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Rare Video Shows How The Air Force Reserve Activated In The 1980s

Bill Walton
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Rare Video Shows How The Air Force Reserve Activated In The 1980s

It was a different time. Plenty of manning, great technology (for its time), a wide assortment of aircraft, and a good work/life balance for the airmen.  But they still faced the dreaded ORI (Operational Readiness Inspection).

The film “The Air Force Reserve- Always Ready” was produced by the Air Force Reserve (AFRES) during 1980 and documents that year’s Exercise Paid Redoubt. The exercise involved nearly every facet of AFRES capability and capacity at the time, simulating multiple scenarios and mission variables over the two week-long Colorado event. In the video below, uploaded by YouTuber Airboyd, you’ll see not only the aircraft and crews but the personnel behind the scenes who made the difference between chaos and control.

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

In the film, Lockheed C-130H, DC-130H, and HC-130H Hercules aircraft appear in their tactical airlift, drone control, and rescue command and control and refueling roles respectively. A Sikorsky HH-3H Jolly Green Giant flies a simulated combat search and rescue (CSAR) mission, complete with close air support provided by Cessna OA-37B Dragonfly aircraft.

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Official US Air Force Photograph

When it comes to the tactical fighter role, the 457th Fighter Squadron (FS) Spads  of the 301st Fighter Wing (FW) fly their Republic F-105D Thunderchiefs from Carswell AFB in Texas to the exercise. Lockheed C-141A Starlifters and C-5A Galaxies provide logistical support for Paid Redoubt.

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Official US Air Force Photograph

United 747 Buzzes Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz At Its Last Ever Fleet Week

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United 747 Buzzes Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz At Its Last Ever Fleet Week

For years, United Airlines has wowed crowds with a display of “The Queen” at San Francisco’s Fleet Week.  Every year, United flies their flagship Boeing 747-400 over the bay to celebrate sponsorship of San Francisco’s big air and sea show.

What makes this flyover unique is that this will be the last year that the city will see the Queen fly over the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the Bay. They plan to retire the 747 fleet on November 7th with the final scheduled revenue flight from SFO to Honolulu.

All hail the queen. ????✈️ #QueenOfTheSkies #UA747Farewell #FleetWeekSF #Avgeek

A post shared by United (@united) on

We’ll leave you with two videos.  Above you’ll see United’s Instagram post capturing the flight.  Below you can see an amateur YouTube video posted by wanderlust1k.  While the quality isn’t professional, it gives you a good idea of the profile that the Boeing 747 flies at the show.

Too much fun! My T-38 Fiasco at Webb AFB, TX back in 1971

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Too much fun! My T-38 Fiasco at Webb AFB, TX back in 1971

On my first T-38 solo, I got into multiple troubles. In one of the maneuvering areas, I decided to do repeated loops, merrily climbing and losing ten thousand feet in each loop. As you pull through the top of the loop, you must look up to see the earth coming back into view. As you finish the loop, there is nothing but earth before you as you streak straight down. I was having a fine time until Center called me and asked which area I was supposed to be in. I gave him the area name, and he informed me I had strayed into the adjacent area in my frolic, and why didn’t I get my butt back into my own area.

That, however, was mild compared to what was coming. I returned to the Webb pattern, shot an instrument approach, and requested the closed (close in) visual pattern to get another quick landing. As I rolled out on final, I noticed the controls were behaving very strangely. I had to use huge control stick movements to get my desired response from the plane. As I pondered this, the RSU officer came up on tower frequency and asked, “T-38 on final, confirm no-flap?”

AAAAAAH!

I had forgotten to put the flaps down to improve lift for the slow final approach and now, belatedly, realized I was about to stall the plane a few hundred feet above the ground, something that could have fatal consequences. I slammed the throttles forward into full afterburner, orange flames shot out the back of the plane’s engines, and I felt a blessed power surge that pressed me back into my seat. Stunned at my lapse and whispering, “Oh, fuck! Oh, fuck!” to myself, I heard the RSU controller on the radio again a moment later.
“On the go, [meaning me], gear?”

AAAAAAH again!

I had forgotten, in my panic, to raise the gear and had now exceeded its maximum extended speed limit. However, it did come up and eventually go down one more time as I full stopped.

I wobbled away from the plane after landing and skulked back into the flight room. I didn’t know if I could possibly get away with this. As it turned out, I could not.

One of the loudest, most obnoxious of our section’s IPs had been the RSU officer asking me the questions from the tower, and he soon arrived to skewer me in front of the entire flight. “Lieutenant Lacklen, were you Rod 22?” he asked loudly, knowing full well I had been.
“Er, yes, sir, I was,” I said.

“Did you write up a gear overspeed when you landed?” he pressed, glaring at me angrily as if he had just caught me in bed with his wife.
“Er, no, sir.”

As he looked around the room to ensure everyone was listening, he continued, his voice rising, “Well, let me count up the busts for you on this flight—one for flying an illegal [for a student] no-flap, one for overspeeding the gear, and one for not writing it up in the maintenance forms. That is three U’s on one solo ride, mister. Where the hell is your IP? Now, get your ass back out to that airplane and write up that gear!”

Captain Obnoxious had known he had a student by the balls when, after asking for no-flap confirmation of me on final, he had seen the orange flames explode from the back of my engines, a sure sign I had hit afterburners; I didn’t even need to answer him. Had he not seen that, and had I not answered, his next, panicked command would have been “T-38 on final, burners now!” because, as my nose-high, wallowing aircraft movement warned, I’d have soon started stalling and falling. But I beat him to the punch. Then, as I streaked past the RSU with my gear still down, he knew he had me again, and he did.”

Editors note: Youtube video by majsparky depicting typical T-38 sorties from the 1970s.

(Excerpt from “Flying the Line, an Air Force Pilot’s Journey, Pilot Training, Vietnam, SAC,” (book one of the three book series) by Jay Lacklen.

Fat Albert C-130 Used To Blast Off On Rocket Assisted Takeoffs

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Fat Albert C-130 Used To Blast Off On Rocket Assisted Takeoffs

Fat Albert is a unique aircraft.  Aircraft like the C-27, C-130s and C-17s will occasionally perform routines at airshows. Fat Albert is the only large transport aircraft on a service-level performance team in the world.

For the uninitiated, Fat Albert is a C-130T used to transport gear and equipment for the Blue Angels.  The crew is comprised of three marine officers and five enlisted crew members.  Each crew member on the immense aircraft is considered part of the Blue Angels team.  They wear the same uniform as the rest of the performance team that flies the F/A-18 Hornet.

While Fat Albert will occasionally perform short field takeoffs and assault landings before the show, its routine is very limited from what it used to do. From 1975 until 2009, Fat Albert used to fly a rocket-assisted takeoff prior to the departure of the main Blue Angels show.  The C-130T was specially equipped with 8 JATO rocket cylinders.  Each rocket was comprised of solid fuel and added about 1,000 lbs of thrust to the C-130.  With 8,000 lbs of extra thrust on the aircraft, the C-130 became airborne in no time.  It then commenced a very spectacular 45 degree nose-high climb to altitude. For reference, typical C-130s climb at around 10-15 degrees climb angles on a normal departure.

Although the JATO takeoffs were impressive, the supply of Vietnam war-era rockets dried up. Fat Albert flew its last JATO takeoff at Pensacola back in 2009. The odds of seeing this amazing departure profile ever again are slim to none.

Even without the rockets, Fat Albert still soldiers on today.  The C-130 was recently refurbished.  It was grounded earlier this year after a crash of a similar KC-130T model.  Fat Albert passed inspection and is now back flying with the team. This video was filmed by Kevin Slay and originally posted on YouTube.

Listen To This Gorgeous Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat Purr In This 4k Start-Up and Flyby Video

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Listen To This Gorgeous Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat Purr In This 4k Start-Up and Flyby Video

The F8F-2 Bearcat was design by Grumman Ironworks and began production in 1947. The Bearcat served in a total of 24 squadrons for both the United States Navy and Marine Corps during 1948. A few of the Bearcat’s notable specs are: the max speed of 455 MPH, lighter airframe compared to similar fighters (when compared to the Corsair, the Bearcat is 3,000 pound lighter), and the second airframe to be used by the United States Demonstration Squadron-The Blue Angels.

Powering the Bearcat is a single Pratt & Whitney radial engine capable of 2,250-hp. It is worth noting the Corsair and the Bearcat share the same engine design, however the lighter airframe of the Bearcat allows the aircraft to reach higher maximum speed. On May 31, 1949 production ended for the Bearcat, yielding a total of 282 aircraft.

The aircraft featured in the video was produced in 1948 and delivered to the Navy for service on December 2, 1948. The aircraft was later placed into storage in 1953 until it’s purchase in 1997 by The Lone Star Flight Museum in Texas. The aircraft was restored to flying condition by the museum.

The current owner, John O’Connor, purchased the aircraft from the Museum in 2011. The Bearcat is quite rare today sight at airshows today. In an interview by the Dailyherald.com owner John O’Connor stated, “fewer than 10 of these aircraft are flying today.” (dailyherald.com) The Blue Angel paint scheme was already applied when the aircraft was purchased in 2011.

Notable Events in the video:

0:10 Mustang “Gentleman Jim” returns to the Hot Ramp

2:27 C-47 with Paratroopers Enter Frame

4:30 Smoke On

4:50 Bearcat Begins Taxi to Runway

5:00 Short Flyby of the Bearcat

Electric Commuter Planes are Set to Revolutionize Regional Air Travel by 2022

Kim Clark
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Electric Commuter Planes are Set to Revolutionize Regional Air Travel by 2022

Zunum Aero has received backing from Boeing and JetBlue for plans that would have a hybrid electric commuter plane in the air by the year 2022. With climbing fuel costs and endless delays at check-in, these new hybrids are expected to operate at a fraction of the cost due to lower fuel consumption and be extremely agile, getting passengers to their destinations faster than ever before.

The initial designs show a plane that is small in stature, seating only a dozen or passengers, and suited for trips that are less than 1,000 miles in distance. Zunum Aero execs say they identified a hole in the aviation market that opened up an opportunity to launch the electric commuter plane program. Connections from smaller airports to large hubs have always been cumbersome. Passengers often complain about inefficiencies and the cost of short trips. The electric commuter aircraft are expected to radically cut travel time from small airports with connections to major hubs and provide airline customers with a seamless solution compared to traditional options.

The initial flight tests are scheduled to begin in 2019. This is a very ambitious goal for Zunam Aero, considering current battery technology is not powerful enough to generate enough energy for liftoff. That is the main reason that there are no electrically powered aircraft today, and most experts estimate that it will take many years for technological advances to make it possible. But according to Zunum Aero executives, their proprietary propulsion and powertrain technology will enable them to build a hybrid with a range of 700 miles by the year 2022 and by 2030, an electric plane with a 1,000-mile range.

Electric hybrid plane
Photo by Zunum Aero

This is great news for consumers because the cost of connections will be lower and even the noise and pollution emitted from the hybrids gets a check in the positive column: the hyrid electric jets boast an 80% reduction in both noise and noxious air emissions.

While the new alliance between Zunum, Boeing and JetBlue is set to conquer short duration flights with the new technology, Boeing said in a comment this week that they plan to further extend the program to long distance flights. Boeing announced its acquisition of Aurora Flight Services October 5 with an eye toward developing electric jets for long duration flights, for both commercial customers and the military.

UK’s Huge Peacetime Repatriation: 10K Passengers Return After Monarch Collapses

Kim Clark
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UK’s Huge Peacetime Repatriation: 10K Passengers Return After Monarch Collapses

More than 10,000 passengers that had traveled abroad are being repatriated back to the UK after the recent Monarch Air collapse. Most of them will be brought back by the end of this week. According to the Business Reporter, the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) has already repatriated almost 35,000 people on 173 flights. The remaining 75,392 passengers are expected to return by October 15. The British government and CAA are working over time as, in total, about 860,000 people have been affected. CAA Chair Dame Deirdre Hutton says this massive undertaking has gone well for the first three days but points out that there are still 11 days remaining before the monumental repatriation is complete. Most all Monarch passengers are expected to be back in the UK by October 15.

With all the canceled flights, news of the collapse is devastating for many people who were planning holiday travel on the budget airline. Holiday flights on other carriers are likely to overbook and experience additional problems related to overcrowding. Travelers are not the only ones affected, however. According to administrators at KPMG, about 1,858 of the 2,100 employed at Monarch’s tour and airline group are now in redundant positions and will be laid off. It is expected that 98 tour and 1,760 airline employees will lose their jobs.

No buyer yet.

Meantime, the airline continues to search for a buyer but no buyer has come forward yet. So, Monarch’s top executives are considering breaking up the company. Monarch Aircraft Engineering, the engineering operation, is not part of administration and is trading normally. Breaking the company into bits and pieces may be a bit traumatic for veterans of the company (Monarch Airlines was originally founded in 1967) but executives are quick to point out that a breakup could be one of the only ways to salvage parts of the company.

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Passengers wait for a flight. Photo by: Tom Murphy VII (Wikipedia)

To add insult to injury, the workers’ union is filing suit. Unite union has initiated legal action on behalf of more than 1,800 cabin, crew and engineering employees that were laid off. This could add millions of dollars to taxpayers’ already heavy financial burden. Taxpayers are required to bankroll the current repatriation efforts, since the airline is essentially bankrupt.

It is the largest airline bankruptcy in the United Kingdom to date. Monarch stopped trading October 2, after urgent talks with aviation regulators. The CAA refused to renew the airline’s license to sell holiday packages shortly before the 4 a.m. announcement.

Emirates A380 Jet Nearly Loses Directional Control In Windy Landing

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Emirates A380 Jet Nearly Loses Directional Control In Windy Landing

We’re pretty sure the maintenance logs asked for replacement of the tires and the pilot’s seat cushion after this A380 landing.  They are lucky it wasn’t worse.

Landing a “heavy” or “super” sized airliner in strong crosswinds requires great skill. It is even more challenging in gusty conditions. In this video posted on Youtube by Cargospotter, the Emirates A380 airliner touched down hard while still crabbed during gusty crosswinds at Dusseldorf Airport in Germany.  The jumbo then overcorrected as the pilot attempted to kick rudder to straighten out the jet after the hard landing. The jet then slid sideways before the pilot finally regained control. The landing gear incurred some serious side-load on that landing. See for yourself:

Gusty winds cause areas of rapid lift and downdrafts. Strong wind gradients near the surface also lead to low-level wind shear. If a wind gust subsides at the wrong moment, the aircraft can sink faster, leading to a rough landing or worse.

There are many techniques that pilots use in stormy/gusty conditions.  Many crews discuss how they are spring loaded to go-around with an unusually high sink rate or if they encounter wind shear.  They also brief a reference ground speed.  This speed accounts for the expected shear.  It means that an aircraft will fly faster so that they can ‘fly through’ the shear and still be on-speed at touchdown.

Is China’s ARJ21 Just A MD-80 Copy Or Is It The Beginning Of China’s Rise In Commercial Aviation?

Kim Clark
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Is China’s ARJ21 Just A MD-80 Copy Or Is It The Beginning Of China’s Rise In Commercial Aviation?

China’s bid to become a major player in the global aerospace industry is moving forward, with the recent certification of the ARJ21. Mass production has commenced and the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, or COMAC, reports that it already has 413 orders for the ARJ21 from 19 customers.

Chengdu Airlines COMAC ARJ21 700 at 2014 Zhuhai Air Show

The Deputy Director General of China’s Ministry of Industry, equipment industry department, Yang Shuanchang says the aircraft will serve as a model for the development of similar prototypes like the C919, which is expected to be submitted for certification in 2019. Industry observers say the real test of mettle will be the pending certification of the C919.

A United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-type certification has to be granted as a preliminary condition for any aircraft to be entered into the intensely competitive worldwide aviation market. Boeing and Airbus initially bristled at the potential competition coming from China, in part because the Chinese government has a record of investing heavily in state-run ventures. Those fears were somewhat allayed however since, in spite of these investments, getting the ARJ21 off the ground has taken a decade longer than originally anticipated due to serious issues that arose during the testing phase, calling into the question China’s ability to compete and create indigenous designs.

MD-80 Frankenstein

Early problems with the ARJ21 included avionics and wing cracks. For example, in early static testing, the wings broke or cracked when put under pressure before reaching the average pressure point set by regulators. Because of this, the CAAC limited the plane’s flight envelope during the test program. In addition, tests uncovered faulty wiring. Testing for icing and stall speeds were also postponed. The perpetual problems led aviators and avgeeks to refer to the ARJ21 as an MD-80 Frankenstein with a little CRJ and unreliability mixed in.

McDonnell Douglas MD 80 American Airlines DFW shop nose gear cockpit 2734230329 3
The ARJ-21 looks awfully familiar to the original MD-80 shown here. Photo Bill Abbott (Wikipedia)

The ARJ21 is partially built on specs from the old MD80, thanks to the presence of U.S. manufacturers in China. McDonnell Douglas was operating an MD80 manufacturing facility in Shaghai prior to its merger with Boeing, thanks to a lucrative deal inked in the early 90s. During this time period, presses and other parts were shipped from the United States to the Douglas facility. This gave the Chinese access to Western technology.

Once Boeing merged with McDonnell Douglas, production of the MD80 ceased, marking the end of an era. After abandoning the final MD80 and MD90 assembly lines in China after about 30 frames, Aviation Industrial Company inherited McDonnell Douglas tooling.

China Announces Regional Airliner Project

It did not take long before China was announcing it’s “new” regional airliner project, unveiling a design that was eerily similar to the MD80 design. COMAC officials in Shanghai vehemently defend the ARJ21 as an original design. However, despite COMAC’s protests to the contrary, it is commonly accepted that the ARJ21 is fundamentally a redesign of the DC9. There is a general consensus throughout the industry that the ARJ21 is an incarnation of the MD-80 airframe as well, especially since the initial phase of the ARJ21 life cycle began after Boeing made an agreement with COMAC to make a larger version of the MD87.

The ARJ21 was originally launched way back in 2002. It is essentially a reengineered MD-80 with a body shrunk down to regional jet dimensions. It features a new wing designed by Antonov and General Electric GE CF34 turbofans. The aircraft, which has been dogged by issues that led to the lengthy certification delays and major redesigns, has a list price of about $30 million which is a fraction of the cost of jets sold in the West. In spite of the lower price tag, the ARJ21 is significantly more expensive to operate since it is much heavier than traditional Western jets, and therefore, consumes much more expensive jet fuel.

The C919: China’s Ace in the Hole?

C919 COMAC B 001A May 2017
Flying Ace? COMAC C919 taking off from Shanghai – Pudong International Airport. By Weimeng at www.airliners.net [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)
The airworthiness of China’s next market entrant, the C919, is already being questioned. Comac VP Shi Jianzhong stated that a number of “issues” with the C919 engine and technology that led to delays for the latest second round of testing. It is difficult to determine the actual status due to lack of transparency from Chinese manufacturers. However, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China executives announced Friday that the C919 testing is back on track. The aircraft is slated to take its third test flight within the next few weeks, if not sooner.

Honeywell navigation systems, Liebherr landing gear and CFM International Leap-1C engines are integrated into the design, even though industry observers say technology powering the C919 is largely out of date. Only time will tell if Chinese Civil Aviation will be established as a major global contender. The aviation community is eyeing the C919 to determine if China will be catapulted into an aviation super power or remain parked at the gate in light of test failures caused by manufacturing problems once again.

VIDEO: One Proven Fighter, One Unproven Stealth Fighter Cruise Together Over London

Bill Walton
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VIDEO: One Proven Fighter, One Unproven Stealth Fighter Cruise Together Over London

From our good friends at AirshowStuffVideos comes this Heritage Flight performed by a United States Air Force (USAF) Lockheed-Martin F-35A Lightning II and a North American P-51D Mustang warbird. This performance took place during the London Airshow 2017 at London International Airport in London, Ontario Canada. The aircraft takeoff, perform their formation flybys, and each perform a solo flyby before recovering after the performance. Turn that sound UP!

[youtube id=”kkxzj_3n0Ng” width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”]

The North American P-51D-25NA 44-73029 (N51JB Bald Eagle) is a Horsemen Flying Team aircraft. It entered service with the Ohio Air National Guard (ANG) during the early 1950s and spent time in the Nicaraguan Air Force before returning to the States in 1963. The aircraft changed hands several times during the 60s and 70s and was raced as #15 Jay Bee during the 70s. Jim Beasley acquired the aircraft in 1983. A landing accident in 1984 grounded the aircraft for a while but a restoration completed in 2010 returned the aircraft to flight with The Horsemen.

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The Lockheed-Martin F-35A Lightning II in the video is F-35A Air Force serial number 11-5038 (MSN AF-49) and was delivered to the Air Force on July 29th 2014. Since acceptance the jet has been flown by the 61st Fighter Squadron Top Dogs of the 56th Operations Group based at Luke Air Force Base near Glendale in Arizona. The 56th can trace its roots all the way back to the 56th Fighter Group based in England during World War II- yes, that’s right- Gabby Gabreski’s unit. The 56th was re-activated in October of 2013 to provide F-35A training.

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NASA Pool Prepares Astronauts for Upcoming Space Station Spacewalks

Charles Atkeison
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NASA Pool Prepares Astronauts for Upcoming Space Station Spacewalks

HOUSTON — Astronauts aboard the International Space Station are scheduled to perform three consecutive spacewalks in October to upgrade and repair critical equipment outside the orbiting laboratory.

NASA astronauts Randy Bresnik and Mark Vande Hei will venture outside through the Quest airlock on Thursday, Oct. 5, for the first spacewalk beginning at 8:10 a.m. EDT. The duo will to remove and replace a defective latching end-effector on the Canadarm 2 robotic arm.

On October 10, Bresnik and Vande Hei will egress the airlock at about 8:10 a.m. to rotate a pump flow control assembly to prepare it for venting and its relocation in the near future. The astronauts will also replace a station video camera which has a pink discoloration on the lens.

One week later, on October 18, Bresnik and NASA astronaut Joe Acaba will perform a third orbital walk to add a high definition camera, replace another video camera on the Destiny Laboratory, and the two will lube select areas on the station.

Spacewalking preparations began several months ago by Bresnik, Vande Hei, and Acaba, both in the NASA mock-ups, and below the waters of the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory located next to the Johnson Space Center near Houston.

Take a massive swimming pool, fill it with 6.2 million gallons of water, and throw in a large mock up of the space station into that pool. That’s the NBL — a special training pool which allows selected astronauts to suit up in their spacesuit and work submerged with a near feeling of weightlessness.

The NBL is located inside the Sonny Carter Training Facility, and is a critical training tool for many departments within NASA. Flight directors use the pool to refine spacewalk procedures and develop flight procedures. Teams can also verify hardware compatibility first before launching the equipment into space.

“It’s a great way to train, and it’s an amazing team sport,” said NASA astronaut Victor Glover, a Navy commander and F/A-18 pilot, explained to this aerospace reporter. “What you see requires 30 or 40 people just to put two people into a space suit to train. You have a test director, a camera diver, two safety divers per every space suit, and you have a whole team of folks to make sure you’re doing these things safely.”

Feature NASA Pool Prepares Astronauts for Upcoming Space Station Spacewalks avgeekeryblog gmail com Gmail
Photo: Charles Atkeison

An astronaut will spend seven hours of training in the NBL pool for every hour they are scheduled to spend spacewalking.

Glover added that risks are involved with every spacewalk related to time and physics. One example, he discussed, is when astronauts work on the electrical side of the orbital outpost it is performed while the station is over the night side of the planet. Much like replacing a wall socket at home, the Sun is not generating power to the solar arrays for nearly 40 minutes.

Measuring 202-feet long by 102-feet wide, the NBL pool is loaded with strong filters. The pool’s water is recycled every 19 hours, according to Glover, and it is chemically treated to stop bacteria growth. The water’s temperature remains between 82° to 88° Fahrenheit to keep NASA support divers, who assist the submerged astronauts for long periods of time, warm and comfortable.

NASA-TV will provide live coverage of each spacewalk beginning at 6:30 a.m. each day.

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

Atlanta Warbird Weekend to feature historic aircraft and honor the Tuskegee Airmen

Charles Atkeison
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Atlanta Warbird Weekend to feature historic aircraft and honor the Tuskegee Airmen

ATLANTA — Popular aircraft flown during World War II and Korea will take center stage on Saturday and Sunday as the local Commemorative Air Force hosts an Atlanta Warbird Weekend at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport.

The non-airshow two-day event will also celebrate the story of the Tuskegee Airmen. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the graduation of the first African-American aviators from Tuskegee, Alabama, who blazed a trail in the Army Air Corps program training to fly and maintain combat aircraft.

A traveling multimedia exhibit known as Rise Above: Red Tail will be on hand to present the story of the Red Tails and the Tuskegee pilots who flew them. Guests can view an informative movie and browse images in the exhibit.

“We are bringing at least 20 original Tuskegee Airmen veterans to share in the acknowledgment of the outstanding history of the black aviators who overcame prejudice and adversity to serve their country so well,” said Moreno Aguiari, Atlanta Warbird Weekend Chairman, on Thursday. “We also plan to exhibit aircraft flown by the Tuskegee Airmen, including… an original Tuskegee Airmen T-6 will appear courtesy of the Tuskegee Airmen National Museum out of Detroit. It was delivered to Tuskegee Army Airfield in Alabama in 1943.”

tus2
Photo: Charles A Atkeison

The T-6 Texan, FG-1D Corsair, and many more planes built and flown in the years preceding the jet age will sit poised on the flight line at the north Atlanta airport. The addition of two historic aircraft will include the rare visit of the B-17 Flying Fortress and a B-25J Mitchell bomber. The two will sit on static display where guests can receive a ground tour of each aircraft, or for a fee, they can fly aboard the aircraft of choice.

Known as “Aluminum Overcast”, the B-17 was a heavy bomber during World War II, including flying day time bombing runs against Germany. Sporting four prop engines, the silver aircraft measuring 74-feet long and a wing span of 104-feet, the “Aluminum Overcast” will become a crowd favorite this weekend.

The aircraft’s ball-turet, or gun turret, is one the more popular sections of the B-17. A World War II veteran and special guest attending the Atlanta Warbird Weekend knows first hand what it is like inside the spherical-shaped housing.

“It was a comfortable position, it was the only place you could lay on your back and fight the war at the same time,” said SSgt Henry Hughey (Ret.) who flew 31 missions as a B-17 ball turret gunner during World War II. “The B-17 was a wonderful piece of machinery. It would take a pounding and still keep flying.”

tus3
Photo: Charles A Atkeison

Guests attending warbird weekend can take a special flight into history and travel aboard the B-17 Flying Fortress this weekend. Advanced reservations are recommeded including full details and availability, however walk-ups will be available based on limited seating.

Nearly two thousand visitors are expected to attend each day to receive an up close look at the 1940-era planes as live music and rare radio news reports from the front lines of the second world war play across the loud speakers.

The Commemorative Air Force, a non-profit organization designed to “restore and fly World War II aircraft in tribute to America’s veterans”, will bring together former pilots and veterans of World War II and Korea.

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

Horrific KC-135A Mid-Air Explosion Led To Fix For Fatal Flaw

Bill Walton
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Horrific KC-135A Mid-Air Explosion Led To Fix For Fatal Flaw

LenThe Investigation Into the Loss of KC-135A 56-3592 Over Canada in 1989 Finally Provided Answers For Other Previous Losses

On Wednesday October 4th 1989, the crew of KC-135A-BN Stratotanker 56-3592 (CN 17341 MSN 31) was returning to their base at Loring Air Force Base (AFB) in far northeastern Maine after an overnight tanker mission. At about 0600 local time the aircraft exploded in midair over Perth-Andover near Carlingford, New Brunswick, Canada killing all four crew members aboard the aircraft. The wreckage was strewn over a wide area but large pieces came down on a hill along the west side of the Trans-Canada Highway north of Perth-Andover. This particular KC-135A had been delivered to the Air Force in November of 1957 and was nearly 32 years old, one of the few A models still in service at the time, and the last A model to be lost.

Boeing KC 135 J57 takeoff.JPEG
Official US Air Force Photograph

Detailed Investigation into KC-135 Accident Took Time

The investigation into the crash took several months as the wreckage took time to locate and process. When the investigation concluded the cause of the explosion was determined to be overheating of an aft body fuel tank pump operating in an empty fuel tank. When the overheated pump sparked it ignited the explosive fumes in the tank. But that wasn’t the end of the investigation. Those pumps were originally designed to work safely in fuel tanks that had been depleted or even emptied.

1280px F 106s 5th FIS refueling from KC 135 1981
Official US Air Force Photograph

There were quite a few KC-135s lost under similar circumstances or with similar results. KC-135Q 58-0039 exploded in flight near Torrejon Spain in 1971. KC-135B 61-0331 was lost over the Pacific in 1971. KC-135A 60-0368 crashed on approach at Torrejon Spain in 1976, KC-135A 61-0296 crashed near K.I. Sawyer AFB in 1976. KC-135Q 60-0338 burned on the ramp at Plattsburg AFB. KC-135A 58-0031 exploded in flight near O’Hare airport in Chicago. Some of these losses were deemed to be directly related to the loss of 56-3592.

911 Air Refueling Squadron Boeing KC 135A BN Stratotanker 58 0029
Official US Air Force Photograph

Root Cause Was Finally Found

The root cause of the explosions, specifically the one of 56-3592 over Perth-Andover, was finally determined to be incorrectly repaired fuel pumps. The pumps were being inspected and repaired as needed (IRAN) and placed back into the supply pipeline at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex (OKC-ALC) but the repairs were causing the pumps to overheat. KC-135 crews (all models) were instructed to keep 3000 pounds (about 450 gallons) of fuel in each body tank to prevent pump overheating.

1280px KC 135A refuels VA 52 A 6E c1978
Official US Air Force Photograph

The incredible tweety bird: Cessna’s T-37 Tweet primary jet trainer

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The incredible tweety bird: Cessna’s T-37 Tweet primary jet trainer

Liquid heat rises in waves, twisting and turning morphing the parked T-37 Tweety Birds into caricatures more like reflections in a fun house than the small jet trainers that introduced countless thousands of potential pilots to jet-powered flight.

I could almost feel the rubber soles on my boots beginning to melt. Okay, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but the temperature is uncomfortable. As my student and I step up to the little jet, we are assaulted by the familiar T-37 Tweet smell: hot rubber, avgas, and the underlying sour odor of vomit—NASA’s “Vomit Comet” has nothing over the T-37’s propensity to induce airsickness in the toughest of students.

T-37 Tweet

A friend once observed that the combination of heat, nervousness, confinement in an ejection seat, helmet, oxygen mask, and the loping flight characteristic of the T-37—much like a twin-engine propeller aircraft flying with the engines out of sync—did wonders to convince the internal “pukester” to go to work.

Check out these other great stories from Avgeekery:

Regardless, the versatile little Cessna was the Air Force pilot training work horse from 1956, when the Air Force took delivery of the first of 444 T-37s, until the last was retired in 2009. But the T-37 had more uses than a primary jet trainer.

A Bit of Background on the T-37 Tweet

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DAYTON, Ohio — Cessna YA-37A Dragonfly at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo)

During the Vietnam War, a modified T-37 with more powerful engines, a weight increase from around 6,000 pounds to 12,000 pounds, an ordinance carrying capacity of approximately 2,000 pounds, and a new designation, the A-37 Dragonfly, replaced the A-1 Sandy as the Air Force search and rescue aircraft.

In this capacity, the Dragonfly worked with the Jolly Greens to rescue downed pilots by keeping the enemy at bay until the rescue helicopters could retrieve the downed pilot.

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In 1962, Cessna suggested the T-37 Tweet replace the F-100 as the platform for the Thunderbirds, the Air Force aerobatic demonstration team[2]. The Air Force could not imagine the 6000-pound dog whistle living up to the name, Thunderbird.

They elected to keep the F-100 and its thunderous roar as the team aircraft, and in the process, probably saved themselves from smirks and eye rolling when the whistling little “Thunderbird” passed over the spectators. Of course, the Air Force had itself to blame for the T-37’s whistling.

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The Air Force’s made the decision to use the noisier of two government supplied engines to power the jet. Harry Clements, an engineer that worked on the T-37 design, says Cessna put vanes and sound proofing on the inlets that damped the noise to a tolerable level, but the Air Force felt the whistling was more acceptable than the loss of performance, so the noise limiting materials were discarded much to the discomfort and hearing loss of a long line of Tweet pilots.

Dollar Ride in the T-37 Tweet

T 37 cockpit
The T-37 cockpit was intimidating for new students. By Seattleretro – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11971271

Of course, my student doesn’t care about any of these T-37 Tweet facts. His only concern is getting through his “dollar ride” (his first T-37 student flight) without embarrassing himself. As I demonstrate the walk-around preflight inspection, my student demonstrates a mixture of “dollar-ride” excitement and first-flight apprehension.

I switch on my best calming voice to help relieve the stress. I remember my instructor, in a fit of frustration, jerking my oxygen hose yelling, “Why don’t you SIE?” In other words, why don’t you self-initiate your elimination from the program.

Cessna t 37

A visual testament to instructor frustration is etched into the instrument panel glare shields of the little trainers. The glare shields in the T-37 were awash in repairs from damage done by instructors pounding on and breaking the material. I never saw the point myself.

We are strapped in, I demonstrate the interior preflight, start engines, show the ground crew the seat pins, and begin to taxi. Student’s react to this moment in differing ways. Some are struck with a bout of oral diarrhea; some become mute. My guy is mute. I get takeoff clearance, close the clamshell canopy and transition from a convertible to a greenhouse, roll onto the runway, and apply power. My goal is to get into the reasonably cool air above 10,000 feet as soon as possible.

T-37 Tweet

As I raise the landing gear, I glance at my student. He is encapsulated behind mask and sunshade. I see him swallowing; I fear things are going to blow. I intercede and give him the stick. It starts to cool off, and the distraction of flying has cooled off my student.

“Wow, this is something,” he says.

“It sure is,” I say. “And it only gets better.”

ENJJPT T 37s on the ramp

My Story Aboard Air France Flight 66–The A380 That Lost An Engine Over The Atlantic

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My Story Aboard Air France Flight 66–The A380 That Lost An Engine Over The Atlantic

On Sept 30th, Air France Flight 66 suffered a massive uncontained engine failure over the Atlantic Ocean.  The #4 engine on the double-decker Airbus A380 was shredded and the aircraft was at least an hour away from a suitable divert field.  Due to the professional pilots at the helm and the coordinated crew actions, the aircraft made a safe emergency landing at Goose Bay.  All 497 souls onboard were safe.

Rana Landreth was returning home after her father’s funeral. Waking up to a violently shaking jet must have been a scary experience. She details her entire account on her website. We encourage you to check out her full story here.  We had the opportunity to ask her a few additional questions about her experience, especially once the jet landed.

1.) What was the mood like on the jet while you were waiting for the replacement aircraft?

Considering the fact that the plane almost crashed in the Atlantic and for passengers sitting on the side where they were able to see with their own eyes the engine failing and pieces hanging off of it, we were super quiet and calm waiting inside the jet. There were some older people and from what I was able to count 3 babies and their parents trapped among others (I didn’t know exactly what was happening on the upper level since I was in the lower one), but all in all we kept it together. Some bathrooms ran out of water in their faucets, we almost ran out of food until Canadian border came to the rescue with boxes full of sandwiches and some gallons of water. Maybe the fact that they kept promising us rescue is on its way we were hopeful. It was not until a couple hours to the end of the ordeal when an old lady had a meltdown, and then 2 other ladies who were begging for straight answers and how it wasn’t acceptable all this mistreatment and entrapment and how come they didn’t provide us with rooms or the ability to step outside the craft.  Bottom line, we kept our cool but I feel like they somehow took advantage of it.

2.) Tell us about the journey home after Goose Bay.  Was Air France helpful?

It took almost an hour for the crew to board between 395 to 400 passengers, then another hour for the plane to take off, at that point I think I was numb and waiting was something I got used to! I really wanted to grab my camera to capture dawn breaking and that beautiful pink shade in the sky but I couldn’t, I was just looking forward to leave. Also it wasn’t until we were ready to take off until they announced we were headed to Atlanta not LAX, that’s when a few passengers whom last destination was LAX started breaking down in tears, it was just too much to bear. The new Air France crew was somewhat helpful.

3.) What advice would you give for people who face an incident in the air like the one you dealt with this weekend?

My personal advice is to hold on to your seat, be positive and focus on one thing “ the plane is going to touch down safely”.  Although it was traumatizing, I mean hearing the lead crew saying in French “preparez toboggans” that alone is something I will never forget, then we knew how bad the situation was and what the pilots are trying to do to land us safely and when they assured us they were able to stabilize the plane for now, I sat put in my seat, listening to music watching us moving on the map over the Atlantic thinking I won’t be safe until those wheels touch the ground. And when they finally did, people were clapping crying from joy (little did we know we had to wait eternally for a rescue plane).

Quite an experience! Thanks, Rena for sharing.

Audio of Air France flight 66’s final approach is below. Thanks to VASAaviation for the audio clip.

CAA Issues Warning to Ryanair–Company Failing To Inform Customers Properly

Kim Clark
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CAA Issues Warning to Ryanair–Company Failing To Inform Customers Properly

Over 750,000 airline passengers are scrambling to make alternative travel plans since Ryanair has canceled yet another 18,000 flights that had been scheduled for between November and March. This most recent round of cancellations is on top of another 2,100 flights that were abruptly canceled a few weeks ago.

Boarding a Ryanair passenger jet at Krakow airport
Passengers wait to board a Ryanair flight. By Alexandar Vujadinovic (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The Ryanair cancellations have left many travelers in the lurch since the carrier, based in Ireland, flies more international passengers than any other European airline. Its route network provides service to 34 countries in Europe, as well as Israel and Morocco.

CEO Michael O’Leary has come under fire for his reportedly brash demeanor and seemingly uncaring attitude toward customers and employees. The Economist wrote that Ryanair “has become a byword for appalling customer service.” One of the most notable shortfalls of the customer service department includes poor treatment of disabled passengers that led to a backlash from consumers that the airline just can’t seem to shake.

O’Leary says a change in the protocol that governs employees’ holiday leave is what led to the cancellation announcements. The number of pilots taking leave was not fully anticipated and resulted in the airline not having enough pilots to cover all of the scheduled flights. O’Leary attempted damage control by announcing Ryanair’s recent cancellations will allow the airline to totally overcome staffing shortages before fully resuming regular service on all of the routes in the future. But that statement is falling on deaf ears for some regulators.

The Civil Aviation Authority in Great Britain is accusing the airline of not properly informing passengers. The CAA asserts that those passengers are entitled to vouchers for future travel as well as compensation for additional costs incurred, such as newly necessitated transfers due to all of the re-routing. The only problem is Ryanair neglected to mention compensation and vouchers in its cancellation announcements. This omission led the CAA to issue a formal letter to Ryanair executives, warning of possible legal action. Following receipt of the CAA letter, the airline promised to comply with regulations.

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Photo by Adrian Pingstone.

Unlike many passengers, CEO Michael O’Leary remains upbeat. Ryanair says the cost of both rounds of cancellations will cost the airline less than €50m, a drop in the bucket for an international airline that regularly posts yearly profits in excess of €1.5bn. Passengers that fell victim to cancellations affecting travel from October and March will receive a €40 voucher. That voucher amount will be doubled to €80 for those that were planning a round trip.

He Flew One Of The Last Southwest 737-300 Classics To The Boneyard And The New 737-8MAX In The Same Weekend

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He Flew One Of The Last Southwest 737-300 Classics To The Boneyard And The New 737-8MAX In The Same Weekend

In aviation and in life, we love to commemorate firsts and lasts. This past weekend, Southwest Airlines retired their fleet of Boeing 737-300s and two days later inaugurated service with the new Boeing 737-8MAX jet.  Our friend and Southwest Pilot Herb Jackson had the opportunity to fly both.  We chatted with him about his amazing experience.

herb
Herb Jackson Jr. is a captain at Southwest Airlines. This past weekend he flew one of the last 737-300 flights to the Boneyard and also flew one of the airlines first revenue 737-8MAX flights.

Herb, you flew one of the last Southwest 737-300 flights ever. How do you feel about that?

When the opportunity presented itself to fly a Classic to Victorville I put my name in the hat and was selected to fly one from Houston. It’s one of those things that doesn’t occur very often so for me I wanted to participate in a bit of aviation history. I began my career back in April of 1986. The the company I was working for at the time had just begun accepting 737-300 deliveries so I remember when this plane was first placed into service. At that time there was no way I could imagine me flying one of the last ones to the desert.

2.) Tell us about the flight. How is a flight to the boneyard different than a normal flight?

Well logistically there is the aspect of ground handling and transportation, but in terms of the flight, nothing too different. It’s operated under Part 91 and it’s a ferry flight with only the assigned crew allowed onboard. Our Operations control center does a great job in providing us with anything we need and the group at Victorville was top notch. They are well versed in all aspects of aircraft storage.

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Southwest’s ferry flight paperwork commemorated the occasion. They wished tail 602 fair winds on its next adventure (most likely the scrapper).

3.) Will you miss flying the 737-300?

Hmm I’ll have to let you know that in a few years. The -300 was a great airplane to “hand fly” felt nice. But like your old flip phone, technology has made them less desirable and efficient.

4.) What’s your favorite memory of flying the 737-300?

Well considering my first landing ever at Southwest was in a -300, at SAN, my first landing as a Captain on UOE was in a -300, in SEA, and my first landing on my own as a Captain was also in a -300, also at SAN, I’d say the airplane has left me with some of the best memories of my aviation career.

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The steam gauge cockpit of the Boeing 737-300 series. With the retirement of the type, all Southwest cockpits will be glass with LCD screens displaying flight instruments.

5.) Is there anything you won’t miss about the 737-300 ‘Classic’?

As I mentioned earlier technology has improved so much that the “80’s” style technology in the -300 made it less desirable to fly as time went by. No auto throttles,  the air conditioning system was taxed on very hot days, no WiFi for the customers, and you had to work harder to maintain your situational awareness.

6.) After dropping off the -300, you then flew the MAX just a couple of days later. How did the two compare?

Talk about a rare occurrence!! I’m one of a few who were afforded that opportunity and I must say it’s been an emotional last few days. The bittersweet retirement of the 300’s followed by operating the MAX on day one. What really amazed me was the excitement that surrounded both events. I can’t tell you how many “avgeeks” and plane spotters I ran into over the last few days. Their enthusiasm is contagious and it’s enlightening to see the passion they have for aviation. These folks go out of their way to attend these events. Meeting them and seeing the excitement in their faces and hearing how they flew all over, on their own time, to be apart of it all. That’s what makes occasions like these special.  I’m very fortunate to “fly” the plane but don’t think for a second I don’t appreciate those who make flying “cool”!

New toy!! The 737 MAX8 ????????‍✈️????

A post shared by Herb Jackson ???? (@herbjacksonjr) on

UPDATED: Navy Identifies Two Pilots Lost in East Tennessee T-45 Crash

Bill Walton
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UPDATED: Navy Identifies Two Pilots Lost in East Tennessee T-45 Crash

UPDATED 10/3/2017: This is the latest information provided by the Navy:

The Navy has released the identity of the pilots killed when their T-45C aircraft crashed in Tellico Plains, Tennessee, Oct. 1.

Lt. Patrick L. Ruth, 31, of Metairie, Louisiana, and Lt. j.g. Wallace E. Burch, 25, of Horn Lake, Mississippi, died when their aircraft went down in the Cherokee National Forest in eastern Tennessee. Both pilots were assigned to the “Eagles” of Training Squadron (VT) 7 based at Naval Air Station Meridian, Mississippi.

Ruth had been in the Navy for nine years and was a member of VT-7 since 2015. Burch had been in the Navy for nearly three years and was a member of VT-7 since 2016.

An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the mishap.

Additional information about Ruth and Burch:

Lieutenant Patrick L Ruth, who was 31 years old and a nine year veteran, was from Metairie in Louisiana. He began his Navy career in the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps at Tulane University. He was commissioned in May 2008 and went through extensive flight training before joining Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron ONE TWO SIX (VAW-126) Seahawks out of Norfolk in Virginia during 2012. Ruth spent three years with VAW-126 before being assigned as an instructor with VT-7 in April of 2015. Ruth earned two Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals during his career.

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Lieutenant Ruth (left) and Lieutenant Junior Grade Burch (right). Official US Navy Photorgraph

Lieutenant Junior Grade Wallace E Burch, who was 25 years old and a three year veteran, was from Horn Lake in Mississippi. He attended Officer Candidate School at Newport in Rhode Island during 2014. He was commissioned in January of 2015. Burch reported to VT-7 as a student in the advanced jet training syllabus in 2016.

Previous Information Below-

MERIDIAN, Miss. (NNS) — At approximately 9:40 a.m. Oct. 2, Training Air Wing ONE, based at Naval air Station (NAS) Meridian, Miss., confirmed the T-45 belonging to Training Squadron SEVEN (VT-7) that went missing yesterday afternoon has crashed in East Tennessee.

Two pilots were aboard the aircraft, an instructor and a student. The pilots did not survive the incident. Names of the pilots are being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin notification.

An investigation will commence to determine the cause of the mishap.

Here is a link to Knoxville news coverage of the crash:  http://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2017/10/01/monroe-sheriff-plane-crash-reported-tellico-plains/721602001/

On Sunday October 1st 2017, Naval Air Station (NAS) Meridian public affairs personnel reported a McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) T-45C Goshawk jet trainer assigned to0 Training Squadron SEVEN (VT-7) Eagles was missing. The jet, carrying a student pilot and an instructor pilot, was attached to Training Air Wing ONE (TW-1) and based at NAS Meridian in Mississippi. Later on the same day at 1800 local time TW-1 was made aware of a plane crash reported in Tennessee’s Cherokee National Forest located in the far northeastern corner of the state.

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Official US Navy Photograph

TW-1 and the Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA) have now confirmed the loss of the aircraft and the deaths of both the student pilot and instructor aboard the jet. TW-1 is the parent command for two Naval Training Squadrons, Training Squadron SEVEN (VT-7) Eagles and Training Squadron NINE (VT-9) Tigers. Both squadrons instruct Navy and Marine Corps students in the Advanced training syllabus.

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Official US Navy Photograph

UPDATED: Air France A380 Lands Safely After Uncontained Engine Failure Over Atlantic

Mike Killian
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UPDATED: Air France A380 Lands Safely After Uncontained Engine Failure Over Atlantic

UPDATE #3 Sept 30 8:10PM PT:  Passengers remained on the jet after landing at Goose Bay.  Air France is sending a Boeing 777 and a 3rd party Boeing 737 to pick up the passengers.  As of 8:10PM PT tonight, the aircraft have not arrived. Below is an additional photo taken by a passenger on the flight.

Additionally, Jacon Soboroff from MSNBC posted this passenger-filmed video of the A380 landing at Goose Bay.

UPDATE #2 Sept 30 5:52PM PT:  ATC audio of the arrival into Goose Bay has appeared on YouTube. Other than the “Mayday” at the end of every call, the approach by Air France 66 seemed very nominal.  One interesting thing to note though is that the jet taxied clear.  This isn’t uncommon after an engine failure.  However, an engine failure as severe as the one AF66 experienced could lead to additional fuel or hydraulic leaks.  Typically rescue vehicles will follow the jet to parking.  It is unclear from the audio if rescue equipment followed the jet to parking.

UPDATE #1 Sept 30 3:26PM PT: Video has emerged of the arrival into Goose Bay, Canada. In the video, you can see the #4 engine is clearly inoperative after the fan and cowling blew off.

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An Air France A380 safely made an emergency landing in Canada today, after one of its engines failed and came to pieces in flight from Paris to Los Angeles. File Photo: Air France

ORIGINAL REPORT: An Air France A380, flight AF66, landed safely this afternoon at Goose Bay International Airport in Newfoundland, Canada, after suffering an in-flight engine failure where the engine appeared to “blow apart”, according to tweets from passengers onboard.

The incident occurred over the Atlantic, en route from Paris to Los Angeles, and initial images on twitter show parts of the engine ripped off. The flight landed safely an hour later.

Others passengers tweeted hearing a “loud thud and a lot of vibration” before looking out at the mangled engine.

Air France confirmed the incident but offered few details, saying passengers were in the process of being transitioned to new flights to LA.

Another major disintegration issue with an A380 engine occurred in Nov 2010, and a QANTAS Airbus A380 flight with 480 passengers and crew was forced to return to LAX earlier this year after takeoff when it suffered an engine failure on climb to cruising altitude. It is important to note though that the Qantas aircraft flew with Rolls Royce engines.  The Air France aircraft involved in today’s incident flew with Engine Alliance GP7000 engines produced in a joint venture between GE and Pratt and Whitney.

We will update more as details emerge.
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– Follow Mike Killian on Instagram and Facebook, @MikeKillianPhotography 

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How Do Pilots Check the Weather Before Flying?

Rob Graves
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How Do Pilots Check the Weather Before Flying?

An old aviation aphorism states that there are old pilots and bold pilots, but no old, bold pilots. Going flying without first checking the weather would be sort of like gambling in a casino but with no way to win and many ways to lose. So it is universally recognized by all pilots that one of the keys to a long and prosperous aviation career involves thoroughly checking the weather before committing aviation.

The methods that pilots have used over the years to investigate the weather along their route and at their destination have been continuously updated over the years through advances in technology. The Weather Bureau, a predecessor to the National Weather Service, first established an aerological department in 1914 to meet the growing needs of aviation.

Since that time, government-provided weather services have been the backbone of aviation weather, but that is changing. With the reality of the internet, aviation weather became more democratized and the advent of wireless connectivity means it has never been easier to have access to high quality weather information and graphics wherever a signal is available.

There are many products currently available for pilots to use as a source for weather information, but one I’ve been using has been a standout. Honeywell’s GoDirect Weather Information Service (WIS) is a fully functioned product for presenting a range of weather observations and forecasts to include high quality graphics for pilots. The app is available for both Windows and iOS, but I’ve been using it on an iPad. It is available from the Apple app store and installed easily.

airplane clouds

It’s Fast!

The first thing I noticed about this app is that it’s fast. I mean really fast. I have used many other weather apps and it seems that waiting for a radar picture to load can take forever. That is not the case with WIS. Hit the weather uplink button and your weather data is displayed within less than a second. I realize that this time will vary depending on the speed of your underlying data connection, but the uplink was fast in comparison to other products I’ve used with the same connection.

The data that you get is everything you need to safely plan and fly your trip. Multiple overlays are available on the map display to show as much or as little data as you care to see. Again, toggling overlays on or off is nearly instantaneous with no discernible lag to render graphics. Did I mention that the software is fast?

The available map overlays include terrain, airports, navaids, waypoints, and political boundaries. Most of these are user selectable to provide information when needed or to de-clutter the display when not needed. Another feature of the app that I have really come to appreciate is an automatic map de-clutter feature that displays information based on zoom level.

You would think that such a feature would be standard on most software to be used while performing an intensive task such as flying, but that is sadly not the case. Fumbling through menus to de-clutter a map when you might be trying to avoid a storm is not an optimal use of cognitive resources. The engineers at Honeywell have figured this out, and data such as waypoints, navaids, and airports will automatically change presentation based upon the zoom level. Again, this was quite fast with no lag time for rendering. I found this feature quite useful and it made the software a pleasure to use.

You’re In Control

When flying in challenging weather, knowing what has happened in the past can be just as important as knowing what the current conditions and forecasts are. Honeywell has included an intuitive time slider on the map display which allows pilots to easily see conditions up to three hours old. Historical data can be displayed as an animation or statically.

And just as the observations time slider allows a look at past conditions, the app also includes a future time slider to display forecasts up to 24 hours ahead of the current time.

The program presents radar, satellite, and lightning data along with available PIREPS in an easily readable and selectable map format. Clicking on any observation or forecast feature will display a window showing the details of that particular area. All of these features worked together to make the product easy to use while flying.

In addition to knowing the “when” of the current and forecast weather, a Flight Level selector lets you control the “where.” Moving this selector will present the clear air turbulence (CAT), winds and icing forecasts for your chosen flight level. Satellite observation is also selectable using this slider. This again reinforces the philosophy of only seeing that information which is of use while not cluttering up the display with extraneous data.

Another powerful tool which I found to be very useful is the Vertical Situation Display (VSD). Showing a vertical slice or profile view of weather along the loaded flight plan, it is easy to determine where icing, turbulence and CB tops lie along your route. These things can be determined without the display, but seeing a graphical display is immensely helpful when planning a route. Again, the Honeywell engineers seem to have really put some thought into how this product will be used.

Flight Plans Made Easy

And speaking of flight plans, WIS makes loading and editing flight plans a snap. Flight plans can be loaded from Honeywell’s GoDirect Services, pasted from the clipboard or entered directly. Once loaded, plans are easily edited. It is important to note that the program accepts routing in standard ICAO terms, so don’t forget to add “DCT” when proceeding directly between fixes. Plans are then rendered as an overlay on the map display.

The program even has an “own ship” centering feature which can access the GPS signal from the device on which it is installed. Tracking your own progress has never been easier.

A related airports list adds easily accessible weather information from selected airports to a side panel. The best part of this feature is that when refreshed, only data for selected airports will be uplinked, thereby saving data costs.

If you are interested in seeing the weather at any one particular airport, just clicking on the airport symbol on the map brings up a window in which the current METAR, ATIS, and TAF can be instantly displayed. This was probably my favorite feature saving me multiple steps in obtaining this information from several separate sources. It’s all conveniently aggregated into one place.

In Conclusion

We are living in a golden age of weather information which is available for pilots to plan and fly. But as with any data stream, the presentation and analysis of that information can be just as important as the data itself. A smart and intuitive interface is essential for proper flight planning and conduct, and Honeywell’s GoDirect Weather Information Service provides that in spades. Equally useful for both pros and recreational pilots, it’s an easy recommendation for me to make.

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