#1: BOEING 777 LANDS: While the Boeing 787 waited to takeoff, a Boeing 777-200, not yet painted and on a test flight, landed directly in front of it.
#2 BOEING 787 SPOOLS UP: Testing the engines out, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner starts its engines allowing one to hear the jets in action (make sure you have the sound up). Notice how this is quite a bit louder than actual take off and the horizontal stabilizers and wing-tips shaking.
#3 BOEING 787 ZA002 TAKING OFF: What a beautiful day to watch the Dreamliner lift off. From the Future of Flight’s Strato Deck, one can see Mt Baker to the north and Mt Rainier to the south (sorry it is a little jumpy — first time with new tri-pod).
Boeing 787 Dreamliner ZA002 about to take off from KPAE
Today I got the opportunity to watch the second Boeing 787 Dreamliner (ZA002) take off from Paine Field in Everett, WA from Future of Flight’s Strato Deck. ZA002 had to come back north to Everett due to debris found in the fuel tank. She has been all fixed up and is ready to continue her test flights.
I got a few videos, but won’t be able to get them online until later this evening. Until then I have a few photos to share. Be sure to check out the Dreamlifter in the background, a Boeing 777 landing with Mt Baker in the background, and the unusual sunny day we have in Seattle today.
I also got a video of that Boeing 777 landing with the Boeing 787 waiting to takeoff, but until I get that video up, you can enjoy a photo I got from my phone. (UPDATE: haha, ok it wasn’t me who took the picture with the phone, I was video taping. My very good friend Temo took the picture for me on my phone [normally I am doing both at the same time]. Thanks Temo!)
ARJ21-700 Roll Out in Shanghai December 21, 2007 from Flight Blogger
Since the Chinese-made ARJ21 was announced I have wondered if it would ever make it to production. Although there have been quite a few delays (it was supposed to go into service in early 2007), the plane (which is heavily based on the MD-80) is still on track to succeed.
China has been making aircraft for quite sometime, but only sold them to countries with lax safety regulations. This week the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is going to be checking Civil Aviation Administration of China’s (CAAC) ability to certify the ARJ21.
If the FAA certifies CAAC and CAAC certifies the ARJ21, then the ARJ21 can be sold globally. Currently there are three ARJ21’s in the test fleet, but they are only about 150 flight hours into the 2000 flight hours required to get Chinese certification. They were hoping to have Chinese certification of the aircraft done by the end of 2010, but it looks unlikely that will happen.
Would any US or European start-up airlines would be willing to try out using an all-ARJ21 fleet in the future? Right now I would guess no, but things can change.
It is hard to believe it has been over a year since US Airways flight 1549 hit a flock or birds and successfully landed in the Hudson River. Now a time-lapsed video has been posted showing the Airbus A320 being taken out of the river. The video was taken by David Martin, who lives right above where the plane was extracted (check out his blog for photos and more information).
Now the plane is waiting to find a new home and if you have enough money you can place a bid on it. It is being sold “as is” and most likely won’t be flying anytime soon.
A new and exciting concept has popped up at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Those who fly regularly on a particular airline or have no problem paying for the First Class ticket get to experience the VIP airline lounges often.
Now, you don’t have to have thousands of miles or thousands of dollars to be treated like a VIP. A new pay-by-the-hour lounge at LAX gives you ability to get VIP treatment at an economy-seat price.
For only $10 for an hour, $25 for three, $35 for five or $50 for the entire day, you can hang out at reLAX Lounge. The lounge has top-notch amenities, free wi-fi, free refreshments, some snacks and amazing views of airlines outside the window. It is located before the security check points, so if you are flying out, have a layover, or waiting for an arriving flight, you can enjoy the amenities.
I asked Walter Vergara, the creator and marketing director, about how business was doing. “Business is doing well better than expected, there is a real need for this product specially when so many business class travelers are flying economy due to the economy and companies cutting back,” Vergara said. He also told me they were looking at opening additional locations at other airports by the end of 2010 or early 2011.
I asked about what the space reLAX is currently taking up was going to be used for. Vergara told me originally the airport was going to use the space for public concessions, but while LAX was building their mutli-million dollar VIP lounges they used the reLAX space for a temporary airline lounge. After the airlines moved to their new homes, reLAX was created and opened December 4, 2008.
Harriet Baskas, who is a columnist for USA Today and MSNBC and writes her own blog, was recently at LAX and took a look at what reLAX offers. She was welcomed to view the reLAX Lounge without having to pay the $10. However she told me, “I would, however, be willing to pay that $10 for the first hour another time – for the Wi-Fi, the great view, the comfy chairs, and especially the snacks. I paid more than that for a lot less out in the food court.”
