Airline Industry

[RTH10260]

from Juan Browne an explanation of what happened with the seat

[John Thomas8]

I know everyone would like to place this on Boeing, but the aircraft in question rolled of the line in 1998....

When you combine a cost-cutting manufacturer with cost-cutting maintenance entities around the various airlines, that leads me to driving.

Cost-cutting on bridge construction or maintenance is not a thing? Cost-cutting in vehicle builds and maintenance? Cost-cutting is hiring and managing semi drivers?

I'm not the world's best driver, but I've been at it since 1973 and have hit/been hit exactly once. I maintain my own vehicle, have access to all operating and safety systems. While I do not maintain the roads I do have access to real time route data to plan accordingly. Dangers from over-the-road rigs are greatly exaggerated, far more often the 4-wheeler instigates contact with the rig. In an airliner, I have zero say in how things are done and there's no dodging the ground at 350mph when things go wrong.

Two of many channels documenting the darker side of flying:
https://www.youtube.com/@theflightchannel
https://www.youtube.com/@AllecJoshuaIbay

[raison de arizona]

I believe this means Boeing has selected a new CEO

[Rolodex]

That's an A-1 tweet.

[RTH10260]

Pilot jailed after trying to fly plane from Edinburgh to New York while drunk
The Delta airlines employee was caught with a half empty bottle of Jägermeister in his hand luggage

Libby Brooks
Tue 19 Mar 2024 17.23 CET

A pilot who was found to be almost two-and-a-half times over the aviation alcohol limit as he prepared to take charge of a transatlantic flight from Edinburgh to New York has been jailed for 10 months.

Capt Lawrence Russell Jr was caught with two bottles of Jägermeister in his hand luggage, one of which was half empty, during a bag search at Edinburgh airport in June last year.

The Delta Airlines pilot was arrested by police and subsequently provided a sample that was said to be “not less than 49mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood”.

The strict legal aviation limit is just 20mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood.

Russell, 63, was sentenced at Edinburgh sheriff court on Tuesday after pleading guilty in March to reporting for duty as a pilot while being impaired through alcohol.

Jailing Russell for 10 months, Sheriff Alison Stirling said a prison sentence had to be imposed for “punishment [and the] protection of the public” while noting he had two previous convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol in the US.

The court heard how Russell, an American from the state of Georgia, was rostered to fly the Boeing 767 plane from Edinburgh to New York’s JFK airport early on 16 June 2023.

He was stopped after two bottles of Jägermeister were discovered in his carry-on baggage when it went through an X-ray security machine.

Russell, who was wearing a pilot’s uniform and wore a lanyard with the word “Delta” printed on it, admitted he was the owner of the alcohol.

Defence agent Pamela Rodgers told the court that her “remorseful” client was a recovering alcoholic who had not drunk alcohol for 277 days and had completed the 12 steps to recovery rehabilitation programme.

Responding to the sentence, Lynne Barrie, procurator fiscal for Lothian and Borders, said: “Lawrence Russell’s conduct would have endangered many lives; the consequences could have been catastrophic.

“He showed a reckless disregard for the safety of his passengers and crew. The pilot of a commercial aircraft holds the lives of hundreds in his hands. He would have put all of them at serious risk.

“This conviction should send the message that crimes of this nature will be robustly dealt with.”



https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... -is-jailed

[Volkonski]

FBI tells Alaska Airlines passengers they may be ‘victim of a crime’

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/22/business ... index.html

Passengers on board the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 that suffered a terrifying midair blowout in January have received a letter from the FBI saying they may be victims “of a crime.”

Attorney Mark Lindquist, who represents multiple passengers that were on Alaska Airlines flight 1282, shared with CNN the letter that the FBI office in Seattle sent to passengers on Tuesday.

“I’m contacting you because we have identified you as a possible victim of a crime,” the letter reads in part. It also notes that the FBI is currently investigating the case.

“My clients and I welcome the DOJ investigation,” Lindquist told CNN, “We want accountability. We want answers. We want safer Boeing planes. And a DOJ investigation helps advance our goals.”

Attorney Robert Clifford, who represents many family members of the 2019 crash victims of a Boeing 737 Max jet flown by Ethiopian Air as well as some of the recent Alaska Air passengers, said some of his clients on Alaska Air also got the letter notifying them that they could be crime victims.

[RTH10260]

Involountary manslaughter by forgetting to re-install the bolts?

[much ado]

Involountary manslaughter by forgetting to re-install the bolts?

No one was killed, so there was no manslaughter.

[Frater I*I]

I believe this means Boeing has selected a new CEO

In case anyone is wondering, this is a start up of an APU [auxiliary power unit] after it has been taken out of preservation [long term storage]. The oil used for it smokes a lot when the unit starts up the first time, you should see what an engine looks like on start up after preservation...

[RTH10260]

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun to step down in wake of cabin panel blowout
Calhoun announces plans to resign amid biggest safety crisis for Boeing since crashes of two of its Max 8 jets in 2018 and 2019

Callum Jones in New York
Mon 25 Mar 2024 16.47 CET

The CEO of Boeing has announced plans to resign amid a sweeping overhaul of the planemaker’s management as it fights to repair its reputation following a terrifying cabin panel blowout.

Dave Calhoun will step down at the end of this year. Larry Kellner, chair of Boeing’s board of directors, will also leave the role.

Calhoun plans to “complete the critical work under way to stabilize and position the company for the future” over the coming months, it said.

Boeing has scrambled to reassure regulators, airlines and passengers since a brand-new 737 Max 9 jet was forced into an emergency landing in January.

The dramatic incident during an Alaska Airlines flight – which prompted 171 Max 9 jets to be grounded for several weeks – has sparked the biggest safety crisis for Boeing since the crashes of two of its Max 8 jets, in 2018 and 2019, in which 346 people were killed.

Stan Deal, who leads Boeing’s commercial airplanes business, has also left the job with immediate effect. He has been replaced by Stephanie Pope, the group’s chief operating officer.

“The eyes of the world are on us, and I know that we will come through this moment a better company,” Calhoun said. “We will remain squarely focused on completing the work we have done together to return our company to stability after the extraordinary challenges of the past five years, with safety and quality at the forefront of everything that we do.”

Steve Mollenkopf, who has been on Boeing’s board of directors since 2020, has been lined up to replace Kellner as its chair. Mollenkopf will lead the search for Calhoun’s replacement.




https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... el-blowout

[RTH10260]

"part of plane" = engine cowling.

[RTH10260]

as above, my guess is failure of maintenance staff to correctly lock the covers, and the pilot inspecting the aircraft missed any indication.

Investigation launched after Boeing engine cover falls off during takeoff
Southwest flight returns to Denver airport after latest accident to afflict airline’s Boeing fleet

Reuters in Washington
Mon 8 Apr 2024 00.45 CEST

US airline regulators have launched an investigation after an engine cowling on a Boeing plane fell off during takeoff and struck the wing flap.

The Southwest Airlines flight 3695 rose to about 10,300ft (3,140 metres) before returning safely 25 minutes after takeoff to Denver international airport at about 8.15am local time on Sunday. It was towed to the gate after landing. The Boeing aircraft with 135 passengers and six crew members aboard had been headed to Houston. No one was injured.

The airline said maintenance teams are reviewing the aircraft.

The plane entered service in June 2015, according to FAA records. Boeing referred questions to Southwest for information about the airline’s airplane and fleet operations. The airline declined to say when the plane’s engine had last had maintenance.

Footage posted on X showed the ripped engine cover flapping in the wind with a torn Southwest logo.



https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... ng-takeoff

[MN-Skeptic]

Gift link to NYTimes article -

F.A.A. Investigates Claims by Boeing Whistle-Blower About Flaws in 787 Dreamliner

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating claims made by a Boeing engineer who says that sections of the fuselage of the 787 Dreamliner are improperly fastened together and could break apart mid-flight after thousands of trips.

The engineer, Sam Salehpour, who worked on the plane, detailed his allegations in interviews with The New York Times and in documents sent to the F.A.A. A spokesman for the agency confirmed that it was investigating the allegations but declined to comment on them.

Mr. Salehpour, who has worked at Boeing for more than a decade, said the problems stemmed from changes in how the enormous sections were fitted and fastened together in the assembly line. The plane’s fuselage comes in several pieces, all from different manufacturers, and they are not exactly the same shape where they fit together, he said.

Boeing conceded those manufacturing changes were made, but a spokesman for the company, Paul Lewis, said there was “no impact on durability or safe longevity of the airframe.”

Mr. Lewis said Boeing had done extensive testing on the Dreamliner and “determined that this is not an immediate safety of flight issue.”

Quite a bit more at the link above.

[RTH10260]

Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour tell senate hearing that company took 'manufacturing shortcuts'

The Telegraph
17 Apr 2024

Boeing’s global fleet of 787 Dreamliner jets should be grounded for safety checks after manufacturing errors left them structurally unsound, a whistleblower has said.

Engineer Sam Salehpour claimed that a race to speed up production had led to serious problems with the aeroplanes including small gaps between sections of fuselage.

He is calling for the entire fleet of more than 1,000 Dreamliners to be kept on the ground for inspection.

Mr Salehpour told US broadcaster NBC: “The entire fleet worldwide, as far as I’m concerned right now, needs attention. And the attention is, you need to check the gaps and make sure that you don’t have potential for premature failur

[RTH10260]

Cause our local Swiss Airlines was involved. They got takeoff clearance, then the tower told four other aircrafts to cross the runway

[AndyinPA]

That does not make me feel any better about fling, particularly the takeoff and landing parts.