ATR Tailstand ???
 

What is the thing that they hang off the back of the ATR when it is at the gate? Is it to keep the plane from tipping backward if it is loaded to heavy in the back? I noticed it on my way through Dallas last week and wondered how many planes have went flying with that thing on there by accident.

Most or all the big cargo planes use an aft jackstand for loading. Too many past incidents like this...

INFO LAMP: Overloaded Plane Incident at Dubai International Airport

I figured that is what it was for. First time I have seen one on a passenger plane. Or maybe just the first time I have paid attention. Wonder if it is because of the way the PAX come in through the rear of the plane rather than the front.

Yes the thing you are referring to is called a tail stand, and yes it is to prevent the aircraft from tilting backwards, which is especially important on the ATR, because the PAX door is at the back of the plane.

I almost crapped my pants one day, because they started to board the passengers before loading the cargo (which is up front) and the nose started to come up.

I heard stories of ATRs at Eagle taking off with the tail stands still attached and losing them enroute :eek:

Tailstand. It's on the checklist and the ground crew has to show the tailstand to both the Capt and FO prior to engine start.

While on the subject of the ATR, is it me or do they guys flying these things taxi like it's the indy 500? Maybe it just seems fast but I think that if I were to taxi my C-172 as fast as my last ATR ride, I would be airborne. Not a dig at the pilots just wondering the why part.

Haha, i'm going to get scolded for this, but....if it were an american eagle atr it's probably because it's running late already, like every AE flight i've ever been on. LOL :-)

It was an AE flight. It was funny, the guy that was a few seats behind me was talking with his wife (I'm guessing) about how he thought we were actually taking off from the taxi way.

One reason could be that the ATR will not cool down until you get airborne. The plane cools down much better at altitude. But who knows.

Based on your theory, Southwest is always running late.:rolleyes: