That NYTimes article is already obsolete, here's their new one:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/17/business/faa-orders-grounding-of-us-operated-boeing-787s.html?pagewanted=all
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Thursday, 17 January 2013 02:31 (eleven years ago) link
The 787 proves that outsourcing your design with a million different parts to hundreds of factories in a few dozen countries speaking a few dozen different languages just doesn't work as well as outsourcing running shoes and digital cameras.
Never worked well for the B-1 bomber either (Rockwell and SAC took the tactic of outsourcing component manufacturing to as many congressional districts as possible)
― Elvis Telecom, Thursday, 17 January 2013 04:20 (eleven years ago) link
Qatar has grounded the 787 fleet as well now, so errr...
I still reckon this will blow over in the end (but I'll say months rather than weeks now), as Boeing are dealing with technical issues rather than major structural faults (not that you'd want to deal with the former in the middle of a twelve hour flight, of course).
― You Just Haven't Formed It Yet, Babby (King Boy Pato), Thursday, 17 January 2013 11:14 (eleven years ago) link
The oil seals thing on the A380 caused a similar grounding. This seems worse, not least because the Oil seals were only in one out of two engine choices whereas these battery boxes are in all 787s, and worse because the delays to the 787 programme were worse in the first place and they've already had high profile issues with outsourced components.
― American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Thursday, 17 January 2013 11:32 (eleven years ago) link
Yeah no...
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Friday, 12 July 2013 23:26 (ten years ago) link
What It's like to Fly the What It's like to Fly the $23,000 Singapore Airlines Suites Class3,000 Singapore Airlines Suites Class
In 2008, Singapore Airlines introduced their Suites Class, the most luxurious class of flying that is commercially available.The Suites were exclusive to their flagship Airbus A380, and they go beyond flat beds by offering enclosed private cabins with sliding doors that cocoon you in your own little lap of luxury. The interior was designed by French luxury yacht designer Jean-Jacques Coste and comes along with a plush soft leather armchair hand-stitched by the Italian master craftsmen Poltrona Frau. Perhaps most well-known of all, Singapore Airlines became the first and only commercial airline with a double bed in the sky.However, the experience came with a hefty price tag. With round-trip tickets costing up to S$23,000 (or US$18,400), it was completely unattainable for most people.Formerly, the only way for an average person to fly in the Suites was to take out a bank loan. And then I remembered that most of my personal net worth exists in frequent flier miles rather than cash.
The Suites were exclusive to their flagship Airbus A380, and they go beyond flat beds by offering enclosed private cabins with sliding doors that cocoon you in your own little lap of luxury. The interior was designed by French luxury yacht designer Jean-Jacques Coste and comes along with a plush soft leather armchair hand-stitched by the Italian master craftsmen Poltrona Frau. Perhaps most well-known of all, Singapore Airlines became the first and only commercial airline with a double bed in the sky.
However, the experience came with a hefty price tag. With round-trip tickets costing up to S$23,000 (or US$18,400), it was completely unattainable for most people.
Formerly, the only way for an average person to fly in the Suites was to take out a bank loan. And then I remembered that most of my personal net worth exists in frequent flier miles rather than cash.
― Elvis Telecom, Thursday, 2 October 2014 05:56 (nine years ago) link
can i just have the bed? the rest of it seems like overkill.
― syro gyra (get bent), Thursday, 2 October 2014 06:57 (nine years ago) link
my idea of a perfect flight is a place to sprawl out, free wifi, and a couple of strong cocktails.
― syro gyra (get bent), Thursday, 2 October 2014 06:59 (nine years ago) link
US aviation authority: Boeing 787 bug could cause 'loss of control'
A Boeing Model 787 airplane that has been powered continuously for 248 days can lose all AC electrical power due to the generator control units (GCUs) simultaneously going into failsafe mode. This condition is caused by a software counter internal to the GCUs that will overflow after 248 days of continuous power. We are issuing this airworthiness directive to prevent loss of all AC electrical power, which could result in loss of control of the airplane
― Elvis Telecom, Wednesday, 6 May 2015 03:52 (nine years ago) link
The number 2,147,483,647 (or hexadecimal 7FFF,FFFF16) is the maximum positive value for a 32-bit signed binary integer in computing
248 days is 21,427,200 seconds, so likely they're storing the number of seconds in a 32-bit variable somewhere to represent runtime or something, and it's overflowing
good on them for not rebooting their airplane for that long, I guess
― ultimate american sock (mh), Wednesday, 6 May 2015 21:35 (nine years ago) link
Heck of a climb angle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYbM-3E11Qo
― Elvis Telecom, Sunday, 14 June 2015 06:17 (eight years ago) link
Airbus Will Stop Building Its A380 Superjumbo Jethttps://www.wsj.com/articles/airbus-will-stop-building-its-a380-superjumbo-jet-11550121699
― Elvis Telecom, Thursday, 14 February 2019 05:32 (five years ago) link
A350 is the best plane flying, at least from a sitting in it for hours at a time perspective
― American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Thursday, 14 February 2019 10:31 (five years ago) link
I fuckin hate flying in 787s, the windows and lighting feel like a sensory distortion experiment and the seats are tiny
― an incoherent crustacean (MatthewK), Thursday, 14 February 2019 12:47 (five years ago) link
I'm a huge fan of 787s myself - have done both short haul/long haul & economy/business and really enjoyed the experience every time. The lower altitude makes a huge difference on a long haul journey.
(My economy 787 experience was with Air New Zealand and had no issue with the economy seat, even sitting next to a professional rugby league player.)
Feeling a bit sad about the A380s no longer being built, they really did feel like the future ten years ago - but if any airline is going to make any money these days, it'll be with a A350 or B787. Nothing will really every top a A380 done properly right, I suspect (for example, Etihad's A380 product has ~wooden floors~ on the top floor entrance for Business/First. Outrageous. And that's before you check out The Residence.)
― JD Salinger - King of Trainers (King Boy Pato), Thursday, 14 February 2019 12:55 (five years ago) link
i very much enjoy my transatlantic trips on the 787
― J0rdan S., Thursday, 14 February 2019 14:17 (five years ago) link
but im a tiny person so i guess i don't notice seat size so much
― J0rdan S., Thursday, 14 February 2019 14:18 (five years ago) link
all planes are bad and the aerospace industry has been suppressing carbon-negative teleportation technology for years, ama
― a surprise challenge that ended with a gunging (bizarro gazzara), Thursday, 14 February 2019 14:20 (five years ago) link
I miss the Lockheed L-1011
― Josefa, Thursday, 14 February 2019 15:09 (five years ago) link
I basically am only on 737s in the ordinary course of events these days, though I suppose it's possible I'd end up on an A320 post Alaska/Virgin America merger. Not sure what routes they're using those on.
― Norm’s Superego (silby), Thursday, 14 February 2019 17:30 (five years ago) link
Second 737 MAX 8 crash after takeoff in a few months:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-47513508
The Jakarta one in October prompted Boeing to issue guidance for pilots to ‘address erroneous cockpit readings’.
― ShariVari, Sunday, 10 March 2019 11:26 (five years ago) link
this seems like a pretty big deal
NB it doesn't take much to scare me off flying for a few months
― valet doberman (Jon not Jon), Monday, 11 March 2019 16:18 (five years ago) link
The Chinese government has grounded all 737 Max planes and a bunch of airlines around the world have done the same.
It’s potentially huge in terms of implications for Boeing but I don’t think there are all that many of them flying at the moment. It’s very new and I think only a couple of hundred are in use - the older 737s are fine.
― ShariVari, Monday, 11 March 2019 16:27 (five years ago) link
Kind of scary because my brother works in the coffee business and Indonesia and Ethiopia are two places he visits a lot.
― o. nate, Monday, 11 March 2019 16:40 (five years ago) link
There’s more of these planes flying in the US (for Southwest and America mainly) I’d be more worried there because they haven’t grounded their planes.
― American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Monday, 11 March 2019 19:22 (five years ago) link
Sad connection to the school board I work for.
http://toronto.citynews.ca/2019/03/10/canadians-mourn-as-victims-of-ethiopian-airlines-crash-identified/
― clemenza, Tuesday, 12 March 2019 01:57 (five years ago) link
There’s a fairly suspenseful close call tale from this one making the rounds, a guy from Greece who missed the flight despite his prior connecting flight being on time, and was desperately trying to convince them to let him board but they firmly refused and put him on a followup flight, then didn’t let him board the next flight because they had to take him aside and gently break the news about the crash, and confirm why he was the only ticketed passenger to not make it onboard.
― omar little, Tuesday, 12 March 2019 03:27 (five years ago) link
Can't wait to see his shitty animated series, "Household Dude".
― pplains, Tuesday, 12 March 2019 03:48 (five years ago) link
wait why was he the only ticketed passenger not to make it on board
― global tetrahedron, Tuesday, 12 March 2019 04:11 (five years ago) link
He turned up too late at the gate.
― American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Tuesday, 12 March 2019 04:14 (five years ago) link
Fuck me running
― flappy bird, Tuesday, 12 March 2019 05:06 (five years ago) link
Why hasn't the FAA grounded these planes yet???
― flappy bird, Tuesday, 12 March 2019 23:51 (five years ago) link
I would think Boeing is doing everything they can behind the scenes with the FAA to keep them from doing that.
I work for a company that supplies some aviation equipment for the 737 and was slightly relieved it didn’t have anything to do with what what we provide them. I will say that based on the stories I’ve been told, Boeing is ridiculously strict with this kind of stuff so the fact that this is even happening is a major fuckup on their end.
― Western® with Bacon Flavor, Wednesday, 13 March 2019 00:19 (five years ago) link
UPDATED #FAA Statement regarding @Boeing 737 MAX. pic.twitter.com/HxObBr7qRf— The FAA (@FAANews) March 12, 2019
(My day job is supporting the FAA. I can only say that some of the responses to FAANews are...interesting.)
― Anne Hedonia (j.lu), Wednesday, 13 March 2019 00:28 (five years ago) link
Hmm, so the acting administrator of the FAA is a former aircraft manufacturer lobbyist, and the Secretary of Transportation is Mitch McConnell's wife. Sounds like we've got some tough independent oversight.
― o. nate, Wednesday, 13 March 2019 00:34 (five years ago) link
The industry-to-government-to-industry revolving door continues to turn at full speed.
― Anne Hedonia (j.lu), Wednesday, 13 March 2019 00:42 (five years ago) link
jfc let's just stay out of step with every other country on every single issue, what could go wrong?
― Emperor Tonetta Ketchup (sleeve), Wednesday, 13 March 2019 00:59 (five years ago) link
these planes are safe, and until we see the evidence in the form of 9, maybe 10 more crashes, we're gonna let these things fly.
― fuck the NRA (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 13 March 2019 01:35 (five years ago) link
I’m flying american tomorrow and thankfully have learned it’s not on one of these planes. really not sure what I’d do if it were...on one hand it seems incomprehensible that the planes would allowed to continue flying if there really were something wrong and that other countries are grounding them out of an abundance of caution, but...jeez
― k3vin k., Wednesday, 13 March 2019 01:39 (five years ago) link
do Delta or Spirit use em?
― fuck the NRA (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 13 March 2019 01:46 (five years ago) link
https://www.boeing.com/commercial/737max/#/customers no spirit or delta
interesting that the chinese civil aviation admin says: yeah, this problem with angle of attack sensors happens all the time. Carl Liu, a 23-year-old pilot who has been flying 737s since June for a Chinese domestic airline, said the new model would sometimes show that the aircraft was climbing steeply, even though it was climbing by 10 degrees, and automated systems would nudge the plane’s nose down, causing a temporary loss of control. (also damn this pilot is 23 years old??) https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3001428/china-taking-lead-ground-boeing-737-max-signals-challenge-us-authority i'm not sure i'm convinced it's part of a move against boeing in the ongoing trade war but there's that factor too, i guess.
― XxxxxxxXxxxxxxxxXxxxx (dylannn), Wednesday, 13 March 2019 09:31 (five years ago) link
that sounds sketchy af
― PaulDananVEVO (||||||||), Wednesday, 13 March 2019 09:35 (five years ago) link
I had a grim lol at someone saying that pilots were not informed about aspects of its autopilot and "why not?" "oh we didn't want to overburden them with too much information".
― calzino, Wednesday, 13 March 2019 09:48 (five years ago) link
The EU has banned the 737 Max from its airspace now.
A bunch of pilots have reported weird readings and needing to manually compensate to override erratic automatic functions.
The line the airlines still using them seem to be sticking to is that experienced pilots with the appropriate training should be able to manage it ok. I’ve read that the ‘training’ is a 90-minute iPad presentation though.
― ShariVari, Wednesday, 13 March 2019 10:29 (five years ago) link
i'm trying to understand what went on... the mcas gets the wrong reading from angle of attack sensors, thinks it's climbing, nudges the nose down, but does it eventually recover in most cases or does it have to be—and this is where i don't know what pilots do on takeoff—put back under manual control, mcas switched off? and put back into a climb? what role does maximum command limit play in this?
i see that they're updating the software by april: https://qz.com/1570960/boeing-will-update-the-737-maxs-flight-software-by-april/
― XxxxxxxXxxxxxxxxXxxxx (dylannn), Wednesday, 13 March 2019 11:36 (five years ago) link
what's the over/under on the software update introducing another catastrophic bug and/or bricking the plane entirely
― kiss me dadly (bizarro gazzara), Wednesday, 13 March 2019 11:41 (five years ago) link
they're not allowed to fly in France atm (and the rest of the EU too, I think).
― AlXTC from Paris, Wednesday, 13 March 2019 11:52 (five years ago) link
The software fix to solve the unexpected nosedive problem in these planes had been expected in early January but the government shutdown reportedly "halted work on the fix for five weeks." pic.twitter.com/KDFwnuFIuX— Maddow Blog (@MaddowBlog) March 13, 2019
I'm gonna need some verification of these claims, but if the Federal Government shutdown did delay rollout of a software patch....*laughs bitterly*
― Anne Hedonia (j.lu), Wednesday, 13 March 2019 12:24 (five years ago) link
Also I don't think there is a head of the FAA right now. Only an acting administrator. An article I saw said that there were 5 complaints logged in a voluntary database against that model type and the plane nosing down. I don't know how relative that is against other complaints.
― Yerac, Wednesday, 13 March 2019 12:58 (five years ago) link
(CNN) — US pilots who fly the Boeing 737 Max have registered complaints about the way the jet has performed in flight, according to a federal database accessed by CNN.In one of the complaints, a captain reported an autopilot anomaly which led to a brief nose-down situation -- where the front of the aircraft pointed down, according to the federal database. In another complaint, a first officer reported that the aircraft pitched nose down after the autopilot was engaged during departure. The autopilot was then disconnected and flight continued to its destination, according to the database.
https://www-m.cnn.com/2019/03/13/us/pilot-complaints-boeing-737-max/index.html
― omar little, Wednesday, 13 March 2019 14:02 (five years ago) link