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Shit that happens with Airlines, thread

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,998
9,659
AK
Paging @Pesqueeb — Have you seen these?

Bubble stuff like this is so sketchy IMO. It's usually just a way to separate money from investors and for speculators to cash in and move on before the bottom drops out. Tesla was unique in that it stood up and entire car company, production, design, testing, maintenance, development, and so on, but to put all of those in place is a monumental challenge and not to say that this won't happen...but I would be against companies like this long before betting for them. Established makers have a far better chance of lining up all the aspects of getting something on the market, like Embraer, Airbus, Cessna, etc.

I just remember back when like 20 companies said they were going to produce Very Light Jets (VLJs) and in the end, about 2 went on the market and none ever sold all that well. About the best we got is the Cirrus Vision, but looking back, I thought it was sheer stupidity to think that there'd be enough sales for even half of those promising the tech to make it viable to support.

Now like 10 companies are claiming that they are building supersonic business jets.

I think the best use of electric tech for airliners will be 100-300 mile hops where the aircraft could reach at least FL 250-350 and then mainly glide back down to the destination, likely with an engine backup to assist. The shortest-hop stuff is trickier IMO, those planes tend to takeoff and land a lot, multiple destinations on one "flight", but we will see.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,445
20,248
Sleazattle
Bubble stuff like this is so sketchy IMO. It's usually just a way to separate money from investors and for speculators to cash in and move on before the bottom drops out. Tesla was unique in that it stood up and entire car company, production, design, testing, maintenance, development, and so on, but to put all of those in place is a monumental challenge and not to say that this won't happen...but I would be against companies like this long before betting for them. Established makers have a far better chance of lining up all the aspects of getting something on the market, like Embraer, Airbus, Cessna, etc.

I just remember back when like 20 companies said they were going to produce Very Light Jets (VLJs) and in the end, about 2 went on the market and none ever sold all that well. About the best we got is the Cirrus Vision, but looking back, I thought it was sheer stupidity to think that there'd be enough sales for even half of those promising the tech to make it viable to support.

Now like 10 companies are claiming that they are building supersonic business jets.

I think the best use of electric tech for airliners will be 100-300 mile hops where the aircraft could reach at least FL 250-350 and then mainly glide back down to the destination, likely with an engine backup to assist. The shortest-hop stuff is trickier IMO, those planes tend to takeoff and land a lot, multiple destinations on one "flight", but we will see.
There are a shit ton of Electric Airplane startups out there. The vast majority of them will go tits up. I don't see how any of them are attempting to address the safety issues with lithium ion batteries and how they will get certified with them. Lithium Ion batteries are currently banned as cargo on passenger airplanes. The company that will be successful will be the ones who have their shit together and have the luck to have the right timing to use commercially available solid state batteries.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,445
20,248
Sleazattle
:stupid:

I'm skeptical that this works in a real world environment, but I'd need to read more. Charging times alone probably make this non-viable.
The cost to operate will need to be significantly cheaper to allow for a larger fleet that enables operators to rotate aircraft instead of aiming for fast turn around.

United has also said to have ordered a bunch of supersonic aircraft which makes even less sense. I assume these are largely publicity stunts with easy bail-out clauses in the contracts. The benefit to the manufacturer is that it helps to attract investors/rubes.
 

Pesqueeb

bicycle in airplane hangar
Feb 2, 2007
40,330
16,794
Riding the baggage carousel.
The cost to operate will need to be significantly cheaper to allow for a larger fleet that enables operators to rotate aircraft instead of aiming for fast turn around.

United has also said to have ordered a bunch of supersonic aircraft which makes even less sense. I assume these are largely publicity stunts with easy bail-out clauses in the contracts. The benefit to the manufacturer is that it helps to attract investors/rubes.
I generally assume that these "announcements" and "investments" are done for either publicity, tax write offs, or some combination thereof.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
I generally assume that these "announcements" and "investments" are done for either publicity, tax write offs, or some combination thereof.
I clicked around on that website to see if it's the usual trade publication hype up crap.

I'm not sure if this discounts or supports the theory
 

Pesqueeb

bicycle in airplane hangar
Feb 2, 2007
40,330
16,794
Riding the baggage carousel.

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,998
9,659
AK
At 49 seconds it starts sinking, faster, it may be a ring-vortex and it was still high enough above the ocean were it wasn't getting ground-effect, then trying to add power actually makes it worse, the only way to get out of it is move forward or sidestep. Helicopters can basically start trying to "recycle" their own downwash if they move too slowly while descending, then they accelerate down. Might have to look this one up.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,998
9,659
AK
At 49 seconds it starts sinking, faster, it may be a ring-vortex and it was still high enough above the ocean were it wasn't getting ground-effect, then trying to add power actually makes it worse, the only way to get out of it is move forward or sidestep. Helicopters can basically start trying to "recycle" their own downwash if they move too slowly while descending, then they accelerate down. Might have to look this one up.

Yeah, although the downwash problem isn't about not having enough power to hold hover...there's really no power that can hold hover when this cycle starts.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,322
7,744
Have you flown in 20 years? Meals are for first class citizens only.
I thought even in this era a flight that long on a widebody would get a meal. Alas.

On the way back I did spring for first so as to lie flat on the redeye.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,322
7,744
Turns out a 757 is a narrow body. The more you know. What’s the point of them vs a 737-XXX then if both can fly DEN-LIH?

hmph

Anyway, the “snack” they served was actually 90% a regular lunch. Quite fine indeed. Under seat 120V outlet was unreliable and left close to an hour late but the food wasn’t my complaint.

And yes, all five tickets as first class for the return leg.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,445
20,248
Sleazattle
Turns out a 757 is a narrow body. The more you know. What’s the point of them vs a 737-XXX then if both can fly DEN-LIH?

hmph

Anyway, the “snack” they served was actually 90% a regular lunch. Quite fine indeed. Under seat 120V outlet was unreliable and left close to an hour late but the food wasn’t my complaint.

And yes, all five tickets as first class for the return leg.

757s haven't been made in almost 20 years and when they were the 737 variants were much smaller.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Turns out a 757 is a narrow body. The more you know. What’s the point of them vs a 737-XXX then if both can fly DEN-LIH?

hmph

Anyway, the “snack” they served was actually 90% a regular lunch. Quite fine indeed. Under seat 120V outlet was unreliable and left close to an hour late but the food wasn’t my complaint.

And yes, all five tickets as first class for the return leg.

 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,322
7,744
Wull, he went to Hawaii to rent a suburban house with a pool... god forbid swim in the ocean!
Recall that I have 9, 7, and 3 year old kids. Being able to hop in the pool and supervise them is infinitely easier than the ocean. Which is about 1,000’ away for the record.

In reading more about the 752 I was on, apparently it’s much better than a 737 ER variant from the pilot’s perspective in terms of climb rate and rotation speed, even if a 738 could do the route nominally. This is somewhat relevant to our flight since we were weight/temp restricted coming out of Denver on yet another one of our near 100 Freedom days, at altitude. (Funny that their solution to the on paper weight restriction was to get people to put things in overhead bins where they’re not counted, not to check them underneath where they are counted. Anyway.)

From the passenger’s perspective, however, it’s still a narrow body jet with an old cabin layout. Meh.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,998
9,659
AK
Turns out a 757 is a narrow body. The more you know. What’s the point of them vs a 737-XXX then if both can fly DEN-LIH?

hmph

Anyway, the “snack” they served was actually 90% a regular lunch. Quite fine indeed. Under seat 120V outlet was unreliable and left close to an hour late but the food wasn’t my complaint.

And yes, all five tickets as first class for the return leg.
737s have gotten longer and longer legs, older ones didn’t have the range that the 757 had and the -900 737s perform doggy compared to a 757. Airbus 321s were always a little longer range than 737s and now the Neo is kinda taking the 757 slot. 757s are quite old now so the cost to maintain is high, but they can be had relatively cheap, so the answer like always is, it depends. The Max 737s may have a bit better range, but I’m not sure if they can take the 757 market. They may be betting on the Max-1000, but that’s still a ways off and the 321 Neo seems to get the job done. There’s other little details too like the 757 having crew rest accommodations for the longer stuff.

757 is like a 737-900, but with giant engines.
 

DaveW

Space Monkey
Jul 2, 2001
11,212
2,740
The bunker at parliament
Recall that I have 9, 7, and 3 year old kids. Being able to hop in the pool and supervise them is infinitely easier than the ocean. Which is about 1,000’ away for the record.

In reading more about the 752 I was on, apparently it’s much better than a 737 ER variant from the pilot’s perspective in terms of climb rate and rotation speed, even if a 738 could do the route nominally. This is somewhat relevant to our flight since we were weight/temp restricted coming out of Denver on yet another one of our near 100 Freedom days, at altitude. (Funny that their solution to the on paper weight restriction was to get people to put things in overhead bins where they’re not counted, not to check them underneath where they are counted. Anyway.)

From the passenger’s perspective, however, it’s still a narrow body jet with an old cabin layout. Meh.

Oh god!
I'm so so sorry Toshi!
I didn't know you had it so rough.
Can I just offer my apologies for the harsh words of the ingrates and cattle class rabble in this thread.
It was uncalled for and undeserved..... Truly.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,322
7,744
757s are quite old now so the cost to maintain is high, but they can be had relatively cheap, so the answer like always is, it depends. The Max 737s may have a bit better range, but I’m not sure if they can take the 757 market.
All I know is that SWA flies ERs and the Max from DEN to Hawaii, United usually runs a 777 DEN-OGG, and yet I get this old-ass 752 for DEN-LIH.

Life is tough, man. (Non-stop is nice, though, and I’ll reserve judgment on rows 1-4 until I’ve experienced ‘em.)
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,445
20,248
Sleazattle
All I know is that SWA flies ERs and the Max from DEN to Hawaii, United usually runs a 777 DEN-OGG, and yet I get this old-ass 752 for DEN-LIH.

Life is tough, man. (Non-stop is nice, though, and I’ll reserve judgment on rows 1-4 until I’ve experienced ‘em.)
That is what you get for flying commercial. Bootstrap yourself a private jet.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,998
9,659
AK
All I know is that SWA flies ERs and the Max from DEN to Hawaii, United usually runs a 777 DEN-OGG, and yet I get this old-ass 752 for DEN-LIH.

Life is tough, man. (Non-stop is nice, though, and I’ll reserve judgment on rows 1-4 until I’ve experienced ‘em.)
The 737s would easily go west to east, but until the ER models, the return trip was a lot sketchier. I did my dispatch class with the A320 family and it had enough margin to do that with no problem. The 737 has been “growing” it’s whole life in terms of range and routes. From few hundred mile hops to thousands of miles. The 737s sometimes won’t make MSP-ANC without a fuel stop, vs the 757 that can (and usually does) easily do Atlanta-ANC. Delta especially had some growing pains (fuel stops) trying to run the ANC routes. The 737s can do ANC-PHX, but ANC-DFW like I just did is just a little too far usually, so that was on an A321 neo a couple days ago. So they might have a platform for the longer stuff, or it might still be a 757.

I’m not sure how the max 8 stacks up for range, but it’s definitely less capacity than 757.


Most carriers want to use the least amount of different type that can fly their routes, but the variations within can get pretty radical. Right now there’s an issue with the Max-10 that might push it to require a new type designation. Evidently all new airliners are supposed to get EICAS crew alerting systems and Boeing has been producing the new max models under an exemption or deviation from this requirement, but right now that is being reevaluated as to whether this is appropriate. If not, the change may push it to a new type. All of this delays when the airlines may take deliveries and either drives them to A321neos or keep the 757s.

most of the pilots love the 757 because it’s the 767 engines with the 737-cross section fuselage. It ends up being relatively over-powered and massively better performing than some others.

I’ve flown in the cockpit in empty 737-200s taking off from remote locations and it’s crazy how fast they accelerate, like by the time the throttles are all the way forward it’s time to pull up.
 
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Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,445
20,248
Sleazattle
Rows 2,3, and 4 are better than row 1, IMO.
So you don’t have to store all of your shit in the overhead, but there is still plenty of legroom.
[/ENDFANCYEMOTICON]

First class is the crumple zone of an aircraft. Middle section over the wing is the strongest as it has to have the structural support for the wings but contains all the fuel. Back of the bus is the safest.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,445
20,248
Sleazattle
By what statistical margin? (Considering how few actually survive a crash that would creat a crumple zone)
It depends on the kind of crash, a hard landing is typically going to be nose up but the rear of an airplane still has 7% better survivability.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,998
9,659
AK
First class is the crumple zone of an aircraft. Middle section over the wing is the strongest as it has to have the structural support for the wings but contains all the fuel. Back of the bus is the safest.
But it’s also the easiest to exit with the largest paths and multiple exits, so less chance of people getting “stuck” in rows and the floor. When they do emergency evacuation, 1st is always able to get our fastest.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,998
9,659
AK
If not first class, outside rear exit row is the next best thing.