Category Archives for Aircraft.
Canada and Europe are doing their own test flights to re-certify the Boeing 737 MAX, which Boeing now refuses to call the MAX, instead of just relying on the FAA.
But the U.S. wouldn’t let Canadian and European inspectors into the U.S. to test the plane with Boeing – because coronavirus (the regulators might bring the virus into the U.S.). So regulators get picked up in Vancouver by Boeing, flown to Beoing field and back.
Boeing announced the sale today of two 737 MAX aircraft. That’s a big deal because the MAX, in service only since fall 2018, has been grounded since March 2019 – and because airlines generally are conserving cash rather than spending money to buy planes.
The announcement, though, is most notable for the verbal jujitsu Boeing uses as they give the plane a new name: 737-8, which is either not meant to be confused – or meant to be confused – with the older 737-800.
The plane, with registration N908JE, is owned by JEGE, Inc. It flew to Georgia in July 11, 2017 from West Palm Beach and has sat there ever since. It’s got Pratt & Whitney JT8D engines and is an ex-TWA bird originally delivered July 7, 1969.
According to an aviation consultant who toured the plane in March on behalf of a potential buyer, here’s what the interior is like.
The Airbus A380 was on the the way out even before the pandemic. Now it’s original purpose no longer exists.
In fact an A380 is now worth so little that the value of the plane may be literally less than the sum of its parts.
Presidential campaigns traditionally have planes. But this year Joe Biden is going without one since he won’t leave his basement won’t be traveling much for in-person events during the pandemic.
Biden will be saying Trump events are “gambling with American lives for his own political gain.” Yet he hasn’t actually ruled out getting a plane and doing events later “if individual states change their guidelines.”
There are two Boeing 747s that serve as Air Force One. The windows are armored. Its body can stand up to the force of a nuclear blast on the ground. When airborne it is always followed by the Doomsday Plane.
Airlines now require face masks for passengers to fly. But while they’ll make announcements prior to boarding, and enforce the requirement at the gate, the major airlines say they won’t enforce it to the point of diverting a flight is a passenger doesn’t wear a mask on board. They’ll still get a high degree of compliance, and that’s important.
On Tuesday evening a private pilot took this flight over Maryland.
The Blue Angels and Thunderbirds performed a joint flyover, the Navy and Air Force squadrons performed a tribute to health care workers over Philadelphia, Trenton and New York. But this one solo pilot, I think, truly did the country proud.
Airlines are blocking middle seats. Delta has stopped processing upgrades in advance, handling all upgrades at the gate, to manage seat assignments in domestic first class so that passengers aren’t seated beside each other. They’re also blocking seats near flight attendant jump seats, to keep passengers away from flight attendants.
These are all social distancing steps to limit contact between people during travel, both to help stop the spread of the coronavirus and also to give customers confidence to fly. But they won’t do this if it means losing even a single ticket sale.
A 1977 Piper Cherokee Lance N43756 registered to Reid Katan in North Beach, Maryland spelled out “Get Well Soon, Bailey” in the sky.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
