Planespotting II
#271
Re: Planespotting II
I've been watching the RAF Top Gun fighter pilot training on ITV.
"Documentary following three trainees at Britain's elite fighter pilot school, including the establishment's only female student. In the first episode, the pilots are put through their paces learning to fly the new F35 Lightning stealth jet. These planes can avoid radar, hover and land vertically, but with only a few months to bring them to the UK and prepare them for active service, the stakes a re high for the aspiring pilots"
"Documentary following three trainees at Britain's elite fighter pilot school, including the establishment's only female student. In the first episode, the pilots are put through their paces learning to fly the new F35 Lightning stealth jet. These planes can avoid radar, hover and land vertically, but with only a few months to bring them to the UK and prepare them for active service, the stakes a re high for the aspiring pilots"
#273
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Planespotting II
September 4th saw the last American Airlines MD-80 flight as the aircraft was retired from the fleet. The last passenger flight was AA80 from Dallas to O'hare operated by N984TW which was originally delivered to TWA in 1999.
#274
Re: Planespotting II
Good to see the drone protests at Heathrow never took off (literally). When I first heard about the protest, a part of me wished I was still there. I’d have enjoyed taking the shotgun onto the airfield and blasting the drones out of the sky!
#275
Re: Planespotting II
Are you telling me people think they have the right to fly drones right next to the airport?! That's something I'd expect perhaps in the US, not UK! As much as I'm fascinated by the technology, and would love to have one to play with, I'm very glad to see them banned in (eg) national parks and such. I go hiking every day on a beautiful trail near my home, up to the top of a mountain, and despite having a drone ban, some kids occasionally fly drones from the peak of the mountain. They are surprisingly noisy, and I'm always looking out for them as they zip around with great speed. I do love drone photography, though, and hope some sensible licensing can be worked out.
#276
Re: Planespotting II
Are you telling me people think they have the right to fly drones right next to the airport?! That's something I'd expect perhaps in the US, not UK! As much as I'm fascinated by the technology, and would love to have one to play with, I'm very glad to see them banned in (eg) national parks and such. I go hiking every day on a beautiful trail near my home, up to the top of a mountain, and despite having a drone ban, some kids occasionally fly drones from the peak of the mountain. They are surprisingly noisy, and I'm always looking out for them as they zip around with great speed. I do love drone photography, though, and hope some sensible licensing can be worked out.
#277
Re: Planespotting II
Besides, I thought the BA pilots were doing enough of that on their own!
#278
Re: Planespotting II
As part of the '9/11' programming the other day, they showed a documentary on TV that focused on the events in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, which is the first airport and air traffic control center for North American airspace, and thus, bore the brunt of the decision to shut down US airspace that day. Remarkable story ... they landed about 39 'wide body' international jets and parked them wherever they could. The town had a total population of 9,400 (and 500 hotel beds), and they took in a total of about 7,000 passengers that day, passengers who stayed with them for several days until US airspace re-opened. Some passengers had to stay on the plane for 30+ hours until they could be 'processed' off the planes. I did a ton of reading about the subject afterwards. This article is a quick story - https://www.dallasobserver.com/arts/...-9-11-11750919 . For a really intimate look at the story, this snopes article has a really cool 'letter' that was written at the time. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/ga...ed-passengers/ Starts with: "We were about 5 hours out of Frankfurt flying over the North Atlantic ... "
Did the airlines bear the cost of re-scheduling everyone who was stranded? Who picked up the bill for the hotel stays that were obviously needed around the country (and world) at that time, when all the airlines were grounded? I'd love to read more about this 'logistical' side of the story.
Did the airlines bear the cost of re-scheduling everyone who was stranded? Who picked up the bill for the hotel stays that were obviously needed around the country (and world) at that time, when all the airlines were grounded? I'd love to read more about this 'logistical' side of the story.
#279
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 0
Re: Planespotting II
I wonder if the same group will be droning to prevent all those aircraft landing at Prestwick, Glasgow, etc carrying the 30,000 delegates for COP 26 next year.
#280
#281
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Planespotting II
The airline I was working for provided hotels for passengers stranded enroute, for passengers still at their airport of departure, no hotels were provided, and if I recall it was only 2 nights provided.
We waived all ticket restrictions and change fees and full refunds were offered to any passenger wanting one.
If I recall we began limited flight operations again on the 13th, or maybe the 14th, I can't remember.
We waived all ticket restrictions and change fees and full refunds were offered to any passenger wanting one.
If I recall we began limited flight operations again on the 13th, or maybe the 14th, I can't remember.
As part of the '9/11' programming the other day, they showed a documentary on TV that focused on the events in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, which is the first airport and air traffic control center for North American airspace, and thus, bore the brunt of the decision to shut down US airspace that day. Remarkable story ... they landed about 39 'wide body' international jets and parked them wherever they could. The town had a total population of 9,400 (and 500 hotel beds), and they took in a total of about 7,000 passengers that day, passengers who stayed with them for several days until US airspace re-opened. Some passengers had to stay on the plane for 30+ hours until they could be 'processed' off the planes. I did a ton of reading about the subject afterwards. This article is a quick story - https://www.dallasobserver.com/arts/...-9-11-11750919 . For a really intimate look at the story, this snopes article has a really cool 'letter' that was written at the time. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/ga...ed-passengers/ Starts with: "We were about 5 hours out of Frankfurt flying over the North Atlantic ... "
Did the airlines bear the cost of re-scheduling everyone who was stranded? Who picked up the bill for the hotel stays that were obviously needed around the country (and world) at that time, when all the airlines were grounded? I'd love to read more about this 'logistical' side of the story.
Did the airlines bear the cost of re-scheduling everyone who was stranded? Who picked up the bill for the hotel stays that were obviously needed around the country (and world) at that time, when all the airlines were grounded? I'd love to read more about this 'logistical' side of the story.
#282
#283
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 0
Re: Planespotting II
#285
Re: Planespotting II
Four F-18's were playing silly buggers above our property today, I think they were doing large laps around Tampa Bay so we were treated to four flypasts in two pairs, presumably headed to or from Macdill. Quite impressive. We don't get much commercial or private overhead but seem to be on the flight path for Macdill and are regularly (but thankfully not in a nuisance way) treated to an impressive array of military hardware headed to and from.