Airbus 330-200

[FlyerTalker]

How about after the aircraft crash today? Two A330s in a month? That seems like to much a troubling statistic to me. I'm supposed to get on one in August to fly to Rome (Delta). :(

As mentioned above it was an A310 that crashed. Operated by Yemenia. The relationship with the AF A330 is that both came to a tragic end over water.

 

Media reports are notoriously unreliable when it comes to aviation matters. Whenever there is "stock" footage used on TV, I always laugh at how inaccurate it is. I picture a producer yelling "Hey, they're all the same...wings, tail, engines...throw up whatever you've got". And the actual reporting usually isn't much better, tending to focus on the sensational to make the story more news-worthy.

 

See my above posts for my confidence level in the A330. I'm even trying to change a 767 flight to a 330.

[Atomica]

The news frequently gets things wrong - on the radio this morning, they announced that the Yemenia aircraft was an A130. Worse, when something like this does happen, they latch onto it and won't let go. Every A330 that hits turbulence, executes a missed approach, or bursts a tire is suddenly news-worthy, despite the fact that A B747 or MD-80 might have had the same things happen, and despite the fact that there are over 600 A330's flying safely every day.

 

In the next month, I will be flying an A330, A321, A319 and a B767 just for good measure, and I don't have any qualms about any of them. If the A330 frightens you, by all means change your flight, but know your just as safe on a B777 or 747 as a A330. I have a thing about MD-80/90's - I won't fly them. Don't know why - probably doesn't make sense - but they make me nervous every time I fly on one so now I simply avoid being put on one (which isn't hard to do here in Canada...lol).

[fbgd]

Media reports are notoriously unreliable when it comes to aviation matters. Whenever there is "stock" footage used on TV, I always laugh at how inaccurate it is. I picture a producer yelling "Hey, they're all the same...wings, tail, engines...throw up whatever you've got". And the actual reporting usually isn't much better, tending to focus on the sensational to make the story more news-worthy.

 

I'm with you. As for stock footage, just watch an episode of 'The Amazing Race'...I never realised Singapore Airlines flew a 777 from Rabat to Agadir :p I love the show but the footage just kills me!

 

This is always good for a chuckle:

http://radans.net/jens/planestory.html

[mudscraper]

The A380 will arrive in Oshkosh on Tues. 28 July (EAA AirVenture)

 

 

 

Rich

[FlyerTalker]

Thanks for the story generator....I had lost that link.

 

I have to assume that there's a similar one for cruise ships as well out there in the wilderness known as the Internet.

[jetwet1]

Just as a little funny, the lady that answers the phone for one of the local TV stations and I are now on first name terms, this mornings call went something like this:

 

" good morning it's Dave"

" what did we get wrong today?"

" the yemian airbus crash"

" what's wrong with it ?"

" your showing a swissair MD11"

" ok that means what ?"

" wrong airline, wrong type off plane, wrong number of engines"

" ok we will fix it"

 

they are now showing a Swiss 330 !

[scottbee]

I'm with you. As for stock footage, just watch an episode of 'The Amazing Race'...I never realised Singapore Airlines flew a 777 from Rabat to Agadir :p I love the show but the footage just kills me!

 

This is always good for a chuckle:

http://radans.net/jens/planestory.html

 

Amazing Race would be much better if they actually tested people on how they travel. How can someone, who's been picked for it (and you know because you have to apply for a ton of visas), be so clueless about world georgraphy? I remember someone needing to get from Cairo to Nairobi walked up to the SwissAir counter <duh>. It would be much more interesting if they plunked someone in say Amsterdam and then said "travel to Geneva".. Some people might pick flying, others a train, now that's a travel race.

[greatam]

Amazing Race would be much better if they actually tested people on how they travel. How can someone, who's been picked for it (and you know because you have to apply for a ton of visas), be so clueless about world georgraphy? I remember someone needing to get from Cairo to Nairobi walked up to the SwissAir counter <duh>. It would be much more interesting if they plunked someone in say Amsterdam and then said "travel to Geneva".. Some people might pick flying, others a train, now that's a travel race.

 

You are so correct!!! I am often astounded how little knowledge the contestants display about the "outside" world. I remember well the show that forced them to put fuel in the cars. They were in Europe IIRC. ONLY 2 got it right-diesel. Cars stopping left and right and everyone standing around with a DUH look on their faces. Even if you didn't know that a lot of the world uses diesel, how could you miss the large letters DIESEL when you open the gas compartment?

 

Amazing Race used to be really fascinating. Now it is an athletic contest and not a "who can travel smarter" contest. I quit watching other than sporadically.

[fbgd]

Amazing Race would be much better if they actually tested people on how they travel. How can someone, who's been picked for it (and you know because you have to apply for a ton of visas), be so clueless about world georgraphy?

 

I'm no expert on TAR but I seem to recall that your visas are applied for on your behalf by CBS and that there are a ton of dummy ones in there too. I wouldn't be surprised if they confiscated your passport in the run up to the race so you a) couldn't lose them the day before b) swot up on your knowledge on Lesotho ahead of a trip there.

 

I am surprised the basic things that don't require a lot of thought. It is likely that at some point they'll make you drive a manual car, yet every season there's plenty of graunching/'it's all in there somewhere' type remarks from the contestants!

 

I remember someone needing to get from Cairo to Nairobi walked up to the SwissAir counter <duh>. It would be much more interesting if they plunked someone in say Amsterdam and then said "travel to Geneva".. Some people might pick flying, others a train, now that's a travel race.

 

To be fair at some outstations the ticketing counters are often shared by airlines and that airline's GDS may have had ability to book on any other airline that uses that GDS. Much like you can book flights on any SABRE utilising airline (and many more besides) through AA.com

 

The last season was actually more interesting from the perspective of getting from AMS-GVA. IIRC the first few episodes in Switzerland gave teams a couple of different mode of travel options on how to get to their pitstop or clue box.

 

Part of the problem with TAR is in the nature of the beast itself. With each time you've got a cameraman and assistant/producer travelling with you so they need to plan/book/take into account the fact that at the start of the season you've got close to 60 people trying to get from often obscure point A to obscure point B.

 

I think TAR is still great entertainment, but a few small tweaks and more liberty for each team to each place would be a welcome change.

[Taxguy77]

See my above posts for my confidence level in the A330. I'm even trying to change a 767 flight to a 330.

 

 

I hope you meet my client/friend who is a 737 pilot. His favorite saying is, "If it's not Boeing, I'm not going.".

I like your avatar, THAT looks like something safe to board. My first trip to South America was on a DC4, first class was on a DC6 and beat us to Lima by eight or ten hours, but didn't stop as often.

[FlyerTalker]

I hope you meet my client/friend who is a 737 pilot. His favorite saying is, "If it's not Boeing, I'm not going.".

Hmmm, South Padre plus 737. Sounds like a WN driver.

 

That phrase is on a bumper sticker that's on a number of cars in the Seattle area. You can debate sidestick vs column, cables vs FBW, and aluminum vs epoxy till blue in the face and I'm still flying both Renton and Toulouse products.

I like your avatar, THAT looks like something safe to board. My first trip to South America was on a DC4, first class was on a DC6 and beat us to Lima by eight or ten hours, but didn't stop as often.

To the best of my knowledge, that's a DC-7C. From those old days when you walked outdoors on the tarmac to board your aircraft.....

 

If you want a little trip down memory lane, you can pick up THIS SHIRT with a PA DC-4 on the front. There was a big difference between the DC-4 and the DC-6. Not sure I ever flew on a "4" but did a fair amount as a child on UA DC-6B Mainliners.

[steve20832]

The AF447 accident is the 1st passenger loss of life on an A330.

 

Of the nearly 500 A330s built, there have been 5 hull loss incidents

 

• crash during testing (before the aircraft was certified). Test Pilot/crew killed
  
• damaged beyond repair by corrosive chemicals
  
• blown up on the ground in Sri Lanka's civil war (2 aircraft)
  
• Air France 447
  

http://aviation-safety.net/database/dblist.php?Type=023

 

Compared with virtually any other aircraft, its an excellent record

 

And to add to that, the last Airbus accidents by a US based airline in past 10 years

2009 - US Air - Bird strike in NJ - Not Airbus fault

2005 - JetBlue - wheel got stuck - plane landed safely

2002 - America West(now owned by US Air) - Engine problem

2001 - American Airlines - plane crashed in NY (only accident with fatalities)

2001 - Northwest Air - pilot error

 

Airbuses have the best safety record over any other aircraft (including Boeings which are built in the US)

[Taxguy77]

Hmmm, South Padre plus 737. Sounds like a WN driver.

Friend lives in the Valley, drives for Con; probably picked up the phrase in Seattle in training on various 7x7s What is a WN driver?

 

That phrase is on a bumper sticker that's on a number of cars in the Seattle area. You can debate sidestick vs column, cables vs FBW, and aluminum vs epoxy till blue in the face and I'm still flying both Renton and Toulouse products.

To the best of my knowledge, that's a DC-7C. From those old days when you walked outdoors on the tarmac to board your aircraft.....

 

If you want a little trip down memory lane, you can pick up THIS SHIRT with a PA DC-4 on the front. There was a big difference between the DC-4 and the DC-6. Not sure I ever flew on a "4" but did a fair amount as a child on UA DC-6B Mainliners.

Many years later my favorite plane was a DC3, which was the small town plane down the west coast of Mexico. Stopped at a grass field airport for lunch. Everybody ate together at tables for 4. Good 3 course meal, free beer or two, no tray on lap with unappetising food.

[FlyerTalker]

WN = Southwest. Aka the "Herb Bird".

[smeyer418]

I have flown dc 3-s twice commercially. One was in North Bay Canada and the other was from Palm Springs to LA....but not recently. It was roomier than most planes I have been on....

 

and I was at an FAA meeting this am on helicopter noise and it got me thinking if the original 707(first plane) was still flying

 

http://www.factmonster.com/spot/boeing707.html

 

after all these years the 707 is still my favorite aircraft....

[FlyerTalker]

and I was at an FAA meeting this am on helicopter noise and it got me thinking if the original 707(first plane) was still flying

The original Dash-80 prototype (smaller and narrower than the 707) is at the Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian. There are still some 707's in service, mostly in Africa and almost all in cargo roles. I can't speak to the first production 707 off the line, but John Travolta's 707 is one of the earlier models, as a specific Qantas variant.

http://www.factmonster.com/spot/boeing707.html

Not exactly a fact-monster...more of a fact molester. The famous barrel roll was at the Seafair hydroplane races, not just before airline buyers. Estimated that over 30,000 people saw the roll being done over Lake Washington.

[Taxguy77]

I have flown dc 3-s twice commercially. One was in North Bay Canada and the other was from Palm Springs to LA....but not recently. It was roomier than most planes I have been on....

 

and I was at an FAA meeting this am on helicopter noise and it got me thinking if the original 707(first plane) was still flying

 

http://www.factmonster.com/spot/boeing707.html

 

after all these years the 707 is still my favorite aircraft....

I flew to Europe on a Connie in 1956, the flight hostess helped me relax by getting me to take off my shoes and putting my feet on a pillow. Service, pillows (plural) blankets, snacks, WOW!:D all included in the base price!:D

My first flight on a jet was for business, 707, first class. I wanted to buy the seat! More comfortable that any in furniture stores!

I have had the most memorable times and pleasant trips in a private Piper Apache in Southern Cal. and Mexico. Also, I had the pleasue of flying in a biwing pplane with no top over the seats, wearing a WWI leather helmet and goggles!:D It was faster than tractors, but couldn't keep up with modern (1950s) cars on the hiway.:cool: Fly low and slow.