General Info

[SaltyPete]

It's interesting to note that only airlines from shithole countries like Indonesia and Ethiopia have managed to crash a 737 Max. Boeing marketed the 737 Max on the basis that no additional simulator time was needed for pilots when changing over from the 737-800. The only requirement was that pilots watch a 50 minute video on their iPad. This video didn't even cover the new MCAS. Most of the sales of the 737 Max have been to shithole countries with India, Mexico, Indonesia, China and Ethiopia being the largest buyers. The fact that shithole airlines didn't need to install a new simulator and converting pilots didn't need five rides with a check captain meant huge cost savings.

I read today that a MAX Sim won't even be available until the end of the year. I understand that the MCAS system was an add-on after the test pilots found the aircraft had "unusual" stall characteristics. Boeing didn't expand on the details but it was bad enough for them to make a crappy add-on system, without fully disclosing the new system to the pilots. In hiding this information, it is apparent that Boeing values profit over safety. If I was the FAA, I'd make Simulator training on both the MAX deep stall envelope and the MCAS system mandatory before allowing the planes to fly again. Boeing would develop that simulator really quickly if it cut into deliveries.

You'd probably get 6-8 pilots qual-ed in a four hour sim session.

Sorry for the detour!

[Engine Driver]

I don't know of too many planes designed for level flight in a "nose down" position, except maybe the Concorde. Heck, I think even superman usually flies "nose up". Maybe ironman too.

There was a news article that mentioned qualifying from 733 to max required one hour simulation on an iPad. I sure hope they were not using the same app I am.

It's interesting to note that only airlines from shithole countries like Indonesia and Ethiopia have managed to crash a 737 Max. Boeing marketed the 737 Max on the basis that no additional simulator time was needed for pilots when changing over from the 737-800. The only requirement was that pilots watch a 50 minute video on their iPad. This video didn't even cover the new MCAS. Most of the sales of the 737 Max have been to shithole countries with India, Mexico, Indonesia, China and Ethiopia being the largest buyers. The fact that shithole airlines didn't need to install a new simulator and converting pilots didn't need five rides with a check captain meant huge cost savings.

[Bushes]

I don't know of too many planes designed for level flight in a "nose down" position, except maybe the Concorde. Heck, I think even superman usually flies "nose up". Maybe ironman too.

There was a news article that mentioned qualifying from 733 to max required one hour simulation on an iPad. I sure hope they were not using the same app I am.

When they say the feature does a "nose down" that's relative to the current angle of attack. So if the aircraft is on it's way to stalling, it pushes forward to reduce the rate of climb. Pilots can override it, two of them (so far) just forget how.

[AussieGaigin]

You beat me too it! The grandmas working the flights today are the very same Party Stews from the 70's and 80's!

Used to do a bit of work with AA aircrew in Sydney a few years ago. Some looked like they had been recruited from a retirement home.

Scary part was some of them would hit me for dates. Guess the passengers weren't interested.

[BrainDrain]

They talked about a "nose down" override of pilot input on the new 737 MAX. That is bad. At take off, some planes are required to climb rapidly for environmental, geological (UA crashed into the SF hill side), traffic control reasons and others. To have a "nose down" is bad as I would assume a stall warning would go off first..

When they say the feature does a "nose down" that's relative to the current angle of attack. So if the aircraft is on it's way to stalling, it pushes forward to reduce the rate of climb. Pilots can override it, two of them (so far) just forget how.

Meanwhile on the subject of flight attendants. For me they are always chatty, tell me lots, are polite, might add me on wechat but I can never pin them down.

Best I had was a check-in agent.

Oh well, one day.

BD.

[Niteluvr]

Don't know about you Westie, but I'd fuck 'em.

I'm very partial to them and I think they're overall the hottest flight attendants I've ever seen. Yes, many have had their noses / eyes done, but that's so common in Korea with most ladies. Had a lady friend years ago who used to work for KAL. Competition was so fierce to get a job there was a "casting couch" of sorts that was used as a determining factor. She banged a few frequent fliers over the years as they would lavish gifts on her. She made a lot of money but KAL tends to force them out once they get old (over 30).

[Bushes]

I was referring to 737. But Bloomberg had this. Out of 322 737 MAX delivered:

31 Southwest.

24 American.

14 United.

For 69 roughly in the US.

They talked about a "nose down" override of pilot input on the new 737 MAX. That is bad. At take off, some planes are required to climb rapidly for environmental, geological (UA crashed into the SF hill side), traffic control reasons and others. To have a "nose down" is bad as I would assume a stall warning would go off first.

I hate the tiny Brazilian models and puddle jumpers.

To say that US domestic is full of these planes is a bit of a stretch. In the two years the 737 MAX has been in production, 350 have been delivered worldwide. To inject some proportion, the Big 3 US airlines { Delta, American and United } all have total fleets well in excess of 1000. Southwest has a fleet of approximately twice the number of total deliveries, all of which are Boeing 737 family. This is not a long haul aircraft, unless you consider US transcontinental, California-Hawaii or the western fringe of Europe to the northeast US as longhaul.

[SaltyPete]

I think a lot of them are still on the job. LOL.

You beat me too it! The grandmas working the flights today are the very same Party Stews from the 70's and 80's!

[SaltyPete]

The 737 family has been a domestic mainstay in the US for decades, facing competition from the A-319/20 for a decade. They are similar mid-distance aircraft in the US (both domestic and internationally to central America, the Caribbean). Southwest has their entire fleet of 737's (over 700).

True. But the only model affected by the grounding is the latest MAX model. If I recall, SWA has 34, American has 24 and United has just a handful. In any case, they comprise just a small percentage of the fleet. But with Spring Break in full swing, the grounding comes at an inopportune time.

If the Ethiopian loss was caused by the same malfunction as the Lion Air, then the pilots and / or company (for failing to train their pilots) are at fault as well as Boeing, IMHO. There have been established procedures for stopping the plane from automatically pitching down, required to be recalled from memory without referencing any manual, that have been in effect since I flew the 737 in the 90's. Although the cause may be different in the latest models, the procedure remains the same.

[Shining Wit]

Any airplane with two aisles is wide-bodied. Cathay's fleet of A330, A350 and 777 is all wide-bodied. They opted for the A350 instead of the 787.

Whoops! Old age is causing confusion. Mea culpa.

[Albert9989]

Thanks to all answers received on this topic.

All of you seems to be on the same page, a girl travelling outside phil for 1st time have very few chances, if not one, to be authorized to cross the border at airport.

Thats was also my feeling after reading your posts about these topics.

So, either we travel inside the country, as I did last January, or I come there and fly with her to another country with all advices you give about the best way to cross border, photos, money, back ticket, proof of knowledge on chats, etc.

Its still a bit strange for me why a Fil girl cannot be free to travel, but that could be also understandable due to the context there, may be.

Thanks anyway for your answers once again.

[WestCoast1]

Like the girls think serving customers at 35 K feet while still looking pretty is cool, some rich blokes might think picking up a chick at 35 K feet is cool, no matter how she looks without all the make up.

A rich man f*cks 8's, dates 9's and 10's, and marries what he dates. No need to punch (or marry) down.

[Blanquiceleste]

And, I know several people who have more money than brains.

To prove my point.

https://philippineslifestyle.com/jap...bbed-pampanga/

Of course, I don't know him!

[Blanquiceleste]

Was not aware that they would be prized by rich guys.

Like the girls think serving customers at 35 K feet while still looking pretty is cool, some rich blokes might think picking up a chick at 35 K feet is cool, no matter how she looks without all the make up.

And, I know several people who have more money than brains.

[WestCoast1]

To say that US domestic is full of these planes is a bit of a stretch. In the two years the 737 MAX has been in production, 350 have been delivered worldwide. To inject some proportion, the Big 3 US airlines all have total fleets well in excess of 1000. Southwest has a fleet of approximately twice the number of total deliveries, all of which are Boeing 737 family. This is not a long haul aircraft, unless you consider US transcontinental, California-Hawaii or the western fringe of Europe to the northeast US as longhaul.

The 737 family has been a domestic mainstay in the US for decades, facing competition from the A-319/20 for a decade. They are similar mid-distance aircraft in the US (both domestic and internationally to central America, the Caribbean). Southwest has their entire fleet of 737's (over 700).

Cathay is a poor example, as they fly zero wide-bodies, but maintain a {proportionally} quite large fleet of Boeing 777 and 787's.

I'm with ED. Have flown Cathay Pacific across the pond a number of times, always on wide-body aircraft, 747 and 777 twin-aisle aircraft. Have never flown across the Pacific on a single-aisle aircraft. Once, on a Cathay 747 across the Pacific, there were only about 25 customers. I was shocked that there were almost as many F-A's on the plane as customers. After the first meal, I asked a F-A why bother flying the plane with so few passengers, why not just cancel the flight (what a money-loser! She explained that even with no passengers, the plane must fly. Some regulation about the 'route is already paid'. Also, the plane was needed in Hong Kong to pick up the passengers there to fly back to the US.

Airbus also had problems with the introduction of the A320 neo {new engine option} approx. 12-18 months ago as the Pratt & Whitney engine version suffered a high rate of in-flight engine shutdowns.

I read recently that Cebu Pacific is picking up a new batch of A320 NEO's (think the article said 30+ aircraft), which will be flown outside of Philippines. The new engines are more fuel-efficient, saving pesos and flying the plane farther on a tank of gas.