787 Certificated!

http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1903

A lot of interior decisions are the responsibility of the airline, not the manufacturer. I’m thinking of the seats, and how they are arranged.

With regard to what Boeing provides, I seem to remember that the lighting was different, the overhead bins larger, and the windows were much larger, on the 787.

And then there is what cannot be seen, but only felt: The higher pressurization/lower cabin altitude, and the humidity control.

Finally, I’m sure the In Flight Entertainment (once again provided by a subcontractor) is several generations ahead of that in the 767, given the rate of improvement in electronics.

The sun never sets on the British Welfare System

http://www.anncoulter.com/columns/2011-08-10.html

Oh my gosh, Jay, could you PLEASE stop quoting Sully as if he were Moses descending from the mountain with the commandments? I may have to start quoting Kohei Asoh all the time!

I seem to remember that all the early engines burped a small amount of fuel when they shut down. As a mechanic, if you were doing engine runs/trimming, you didn’t want to be under the drain mast when the engine shut down or you would get a few ounces of fuel on you. The last 20-30 years or so, the engine manufacturers have developed a system to catch that fuel, or modified the engine so it doesn’t do that little squirt.

With regard to ETOPS for the 747, yes ETOPS applies. The FAA changed the regulations in 2008. One of the changes what the definition of ETOPS from Extended Twin Engine Operations to Extended Operations. The intent was to standardize the regs. Prior to the new regs you had scenarios where, for example, a 4 engine airplane might be 3 hours from an airport but only had 2 hours of fire suppression in the bag bins because 4 engine airplanes were “safer.” The industry finally realized that if you are on fire or out of fuel, it doesn’t matter how many engines you have. A lot of other regs that came into being at the same time “legitimized” Extended Twin Engine Operations, which until that time had operated under an Advisory Circular. Boeing supported the new regs, Airbus was not obstructive, but their level of support was certainly tepid.

More details about delivery schedule. Apparently both the 737 and A320 deliveries are to commence in 2013, with 737RE’s beginning in 2018 and A320NEO beginning in 2017.

Its interesting to me that AA have no only ordered both the 320 series and the 737 series, but have ordered the legacy and updated models of each. Kind of plays havoc with fleet standardization.

I still wonder about the ability of the manufacturers (especially Airbus since they have so many recent orders) to meet the delivery schedule. Granted, its a good problem to have and we don’t know the details of the contracts.

http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2011/07/25/American-details-delivery.html

Ha! Good one, it IS a little damp but the computer monitor keeps me warm.

As for you, I imagine its pretty windy and cold up there atop Mount Olympus…