I have always wondered whether passengers notice the organized chaos that characterizes aircraft at the gate, getting ready for its next trip. Whether it is a 737 operated by a low-cost carrier getting turned around in as little as 20 minutes or a 747 heading to the other side of the world and readied for… Continue reading The TITAN project – one year down the road
Tag: 737
When winglets turn green – Continental flies on bio-fuel
It is more than a year ago now, but on 7 January 2009 Continental Airlines was the first US airline to conduct a bio-fuel test flight with one of their Boeing 737-800s. One engine was running on a mixture of traditional jet fuel, algae and jatropha oil. The 73 got a special paint job for… Continue reading When winglets turn green – Continental flies on bio-fuel
Conversion course – Does anyone understand the airlines?
My fascination with aircraft started at about age 5 and I first heard about air traffic control when I was 16. Gabi Nemeth who made music besides being an air traffic controller was on a TV talk show and he made a gallant effort to explain what ATC was all about… He must have done… Continue reading Conversion course – Does anyone understand the airlines?
Surprise in Vienna – When the system really fails
Brussels Airlines flight SN2908 is the evening counterpart of SN2901, the red-eye Brussels-Vienna flight that takes you to that magnificent city in time for a meeting that can start as early as 10.00 and conclude as late as 18.00 since SN2908 will bring you home comfortably. The only trouble with SN2908 is that it is… Continue reading Surprise in Vienna – When the system really fails
The tower with a soul… 15.
Exciting times and more progress The first decade after the change of the political system in Hungary brought home the realization that Hungarians had a peculiar interpretation of democracy. Instead of making use of opportunities, they immediately started abusing them. They interpreted freedom as being a license to do anything with laws being just a… Continue reading The tower with a soul… 15.
Brussels Airlines 737 starts take-off roll with flaps retracted
Last Thursday, 22 April was notable for the fact that after the long disruption caused by the volcanic cloud over Europe, traffic was finally getting back to normal. Brussels Airlines flight SN2901 Brussels-Vienna was still at the gate shortly before 0710a, its schedules departure time, with both the aircraft door and the cockpit door still… Continue reading Brussels Airlines 737 starts take-off roll with flaps retracted
The communications related aspects of runway incursions
More than two incursions a day… Few other incidents return with the grim and persistent regularity of runway incursions. A lot of effort by all concerned has resulted in a reduction of the total number of incidents but there are still, on average, more than two runway incursions in Europe per day. Clearly, there remains… Continue reading The communications related aspects of runway incursions
A kid in the tower, a pilot without license and other things
The unprecedented success of the air transport industry is due mainly to the spectacular improvements in safety booked overt the years. True, the convenience of being able to travel to the other end of Europe for a meeting and back the same day count for a lot, but without the safety factor, few passengers would… Continue reading A kid in the tower, a pilot without license and other things
A taxiway will do… KLM 737 takes-off from Taxiway B in Amsterdam
I do have a trip scheduled to Warsaw… what I pity I was not on KL1369 two days ago! As I said in another article, I am one of the few air travelers who does check the life west (under your seat you know), follows the safety briefing and confirms the nearest exit (may be… Continue reading A taxiway will do… KLM 737 takes-off from Taxiway B in Amsterdam
Air France 447 – Second Interim Report published. Cause still unknown.
News from EUROCONTROL’s aviation safety knowledge base SKYbrary The loss of AF447 over the Atlantic Ocean on 1 June 2009 is proving to be every bit the nightmare of accident investigators and safety experts alike. The French accident investigation bureau BEA has now published their second Interim Report which includes new findings and makes a… Continue reading Air France 447 – Second Interim Report published. Cause still unknown.