On the other hand Ryanair is thinking about charging extra money if you want more the your habd luggage carried. (according to the german newspapaer Aero International)

The IFE is a joke. How many routes do they operate that would offer 90 minutes fo cruise time ??

742, fly a classic as long as you can

I agree. Twenty years on heavy rotation between Spain and Northern Europe (predominantly Germany) must have taken its toll on the airframe.

Well no, LTU got rid of the 757s some years ago. AFAIK they were given to LTE (the spanish version of LTU), but due to the current crisis some were stored at PMI for years. I don´t know if it is one of those so.

nice pics

I agree that we should focus in how to improve the living standards of latin america as a whole but without technology that is impossible in a world of economic competition i would ask you would you recommend to the US to stop it`s space program? or degrade it air force as that of Mexico or Argentina? we should focus as Embraer has done into creating a powerful technical base to make money and develope our living standards but without aerospace and telecommunications that is impossible Latin America should join the international space program but as a joint latin american space program or at least as a MERCOSUR sponsor space program as ESA is for the EU and as the Russian or europeans have done with our own technology not just as buyers or users of american or european technology to sponsor a space program you need a market, not a goverment and the civil space exploration is knocking the door in the 21st century why latin america should follow NASA but not Kurt Rutan? we should connect the Telecomunications industry to the aerospace industry and you will have civil funding.

My opinion about space programms is quite simple. At the moment any space programm is either a millitary or dcientific programm, and so they are paid for by the goverment. No space programm could be run inly from the commercial income it generates and that will remain so for the foreseeable future.

Commercial viable space programms will be develpoed by private companies, when there is a real market for them. And then those will compete for the commercial satelitte launches.

Communications technology however is an important technology for the future and Latin America should develop a joint capability (or better expand the existing).

MEROCSUR could join ESA (which is already searching for money) and get a percentage in the ürpgramme. Get a good technolgy transfer and you get a better deal, then doing all alone.

My personal opinion on space programms is that there should be only one worldwide programm and it should be a joint effort paid for by all nations. Just imagine what could have done if the money spent on developing all those launch plattforms on other projects.

That would include free technolgy transfer to all partner nations.

An intersting disussion about the economical and politcal limitations and chances of the Latin American countries.
Imho the US policy was sound in limiting the access to the most modern (and expensive) weapons systems for the region. All those countries are not facing an external enemy, so any arms purchase would be directly aimed at their neighbours. Such moves would eventually always end in an arms race. That would have used money that could have been spent much ´better on improving the infrastructure, social situation etc. of the people. A strong airforce does not keep your people from immigrating to the US, if their living conditions are poor. That sentence is very true imho.
Latin America as a whole should have an interest in joining exisitng space programms and perhaps developing their own civil aviation programm. Embraer for example good be the basis of a Latin American “Coche Aviacion” (Airbus) – programme, that could compete with Boeing and Airbus.
A space programm however is waste of money. There are more launch plattforms and satellite manufactures around, then there is a commercial interest. So in the end such a programme would always depend on government funding. A better solution would be to join other programms.

The Electra is quite nice