Tag Archives: Skywest

AirplaneGeeks 386 Steve Hinton and Planes of Fame

Guest Steve Hinton is a record holding air racer, president of Planes of Fame Air Museum, and owner of a military aircraft restoration company. In the news, United is replacing 50-seaters with larger aircraft, more bad behavior by airline crew members, military drone crashes, desert beetles and airplane frost, and airlines sucking away regional pilots. Also, the Boeing P-26 Peashooter, and the A-10. Again.

Northrop N9MB

Northrop N9MB. Courtesy Planes of Fame Air Museum

Guest

Steve Hinton is an American aviator who held a world speed record from 1979 to 1989 and won six Unlimited-class air races, including two national championships. He won four consecutive Unlimited races in one year, and remains the only pilot ever to do so. He retired from racing in 1990.

Steve Hinton

Steve Hinton

Steve is now president of Planes of Fame Air Museum with locations in Chino, California and Valle-Grand Canyon, Arizona, and owner of Fighter Rebuilders, a military aircraft restoration company.

On August 14, 1979, Steve set the piston-driven aircraft 3-kilometer world speed record at 499.018 mph in the highly-modified RB51 Red Baron at Tonopah, Nevada. At age 27, he was the youngest person ever to capture the speed record.

On September 16, 1979 while racing the RB-51 in Reno, Steve’s plane suffered catastrophic engine failure. He finished the race in second place, but crashed short of the runway. Although the plane’s fuel erupted in a fireball, the cockpit was thrown away from the fire and Steve survived with a broken back, leg, and ankle.

Steve became the chief test pilot for the Tsunami Racer in 1987. Some of his notable wins in air racing include:

  • 1978, Mojave, Red Baron
  • 1978, Reno (Unlimited National Champion), Red Baron
  • 1979, Miami, Red Baron
  • 1979, Mojave, Red Baron
  • 1985, Reno (Unlimited National Champion), Super Corsair
  • 1990, Sherman, Texas, Tsunami

Steve is a member of the Screen Actors Guild and charter member of the Motion Picture Pilots Association. He has worked on more than 60 films. In 2002 he received a nomination from the World Stunt Awards for the Taurus Award, Best Aerial Work in Pearl Harbor.

News

United buying 40 new 737-700s to upgrade fleet; misses Wall Street forecast

United intends to retire many of its 50-seat regional fleet by 2019 and replace them with larger aircraft. This is just the first buy. FlightGlobal reports United has 256 50-seat regional jets and had “considered the 110-set Bombardier CS100 and both the 90-seat Embraer 190 and 120-seat E190-E2 aircraft.”

Brian's United 737 seat sheet

Brian’s United 737 seat sheet

See alsoUnited, Southwest buy 73 Boeing jets in blow to Bombardier and United Chooses Boeing, doesn’t Eliminate CSeries.

Alaska Airlines Captain David Hans Arntson arrested for flying while drunk

The man faces Federal charges for allegedly flying two Alaska Airlines flights while under the influence of alcohol. Arntson was selected for drug and alcohol testing after he landed at John Wayne Airport.

SkyWest flight attendant charged with making bomb threats on two flights in North Dakota and Virginia

Former SkyWest flight attendant Justin Cox-Sever faces Federal charges for making bomb threats on several flights. In one case, he claimed he was being extorted, but he later recanted that claim.

America’s drone crisis revealed

A Washington Post investigation says that over 400 large U.S. military drones have crashed since 2001. In one incident, the pilot didn’t realize she had been flying the aircraft upside-down. In another, the pilot didn’t notice he had squeezed the wrong red button on his joystick, putting the plane into a spin.

How a Namib Desert beetle could help stop frost on airplanes

Scientists at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute think they have learned something about controlling frost from a beetle that lives in the desert. The Namib Desert beetle can collect water in the air through bumps on its shell which then directs water droplets into the beetle’s mouth. The scientists believe they can scale this up to work on large objects, like airplanes.

Seaport Airlines dunks San Diego

Seaport Airlines based in Portland, Ore., has been forced to drop some routes because of a pilot shortage. Seaport executive vice president Tim Sieber said, “A lot of regional airlines are undergoing this challenge right now, one we think will last a long time.” He said once Seaport pilots accumulate 1,500 hours of flight time, they typically leave for more lucrative jet-flying jobs on bigger airlines, and their vacancies are not being filled fast enough by newly-licensed pilots. “We’ve downsized the airline to one where we can focus on providing a reliable level of service with our smaller fleet,” Sieber said.

The Airplane of the Week

David tells us the history of the Boeing P-26A Peashooter.

Boeing P-26A Peashooter

Boeing P-26A Peashooter at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum, by David Vanderhoof

Listener Recordings

  • Christopher Sims talks about affordable air charter travel, and creating a secondary charter market.
  • Our “Main(e) Man” Micah brings us the last conversation on the A-10. Maybe.

Mentioned

  • Drone Magazine UK interviewed Max Flight for their January 2016 article (Issue#2) about drone podcasts. Find more about the magazine at their Facebook page.

Credit

Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at brotherloverocks.com.

AirplaneGeeks 380 SkyWest Airlines

SkyWest CRJ200
Conversation with the Vice President of Flight Operations at SkyWest Airlines, including pilot applicant qualifications, training, and pay. Also, Ryanair takes aim at Google and online travel agent eDreams, an AirAsia Flight 8501 crash report, and new planes for the Blue Angels.

Guest

Guest Tracy Gallo is Vice President of Flight Operations with SkyWest Airlines, a regional airline headquartered in St. George, Utah and flying as United Express, Delta Connection, Alaska Airlines, and American. SkyWest serves 205 cities in 44 states, 6 Canadian provinces, Mexico, and the Bahamas with 656 aircraft and over 3, 000 pilots.

We talk about employment opportunities for pilots at SkyWest, requirements for applicants, the training provided, and pay and job progression.

Tracy was named to his current position in 2014, and he’s responsible for all areas of SkyWest’s flight operations, including the airline’s Flight Training and Crew Scheduling, and he oversees the development and implementation of operations policies related to safety and efficiency.

Tracy joined SkyWest in 1993 as a pilot and he gained experience with the Flight Operations Department through a progression of roles, including flight instructor, simulator instructor, and check airman. As the director of Flight Training, he oversaw SkyWest Airlines’ industry-leading flight training program, and the implementation of Advanced Qualification Program (AQP) training.

News

Ryanair launches legal action against Google and eDreams

If you perform a Web search for Ryanair, you’ll likely see a paid placement at the top of the results for Ryanair tickets sold by online travel company eDreams. Michael O’Leary thinks eDreams and Google are “deceiving consumers” and has started a legal challenge in the Irish High Court to stop the “false advertising practices.”

Malfunctions, Pilot Response Blamed in AirAsia Flight 8501 Crash

Investigators from Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee say the crash of AirAsia Flight 8501 on December 28, 2014 while en route from Indonesia to Singapore was the result of system malfunctions, cascading electrical and rudder-system problems, and the failure of pilots to respond properly. A cracked solder joint, an electrical interruption, warnings of a rudder malfunction, and confusion in the cockpit conspired to bring the plane down.

Regional Airlines Seek Reduced Minimum Pilot-Experience Mandate

The Regional Airline Association is unhappy with the 1500-hour experience rule for First Officers and wants to reduce the requirement while improving training and supervision.

Compass Airlines gives first-year pilots 40 percent raise

Compass Airlines has agreed to a 40 percent pay raise for first-year first officers, and to provide commuting pilots with four paid hotel stays per month. The Compass fleet includes Embraer 170 and 175 regional jets flying as Delta Connection and American Eagle.

America’s Most Secret Airline Now Accepting Pilot Applications

Janet (Just Another Non Existent Terminal) is the secret airline that transports military and contractor employees to sensitive locations, like Area 51. It’s operated by defense contractor AECOM for the USAF, and they need a First Officer. As explained in the job posting (First Officer (Pilot) in Las Vegas Nevada United States), you’ll need a top secret government security clearance and a Boeing 737 type rating.

Lawyer Is Refused Boarding on La Guardia Flight After Revolving-Door Mix-Up

A Texas lawyer was viewed dimly by a Virgin America employee as the two passed through a revolving door. The lawyer was later refused boarding on his flight home.

USN moves to modify Super Hornet for Blue Angels role

The US Navy Blue Angels demonstration team looks to move on to a squadron of Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornets.

The Australia News Desk

Steve is back in the studio so the sound quality is up and so is the number of stories:

and something about Stanwell Park.

Across the Pond

English Electric Lightning F1A by Mike Freer

English Electric Lightning F1A by Mike Freer (Touchdown-aviation) at RNAS Yeovilton (8 September 1973)

Pieter lights the touch paper with David on the English Electric Lightning

Test Pilot TV Series 1986 – The English Electric Lightning

Mentioned

Shawn's Piper Twin Comanche flight sim

Shawn’s Piper Twin Comanche flight sim

Van’s RV-4 VH-NOJ by Ryan Hothersall

Van’s RV-4 VH-NOJ by Ryan Hothersall

Credit

Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at brotherloverocks.com.

AirplaneGeeks 360 Different Sides of Aviation

Conversation with a retired charter pilot and freight dog, UTC agrees to sell Sikorsky to Lockheed Martin, Solar Impulse 2 grounded, a SkyWest high altitude “slow speed event,” new NASA astronauts, Piper woes, fault found with an air traffic controller, and United pays out in bug bounty program.

Guest

Kimber C. Turner

Kimber C. Turner

Kimber C. Turner is both a retired airline pilot with over 18,000 hours of flight time, and a former radio talk show host. Now he is out of the sky and off of the air. In his retirement, Captain Turner does some voiceover work, and an occasional guest spot on the radio.  He also writes a book now and then.

Kimber was a Captain on the Airbus A-300 for the last ten years of his career and a Captain on the Boeing 727 before that.  He has written three books so far.

The first is “Crooked Creek Farm” which is a humor book about a city family moving to the farm.

The other two books are aviation-related. Freight Dog: The Dark Side of Aviation is an exposé and memoir that covers Kimber’s path to an airline career at DHL, and the company’s missteps and eventual downfall.  Kimber flew for DHL for over 24 years.

In Learjets and Layovers: The Bright Side of Aviation, Kimber shares tales of adventurous travel and layovers in exotic locals and encounters with celebrities during his charter and airline days.

Find Kimber at kimbercturner.com, and on Amazon.com.

News

United Technologies Announces Agreement To Sell Sikorsky Aircraft

United Technologies plans to sell Sikorsky to Lockheed Martin for $9 billion in cash. Sikorsky will become part of Lockheed Martin’s Mission Systems and Training division, and not a separate entity.

United Technologies is the parent corporation of aerospace companies Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky, Hamilton Sundstrand, and Goodrich, and building and industrial systems companies Otis, Carrier, and Kidde.

Solar Impulse 2 to stay grounded in Hawaii until next April at earliest

The flight across the Pacific was considered to be the riskiest part of the Solar Impulse 2’s journey around the world. And they successfully completed the leg to Hawaii. But there was a problem with the batteries: They overheated on the first day of the trip from Japan to Hawaii. Lacking any means to cool them down, the batteries are ruined. The Solar Impulse 2 will stay in Hawaii until repairs can be made.

After Plane Stalls Mid-Flight, FAA Slaps SkyWest with Altitude and Speed Restrictions

The FAA says last April, a SkyWest plane experienced a stall en route from Denver to Oklahoma City. The plane rapidly descended from 39,000 feet to 27,000 feet, then landed without incident at Oklahoma City.

In a statement to ABC News, SkyWest said, “Months ago, one SkyWest CRJ aircraft experienced an isolated slow speed event, which is when an aircraft reaches less than optimal speeds. The aircraft’s slow speed alert systems functioned perfectly, and the crew responded appropriately with a 4,000-foot descent. No stall occurred.”

NASA picks 4 astronauts to fly 1st commercial space missions in couple years; all test pilots

NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden named four test pilots who will fly on capsules built by private companies SpaceX and Boeing. The commercial crew astronauts are:

  • Air Force Col. Robert Behnken, who was head of the astronaut office;
  • Air Force Col. Eric Boe, part of shuttle Discovery’s last crew;
  • retired Marine Col. Douglas Hurley, pilot of the final shuttle crew; and
  • Navy Capt. Sunita Williams, who has been to the International Space Station twice.

Piper To Lay Off Up To 150 Workers

Sales are sluggish and Piper plans to cut its workforce of 750 employees by 15 to 20 percent.

Newark air traffic controller blamed for near collision, but was it really his fault?

An ExpressJet Embraer waited 15 seconds before starting his takeoff roll, which allowed a United Airlines jet to fly closer to the runway intersection at Newark Liberty International Airport where the near collision occurred. The NTSB says fault lies solely on the Newark air traffic controller.

United Airlines Pays a Man a Million Miles for Reporting Bug

Jordan Wiens, owner of the security firm Vector 35, found a remote-code execution flaw in United’s website and won a million miles in the United bug bounty program.

Aircraft of the Week

David tells the story of FRED, which has a familiar ring to it.. Due to cost overruns, some wanted the program cancelled. After several expensive fixes, Congress didn’t want to let the Air Force retire the aircraft.

The Australia News Desk

Well, Grant finally made it away for his vacation….but not to Bali as originally planned.  Instead, he and his lovely wife flew halfway across the Pacific to Fiji.  Now, of course, you’d think he’d be living it up on the beach and all, but Grant still managed to find his way to a local airport from where he filed a quick report for us.

1948 Cessna 195

1948 Cessna 195

Otter Departing

Otter Departing

DragonFly Luxury Yacht

DragonFly Luxury Yacht

Look Left Look Right Look Up

Look Left Look Right Look Up

Across the Pond

French Navy Rafale - Air Day 2015 Copyright XTPMedia

French Navy Rafale – Air Day 2015 Copyright XTPMedia

Pieter reports in from Air Day 2015 where he gets to see the new Mk1 Swordfish in the air as well as the Seafire from the Royal Navy Historic Flight. The show is lit up with lots of great aviation noise, notably from the Avro Vulcan XH558 “The Spirit of Great Britain” making her last season of displays and the RNHF Sea Vixrn. But Pieter’s report leaves us with the sound of the French Navy Rafale doing its solo display after displaying with two Super Etendards.

RNHF Sea Vixen - Air Day 2015 Copyright XTPMedia

RNHF Sea Vixen – Air Day 2015 Copyright XTPMedia

Mentioned

  • Max was Adam Knight’s guest on Episode 16 of the Go Flying Australia Podcast, talking about UAV’s.

Listener Photos

Innovations in Flight Family Day and Outdoor Aviation Display

Photos from the June 20, 2015 event at the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum by Kevin:

Radial

DSC_4476e_600

DSC_4521e_600

DSC_4459e_600

Aerial Firefighting in California

David sent in this dramatic photo:

BAE146_600

Credit

Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at brotherloverocks.com.

Episode 109 – Plane Gabbing with Gavin

Guest Gavin Werbeloff is a long time aviation enthusiast who tweets as travel_buddha. He’s active on the online aero community, initially through fleetbuzz and then flyertalk, and he’s written a few pieces for travelcrisis.com.

The week’s aviation news:

Mentions:

Follow the @AirplaneGeeks on Twitter and on Facebook, send us email at thegeeks@airplanegeeks.com, or leave a message on our listener line: (361) GEEKS01.

Opening and closing music is provided by Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at http://www.brotherloverocks.com/.

Episode 99 – Bits and Pieces

Photo by Seb Spencer

In this episode, Rob, Max, and David discuss aviation news, with a focus on odd stories. Then Dan brings in Tom from The Airline Blog to talk about some additional stories. David has six interviews from the 2010 Joint Service Open House, as well as his usual This Week in Aviation segment. Finally, Steve and Grant have this week’s Australia Desk report.

The news:

Follow the @AirplaneGeeks on Twitter and on Facebook, send us email at thegeeks@airplanegeeks.com, or leave a message on our listener line: (361) GEEKS01.

Australia Desk Report music is Journey of the Sorcerer by The Eagles, used in the British TV version of the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy.

Post photo courtesy listener Seb Spencer.

Opening and closing music is provided by Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at http://www.brotherloverocks.com/.