Captain Sullenberger
I try not to make multiple blogs about the same subject, but as more comes out about US Airways flight 1549, I can’t help but point out how awesome (yes, I am going to use the word “awesome”) the captain, Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger is with this accident.
I was first impressed with how he reacted to the media and not wanting to give statements right off the bat. Then how he wanted to put the plane down in the Hudson instead of risking crashing the plane in a heavily populated area while trying to land on an airport. And now the transcript of flight 1549 was released today showing the calmness of the pilot in a very dangerous situation.
Since I am writing about this again, I can also state it was confirmed that both engines had birds sucked into them and the engines are currently with the Smithsonian Institution to determine what kind of birds they are.
Source: MSNBC Image: Safety Reliability Methods Inc
Continental Airline Liveries
Following airline livery change has always been a big interest of mine. I can’t help but get a little excited every time I see an airline breaking out an old livery to celebrate one thing or another.
It looks that Continental Airlines will allow employees to vote which past livery they want to paint a new aircraft to celebrate their 75th anniversary. I would personally like to see either the golden jet or the black meatball liveries back on a new aircraft. Which would you like to see?
Source: Airliners.net Forum Image: Aviation-Design.net
After a three-month effort to try and unionize the pilots of JetBlue, they did not have enough votes and the pilots remain union-less. Only 33% of the pilots voted for the union, where 50% was needed to approve the formation of a union. This might show a positive outlook of the JetBlue pilots that the main cooperation is able to hear and deal with their concerns now and in the future.
JetBlue, being able to remain union less since its inception in 2000 has allowed them to keep costs low and compete better against other airlines who have unions.
Although unions can surely help with securing competitive wages and benefits for employees, it seems that sometimes in the dire situations the airlines are in, they look out for more of their own interests and not the overall big picture of the airlines. If employees feel they can get what they want without having to form a union — that is probably a good thing!
Source: USA Today Image: matt.hintsa
Man with pigeons in his pants
What silly things people will try to get on flights. While traveling to the Middle East there are all sorts of fun things people can pick up. One man tried to smuggle two pigeons — in his pants!
The 23-yr old traveler raised suspicions by having two eggs in a container. After a full search they found two pigeons — in his pants!
Even though smuggling of wildlife can carry at $70,000.00+ fine and 10 years in jail, but I would imagine that to be a bit much in this case.
The odd thing (well I guess a few odd things in this one) is they weren’t even endangered.
American Airline's Boeing 767 Tail
If you will be flying on an American Airlines 767-300, you might have quite a few empty seats around you. It seems American installed additional business-class seats on 58 767-300’s and now there aren’t enough life vests for all the passengers.
American states that no one was ever in danger since they also have life rafts aboard (personally, not as assuring if you are on a plane going down into water and all those around you have life vests on and you don’t).
Source: Chicago Tribune Image: Van-Murph