After Alaska Airlines planes bump runway, a scramble to ‘pull the plug’

On the morning of Jan. 26, as two Alaska Airlines flights from Seattle to Hawaii lifted off six minutes apart, the pilots each felt a slight bump and the flight attendants at the back of the cabin heard a scraping noise. As the noses of both Boeing 737s lifted skyward on takeoff, their tails had scraped the runway. Alaska’s flight operations staff quickly realized that a software bug was sending bad takeoff weight data to its crews. (www.seattletimes.com) More...

Flight attendants want to ban lap babies on planes

When the seat belt light blinks on, every passenger buckles up except for one group of fliers: lap babies. Unrestrained children sharing a seat with their parents are exempt from the safety mandate, presenting a growing concern amid recent incidents of severe turbulence. ... Sara Nelson, the international president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA. “The G-forces are not something even the most loving mother or father can guard against and hold their child. It’s just physically… (www.seattletimes.com) More...

Pension deadline could speed retirement of experienced Boeing engineers

Boeing may see hundreds of veteran engineers retire this fall ahead of a pension adjustment that will dramatically slash the payouts to those who choose to take the money in a single lump sum. The interest rates used to determine the lump sum will be updated in November, after which one 35-year Boeing employee calculates that his payout will be cut by more than $200,000. ... Matt Kempf, senior director for compensation and retirement for SPEEA, estimates around 600 or 700 experienced local… (www.seattletimes.com) More...

Southwest Airlines proposed a ploy to deceive FAA on Boeing 737 MAX, legal filing alleges

In April 2016, when Boeing’s 737 MAX was in flight test a year ahead of its certification by the Federal Aviation Administration, Southwest Airlines made a strange proposal to Boeing — one that suggests an effort to deceive the FAA. According to a legal filing by attorneys pursuing a lawsuit against the airline, Southwest manager Bill Lusk asked Boeing officials, including the MAX chief technical pilot Mark Forkner, if engineers could install a new flight control safety alert required for the… (www.seattletimes.com) More...

Engine maker Rolls-Royce reuses spare parts amidst supply chain crunch

British engine maker Rolls-Royce is repairing and reusing spare parts in light of supply chain issues that are causing issues for the aerospace industry. ... A lack of spare parts is already impacting airlines. Latvia-based airBaltic revealed on August 3, 2022, that six of its Airbus A220s are unable to fly because regular maintenance can’t be carried out. ... (www.aerotime.aero) More...

French Transport Minister Looking Into Tax on Private Jet Use

French Transport Minister Clement Beaune said he’s looking into a tax on flights by private jet or using other means to get companies and rich individuals to limit their use. The comments feed into a long-standing campaign by some environmental groups against private jets ferrying corporate titans and the wealthy because of their emissions. Before the pandemic cratered the aviation sector, the United Nations predicted the aviation industry as a whole would overtake power generation as the single… (www.bloomberg.com) More...

Seattle Times (no paywall): After 4 tough years, can Boeing break through the clouds?

Production is slowly rising to meet that demand, and Boeing is hiring 300 to 400 machinists a month to gear up. It recently reopened its third MAX assembly line in Renton and is preparing a fourth in Everett. ... One central strategic decision is whether Boeing should get to work on an all-new airplane or instead keep a head-down focus on churning out existing jet models. ... With many tiers of its supply chain still shattered by the pandemic, parts shortages are delaying Boeing’s planned… (www.seattletimes.com) More...

Russian airlines staff start to receive conscription notices

Russian employees at airlines and airports have started to receive conscription notices after President Putin ordered a partial military mobilisation, the Kommersant newspaper reported on Friday citing sources. Employees of at least five airlines, including Russian top carrier Aeroflot (AFLT.MM), and staff at more than 10 airports received notices within a day of Putin ordering the mobilisation, the paper reported. (www.reuters.com) More...

FAA's next leader may come from outside aviation

The White House is set within days to announce Phil Washington, CEO of Denver International Airport, as its nominee to be the next FAA administrator, according to two people familiar with the deliberations. Washington’s aviation experience is relatively light. He has headed operations at the Denver airport for less than a year and has a strong track record of leadership in ground transportation at big city transit organizations. However, his lack of deep roots in the aviation industry may be… (www.seattletimes.com) More...

Think you could land a plane in an emergency? Here’s why you can’t.

Picture this: You are on a flight when you learn that the pilots have fallen ill and can no longer fly the plane. A voice comes over the public address system, asking for a volunteer to help land the aircraft. You have no experience, but you have seen “Airplane!” and “Snakes on a Plane.” Maybe you’ve frittered away hours on Microsoft’s Flight Simulator. You throw off your seat belt and march toward the cockpit, your cape rustling behind you. Hold on, hero. You might want to return to your seat… (www.seattletimes.com) More...