Off topic, but then again what's not on this thread! :)

Kind of a neat interview with a WWII US fighter pilot who flew unarmed Spitfires over Germany.....


SPITFIRE 944 - YouTube

Denny

The Q400 has size issues with those long straight wings & tail. Performance wise it is fast, at the cost of fuel burn nearly double that of a comparably sized ATR (which is still a third less than a CRJ, but it is not as fast).

The Q400 requires the same ramp footprint as a 737-800 or A320. Because of the configuration (props, straight wing) getting to most jetways is awkward. I've swung the tail around to a jetway in an ATR. It's weird. Especially with an aft CG which results in iffy nosewheel steering if the ramp surface is uneven. Using differential braking and thrust, sometimes using reverse one one side to help plant the nosewheel strangely calls on skills developed flying taildraggers ... really too sporty for wide scale deployment without risking rampers and airplanes. In fact, I refused to do the maneuver in a big crosswind.

The other issue is the price. The Q400 listed for the exact same prices as the CRJ-705 / 900. Passengers also prefer the look of the RJ's. The RJ therefore is more flexible. It goes faster than anything in the Delta fleet except for our widebodies, so it fits in that profile, allowing for the transparent outsourcing management desires. Much easier to swap one type for the other.

For a while we were trying to fly close in 737 trips with ATR's. Of course we were late every leg and got later as the day went on. I figured it had to be some sort of scope violation and reported it. Turns out the violation was sending airplanes out to airports without FAA approval in the Ops Specs. Fortunately that was another outsourcing mess avoided by reading the overlooked pages of the Jepps and simply complying with the regulations.

Kind of amazing those engines scaled from 1,800 HP to 5,100. If we had them today, I'd bid it.

Agreed, nothing's really off topic here....the thread just keeps going and going....

http://thechive.files.wordpress.com/...if?w=499&h=278

And they were fixin to spend billions, billions I tell ya!, on 50 seat RJ engines and heavy checks! :D:D:D

A few months ago I posted this same question on the ALPA boards and never heard a thing. Where did you see no discount with international? I just didn't see a discount listed. Perhaps I missed it.

On another note, this popped on google news Delta Air Lines hopes to open more services from New York JFK T4 to Tokyo and China | CAPA - Centre for Aviation Maybe we will be adding some widebody flying. ;)

I don't think the IRS will have any sway over whether your kids get approved. They are only supposed to collect the taxes and fines. :)

What's going on with the long ECP layover?
What a dump. It's the type of place I stay at when I commute in and stay for $40.

Can you PD a spill trip with good reserve coverage or are you locked from doing anything until the next bid runs...no swap...no drop...no dice?

If there is good reserve coverage over all the days in both months, you should be able to PD it. Put it in and see what happens. If you don't get it, look at the reasons why you didn't. It's on of the F keys.

Denny

You know how everyone says "oh the 88 sucks, you only there if your junior, sucky overnights, sucky this that and the other"... maybe it's a self fulfilling prophesy with our overnights?

Have you done the LEX airport one? The downtown hotel is 6 miles from the airport, the "airport" short layover is 9 miles from the airport. You have to pass the downtown exit and keep going to get to the airport overnight. It actually says "airport" on the hotel but try and google it as such, google can't find it by that name.

PHF? DAY? ALB? GPT? BHM?