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The Airplane Fanatic Thread


Hornsareus

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18 hours ago, Bobby_Batronic said:

Textron Airland Scorpion is what that thing is I think. 

Maybe I'm not able to see all of the pics but I'm not seeing a Scorpion in any of those. Textron has been flying one over my house, off and on,  for the last couple of years. It's a cool looking plane and sounds unmistakable with it's little engines.

Are you talking about the ass shot with the lawnchairs folks beside it? I thought that was the backside of the F-35.

Edited by Shoxthemonkey
Blind, maybe?
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1 hour ago, Shoxthemonkey said:

Maybe I'm not able to see all of the pics but I'm not seeing a Scorpion in any of those. Textron has been flying one over my house, off and on,  for the last couple of years. It's a cool looking plane and sounds unmistakable with it's little engines.

Are you talking about the ass shot with the lawnchairs folks beside it? I thought that was the backside of the F-35.

That’s the pic I’m talking about. It has two motors. 35 has a single big one. Pretty sure that’s the Scorpion

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4 hours ago, Shoxthemonkey said:

Maybe I'm not able to see all of the pics but I'm not seeing a Scorpion in any of those. Textron has been flying one over my house, off and on,  for the last couple of years. It's a cool looking plane and sounds unmistakable with it's little engines.

Are you talking about the ass shot with the lawnchairs folks beside it? I thought that was the backside of the F-35.

I’m probably wrong but aren’t you supposed to say ‘ready for departure’ or just ‘ready in sequence’ or whatever…thought using ‘takeoff’ was supposed to be said only when reading back clearance.  Or at least a best practices after Tenerife?

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33 minutes ago, Homercles said:

I’m probably wrong but aren’t you supposed to say ‘ready for departure’ or just ‘ready in sequence’ or whatever…thought using ‘takeoff’ was supposed to be said only when reading back clearance.  Or at least a best practices after Tenerife?

Nah. I’m the passenger. I don’t say shit. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I’m sitting a little bit south of the Beechcraft factory runway while my wife is in the RA clinic getting an infusion. A Beech Starship just flew over and got away before I could get my phone out. Those pusher engines sounded cool AF. 
image.jpeg.01e4c9149a0246d9f32038345bba4e5b.jpeg

of course the first image I find is a dead one. 

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5 hours ago, Lat22 said:

I saw one take off out of Hobby a couple years ago. I think there’s one based at Addison. I always know when a Piaggio is coming into Sugar Land. 

There was one we used to see in Aspen and a few other places. The owner had two. One operable and the other for parts. 

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For bus drivers:  Yesterday I was supposed to be on AA 346 AUS-PHL.  Flight was delayed like 4 hours due to ‘computer problems’.  Dude next to me was saying he was on the PHL-AUS leg last week and they had same issue.  It was already delayed an hour that morning before I left for the airport, and stayed on the apron a good 45 minutes before even pulling into the open gate. 
 

What kind of computer issue would take hours to resolve and keep it from pulling into the gate?  
 

Obviously it could be anything but was wondering if there’s a common thing on A319s.  

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8 hours ago, Homercles said:

For bus drivers:  Yesterday I was supposed to be on AA 346 AUS-PHL.  Flight was delayed like 4 hours due to ‘computer problems’.  Dude next to me was saying he was on the PHL-AUS leg last week and they had same issue.  It was already delayed an hour that morning before I left for the airport, and stayed on the apron a good 45 minutes before even pulling into the open gate. 
 

What kind of computer issue would take hours to resolve and keep it from pulling into the gate?  
 

Obviously it could be anything but was wondering if there’s a common thing on A319s.  

Not enough information to go off of. Some of the computer resets can be pretty lengthy procedures, and if it happens on the ground then policy says we stop the plane, run the ECAM, check the COM for further procedures, then determine if the item is crew deferrable and then call maintenance who might have an alternate reset procedure hidden somewhere in their cave of wonders. 

No idea what could take four hours. Possibly dispatch computers going down?

As for not pulling into an open gate maybe issues with the Brake Steering Control Unit?

Sorry. Just spitballing because I don’t have much to go on.

 

 

 

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4 hours ago, Bobby_Batronic said:

Not enough information to go off of. Some of the computer resets can be pretty lengthy procedures, and if it happens on the ground then policy says we stop the plane, run the ECAM, check the COM for further procedures, then determine if the item is crew deferrable and then call maintenance who might have an alternate reset procedure hidden somewhere in their cave of wonders. 

No idea what could take four hours. Possibly dispatch computers going down?

As for not pulling into an open gate maybe issues with the Brake Steering Control Unit?

Sorry. Just spitballing because I don’t have much to go on.

 

 

 

Yeah I knew it was a weird shot in the dark, they didn’t really tell us anything…but gate folks wouldn’t really know anyways.  I’ve chatted up crew before but there weren’t any there and I was busy trying to get rebooked because it was literally 12 hours until my grandfathers funeral.  
 

I don’t think it was Dispatch as other AA flights were going out on time.  Assumed the crew knew there was in issue inbound from Philly because it was delayed an hour before I even left for AUS despite the inbound bird leaving PHL on time.  It was stopping on the apron right in front of the gate, perpendicular to the bridge, for an hour that caught my eye but I didn’t hang around to see if it was towed in.  
 

I ended up wondering if it was something with NWS but brakes makes sense too.  Can you dispatch with only one FMS?   

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On a side note there’s a special place in hell for people who berate gate agents, or service industry folks in general.  Dude was going nuts during the delay on the first outbound leg…like they were going to be able to fix the plane.  
 

After he walked off in a huff the lady at the gate 28 rebooking desk turned to me and said “well now that we’ve decided we aren’t going to help him, please tell me what we can do for you”.  

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2 hours ago, Homercles said:

On a side note there’s a special place in hell for people who berate gate agents, or service industry folks in general.  Dude was going nuts during the delay on the first outbound leg…like they were going to be able to fix the plane.  
 

After he walked off in a huff the lady at the gate 28 rebooking desk turned to me and said “well now that we’ve decided we aren’t going to help him, please tell me what we can do for you”.  

The same kind of people who yell at wait staff.  They're hot garbage.  

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5 hours ago, Homercles said:

I ended up wondering if it was something with NWS but brakes makes sense too.  Can you dispatch with only one FMS?

Definitely maybe. 
 

Were they short of ground crews by chance, because that’s still a bit of a thing everywhere?

We had one issue once where they nav database was dorked up. Basically a waypoint that should have been in New Mexico was showing up over the Pacific Ocean. No amount of re-entering it, abusive language or threats of violence would make it behave up to and including deplaning and powering off the plane for half an hour. 

It was written up. We have procedures for flying with the expired database. Buuuttt, we are no longer able to defer the current database. Oops. Multiple phone calls with numerous people in mx, safety and a few Chief pilots ended up with a flight cancellation with some histrionics on the side. 
 

Or another time where mx pinned the correct deferred thrust reverser but entered the wrong one into the computer resulting in a very pissed off plane. That was two hours of trouble shooting, gate return and more trouble shooting before they figured out what was wrong. 
 

All that to say that I don’t know, but it’s rarely something quick when it’s broken, and sometimes mx and or procedures exacerbate the problem. 

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Anyone know this guy? 

Quote

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified a pilot who was killed in a small plane crash Tuesday evening in Johnson County.

Joshua Bo Kirkpatrick, 41, of Cleburne, died Tuesday around 6 p.m. after a small aircraft he was operating crashed into a field near his home, south of Cleburne Regional Airport.

Federal Aviation Administration records indicate Kirkpatrick had a student pilot certificate issued in 2018 and had no limitations on his student license other than the standard student limitation of no passengers.

—— 

Joshua worked most of the time in South Texas, his nephew said. He’d taken to regularly flying from Cleburne to wherever he was working, instead of driving. When he’d come home, he’d fly a low circle around the house before heading to the airport.

Whenever he had time off work, he spent as much of it he could with his family.

“It was his way of saying, ‘I’m home,’ “ Rafe said.

The Department of Public Safety told WFAA-TV that the pilot was the only one aboard the plane.

Witnesses told investigators the plane, an American Aviation AA-1A, was making low maneuvers when it went nose down and hit the ground in the 4800 block of South Nolan River Road, National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson said. Records indicate Joshua Kirkpatrick owned the plane.

According to medical examiner records, the site of the crash was within a block of Kirkpatrick’s home. His nephew said the crash was only a couple houses away from his home.

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On 5/11/2022 at 4:58 PM, shadow_operative2.0 said:

That dude may not have his pilots license, but he’s spent a lot of time flying that airplane with his buddy (the owner). There’s no way he pulled that off without a lot of experience. 

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I wonder if there's more to the story, but I think it's very feasible.  The stick and rudder skills are a lot easier to learn than the rest of it.  The ATC guy was also a certified flight instructor.  I haven't listened to any of it but I bet he was telling him exactly what power settings to use, when and how to add flaps, etc...  You can see he gave him a power setting to bring him in a little fast so he wouldn't stall it, looks like it anyway.  That part can be coached fairly easily and people with no flight experience do it on their first lessons every day, albeit with the instructor watching next to them instead of on the radio.   All that's left is the flare and operating the rudder pedals as you stop.  He didn't really flare at all and I bet the touchdown was a lot firmer than it looks like, also wobbled main to main some.  That's not critique, just pointing out that it's pretty typical of a beginner student's first attempts.    To me it's more impressive that he didn't put it in the grass after the landing.  I'd expect someone with no experience to have more trouble with the rudder pedals on the ground than with the flying.

If you ever take flying lessons you'll be operating the controls and doing  basic climbs, descents, and turns within the first 30 seconds of your first flight, it's that easy for basic flight.  Landings typically start on lesson #2 after just an hour or so total time in the airplane and it's not unusual for a student to make halfway decent landings in that same lesson.  Getting it on the ground isn't that hard when someone tells you what to do.  Learning how to properly land is way more than that.  Are you at the proper speed?  On the proper glidepath?  Crossing the threshold at 50 feet?  On the centerline? Longitudinally straight vs crooked?  Upwind wing low and compensating for that with opposite rudder?  Touching down in the designated touchdown zone?  Not flaring too high or too low?  Holding the nose off? blah blah blah...  There's a lot that goes into a good landing beyond just getting it on the ground.  None of those things are going to kill you most of the time, but those little things are what most of the training time is spent on.  If you aren't looking for any of that and your only goal is to get it on the ground in one piece, I'd expect lots of guys who can keep their cool under stress to do a salvageable landing.  

All that said, the guy obviously did a great job in a stressful situation.  The only part that really makes me wonder about his experience is that he mentioned in an interview about gently pulling back when he took the controls so as to not stall it.  I wouldn't expect someone with zero experience to know about how a wing stalls.  

Edited by Your Mom
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That is fucking outstanding!  "There are lots of newhires your age."  

Old colonels look at me like I'm nuts when I'm giving away trips and living on 80 a month at max days off while they work 5-6 days week hustling for 160+ to pay for the ex-wives.  Note to young pilots:  Get married in a no-alimony state.

I hope you guys get the fucking moon.  I know we won't beat it but everybody is watching this and seeing where the bar gets set.  Delta up next.

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Two killed in ultralight plane crash near Granite Shoals Sunday morning….

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/aircraft-emergency-reported-near-granite-shoals-airfield/

Quote

An Airborne Windsports Edge 912 weight-shift control aircraft crashed in Granite Shoals, Texas, around 7:00 a.m. local time today

 

Edited by Armybrat
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You may have already talked about it upthread but what’s your pilot situation on that?  Got some young guy building time?  Older retired guy?  Airlines are snapping up anyone with a pulse, can’t be easy to find someone right now I’d think. Or did I miss it and you fly it?

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6 minutes ago, Your Mom said:

You may have already talked about it upthread but what’s your pilot situation on that?  Got some young guy building time?  Older retired guy?  Airlines are snapping up anyone with a pulse, can’t be easy to find someone right now I’d think. Or did I miss it and you fly it?

The two partners in the plane are CFIs in retirement and I can fly. 

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On 5/31/2022 at 6:24 AM, Telegraph_it said:

She has arrived. Now it’s off to get all new Garmin avionics. Then new interior. And finally new paint. Should be all done by October. 
 

image.thumb.png.9fd54205ede1cd9763df3b3bd65316ae.png

Nice ride, we finally picked up our C90 with the Blackhawk upgrade. Flew it for the first time this week. It is a significant upgrade over the Baron in size and speed. Getting the interior done in September and avionics in the spring. We have a back log of trips we have to get out of the way first with us being without a plane for a few months.

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3 hours ago, Your Mom said:

You may have already talked about it upthread but what’s your pilot situation on that?  Got some young guy building time?  Older retired guy?  Airlines are snapping up anyone with a pulse, can’t be easy to find someone right now I’d think. Or did I miss it and you fly it?

Management company we use has a number of pilots on staff that are either retired or under the minimum hour requirement for commercial airlines. They fly with these guys for a few years and then move up to commercial at some point. They fly when they want to and also live pretty well during that period. Most of the guys they manage for really take care of the pilots.

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For you guys that like flight tracks, here's a story of what looks to be a joint AF/Navy exercise off the coast of Baja a few days ago that needed a bunch of tanker helping out ...

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/mysterious-exercise-off-baja-brought-nellis-afb-uss-nimitz-aircraft-together?fbclid=IwAR20v2yInXZ60Ml2t14djpmy2ShWza7_VJPzh4FsULSpbV7REBTNE_p_1-I

 

 

SOCAL-Exercise.jpg?auto=webp&optimize=hi

 

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6 hours ago, davidg said:

For you guys that like flight tracks, here's a story of what looks to be a joint AF/Navy exercise off the coast of Baja a few days ago that needed a bunch of tanker helping out ...

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/mysterious-exercise-off-baja-brought-nellis-afb-uss-nimitz-aircraft-together?fbclid=IwAR20v2yInXZ60Ml2t14djpmy2ShWza7_VJPzh4FsULSpbV7REBTNE_p_1-I

 

 

SOCAL-Exercise.jpg?auto=webp&optimize=hi

 

Coming up from Cabo they were pointing out flights of F35’s left and right. Maybe a part of this. 

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When I was a wee RPM I used to watch training squadrons of helos from Fort Wolters fly over day and night. There was an old Desilu show called Whirlybirds that I became hooked on. Lo and behold one of the 2 Bell 47's used on the show still survives and flies! N2838B She's been renamed "Lucy" after Lucille Ball and is owned by a Wisconsin radio station. Currently under overhaul.

 

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On 5/10/2022 at 9:31 PM, Bobby_Batronic said:

There was one we used to see in Aspen and a few other places. The owner had two. One operable and the other for parts. 

When I was in college, I worked for a grading outfit.  We had 1 operable WABCO scraper, and 2 for parts.

On 6/9/2022 at 1:06 PM, davidg said:

For you guys that like flight tracks, here's a story of what looks to be a joint AF/Navy exercise off the coast of Baja a few days ago that needed a bunch of tanker helping out ...

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/mysterious-exercise-off-baja-brought-nellis-afb-uss-nimitz-aircraft-together?fbclid=IwAR20v2yInXZ60Ml2t14djpmy2ShWza7_VJPzh4FsULSpbV7REBTNE_p_1-I

 

 

SOCAL-Exercise.jpg?auto=webp&optimize=hi

 

I occasionally drive past March ARB.  Not too long ago, I saw a big fucker take off with the Omega symbol on the tail, which I googled when I got home.  I had no idea that private contractors did refueling missions. 

 

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10 hours ago, Gil Bang said:

When I was in college, I worked for a grading outfit.  We had 1 operable WABCO scraper, and 2 for parts.

I occasionally drive past March ARB.  Not too long ago, I saw a big fucker take off with the Omega symbol on the tail, which I googled when I got home.  I had no idea that private contractors did refueling missions. 

 

Airborne refueling is a big need and the tanker fleet is/was getting overtaxed and long in the tooth. Which is why the Boeing tanker kerfluffle has been such a thing, and why I think the Air Force is looking at other options. 
 

Also, I was corrected about the Starship. Apparently the one owner bought up all remaining airframes and parts them out for two operable planes. 

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