Aviation Appreciation Station

[Ryan Coke]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I'm guessing it would depend on the company SOP's, perhaps some of our airliner flying members can help us out on that one?

I would venture a guess that most of what we are seeing is being flown by the pilots.

You're right BT, actually those winds would be out of limits for the automation---so it isn't an SOP issue, it is aircraft limitations that would dictate the autopilot wouldn't be usable in those conditions.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Now the only way that we're going to be able to do this exploration of other worlds is to sell the naming rights to the mission, and allow companies to put in claims on the surface of the moon, and mars and all the little moons out there, and they're only going to do that if we get the mineral rights.

Is this any different though, or less effective, than any event in the history of human exploration? Columbus didn't set sail for anything other than entrepreneurship. Hudson's Bay company would be another good Canadian example.

Would you consider the Apollo missions to be pure exploration of space? There were many, many non-space and non-exploration motives there, militarily, politically, and economically.

It's not necessarily a bad thing in my opinion - extrinsic motivation works well in a lot of cases.

[Leon]

Very sad incident in Pakistan with one of their domestic couriers. A 737 crashed into a rural area and there were no survivors.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17794685

Edit: May as well bring up the little story or two I have from my 2 years living in Pakistan. I once flew PIA from Karachi to Dubai and experienced an engine failure on the right hand side. The stewardess literally had her prayer mat set up in the isle. After a thud from the engine we briefly heard from the Captain and then went to the ocean to dump some fuel. The single engine landing was great and we were brought back to Karachi safely. PIA = Pakistan International Airlines but we jokingly say the acronym is "Please inform Allah".

Edit2: I also remember flying from Sri Lanka to Karachi on a Sri Lankan airbus 320 and this thing was the oldest creekiest thing ever. The plane ached and made awful sounds during the climb! I asked the stewardess to go to the cockpit (this was pre 911) and went to chat with the Captain. The cockpit was super old and crappy, a lot of the dials were cracked and in general disrepair. How that thing flew I have no idea.

Edit3: Got to fly jump seat on an Emirates airbus for an approach and landing into Karachi. I got to see the Captain mid flight and he invited me back for the rest of the flight. The aviation seed was planted!

[woob]

THought this might be the best place for this:

PSA: Space X streaming test-firing of Falcon 9 at 2:30pm ET / 11:30am PT

SPACEX TO WEBCAST STATIC FIRE FOR UPCOMING MISSION ON MONDAY

Mission Would Make SpaceX the First Commercial Company to Attempt to Send a Spacecraft to the International Space Station

Hawthorne, CA – On Monday, April 30, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) will webcast a static fire test of the Falcon 9 rocket's nine powerful Merlin engines in preparation for the company's upcoming launch.

The webcast, available at spacex.com, is set to begin at 2:30 PM ET/ 11:30 AM PT, with the actual static fire targeted for 3:00 PM ET/ 12:00 PM PT.

April 30, 2012

Today, Monday, April 30, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) will webcast a static fire test of the Falcon 9 rocket’s nine powerful Merlin engines in preparation for the company’ss upcoming launch. The webcast will be accessible by clicking the home page banner on spacex.com beginning at 11:30 AM PT /2:30 PM ET, with the actual static fire targeted for 12:00 PM PT /3:00 PM ET.

SpaceX Website

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Some of the least surprising news in Aviation history:

WestJet has chosen to go with 45 of Bombardier's Q400's to build their regional airline. The initial regional schedule will be released later this year with service scheduled to start in the second half of 2013.

http://westjet2.mediaroom.com/index....item=659&mrd=0

For those WestJet employees that post here, it would be a HUGE help to me if they had service for YQY by September 2013. So if there's anything you could do to help break up that cash-cow that is the Sydney-Halifax run for Air Canada by say September 6th at the latest, it would be appreciated.

[Bigtime]

The rough service date is Q3 of 2013 for the regional.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

The rough service date is Q3 of 2013 for the regional.

hrmmmm... could you work to get that bumped up?

WestJet the airline of miracles

[Bigtime]

Looks good, but I wonder if WS will go with a new livery for the regional?

[speede5]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Looks good, but I wonder if WS will go with a new livery for the regional?

Shouldn't it be West Turboprop or WestTP for short?

[mykalberta]

[Suave]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Have they made a fleet decision yet, that early of a start date would tend to favor Bombardier unless they can get some used ATRs

To post #605

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Originally Posted by speede5

Shouldn't it be West Turboprop or WestTP for short?

WestTP? Like Toilet Paper?

I'd go with WestProp (or CanProp, or EastProp)

[Barnes]

Westjet Zip
Westjet Tango
Westjet 3000
Westjet Jazz

Probably will be Westjet Express

[Bill Bumface]

Why not cover off both propulsion technologies?

Westcompressor.....

[mykalberta]

Not sure why they would bother with the re-branding or if there is any reason. Alot of these flights will be supplemental routes like YYC-YEG and YYZ-YOW-YUL and hopefully allow YYC-ORD to go year round.

[Bigtime]

^^^ Because this will be a completely separate airline from WestJet, operating on its own Operating Certificate (but providing its services only for WestJet). So one must assume they will have a different name than WestJet.

[speede5]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

Why not cover off both propulsion technologies?

Westcompressor.....

Mercedes took that one already.

[Bigtime]

From the funny picture thread, I thought it belonged here too:

[sa226]

Might be a ruff landing....

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

^^^ Because this will be a completely separate airline from WestJet, operating on its own Operating Certificate (but providing its services only for WestJet). So one must assume they will have a different name than WestJet.

What is the reason for a different operating certificate?