It's happening at JetBlue as well. A non-pilot friend of mine had his BOS-MCO flight cancel 8 hours before departure. Next departure was a "few days later". What's going to tell his 5 year old, "we can't go to Disney"? So he drove to Albany and took SWA.

I know the wx is bad, but I think the airlines were gambling on not many delays and getting close to 9 hours or the min overnight, and getting hosed. A Delta friend of mine had that happen a few days ago, got to the overnight a few hours late - not enough for the 10 hrs rest so he was replaced, he overnighted and DHed back to base.

Looks like SWA may get to donate some $ for butts in seats too long on the tarmac.

Southwest Airlines faced its worst nightmares Thursday at Midway Airport - Chicago Business Journal

Those should be some relatively easy beans to count.

I love this part:

Now might be a good time to buy stock in the Pizza business. :D

Check out this montage of 5 videos on SWA debacle....

Midway Southwest flights resume; Problems persist after major cancellations, tarmac delays | abc7chicago.com#

Oh I'm sure the pizza is in the oven!

A "Delta Airlines" plane skids off JFK runway. Hmmm

Delta Airlines plane skids off JFK runway | New York Post

Okay, I'm going to have to start dealing with 117 in a couple of days so a quick, easy question.

According to FAR 117.17 Table C, a departure between 0700 and 1259 has a max duty day of 17 hrs with a 3 man crew and class 1 rest facility. Is that 17 hours extendable to 19 hrs by signing the release? Just want to make sure I'm right.

Denny

Oui Msr. Crane,

The short answer is you have the table figured out correctly. You can walk at 17 hrs, you must walk at 19 hrs.

gotchas:

-Make sure you have the Class 1 Rest facility...they vary by fleet and even tail number within fleets, and MEL's can change those too...Class 1's are an endangered species on the 330

-FDP for FAR 117 is original Report to block in...the :30 after is PWA

-the LATT's on the flight plan addendum (all the way at the bottom) will show the can/must take off times. don't take off past the second one.

-3 man Flight time is limited by FAR to 13 hrs....if you have a lengthy taxi out...check it!

-If they call you anytime to push back your report, push or take-off....call your union.

-Signing the release just gives them the actual piece of paper to extend..you can literally call the dispatcher as you sign it telling him "no extensions"...or you can wait until 1 minute before the 17 hrs....or you can go 15 mins into the 17 hrs and call it...point is it can be modified at any time by the PIC...repeat....it can be modified at any time by the PIC. Anytime.>

Do not do public math...let the guys with computers do it. Call your union if you have any questions. Fly safe.

8

This is a really good write-up covering some of the highlights. The only thing that I'd add is that the 17 hours you refer to is reduced by 30 minutes to 16.5 if you are not acclimated.

Also, go to the main ALPA page and click on the 117 "Resource Library." Click on Part 117 Quick Reference - THIS is a good 3 page cheat sheet that covers a lot of the more commonly asked questions. Print it out and take it with you!

Good luck. It's been a helluva first 5 days under 117 :D