#Boeing Commercial Airplanes

[rabbitcruiser]

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing’s all-new composite airliner, received certification from the EASA and the FAA on August 26, 2011.

[enterprisewired]

Boeing Halts Talks with Striking Union, Withdraws Pay Offer

Source-reuters.com

No Progress in Negotiations as Strike Enters Fourth Week

Boeing has halted negotiations with around 33,000 factory workers as their strike nears its fourth week, the company announced on Tuesday. The aerospace giant, after failing to reach a resolution with union representatives, withdrew its latest pay offer. The negotiations, mediated by federal officials on Monday and Tuesday, ended in a stalemate, showing no signs of a potential agreement. According to sources familiar with the talks, both sides remain deeply divided.

Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, expressed disappointment over the outcome, stating in a memo to employees that the union did not seriously consider the company’s proposals. She labeled the union’s demands “non-negotiable” and declared that further discussions were pointless. “Our offer has been withdrawn,” Pope said, adding that Boeing had already been taking steps to conserve cash as the strike continues to impact its operations.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes is now exploring alternative financial measures, including raising billions through a sale of stock and equity-like securities, as the strike has caused significant disruption to production at its West Coast factories. These facilities manufacture some of Boeing’s most popular aircraft, including the 737 MAX, 767, and 777 models. With its investment-grade credit rating at risk, the company has also introduced temporary furloughs for thousands of salaried employees to mitigate financial losses.

Union Rejects Boeing’s Pay Offer

The striking workers, represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), are seeking a 40% pay increase over four years and the restoration of a defined-benefit pension, which was eliminated in a previous contract. Boeing had initially offered a 25% wage hike over the same period, but union members overwhelmingly rejected the proposal, with more than 90% voting against it.

In response, Boeing presented an improved offer last month, which included a 30% pay raise and the reinstatement of a performance bonus. Describing it as their “best and final” offer, Boeing hoped it would satisfy the union’s demands. However, a survey conducted by the union revealed that its members still found the offer insufficient. According to union leaders, Boeing’s revised offer failed to address several key issues such as wage progression, vacation accrual, and retirement benefits.

Despite the company’s assertion that they bargained in good faith, union representatives maintain that Boeing refused to address critical concerns. The IAM criticized Boeing for being “hell-bent” on sticking to its previous offer without making any meaningful changes. Union officials expressed frustration over the company’s refusal to discuss important provisions like wage increases, vacation, and pension benefits.

Future Uncertain as Strike Continues

With Boeing commercial airplanes withdrawing its pay offer and both sides showing no willingness to compromise, the future of the strike remains uncertain. Boeing’s production lines for its key commercial aircraft remain shut down, exacerbating financial pressures on the company. As the strike stretches into its fourth week, it poses significant challenges for both Boeing and its striking workers.

The union’s demand for a substantial pay raise and the restoration of pension benefits underscores the deep divide between labor and management. Boeing’s efforts to conserve cash and explore alternative funding options reflect the company’s determination to mitigate the financial fallout. However, without a resolution in sight, the standoff is likely to continue, with potentially long-term consequences for both parties.

[nocternalrandomness]

1940 photo of a TWA Boeing 307B Stratoliner

[chronicsheepdevelopment]

So what’s your guys opinion on a game starring different makes of Aircraft?

[stone-cold-groove]

The luxurious interior of a TWA Boeing 307 Stratoliner - 1940.

[tilbageidanmark]

A commercial airplane without the seats

[chronicsheepdeprivation]

Spirit only operates Airbuses so I'm starting a fundraiser to gift them a 737 MAX that instantly explodes from it's own vile aura the minute you step inside.

[snatching-ishidates-wig]

Boeing 737-800 operated by the business jet and 737 Charter company KaiserAir.

[hellfiremodels]

YMML my beloved

[afrotumble]

📷 Just Planes

[airtracks]

A nearly brand new 2023  Boeing 737 MAX, flown by Alaska Airlines, lost a window and a portion of its siding tonight due to decompression after takeoff.

[rabbitcruiser]

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing’s all-new composite airliner, received certification from the EASA and the FAA on August 26, 2011.

[nocternalrandomness]

"Lufthansa Heavy"

[stone-cold-groove]

A Boeing 747. The giant jet in the service of El Al Israel Airlines - 1971.

[bekolxeram]

Hi! I have a question. There's this theory going around that 802/803 could be based on the movie Airport 1975. I don't know if you've seen it, but basically something crashes into the cockpit of Boeing 747, which causes the crew to become incapacitated and there is no one on the plane who is knowledgeable enough to take the controls. So they send in a helicopter, which hovers above the plane, and a replacement pilot is extended on a tether from it to climb into the cockpit of the plane and take the controls.

I was curious if it could work in reality. I mean, the situation sounds pretty crazy and I don't know how rooted in reality it actually is, but what I'm interested about is whether a helicopter pilot could land a plane like that. Would they need to be acquainted with flying airplanes for it to work? I know you said that helicopter pilots have a head start if they want to learn how to fly planes because the basics are the same, so I was wondering if a helicopter pilot who has never flown a plane could potentially land it without hurting anyone? Are they knowledgeable enough to try? Sorry if the question is dumb or the answer obvious.

TW: aviation accident

Yes, I've indeed seen the movie, together with its predecessor Airport (1970), to better appreciate the greatest aviation film of them all: Airplane! (1980). Seriously, although it's a comedic parody of cheesy air disaster films, it somehow manages to be more accurate than all of them in terms of flying and aviation safety. Plus, all the jabs at how the Airport movies portray female characters are so satisfying. The first half of Airport 1975 is basically Workplace Sexual Misconduct: The Movie.

To answer your question, no, there has never been a case of non-airline pilot not a part of the flight crew successfully landing a jet airliner. There have been a few cases of student pilots landing a light aircraft when the instructor became incapacitated, but the only time it came even close to that on a jet airliner was Helios Flight 522 in 2005.

A ground engineer set the cabin pressurization system to manual for some testing and forgot to set it back to automatic. The flight crew never spotted it and slowly succumbed to the effect of hypoxia while cruising at 34,000 feet. A flight attendant entered the cockpit at the later stage of the flight with a portable oxygen supply reserved for crew members, the dropped down oxygen masks in the cabin, the lack of communication from the flight crew, the aimless holding pattern over the Athens airport and the fighter jets sent out by the Hellenic Air Force to investigate probably gave it away that something was terribly wrong with that flight. The flight attendant held a commercial pilot license, though not qualified to fly the 737. Tragically, the jet was already critically low on fuel, and the No. 1 engine flamed out as soon as he entered the cockpit. Investigators later concluded that he would not have been able to control the aircraft under such circumstances with his experience, as engine flameout would take many of the automated systems offline. He attempted to send out a mayday call and briefly waved at the fighter jets as a sign of acknowledgement. The fighter pilots then pointed at the direction of the airport, hoping to guide the plane towards safety. The flight attendant at the yoke simply replied by pointing down, signaling an immanent crash. As a last ditch effort, he banked the plane away from Athens towards a rural area, pulling the yoke back in an attempt to soften the impact. Shortly after, the 737 crashed into a hill just outside of Athens. There were no survivors.

If someone with a commercial pilot license in the airplane category couldn't do it, a helicopter pilot with limited to no experience on any plane wouldn't be able to either. They might have a better idea than the average layman about how to keep the plane in the air, but when it comes to configuring the jet for landing, they would have to be instructed by an actual airliner pilot through it like the rest of us. Just look at the differences between the cockpit of a Cessna 172 and one of a B777:

Cessna 172

AS350, aka Tommy's helicopter in 7x03

They don't look that different, yeah? I'd say Tommy would recognize most of the instruments on the Cessna even without any experience on it. Now let's look at the B777:

So many screens, so many buttons in front, on the side, even on top. Most modern airliners also operate on a fly-by-wire system, meaning the pilots' inputs go through a flight computer and it calculates the optimal for the actuators to respond. If you don't have at least some basic knowledge of how the flight control systems on a certain model of airliner work, you risk misdiagnosing any issue encountered, even crashing the plane even though the problems are minor and solvable by letting the computers take over. (Air France Flight 447, I'll spare you the details, it's still too scary for me.)

That's why in Airport 1975, it's the US Air Force responding to the 747 in danger with one of its helicopters, and the one tethering into the cockpit at first isn't a helicopter pilot, he used to fly the "707 tanker" (KC-135 I presume). When he falls to his death, the film makes it a major plot point that the only person on board the helicopter by then is Nancy's boyfriend, chief flight instructor of the airline.

This scene is actually one of the more realistic scenes in the film, at least physically. It was the 1970s and CGI technology was lacking, so the scene was filmed with an actual USAF helicopter flying in front of a 747. If you believe this person who claimed to be the crew chief working on that exact helicopter, the stunt man got as near as 3 feet away from the fuselage of the jet.

Military helicopters fly close to big airplanes all the time, air tankers are basically flying gas stations, but helicopters usual fly behind air tankers. You see, as I mentioned before, wings of airplanes deflect incoming air stream downward to generate lift, so the bigger the plane, the more air needed, meaning heavier planes have faster stall speed. Helicopters on the other hand, can go straight up and down without moving horizontally, and they're designed for maneuverability, not speed, so even the best performing military helicopter has its maximum speed dangerously close to the stall speed of a 747. In order to make a midair pilot transfer like that possible, the helicopter would have to fly as fast as possible while the jet limping close to stall speed, the helicopter pilots would also have to fly in formation with the jet on autopilot, without any coordination.

So if our weewoo show really decides to recreate this famous stunt, not even trying to explain why the USAF/USCG are not available like in S7, leaving the LAFD to its own device, Tommy would realistically not be hoisting into the crippled jet. He would be flying the helicopter. Honestly it's a much tougher job than dropping into the plane and landing it, Tommy's expertise is needed in the helicopter. Like the first replacement pilot, he falls, so he dies. But if the helicopter makes a wrong move and crashes into the jet, everyone dies.

[bigairplaneblog]

Who Invented Big Airplanes: The Minds Behind the Giants of the Sky

Do you know how the big airplanes were invented? It's a fascinating story that spans decades of innovation, engineering breakthroughs, and sheer determination. Big airplanes, also known as large aircraft models, have become a cornerstone of modern aviation, revolutionizing how we travel and connect with the world. But who were the brilliant minds that brought these aviation models to life?

The journey of the big airplane model began in the early 20th century when aviation pioneers first dreamed of creating aircraft that could carry more passengers and cargo over longer distances. It was a time of intense experimentation and competition, with inventors and engineers racing to build the next big thing in aviation.

One of the key figures in the invention of big airplanes was Igor Sikorsky. Born in Kyiv, Ukraine, in 1889, Sikorsky was an aviation visionary who designed the world’s first multi-engine airplane, the Russky Vityaz, in 1913. This aircraft model was groundbreaking because it demonstrated that it was possible to create a large airplane model with multiple engines, which was essential for carrying heavier loads and flying longer distances. The success of the Russky Vityaz paved the way for the development of even larger aircraft, leading to Sikorsky’s later designs, like the Ilya Muromets, which became the world’s first four-engine bomber.

But Sikorsky wasn’t alone in his quest to build big airplanes. In the United States, Donald Wills Douglas Sr. played a crucial role in the evolution of large airplane models. Douglas founded the Douglas Aircraft Company in 1921, and it wasn’t long before his company became synonymous with innovation in aviation. One of the most significant contributions from Douglas was the DC-3, introduced in 1935. This airplane model revolutionized air travel with its ability to carry 21 passengers in comfort, a feat previously unheard of in commercial aviation. The DC-3 set the standard for modern aircraft and remains one of the most iconic aviation models ever created.

Another major milestone in the history of big airplanes came with the Boeing 747, often referred to as the "Queen of the Skies." The 747 was the brainchild of Joe Sutter, an engineer at Boeing, who led the team that designed this enormous aircraft. First flown in 1969, the Boeing 747 was a true game-changer, capable of carrying more than 400 passengers across the globe. This large airplane model not only made international travel more accessible but also solidified Boeing’s position as a leader in the aviation industry. The 747 remains one of the most successful aircraft models, with variants still flying today.

These early innovators laid the groundwork for the modern giants of the sky we see today. Today, the Airbus A380 holds the title of the largest passenger airplane model ever built. Introduced in 2007, the A380 can carry over 800 passengers in an all-economy configuration. The development of this behemoth required a multinational effort, with teams from across Europe contributing to its design and construction. The A380 represents the pinnacle of what large airplane models can achieve, offering unparalleled capacity and comfort for long-haul flights.

The invention of big airplanes wasn’t just about building larger aircraft; it was about pushing the boundaries of what was possible in aviation. These pioneers didn’t just create bigger planes; they created new opportunities for people to connect, explore, and experience the world in ways that were once unimaginable.

As aviation continues to evolve, the legacy of those who invented big airplanes lives on. From Sikorsky’s early experiments to the modern marvels of Boeing and Airbus, these aircraft models have forever changed the face of travel. So the next time you board a flight, take a moment to appreciate the incredible history behind the big airplane model that’s carrying you to your destination. The sky’s the limit, thanks to the visionaries who dared to dream big.