Southwest Flying Unsafe Planes

[FreeflyChile 0]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/06/southwest.planes/index.html

From now on, if I fly SW, i'm bringing my rig.

[asmund 0]

SW have how many accidents since the beginning of time?

The FAA allowed them an extension on a few inspections...so what?

Most planes that fly aren't in perfect condition anyway...little squawks that doesn't matter to flight., but that are legally required..

I like subway.

[dannydan 0]

My rigs go wherever i go all the time bro! Its not just a hobby...its my lifestyyyyyy~AL WooHoo

[FreeflyChile 0]

Yeah, I was thinking about that as well.... and given the condition of some of the jump planes that I've jumped from, I don't know how egregious some of these things are.

I just found it interesting and, given how many people with a lot of knowledge about airplanes and airlines post, I thought I'd throw it out there for discussion.

[dannydan 0]

lol not sure bout discussion, i just hump em and jump em.... But seriously, dont you feel neked gettin on ANY plane without your rig? Wether it be donned or above in the overhead? I know I do! But I dont wanna make this another repost about commercial flight and if we take our rigs on board.... I thyink is there is like 100 threads about that! l8r

peace and happy inspections!
:dd

[lawrocket 3]

Quote

The whistle-blowers say FAA managers knew about the lapse in safety at Southwest, but decided to allow the airline to conduct the safety checks on a slower schedule because taking "aircraft out of service would have disrupted Southwest Airlines' flight schedule

Wait a second. Are they saying that the government was told and allowed it?

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[Rookie120 0]

Quote

Wait a second. Are they saying that the government was told and allowed it?

Thats what I was thinking. So does that mean Southwest asked for an extension and the FAA granted them one?

If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck!

[diablopilot 2]

The article is a sensationalistic load of bullshit.

It's akin to drivers continuing to drive on expired registration with DMV approval IF they were to regularly maintain their cars.

Some Senator is simply grandstanding. The overpaid pompus fuck.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[BillyVance 34]

Quote

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/06/southwest.planes/index.html

From now on, if I fly SW, i'm bringing my rig.

I thought Southwest forbade carrying rigs onboard?

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[dannydan 0]

Quote

The overpaid pompus fuck.

aGREED....

BILLYV;

Quote

I thought Southwest forbade carrying rigs onboard?

They allowed me twice! Once to ORL from CHI/~P.R. in 2005 and back, and then again in 2007 to LasVegas and back... No problimo!

BILLVON; "safer planes" lol aint that the truth!!

[billvon 2,404]

Well, duh.

There are no safe planes - just planes more or less safe than other planes.

[monkycndo 0]

Quote

I thought Southwest forbade carrying rigs onboard?

I've carried my rigs on SW many times. Never had a problem.

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[airdvr 197]

Slow news day. You guys aren't really buying this are you?

It's probably more like somewhere someone at SW pissed somebody with some suction off and this is their idea of revenge.

Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

[azdiver 0]

my take is that these planes were only unairworthy because some one didn't sign a piece of paper? or were their actually a lot of huge problems that they just aren't fixing?

light travels faster than sound, that's why some people appear to be bright until you hear them speak

[wmw999 2,126]

They consistently have one of the best on-time records, and one of the shortest turnaround times at the gates in the industry.

You can't do that for long with equipment that needs repair. Just think of how much better shape you keep your car in when you really need it for work, and you can't afford to miss a day.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[freakyrat 1]

The original AD said that the airlines had to comply within the next 4500 hrs of flight but allowed the inspections to be completed within 1 1/2 years from the date of receipt or at the next "C" or "D" check. The 737's involved were old classic models or the ones that you see at SWA and other carriers that have all those rivets and skin doublers and tear strips installed inside and out. That was 46 airplanes out of a 500 plane fleet of which after completing the inspections 6 were found to have small cracks which were repaired promptly. The whole thing was a recordkeeping snafu which caused SWA to just not get these planes in for this maintenance. Then when SWA found out they discussed it with Boeing and the FAA knowing it would take 10 days to get the planes to a heavy maintenance shop for the work. The FAA allowed them to fly the planes in question while this was being arranged. Safety wasn't compromised according to Boeing because of all the redundancy that was built into the skins on these aircraft mainly all the doublers and tear strips etc.

The article truly is a sensationalistic load of bullshit.
Jeffery Feith who was the lead investigator in the Valujet accident did an independent investigation of this whole thing for SWA and came up with the same conclusions as Boeing.

Just for the record I flew on a 737-800 series acft. this past week on another carrier. that when the flaps were lowered for landing the flap track fairing cover that was in the exaust of the left engine just vibrated like hell. I've seen these do that on most 737's but not as much as this one did.

[freakyrat 1]

Southwest was the carrier that first became concerned about Lithium Batteries such as those in our AAD's etc and other electronic devices. They worked with Cypres and the FAA to insure that our rigs equipped with AAD's would be safe for carrying on their aircraft and kept a low profile about it while it was being resolved. Their inflight manual incorporates the allowance of our rigs on board their aircraft.

The lithium battery incident cargo fire on the UPS cargo jet at PHL which came about from improper packaging and handling is a reason we have the new lithium battery regulations from the FAA and TSA and is a reason why we should transport our rigs with AAD's and all other electronic devices as carry on baggage to comply with the new regulations. The Lithium batterries in our AAD's also comply with the original IATA regulations by their design.

Again SWA was way out in front of the FAA on this issue and shows that they do put safety at a high priority.

[BillyVance 34]

Well, they've cancelled a good number of their flights to have those "overdue" inspections done on their planes...

http://travel.msn.com/Guides/article.aspx?cp-documentid=469757>1=41000

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[tbrown 26]

Diverdriver flies for SW & so does Cheryl Stearns. Would be great to hear their input on this, though I'd quite understand if they'd rather not rock the boat or jeopardize their jobs.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[BillyVance 34]

Quote

Diverdriver flies for SW & so does Cheryl Stearns. Would be great to hear their input on this, though I'd quite understand if they'd rather not rock the boat or jeopardize their jobs.

Good point. How about in PM?

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[freakyrat 1]

Cheryl is an E190 Captain for USAIR. Cheryl flew for Piedmont before the merger. Last I heard Diverdriver flys an RJ for Air Wisconsin operating as US Airways Express

Chris