The B-787 was grounded 16 Jan....making today's announcement day 55. From United's employee page:

Posted March 12, 2013
The FAA after a thorough review approved Boeing's certification plan for the 787's improved battery system. This plan is an important step in the process to evaluate the 787's return to flight and requires Boeing to conduct extensive testing and analysis.
The battery system improvements include a redesign of the internal battery components, enhanced insulation of the battery's cells and the addition of a new containment and venting system.
The certification plan requires the 787 to pass a series of tests before the aircraft may return to service. For Boeing to carry out these tests, the FAA approved limited test flights for two aircraft equipped with prototypes of the new containment system. These flight tests will validate the aircraft instrumentation for the battery and battery enclosure testing in addition to product improvements for other systems.
We will remain in regular contact with Boeing and the FAA as the work is conducted on the 787. We will return the 787s to service as soon as possible after the issues outlined by the FAA's Airworthiness Directive are resolved.




Give it 35 more days.


Next, I will be predicting the outcome of SLI, life on Mars, and the fall TV schedule.

 

What's your over/under on el Jefe getting canned?

 

I always thought he was just a merger CEO. Not canned, but will probably move on soon. Either way he's rich.

 

With the announcement on Friday, it was 93 days.

 

Ok so TV schedules don't interest me a whole lot, but life on Mars and the SLI sure as hell do. Got any thoughts?

 

Thanks. I'd rather be lucky than good.

I think they will eventually find evidence of DNA or RNA on Mars. If so, it will be some type of bacterial form. I don't think it will be viral, because viruses need plentiful hosts to propagate....and scattered bacteria wouldn't fit the bill as "plentiful."

I'm thinking along the lines of bacteria that thrive near hot-gas vents in the deep ocean...where conventional wisdom says "nothing can live down here."

But I also think it will be old and dead....because there is no measurable water left on the planet, just frozen CO2 at the poles.

SLI:

August implementation. It will be relative seniority, with a slight bias towards DOH (1-2%). (Slight advantage UAL). Furloughees who came back to either UAL or CAL will get the same relative seniority, but it will be biased towards longevity, ie, total years/months/days worked. (2-4%). (Advantage CAL).

Furloughees who never came back will probably get stapled.

This does NOT include voluntary furloughs.

Fences on the 747, 787, and 767-400 for 4 years. Will not include new bases.

Not saying I like it; just what I predict.

 

That's possibly the one scenario that can't happen since neither pre-merger list can be re-ordered.

 

And the Powerball numbers for next week if you have the time...

 

I used to think that too, but I'm not sure of that anymore. After consolidating his leadership role, I think he may just be around for a while. Remember, he has already been here longer than 50% of the pilots currently on property. I also think he actually likes what he is doing, so why change?