I found out first hand last year during typhoon season that IWO just has to be listed as open..... Winds were 90 degrees off runway at a steady 50 to 60 knots. IWO was open but unusable for winds for a couple of days (in my book that essentially made it closed).... Had a non-etops aircraft from Guam to NRT. I ran it up the flagpole and finally talked to KS. He said he'd back me in whatever decision I made (good for him!) but that we were legal to go. I said alright I'll go if you send me a message saying we are legally cleared to do it. He did and we did!! For the next few days all the flight plans listed that message under dispatcher remarks!!:)

Denny

Thats what I was referring too as well. :D

If a 717 is an upgraded DC9...

Boeing To Pay Air India $500m For 787 Delays | AVIATION WEEK

"You guys are way overrating the damages..."
I guess it's all a matter of perspective eh?

Cheers
George

You know folks, this is really the beginning of a potentially valuable discussion... ETOPS alternates. I'm far from a LCA, but sometimes (frequently) I am miffed about this topic. I have wondered why some places are selected and others arent; why some airports listed in chapter 8 arent even in the database; why (at least in the past) we didn't use airports down the coast of africa (as alternates) when Air France used them as destinations; what do you really plan to do if you NEED to divert and shemya is 1000 miles away, but Magadan is 400 miles away and it is the middle of winter.

I know this is why we make the big bucks, but I ponder this stuff every flight...I am still no more enlightened than if I was a newbie.

Im glad they're getting smart about it. I remember on night premerger, one guy was refusing to go to Saipan for just the situation you describe. He got a call from the fleet capt to explain it but he still refused. A few minutes later, the phone in flight planning rang looking for the capt going to Busan. He takes the phone, "says yes I will", then hands the phone to the EX-Saipan guy and says "you're going to Busan"

Everyone in the room laughed:D

Ferd

Great post!! I've wondered the same thing.

i thought the same thing but the question is how long will the 319's last vs the 717's? also payrates are currently less on the "dc9". seems like the 717's could last a lot longer than the 319's if they hold up like the -9's :D

It's all part of the Expectations Management machine. Just because you are not working doesn't mean that your dues dollars and pay loss are not hard at work.

Yeah, just love those human interest stories where kid and grandpa fly together.

I remember a mechanic told me that the cargo floors weren't wearing well on the A320s maybe 10 years ago. So, you would have to ask how old the 319s are that they are looking at.

I've got to go with what Finis put in his original post. My gut says the 717 is the deal.