Comments on: Q&A With the Pilot, Coronavirus Edition

By: Roy

Roy — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 16:51:12 +0000

My question is: If there is one or more people infected on an airliner, and knowing that infection particles may last 24 hours or more might this jet be seeding infection along their various routes as cabin air is expelled?.

By: Antionette Martin

Antionette Martin — Fri, 07 Aug 2020 12:04:57 +0000

I wanted to bring aloe vera plants in a plastic zip glad bag in my caery on is this allowable? My flight leaves today at 6:55 pm

By: Angela

Angela — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 19:37:07 +0000

I’m surprised no question about safety measures. Would you recommend flying right now?
If passengers take appropriate measures is it relatively safe?

By: Tod

Tod — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 08:53:06 +0000

Patrick.

What do you make of the revelation that about 150 pilots in Pakistan could be flying with fraudulently obtained licences?

By: Michael Spencer

Michael Spencer — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 18:38:19 +0000

Patrick: I have two questions.

First: What can be said about hundreds and hundreds of MAX airplanes? Yes, they are receiving care; but is there a point when writing off the asset starts to make sense? There just doesn’t seem to be any urgency (COVID aside).

Second: The industry financial situation is greeted by many like this: “it couldn’t have happened to a better bunch of companies”. It’s easy to understand this attitude, which I’ve heard many times. After all, the companies did bank huge profits recently, while they squeezed passengers and charged endless fees. Pointing out that airline fares are, when adjusted for inflation, mostly reasonable carries no weight. And why should it when paying $30 to throw a bag in the overhead? Moreover, many point out that the carriers were poorly managed: there’s been no obvious preparation, for instance, for a sharp downturn, preparation that could have happened during profitable years.

Anyway, that’s the sort of argument or comment that I hear among friends and colleagues. Is it fair? Not entirely. But there are some points that are on track.

I want to know your view.

By: chandelle

chandelle — Sun, 17 May 2020 00:49:52 +0000

Mate, for completeness, you should’ve mentioned in the answer to Q1 that the low percentages keep increasing until they’re quite considerable by the time you touch down. And that 108 kt too could’ve actually been 88 kt without ill-effects, considering the 23% or so that’s built into Vref vis-a-vis Vs 🙂

By: Gene

Gene — Fri, 15 May 2020 21:06:23 +0000

“and the touchdown was, um, lumpier than I’d have preferred.”

Thanks for the laugh, Patrick! I’ve made a few lumpy landings myself.

By: Peter F

Peter F — Fri, 15 May 2020 19:56:48 +0000

Patrick – Idle curiosity re “…slower takeoff and landing speeds….your liftoff speed (Vr) could be 20 or more knots below normal”: is it possible, in the case of a very lightly loaded plane taking off from a very long runway, for the go/no-go decision speed (V1), above which you can no longer stop on the remaining runway, to be higher than Vr or even takeoff safety speed (V2)?

Here’s hoping you stay employed and aloft!

By: Bruce

Bruce — Fri, 15 May 2020 02:09:53 +0000

Thanks – that’s an interesting piece. I had wondered what it would be like flying a plane that’s lighter.

I hope you do get your flight this weekend. Good luck!

By: M chafer

M chafer — Thu, 14 May 2020 23:22:57 +0000

Federal bailout for Orlando FL airports: $170M.

Start planning your Disney vacation when they announce their opening. (probably July)