gate what they want for Christmas only to see that WestJet’s Santa and his team of elves (employees) actually deliver the requested gifts at their destination to grateful passengers.
This WestJet Video Tugs At Your Heart Strings
Six years later, we checked out this video and once again we might have a little something in our eye. It’s just allergies, right?
WestJet has continued this tradition. And each year we post on their video. While the original will probably always be the best, we’re excited to see what this year’s WestJet Christmas video will bring. WestJet posted online this week that this year’s video is coming soon. We can’t wait.
We all know the Pope’s iconic PopeMobile, but how does this oh-so-important international figure get around when he’s zipping through the skies to his next destination? There is, of course, the papal plane, but the Pope also takes a variety of local carriers when he travels abroad. Here’s how he’s been doing it since the first papal flight in 1964.
The Papal Plane
Let’s get one big misconception out of the way. The pope does not own a plane. The Vatican just charters an airplane whenever the pope travels and, since the pope is often traveling out of Italy, he flies the Italian national carrier Alitalia quite a lot. When the pope is on the plane, it’s referred to as the papal plane, and sometimes Shepherd One (though that’s not an official call sign). Alitalia has, however, reserved a special flight number for the pope, AZ4000.
Once the pope is in a foreign country, he flies that country’s national carrier or a major carrier for that nation. For example, when he’s in the United States, for example, he flies American Airlines. Previously, he flew TWA on return trips from the US.
The plane is a normal commercial jet and the pope sits in the first row by himself. There’s nothing really crazy luxurious about the journey (though in decades past, airlines would install a special bed for the pope, if he was flying a long distance; that doesn’t typically happen anymore).
The pope’s entourage of approximately 30 people sits with him. The press fills a good majority of the jet. There are usually about 70 or so people (who, by the way, are required to pay for their flights). Sometimes the two groups mix and mingle, other times not so much, all depending on who the pope is and what he prefers.
Papal Plane has heavenly benefits for all
Depending on what airline is acting as the papal plane at the moment, passengers receive special service, as the airline typically rolls out the red carpet in celebration of carrying the pope, providing first-rate service for everyone, including the press.
Not every airline gets the honor of carrying the pope, though. An airline has to possess a strong safety record. Of course, the airline also needs a long-haul aircraft available to ferry the pope around. In some cases, there hasn’t been an aircraft available in a country the pope was visiting. For example, when Pope Francis visited Uganda, and so Alitalia came and picked up the pope and took him back home.
Airlines other than Alitalia that have flown the current pope include LATAM, Air Baltic, TAP Portugal, Aeromexico, American Airlines, Etihad, LOT Polish Airlines and Sri Lankan, just to name the major players. Back in the day, TWA frequently carried the pope when he was returning to Rome from the US. Given all the frequent flyer miles that Pope Francis has racked up, it just makes sense that he’s also flown on the latest and greatest aircraft, including an Etihad 787 Dreamliner and Air Baltic’s new Airbus A220.
Looking to mimic Pope Francis’s U.S. flight experience for yourself?
All you have to do is hop aboard one of American Airlines’s Boeing 777-200 aircraft, particularly aircraft N776AN (you’ll know it’s the one when you see the commemorative plaque at the 2L door). When the pope flew with American, the aircraft was outfitted with the Papal Coat of Arms and the old Flagship First-class seats (it’s since been refurbished with the new American Airlines seats). The seat that Pope Francis used can still be found on display at the C.R. Smith Museum in Fort Worth.
American Eagle (Operated by Republic) flight 4439 took off from Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport on November 6th with a crew of four and six passengers onboard. They were headed to New York’s LaGuardia Airport on a regularly scheduled flight. Passing through 14,000 feet, the Embraer 175 experienced a suspected runaway trim event.
The audio from the event is pretty sobering. You can listen to the ATC tapes in the YouTube video below. The pilot initially requested to stop the climb at 14,000, then asked for a return to Atlanta airport. Over the course of the next few minutes the situation sounded increasingly dire as one of the pilots reported, “We’re in a stalling situation.” adding that they couldn’t pitch the aircraft down.
Based on the ground track, it appears that the pilots then banked the jet in a left turn in an attempt to reduce the climb rate in accordance with the ‘runaway trim’ checklist suggestion. While such a maneuver sounds aggressive, it is actually a technique to avoid a stall when pitch authority is compromised. At this point, the crew sounds like they executed the entire “Pitch Trim Runaway” checklist. The crew reported soon afterwards that the jet appeared to be under control. The crew landed the Embraer under ‘direct law’ without further incident back at Atlanta’s airport. It is important to also call out the controllers for presumably working so well behind the scenes to clear all possible conflicting traffic in very busy airspace. You can see the full flight path here in detail from FlightAware with both the initial turn to the left and subsequent turns presumably to lose altitude before landing.
The preliminary report has not been released yet. It will be interesting to read when they first noticed the runaway trim. With such a light jet (only 6 passengers) and a cool fall evening, it is possible to have initially interpreted a higher climb rate due to a light aircraft when it actually might have been the initial stages of a runaway trim condition. It will also be interesting to learn whether this was only a runaway trim situation or a more complex emergency that involved the malfunction of multiple flight control systems.
Crew Coordination and Systems Knowledge Saves Lives
While it is too early to speculate on the cause or the actions of the pilots on American Eagle (callsign Brickyard) 4439, it is apparent from the ATC audio that they faced a very serious mechanical malfunction. Along with engine failures at critical times of flight, scenarios like runaway pitch trim are some of the most challenging mechanical emergencies to deal with while flying crew aircraft. In such moments, it is vital that crews successfully execute memory items (called boldface in military aircraft). These initial memorized checklist steps are intended to address the most critical actions necessary to keep the aircraft flying.
The memory items for the E175 in such an incident are designed to disconnect the autopilot and cut off both trim systems. After the initial items are completed, the theory is that there is now time to identify the malfunctioning system, diagnose the problem and safely continue the flight or land when able.
While all we have to go on right now is the audio from American Eagle flight 4439, it sounds like overall they made the right decisions in an extraordinarily difficult situation and safely landed the jet. Working together as a crew is critical to safely resolving emergencies, especially control malfunctions. In such a situation, it is important to first fly the airplane, execute the checklist (including the memory items/boldface immediately), communicate your intentions with the crew, then ATC, plan for the next steps, and then safely land the jet.
On Thursday, United Airlines finally unveiled their new Star Wars themed plane. Departing from Houston, a bold, black Boeing 737 took to the skies. The jet features a split personality between the First Order and the Rebels with an appropriate red and blue light saber adorning each side of the tail on the jet.
The jet first flew from the paint hangar in Amarillo, Texas to Houston Intercontinental for the first leg of its ‘epic’ journey over the next year. United released a video of the meticulously detailed paint job. You can see it below:
United’s Star Wars Plane Is a masterful bit of advertising for both the airline and movie
United’s new Star Wars jet.
Source: United
The special Boeing 737 is a flying billboard for the final installment of the Star Wars series titled “Rise of the Skywalker”. It will remain in the special livery for the next year.
The interior of United’s new Star Wars Plane.
Source: United’s Instagram story
Inside the jet, United’s version of the ‘Millennial Falcon’ features both blue and red headrests along with a plaque commemorating the special plane. United also teamed with the popular FlightTracker24 to show the flight as a Millennial Falcon icon instead of the typical jet. Click here to see where the jet is today.
In addition the paint scheme, and special interior, United also announced a new safety video that will excite the die hard Star Wars fans with movie references. Check it out below!
Avgeeks have been anticipating the reveal of this special jet for months. United first showed a model of the jet even before they revealed their new livery. It led to rampant speculation (and later confirmation) that United’s new livery would feature bold billboard titles similar to American, Hawaiian and Southwest livery refreshes over the past few years.
United on a streak with new special paint schemes
In just the past 4 months, United has really upped their livery game. First they announced a new livery. Then they unveiled two new special schemes celebrating women artists on 757-200. And this now Star Wars plane. Are more special schemes on the way? Nothing official but many avgeeks hope for the return of a special Saul Bass scheme on a jet one day.
United’s Star Wars Plane at Chicago O’Hare. Photo: José Wolfman Guillén
Ancient Airlines: A look at unique and quirky airlines throughout aviation history
It may sound like a bad joke, but yes, Hooters Air was definitely a real airline and, yes, it was owned by that restaurant. You know the one — with the scantily clad waitresses and the pretty good hot wings. So, how exactly did a slightly questionable restaurant chain start and successfully operate an airline, at least for the approximately three years it was in business?
Founded in 2003, Hooters Air was operated by Pace Airlines, which the restaurant chain’s founder also owned (Pace Airlines, by the way, is out of business now, too, ceasing all operations in 2009). Headquartered at Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR) in South Carolina, the airline started as a way to drum up business for the restaurant, but then people actually flew it, with the airline’s primary demographic being golfers flying to Myrtle Beach, before Hooters Air expanded to reach other popular destinations throughout the country.
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — A Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and her crew are visiting Gwinnett County Airport this weekend to raise support for educational programs designed to inspire future aviators.
The aircraft known as Aluminum Overcast is one of the last flight worthy B-17s able to fly with passengers. Owned by the Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, this B-17 and her crew are educating visitors on the importance of its mission during the Second World War.
Today thru Sunday, EAA’s Gwinnett chapter 690 is working with the crew of the historic warbird to inspire the public’s interest in aviation-related fields. Guests are invited to tour inside the B-17 and even fly aboard the silver flying fortress.
‘Aluminum Overcast’ pilots John Litiachi and Lorraine Morris prepare for flight in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Morris says the B-17 is like flying “a cement truck without power steering”. (Charles Atkeison)
“EAA 690 is fortunate to be able to host the B-17 Aluminum Overcast Tour as it helps to provide funds to support our youth programs,” EAA spokesperson Louis Pucci said on Thursday. “Our youth programs include a STEM-oriented aviation build program; Young Eagles, an introduction into aviation; youth aviation summer camp, and flight scholarships.”
This EAA chapter, like many across the United States, is made up of volunteers who are pilots or who have worked in the aviation industry. In addition to the education and events, EAA will help one earn their pilot’s license.
Inspiring the next generation to fulfill a career in aviation is the goal of this B-17s crew. They fly the hulking aircraft backed by 20,000 hours of flying time.
The window view over the port wing of the B-17 ‘Aluminum Overcast’. (Charles Atkeison)
Aluminum Overcast is 75-years-old and remains a living testament to the men who crewed the thousands of B-17s during the war. For many visitors, they are drawn to the aircraft to honor a relative who had served aboard the massive aircraft.
“This flies like a cement truck without power steering,” Aluminum Overcast pilot Lorraine Morris said moments after landing on Thursday. “The only hydraulics we use are for the breaks and the cowl flaps — everything else is manual.”
During a typical B-17 flight, the aircraft burns nearly 200 gallons of fuel per hour. Its four engines hold 37 gallons of oil and 1700 gallons of fuel each. Many of the B-17s were fitted with auxiliary fuel tanks during the war.
The B-17 Flying Fortress was a hero of World War II Across Europe and the Pacific. (Charles Atkeison)
“You sit in the aircraft and you can’t really dwell on flying the airplane because you get all choked up,” Morris discussed as we sat in the cockpit. “You think of all the men that were in it, and all the people who didn’t come back.”
Morris added that the stories from her passengers have been unbelievable. She only wished there was enough time to tell them all.
“Some people will come up to it to pet it, and one gentleman kissed it because he kissed the B-17 every time he got done with the flight,” she said. “Many people will not even come near it because there are too many memories.”
The EAA Aluminum Overcast tour concludes in a few weeks following four stops across Georgia. Flights and tour details are available here.
November 08 – 10, 2019 | Lawrenceville, GA November 12, 2019 | Milledgeville, GA November 15 – 17, 2019 | Savannah, GA November 22 – 24, 2019 | St. Simons Island, GA
(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
PENSACOLA, Fla — The North American air show season began with a star-spangled flyover salute above Super Bowl LIII and was followed by several jaw-dropping aviation moments during the year ahead.
AvGeekery.com has compiled our top six “oh wow!” stories we covered during the 2019 air show season. We know that each time a military or civilian aircraft performs, it is truly stunning.
We take a look back at both the historic and interesting moments of the recent season. If you recall one aviation moment which made you gasp this year, please comment below.
Aerobatic ace Julie Clark performsaboard her T-34 Mentor. (Image: Clark Airshows)
6. Aerobatic Airshow Pilot Julie Clark Retires After 40 Years
Julie Clark began flying American aerobatics in 1978, and on October 19, she said farewell as she retired from the air show industry. Clark’s patriotic aerobatics aboard her T-34 Mentor aircraft pushes the limits of flight.
Across North America, Julie has been a staple at air shows for forty-two years. Nicknamed “Free Spirit”, Clark has flown the same aircraft everyone of those years. She laughs and says, “It’s my best friend”. Her final performance will be on November 17, during Nellis AFB’s Aviation Nation air show.
“I’m gonna miss being apart of this great industry,” Clark said “We talk about STEM/STEAM and bringing in young people into this industry. We need that, we want to keep the crowds up and we want to keep the innovations going.”
5. Navy’s Super Hornet Demo Team Cancels Season
The U.S. Navy’s popular Super Hornet demonstration team cancelled their five remaining air show appearances in June in order to train new pilots. The squadron performs at air shows across North America aboard the Rhino — an F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet jet.
An F/A-18E Super Hornet, assigned to VFA-106, performs a touch-and-go on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in April. (US Navy)
Known as the VFA-106 Gladiators, the demo team decided to spend the last half of the season training new pilots for 2020 and beyond. The announcement came as the Navy’s last legacy Hornets are being phased out for the Super Hornets.
“The mission of VFA-106 is to provide the fleet with superbly trained replacement aircrew to support fleet readiness,” VFA-106 Commander Brandon M. Scott said on Wednesday. “This mission will always take priority over displaying the remarkable Super Hornet across the country.”
4. Canadian Snowbirds Pilot Safely Ejects Prior to Crash
The Royal Canadian Snowbirds suffered their first jet crash in years on October 13 as the team prepared to perform at the Atlanta Airshow.
One of the Royal Canadian Snowbirds CT-114 jets performs during a recent air show. (RCAF)
The Snowbirds nine CT-114 Tutor jets had just taken off from Falcon Field about fifteen miles from the air show site at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. As the investigation continues, details of the Snowbird 5 accident have not been released.
What we know is an issue occurred aboard the Snowbird 5 jet minutes following take-off. Pilot Captain Kevin Domon-Grenier pointed the jet toward a vacant field and successfully ejected away. He was recovered and visited a nearby hospital for a few hours to be checked out.
It was the squadron’s first crash in eleven years. Moments following the crash, the rest of the air show was cancelled.
3. U.S., Great Britain Air Force Jets Perform NYC Flyover
The jets of the United States and the United Kingdom performed one of the largest military flyovers on August 22 above New York.
The late-morning tandem flight featured six Air Force Thunderbirds jets, followed by the Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows’ nine-jet delta. Two American F-22A Raptors and two F-35A Lightning IIs followed in a diamond formation.
Britain’s Red Arrows salute the Statue of Liberty during their flight over the Hudson River. (RAF)
The massive formation over Manhattan brought sky watchers to the windows of the skyscrapers. Social media was abuzz with images and video of the rare formation as the nineteen jets flew past.
“It was certainly a history making flight,” New York Airshow spokesperson Chris Dirato said. “It was exciting to see these teams make their way down and back up the Hudson River, while passing the Statue of Liberty.”
The Navy’s Blue Angels were originally to have also flown. However, the team dropped out one day prior due to having logged the maxium flying hours for the week.
2. Allied Warbirds Retrace D-Day Route on 75th Anniversary
America’s own D-Day squadron successfully flew fifteen C-47s/ DC-3s to the United Kingdom in May to join up with their European counterparts to create a historic June fly over to honor the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
Three C-47A Skytrains soar over the White Cliffs of Dover on May 31, during one of several practice flights leading up to their D-Day flight. (photo: Rich Cooper/D-Day Squadron)
The U.S. C-47A Skytrains and DC-9 aircraft flew in a huge formation with their European counterparts. They crossed the English Channel on June 5 for a formal flyover over Normandy Beach in France.
“Few veterans of D-Day are still with us, and this celebration may be our last chance to honor these brave war heroes,” D-Day Squadron’s executive director Moreno Aguiari told AvGeekery.com. “We are committed to ensuring their significance and sacrifice is fully appreciated for generations to come.”
The aircraft also dropped nearly 200 paratroopers over France along the way. A few of the Skytrains in attendance, Thats All — Brother! and Placid Lassie, make regular stops at U.S. air show sites.
1. First Female F-16 Demo Pilot Announced … then Quickly Replaced
The U.S. Air Force announced on January 29 the selection of the first female to both command and pilot the F-16 Viper Demonstration Team for the next air show season. Thirteen days later, Capt. Zoe “SiS” Kotnik was removed from duty due to a lack of confidence by her base commander.
Capt. Zoe Kotnik IS all smiles after a certification flight at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. (USAF SRA K. Reaves)
For nearly two weeks, Capt. Kotnik was the gem of the Air Force across social media. Her own social media account — filled with gratitude and cockpit videos set to popular music — was deleted the day of the stunning announcement.
“I removed Capt. Kotnik from her position as the commander of the Viper Demo team, because I lost confidence in her ability to lead the team,” Col. Derek O’Malley, Commander of 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw AFB, stated on February 11.
Kotnik said on Jan. 29 that she looks forward to having “an influence on younger generations.” She was poised to break new ground for women in her new job.
“I know first hand how impactful air shows can be and what a difference it makes to young people to see just one example of what they too can do and who they can become,” she added.
(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
It’s hard to believe that its already been almost two months since American Airlines retired their MD-80 fleet. If you recall, the Mad Dog retired to some really unique fanfare that honored the long-serving jet. As huge MD-80 fans, we covered the drawdown and eventual retirement of the beloved jet.
The skies over DFW are quieter since American retired their fleet of MD-80s. But if you are an avgeek, you are probably still missing those old smokey JTD-8s and shiny American fuselages over the DFW Metroplex. Well today, spotters at DFW got one last treat. Tail number N9677W flying as AA flight 9648 departed from DFW at 3:32pm en-route to her retirement spot at Roswell, New Mexico. There she joined many other American Airlines MD-80s who are also resting comfortably in the low-humidity environment.
If you look at the video above, you’ll see what is likely to be the start up of the last American MD-80 at DFW Airport. (Be sure to check out the puff of smoke at 3:30 as the APU shuts down after start up.) Special thanks to our friend Dylan at Boneyard Safari for the video.
The MD-80 aircraft stayed behind for a few months even as the rest of the fleet departed for Roswell. American Airlines said the jet stayed behind for deicing training at DFW Airport. There were a few rumors that N9677W might be headed for Founders Plaza at DFW Airport originally. Unfortunately for avgeeks, her flight to Roswell proves that the rumor for that particular aircraft will not materialize.
A few of AA’s Mad Dogs will probably escape the shredder
While most of the MD-80s will be turned into scrap metal, there are a few that might find a second life. A few MD-80s sent to Roswell over the past couple of years have returned to service, most notably for Laser Airlines in Venezuela and Everts Air Cargo, based out of Alaska.
The MD-80 that flew today was only 20 years old having first flown in 1999. American acquired TWA’s MD-80s back in the merge between the two airlines in 2001. As part of the acquisition, American continued to operate some of the last MD-80s off the line from the Long Beach factory until the retirement of the type in September. When American retired the fleet, some of the aircraft had flown around half the cycles approved for the type, meaning that structurally, the jet could still fly safely for a number of years longer with the required maintenance and upkeep.
Photo: Everts Air Cargo
Possibly two more chances to see an American MD-80 Mad Dog fly
If you missed today’s last American MD-80 flight out of DFW, there is still a bit of hope to catch an American MD-80s departure. There are four American Airlines MD-80s parked at the Tulsa maintenance center. It is rumored that those two jets will be donated to aviation maintenance schools sometime in the future. We’ll keep you updated as we find out more.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A secret military winged spacecraft glided out of Earth orbit on Sunday touching down at the Kennedy Space Center at the conclusion of a record breaking mission.
The uncrewed Air Force X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle spent 780 days in space performing detailed experiments for the military. The winged spacecraft glided on automatic from low Earth orbit to a pin-point landing at 3:51 a.m. EDT.
Today’s landing was the second by an X-37B on the three-mile-long runway previously used during NASA’s space shuttle program. The runway is adjacent to the X-37s designated processing facility next to the iconic Vehicle Assembly Building.
This flight was scheduled to deploy several small satellites and perform classified “on-orbit testing of emerging space technologies,” according to the Air Force. The space plane is operated from a control room while on-orbit with an open payload bay facing Earth.
The X-37B is an experimental test program to demonstrate technologies for a reliable, reusable, unmanned space test platform for the U.S. Air Force. (USAF)
“The safe return of this spacecraft, after breaking its own endurance record, is the result of the innovative partnership between government and industry,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein said on Sunday. “The sky is no longer the limit for the Air Force and, if Congress approves, the U.S. Space Force.”
The classified flight of the reusable mini-space shuttle lifted off a top a SpaceX Falcon 9 from the space center nearly 26 months ago. This was the third mission flown by the first of two reusable X-37Bs.
“The X-37B continues to demonstrate the importance of a reusable spaceplane,” Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett stated. “Each successive mission advances our nation’s space capabilities.”
The Air Force has announced the sixth mission of the X-37B program is scheduled to launch a top a ULA Atlas V rocket in spring of 2020.
(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
Southwest Airlines reported their third quarter earnings this week. At the earnings call, CEO Gary Kelly was asked about whether Southwest was considering other aircraft in the wake of the 737 MAX grounding. His answer, while not totally surprising, did raise some eyebrows. He stated that Southwest Airlines’ board of directors has asked the company to look at other options to diversify the fleet.
Southwest and 737s are like Peanut Butter and Jelly
Since Southwest’s first flight back in 1972, the airline has been a Boeing 737 airline. With the exception of a couple stints flying the 727 in the late ’70s and early ’80s, Southwest has flown every generation of the ‘baby Boeing’ jet to include the grounded MAX -8 series. Southwest has thrived with the jet. A single fleet type simplifies scheduling, training, maintenance, and operational equipment are all reasons why flying just the 737 made sense. Over the past decade with the 737NG series, Southwest has been able to offer transcontinental service and more recently unlock central America and Hawaii with a single type of jet.
Why would Southwest have a change of heart?
For Southwest, the MAX was supposed to represent a new era of service. With more efficient engines, Southwest would be able to add extended routes like Phoenix (possibly even Denver) to Honolulu and Houston to Central and South America. After the two 737 MAX crashes by LionAir and Ethiopian Airlines, the MAX was grounded back in March, taking 5% of Southwest’s fleet and expansion plans off the table for all of 2019.
The single fleet type that for so long was seen as a benefit, is now seen as a potential liability for the airline. With the MAX grounded and potential pickle-fork issues with NG-series jet, Southwest is beginning to realize that they could be in a very vulnerable position if there is another 737 grounding in the future.
The fact that Southwest might choose a second jet is far from a foregone conclusion. Southwest CEO Gary Kelly has a much more nuanced statement both in a CNBC interview and the recent earnings call after Q3-2019 earnings. In the call, Gary was asked to comment further based on the CNBC interview and discussion of Southwest needing to acquire a second fleet to remain competitive.
Gary replied, “Mike ([Van De Ven]-Operations VP) led that effort as late as 2011 when we agreed to launch the MAX. We gave a very serious look to an alternative…I wouldn’t prejudge the answer at all. We’ve been extremely successful for 48 years with a single fleet type. I know that our Vice President of Flight Operations would agree…So, there are plenty of good arguments for just I really feel like it’s just acknowledging the obvious and I feel like we have a duty to look at the question and especially in light of what’s going on right now. So, hopefully that answers part of the question.”
You can read and listen to the full call here. It makes for an interesting listen but it doesn’t exactly sound like Southwest is feeling an immediate need to stray from their winning formula very soon.
What could Southwest choose?
Even without an immediate push to acquire a second fleet, we are avgeeks and we love talking about the ‘what-ifs’ of the aviation industry. If Southwest decides to pursue a second fleet, they have a number of options on the table that they could select from and one fanciful one that makes us think…what if? We look at 4 potential options.
New A320NEO fleet comes with series of comfort improvements
Spirit Airlines announces a massive order for 100 A320NEO-series aircraft with an option for an additional 50 aircraft. Deliveries will begin in 2020 and continue through 2027. The MOU includes a mix of Airbus A319, A320, and A321 models.
Spirit has one of the youngest fleets of major US airlines. The average age of their aircraft is just 5.6 years. They currently operate 138 A320-series aircraft, including A319, A320, A321, and A321NEO jets. Over the next two years, Spirit will add 48 new NEO aircraft.
“This new order represents another milestone for Spirit,” said Spirit Airlines’ President and CEO Ted Christie. “The additional aircraft will be used to support Spirit’s growth as we add new destinations and expand our network across the U.S, Latin America and the Caribbean. We look forward to working with our valued partners at Airbus to finalize our agreement.”
Spirit Adding Passenger Comforts
It might sound like a bit of an oxymoron for Spirit Airlines to focus on improving the passenger experience. After all, they were the first US airline to charge for carry-ons and water. And they famously touted that they pre-recline their seats in an attempt to mitigate passenger issues due to their notorious tight seat pitch. For a while, Spirit was the butt of jokes for the occasional crazy passenger along with their reputation for delayed flights, poor service, and fees. This viral video by Brent Pella from late 2017 has almost 5 million views.
If you’ve flown Spirit recently though, you’ll notice that they have made a concerted effort to improve the customer experience. Their website now clearly explains their fee structure. They have focused on improving the customer experience too. They have added a variety of for-purchase unique snacks and drinks. The airline has also become more active on social media channels in an attempt to engage their customers and mitigate issues.
Spirit is adding new coach seats. The middle seat will have an additional inch of width.
Spirit has formalized their passenger experience improvements into a program called the Guest Initiative. In December 2019, Spirit plans to unveil an aircraft cabin redesign as part of its Invest in the Guest initiative. The cabin redesign will improve the look and feel of the interior while adding new, more comfortable seats that provide additional usable legroom. Spirit’s new seats will feature thicker padding, ergonomically-designed lumbar support, and a full-size tray table. Middle seats will also gain another inch of width, and every seat will gain nearly an inch of pre-recline compared to Spirit’s current seating configuration, with exit rows adding even more.
Spirit now flies over 600 flights daily to 75 destinations. They are adding 100+ jets over the next few years. And they have rightly placed a focus on improving customer service.
Have you flown Spirit recently? How was your experience? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments below.
Space is a serious endeavor. It is a dangerous and no-fail environment. Even just one error can lead to a catastrophic end as we saw twice in the Space Shuttle program. Against that backdrop, there is still room for moments of levity. Some of the more memorable moments of NASA are a witty comment by an astronaut or a catch phrase said by a mission controller at just the right moment for comedic relief. That’s why the the tradition of a wake up call is so unique.
Did Wake ups Start With the Space Shuttle?
Nope! A wake up call to astronauts is a time-honored tradition at NASA. Just like you and I, the first moments after waking up can set the tone for the day. NASA’s Mission Controllers ensured that they provided the astronauts with the best opportunity for a great day. While the wakeup call first started during the Gemini program and continued throughout Apollo and Skylab, it truly shined during the Space Shuttle era. The morning would typically consist of a relevant song for the day. Occasionally though, a special guest would join in the fun. Here are our top 5 wakeups:
5.) “Good Morning Space Shuttle!”
Back on September 30, 1988, actor Robin Williams woke up the crew from STS-26. He did a riff on his classic “Good Morning Vietnam” with a “Good Morning Discovery!” His wakeup came on the first day of a mission to deliver a satellite that would later be used for communications between the ground and various satellites to include the ISS. While there were other cases of celebrities offer a wake up and word of encouragement, the Robin Williams wake up was one of the more iconic greetings. In the video, you’ll see the mission controllers giggled like school kids as Robin Williams delighted crowds both on terra firma and in space.
On Monday, Gulfstream announced their new G700 jet at the annual NBAA conference in Las Vegas. The new Gulfstream will fly up to 19 passengers in comfort offering a master bedroom, bathroom with shower, and large galley. The jet will offer cruising speeds at .9 mach (.925 mach max), just 10% lower than the speed of sound. At .9 mach, the jet will have a range of 6,400 nm. Slowing to .85 mach for a longer range (similar to 747 speeds), the jet will offer an impressive 7,500 nm range.
Cabin mockup of the Gulfstream G700
While the new the new Gulfstream made its public debut yesterday, only a mockup of the fuselage was made available to the public at the Vegas conference. The actual first flight of the aircraft isn’t expected until 2021 with first delivery in 2022. Qatar Airways was announced as the first customer. They have committed to 10 aircraft for their private jet fleet. Flexjet will be the North American launch customer. Each G700 jet is expected to cost $75M.
G700 is a new jet but an evolution of G650 technology
Generated Image of the New Gulfstream G700
The G700 will build on the features of the G650. The aircraft is touted to have a taller, longer, wider cabin than its predecessor or near-size competition. It will feature 20 G650 style windows, a crew rest area, and a new winglet style.
In an announcement, Gulfstream President Mark Burns said, “The Gulfstream G700 takes the very best elements from our most innovative products and unites them with cutting-edge advances to create an all-new, advanced-technology aircraft that redefines safety, comfort and range at speed.”
G700 entering a competitive market
The new G700 will compete against the Bombardier Global 7500 aircraft, seen here. (Matti Blume [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)])
The larger G700 will enter a competitive landscape for the high-end, large private jet market. Bombardier has already begun to field their Global 7500 that features a slightly longer range and one foot longer than the forthcoming G700. Still both jets face competition from larger but slower 737BBJ, 787 BBJ, along with Airbus and Embraer business jets.
Running a modest (~3600 follower) aviation themed Facebook page for the past four years has been quite an education in human online behavior. I have a following of fellow professional aviators, air traffic controllers, aviation industry employees and general lovers of aviation. Most everyone abides by the unwritten laws of “netiquette” but there are of course always a few of the usual characters who don’t play well with others.
Pedants will pick out a minor mistake or unimportant nuance to trumpet superiority. Last worders must always finish any argument, and reading comprehension aficionados will repeat your point back to you as if it was their idea. Sometimes just not responding to a provocative comment will make the person doing the commenting explode. I don’t use the ban hammer often but rather try to talk excitable respondents down off the ledge. But occasionally I get a live conspiracy theorist to happen by. These guys are the most fun of all.
Pick Your Conspiracy…OK! “Chemtrails”
There are many flavors of conspiracies out there from 9/11 “truthers” to flat Earthers to the ur-conspiracy surrounding the Kennedy assassination. Rather than the dissipation of pockets of unknowing as you might expect now that we have the sum total of human science and discovery in our phones, access to the internet only seems to have injected steroids into many conspiracy theories. Confirmation bias kicks into overdrive as whole communities spring up around crazy ideas.
This image has nothing to do directly with the story. But it’s by Vic from Flickr (CC 2.0- https://www.flickr.com/photos/59632563@N04/6104068209)
Joseph Pierre, a psychiatrist writing in Psychology Today, makes the point that conspiracy believers venture from a healthy scientific skepticism into nihilistic denialism. Any and all facts are subject to question regardless of any evidence, no matter how convincing, as a matter of principle. I suppose there’s an attraction to walking around believing that you have secret knowledge to which few others are privy.
What are Chemtrails?
Chemtrails- A340 belching out Chemtrails
In aviation circles, the conspiracy of choice is known as the “chemtrail” conspiracy. A portmanteau of chemical and contrails, itself a combination of “condensation trails”, the chemtrail conspiracy posits that the lines in the sky which originate behind high flying aircraft are not condensation from the moisture in aircraft exhaust, but actually a chemical spray of nefarious origin designed for a sinister end.
These chemicals can be either psychotropic substances which are designed to keep a restive population compliant, or a melange of metallic particles which are used to control the weather or “geoengineer” the planetary climate by blocking solar radiation. This particular conspiracy dates back to the late 90s and appears to have been sparked by a military research paper speculating about a future method of warfare that might include chemical dispersion from aircraft.
A Bit of Truth In Chemtrails
The use of aircraft to spray chemicals, usually fertilizers and pesticides, has a history dating back to the 1920s.
Crop dusting could very well be the inspiration for Chemtrails (Photo: Charles O’Rear)
The first aerial application of agricultural chemicals took place in 1921 from McCook Field in Dayton, Ohio. More recently, the US military undertook a large scale defoliation effort from 1962 to 1971 during the Vietnam conflict. Dubbed Operation Ranch Hand, Air Force C-123 Provider aircraft dispensed an estimated total of 20 million gallons of herbicides over Vietnam jungles.
Given this history, it isn’t too great of a jump for the conspiracy minded to believe that the government has just upped their game and is now using commercial aircraft to poison the population or control the climate. Adherents will often conflate high altitude contrails which are a product of jet exhaust with low altitude wing top mist generation which is a result of the generation of lift in high humidity environments. Entire websites complete with well produced video content exist to promulgate chemtrail theories.
My Very Own Conspiracist
As I’d had thoughts about addressing this subject for awhile, I had the good fortune to have a true believer find his way onto my page. Let’s call him Rob (name changed). Rob started out sending me private messages asking how it was that an attitude indicator (artificial horizon) could stay erect to the horizon if an aircraft is actually travelling over a globe.
It’s actually a fair question and a real issue. He was unknowingly describing an actual phenomenon called “Earth rate” or “Earth transport” precession. An uncorrected gyro actually would slowly become inaccurate if it stayed true to its starting location as an aircraft travelled the globe. Both of these effects are accounted and corrected for in modern flight management computers.
This explanation was answered by an angry response that he’d taken an attitude indicator apart and saw no such correction mechanism. This was probably true in that general aviation aircraft don’t need such mechanisms due to their high cost and short range. A link to a Wikipedia article was met with a scoff. I didn’t really expect him to believe in anything from Wikipedia, did I? How stupid did I think he was after all?
The conversation continued in this fashion. He’d ask why an aircraft travelling in a straight line over a globe wouldn’t simply leave the atmosphere as if on a tangent line. The reply that aircraft don’t fly in straight lines but use barometric pressure to maintain altitude in the atmosphere which is curved over the planet was also scoffed at. I hadn’t “proved” anything.
It then occurred to me that he was a flat Earth believer. Rather than chase him off, I asked how he had come to his views. He mentioned that a ride in a helicopter some years past had provided him with his epiphany. He never did say exactly how that ride convinced him of the flatness of the Earth though.
I then asked for some reference material. A trove of internet memes and links to videos followed. These memes would show things like graphic representations of an aircraft flying off into space on a straight line course, or a picture of drain or fuel dump vents on airliners as proof of the conspiracy.
Concerning chemtrails, he eventually conceded that rather than a conscious conspiracy of many thousands of commercial pilots and aircraft mechanics, the chemtrail chemicals might actually be added into the fuel directly, thereby limiting the conspiracy to fuel handlers and refiners.
The Pendulum Proves The Conspiracists Wrong
Looking for a simple way to demonstrate the Earth was not flat which would not rely on technology which he mistrusted, I recalled seeing a heavy four story pendulum hung in a stairwell in the Franklin Institute science museum in Philadelphia. Every morning employees would set up a circle of chess pieces under the pendulum and set it swinging. The pendulum would knock down the chess pieces as the day progressed thereby demonstrating the rotation of the Earth. There was no way to ignore that!
Benjamin Franklin was a freemason
The answer came back that Franklin was a Freemason and, well, nothing that he touched could be trusted. Interestingly, that was followed by several videos showing Masonic iconography which depicts the sun the same size as the moon with a flat horizon in the background, so it was difficult to know whether the Masons were with him or against him. What was clear was that a thread of mystical religiosity informed his world view and he was not going to let anyone pop the bubble.
What was also clear was that he wasn’t going to attempt to address any incongruities that I raised such as how I could video call my wife from China where it was clearly dark at noon. This was just fascinating to me. I clearly didn’t want to know the “truth” of his “research” which consisted of internet memes and videos posted by like-minded conspiracists.
Is It Harmless?
By all accounts my interlocutor seemed like a nice guy who got on well enough in society to hold a job and function normally. He mentioned that his job involved some sort of mechanical proficiency, and he did spend quite a bit of time on Facebook, so he wasn’t obviously a technophobe. I even admired his inquisitiveness about the world.
He was thinking about things that many people never consider, but at some point he wouldn’t make the leap to the rational conclusion. Many of his positions started with a bit of truth which was then extrapolated to fantasy. The Psychology Today article referenced above noted that a confusion of the notions of “believe in” versus “believe that” might be part of the cause of these belief systems.
I can’t say that walking around believing in a flat Earth or chemtrails is an unalloyed tragedy. If it works for him, then great. In the words of that great 20th century philosopher, John Lennon: “Whatever gets you through the night is alright.”
Guessing I’m right about Chemtrails
One of the attributes which is emblematic of all conspiracies is that they’re unfalsifiable. Any time an explanation is offered, there will be a counter-explanation which can’t be verified. One of the best depictions of this was the scene from the first Terminator movie where Michael Biehn tries to explain to an incredulous prison doctor how robots from the future are coming to kill Sarah Connor.
Of course the joke here is that there actually were robots coming from the future to commit mayhem. But then, it was only a movie. Or was it?
Are you a Chemtrails believer?Share your best Chemtrails story below!
For a few years now, we’ve heard from Boeing that a NMA (or New Midsized Aircraft) is in the works. While Boeing has yet to officially name the jet, many have dubbed it the Boeing 797, following Boeing’s numerical designation for aircraft. At the major airshows, Boeing touts progress in the design, drops a few rumors about the NMA, says many airlines are interested, and then stone-cold silence follows. Recently, a new rumor has popped up. Flight Global recently reported that Boeing is looking at an engine upgrade for the Boeing 767 as an option for the NMA. Here’s why we think this option might be more likely than not.
An earliy rendering of the Boeing NMA Aircraft from 2018. (Boeing)
Boeing 767: A Resilient Design
The Boeing 767 first flew in 1981. It is design that is approaching 40 years old. Yet the design has been remarkably resilient over the years. The original intent of Boeing’s 787 was to replace the larger 767 fleet. To an extent, this is happening. American Airlines is set to retire their 767 fleet by the end of 2020. They are replacing the jet with the 787-8, providing a better passenger experience with lower operating costs, and slightly increased capacity. Other airlines like Delta and United have upgraded their 767 fleet to include new business class experiences and fresh interiors.
United Airlines Boeing 767-200; N613UA@JFK, July 1995. Photo by Aero_Icarus
While some airlines are slowly retiring their fleet, there are still a number of operators flying the jet worldwide. In fact, the last passenger 767 was delivered in 2016. Additionally, the aircraft is still in production with large backlogs for cargo operators UPS and FedEx. Boeing also has a large contract for 179 of the ‘frankentanker’, the KC-46 for the Air Force. (It’s called a ‘frankentanker’ because it has 767-200 fuselage combined with a 787-like cockpit, and wings from the 767-300 version). In short, Boeing currently has a backlog of over 100 orders that stretches well into the next decade at current production rates.
Delta Air Lines Boeing 767 Arrives at Honolulu International Airport Photo: Avgeekery
Three reasons why A Re-engined Boeing 767 Makes Sense
With the technologically advanced 787 in Boeing’s portfolio, many wonder why a re-engined 767 would make much sense. The answer lies in the fact that an upgraded 767 represents a low-cost way for Boeing to provide enhanced economics without significant risk. We dig into three reasons why this option is pretty attractive for Boeing on the next page.
As of this writing, the 737 MAX remains grounded with projected return dates now stretching into the first quarter of 2020. Boeing has not as of yet submitted the software fix for the controversial MCAS system to the FAA for evaluation. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) recently indicated that they will seek their own additional testing of the software fix possibly resulting in a staggered return of the aircraft to service.
The post-mortem examinations of what went wrong at Boeing and the assumptions that were made concerning the flawed MCAS software continue. At issue is one assumption made early on that any malfunction in the MCAS system would be immediately recognized by average pilots as a malfunction known as “runaway stabilizer” for which a checklist already exists.
The stabilizer trim system is used by the pilots or the autopilot to keep the horizontal stabilizer in “trim” which means keeping the stabilizer aligned with the slipstream of air. It does this by actually moving the entire stabilizer a through a range of angles which change with airspeed. An “out of trim” stabilizer means the stabilizer is not perfectly aligned with the passing wind. This results in the need to hold force on the control column to maintain altitude. Letting go of the controls in such a condition would result in an undesired climb or descent. A well trimmed aircraft will stay where you put it.
In the 737 MAX, the stabilizer trim is normally controlled electrically through a motor, but can also be adjusted manually through a wheel and handle on the center stand. This system has a failure mode known as “runaway trim” wherein the motor runs after the control column electric trim switch has been released most likely due to a sticky or failed switch. This malfunction can quickly result in an unflyable condition if not quickly corrected. It is this failure mode which is addressed by the “runaway stabilizer” checklist reproduced above.
Continuously or Continually?
Boeing engineers were also counting on pilots using this same runaway stabilizer checklist in the event that the MCAS system, which also uses the stabilizer trim, malfunctioned. The problem with this assumption is that the two malfunctions can appear to be very different things. During a classic stuck switch runaway trim, the trim wheel in the cockpit starts spinning and does not stop. That’s the definition of “continuously” and is correctly annotated as one of the conditions on the top of the checklist.
An MCAS malfunction, however, presented quite differently. During that malfunction, the MCAS system would spin the trim wheel forward for a specified amount and then stop. If the pilot then used the trim switches to adjust the trim in a nose up direction, a malfunctioning MCAS would wait five seconds and trim forward again after each input by the pilot. This “very often; at regular or frequent intervals” behavior of the MCAS system is the definition of “continually”, not “continuously”.
Did a grammatical error doom the 737 MAX? (Image: Boeing)
This is exactly what happened to Lion 610. After reversing the MCAS inputs multiple times, the captain passed control of the aircraft to his first officer who was apparently unaware of the inputs the captain had been making. He never countered the next MCAS input which doomed them.
From Dictionary [dot] com:
In formal contexts, continually should be used to mean “very often; at regular or frequent intervals,” and continuously to mean “unceasingly; constantly; without interruption.”
Is this a minor and pedantic point? Perhaps, but perhaps not. English is the international language of aviation, and all pilots are expected to be proficient in English to be qualified to fly in international airspace. The pilots of both Lion 610 and Ethiopian 302 were likely not native English speakers and were highly unlikely to be aware of such a nuance as the difference in meaning of these two words.
They were, however trained in the various failure modes of their aircraft, and were not likely to be expecting the intermittent behavior of the failed MCAS system. The pilots of Lion 610 had no knowledge of the existence of the MCAS system as it was not included in their flight manuals. The pilots of Ethiopian 302 did have the Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) published by Boeing describing the MCAS system, but were still slow to recognize that their problem originated from a bad MCAS system until too late.
In Conclusion
Aircraft flight manuals should contain all the information needed by pilots to safely operate their aircraft. This information should include accurate descriptions of possible failures, the recognizance of such failures, and best practices on how to solve or mitigate problems that arise. The omission of the existence and description of MCAS from the MAX airplane flight manual only compounded the problems faced by the two mishap aircrews. Faced with a fusillade of warnings and distractions which served to conceal the real nature of their problem, they were defenseless against a poorly designed and undocumented but deadly adversary.
