RE: Toilet waste disposel in mid-flight

The fuel that is dumped pretty much disintegrates when it enters the atmosphere. Now that we’re on the subject of fuel dumping, what is the landing weight of a 747-400? The other day when Speedbird 16 returned to SYD after the fire in the hold, it landing only 20 minutes after it got in the air, pretty much eliminating any fuel dumping possibility, unless it did in that short amount of time. As I mentioned on another thread, the flight from SYD to SIN is only 7 hours, so perhaps the amount of fuel that was onboard didn’t warrant a fuel dump, and they were able to land as is?

GD1

RE: PIC OF THE DAY NO ROOM FOR ERROR HERE!!!

It surely was not a fully loaded 747. I’ve taken the Airside Tarmac Tour at SYD, and the tour guide said one time a UA 747-400 bound for SFO waited 2 hours for winds to die down, so it could use Rwy 34L/16R which is the longest runway and the one mostly used for heavies. Even the east-west runway 25/7 is longer than the parallel runway 34R/16L that the QF 747 is taking off from in the picture. 747’s do use the east-west runway to take off frequently, but only ones that are lighter on fuel. They don’t use 34R/16L for heavy departures unless they REALLY have to, in the case of the BA plane blocking the long runway. Furthermore, any widebody taking off from SYD bound to SIN, can’t be that fully loaded. It’s only a 7 hour flight.

GD1

RE: Rude Security Scanning !!!!!

I don’t know about AA, Softlad, but I was on a United flight, and some passengers freaked out when one of the engines didn’t start because the blade was jammed. They decided to disembark, and the captain wouldn’t leave unless their bags were offloaded. Same thing happened with Aloha. As far as taking off of the shoes, I’ve had this happen several times. Both at the security checkpoint, and prior to boarding the plane. It is a little annoying, but if I know I’m not carrying contraband, so be it.

GD1

RE: Multiple MD’s

As far the airport goes, Carl, it is Bonaire-Flamingo (BON) in the Netherlands Antilles. This being the ‘other’ great approach in the Antilles, behind St. Maarten, of course. The MD-11 will certainly be the last trijet we’ll see, as there surely will never be another produced in the world of ETOPS. I love the way the LH Cargo scheme looks on it, myself. I notice the newer MD-11’s with the GE’s have the longer exhaust cone, similar the A330 engines. Why is that?

GD1

RE: US Airways files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection

This coming a week after they signed a codeshare agreement with United. Perhaps now, the US DOT instead of approving the codeshare, will allow United to re-submit it merger proposal, and allow it to go through this time around. They approved the AA/TWA merger, why not this one? TWA was in financial disarray, now USAirways ‘officialy’ is.

GD1

RE: best biz jet

I’m guessing we’re to leave off the Boeing BBJ as well as the Airbus A319CJ as well? In that case, I’ll take the Learjet 45. Not that I’ve ever been on a biz jet, or anything, but I like the way it looks.

GD1

RE: Seat Back TV’S

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 11-08-02 AT 00:42 AM (GMT)]Singapore’s A340’s have them also, although they’re on their way out. USAirways A330’s have them. Also, the other day on airliners.net, I saw a pic of the economy class cabin of UA 767-300ER and it had them, as well. This was a big surprise, as I was not aware they had them. The ones I have been on, have not had them.

GD1