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Confessions of a New Corporate Pilot
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In the Citation III Confessions of a New Corporate Pilot
Life would be sweet, I thought, now that I’d successfully passed my Cessna Citation III (CE-650) type rating check ride (this was a few years back). It meant I’d be flying my first swept-wing jet. Surprisingly, my first day at the new job at Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) would also be the first time I’d been up close to a real Citation III since all the training and even my check ride happened in FlightSafety’s full-motion simulator.
From my research, though, I knew the 650’s cabin was roomy enough for eight, and its rocket-like performance was nothing short of spectacular with a VMO (maximum operating Mach) of Mach 0.85 and 39,000 feet on a standard day. In its day, M.83 was pretty fast. That meant we could make the West Coast out of PWK with four people in the back. I learned quickly, too, that the 650’s awesome performance meant I needed to stay much farther ahead of the airplane than I’d had to in the much slower Citation II (CE-550) I’d been flying in a 12-pilot charter department.
A privately held corporation owned this Citation III and I was the junior of three pilots. The chief pilot, my new boss, brought experience from several other flight departments, while the other pilot, I’ll call him Tom well, I was never really too sure where Tom had come from because the guy kept to himself as much as possible and wasn’t the chatty type. That made three-hour flights long when the entire conversation at FL390 ended with an occasional shrug of the shoulders.
But who cared what one guy acted like, I thought. I was there to learn how to fit into a flight department that needed another pilot on their team. Just like in charter flying, my job was to keep the people in the back happy. I came to know these passengers much better than we ever did in the charter world. These folks sometimes invited the flight crew to their home on Nantucket when we overnighted there.
The Interview
Looking back on this job now though, I guess the 10-minute interview the chief pilot and I engaged in before he offered me the job should have been a tip-off that maybe something was a little odd. But with a four-year-old daughter growing up at home, the chance to dump my charter department pager that always seemed to ring at 2 a.m. beckoned hypnotically.
Cessna Citation CE-650 Corporate line training began right away with me flying in all kinds of weather, where I regularly rotated flying left seat with the chief pilot and Tom. Having flown left seat on the Citation II, I wasn’t brand new to jets, just speedy ones.
After a few months, however, I began to notice a few operational oddities that started making me a little uncomfortable. Some sketchy flight planning and questions I asked were sometimes answered with annoyed expressions. If I appeared not to agree, someone might ask if I’d finished all the Jepp revisions (In those days there were no electronic subscriptions. Updates were handled by hand). I found the best solution for getting along seemed to be to just shut up and fly the airplane. Ignoring those distractions did help me pay closer attention to the little things that made my flying the jet smoother.
Then again … On one flight back from Cincinnati (CVG), I was flying left-seat with the chief pilot in the right. I wanted to add fuel before we left since the Chicago weather was questionable, but the boss overruled me explaining, “We’re fat on fuel.”I didn’t say anything. As we approached PWK, the ATIS reported the weather had worsened, considerably. The Swiss cheese holes began to align when Chicago Approach dumped us early. We ended up burning more fuel than planned. I flew the ILS right down to minimums, but my scan uncomfortably included the fuel gauges every few seconds. After a safe landing, we taxied in with 700 pounds of Jet-A, not much for an airplane that burns 1,800 pounds an hour down low. What if we’d missed at Chicago Executive Airport and needed to run for Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport I wondered? We’d have arrived on fumes. The boss looked at me after we shut down. “Don’t tell me that whole thing bothered you. It all turned out fine, didn’t it?” (more…)
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Remembering Gordon Baxter: Bax Seat was a Flying Magazine Reader Favorite
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(Reposted by request)
Each time I stand near my desk, my eyes naturally focus on the framed cover of the August 1983 Flying magazine. Below it is page 100, the “I Learned About Flying from That” (ILAFFT), where my first column appeared. On it, the author of Bax Seat, scrawled in brown ink, “To my friend Rob Mark. His story, my push. Gordon Baxter, August 5, 1983.”
Many months before, Gordon Baxter had given me the Flying editor’s phone number. When I rang with my brief pitch, all I heard was “yes.” I suddenly had an assignment for my first column. That 1983 issue was the first, but not the last, time my name and stories appeared in the aviation industry’s iconic magazine. That same issue also ran a pilot report about the then-new Cessna Citation III, an aircraft I later added to my list of type ratings. Looking back, there were so many aspects of my aviation career that came to life around Bax and that August 1983 issue, not the least of which was that we became friends.
Gordon Baxter, Bax as he preferred folks call him, helped shape my career as an aviation journalist like no one before him and only a few people since. The author of 13 books, Bax’s own magazine writing career at Flying spanned 25 years. His monthly column, Bax Seat, focused on vivid descriptions of his adventures. It was known simply as “Bax Seat.” Did I mention he was also a long-time radio personality in Beaumont, Texas, another interest we shared.
A Bit of Bax’s Background
I first met Bax in the mid-1970s. He brought his show, his act, or whatever the heck he called his evening of storytelling, to the Stick and Rudder Flying Club at Waukegan Airport. I was a tower controller not far away at Palwaukee Airport. Having been an avid Flying reader since high school, I switched shifts with another controller so I wouldn’t miss the event. Bax captured the audience for over an hour with stories from his flying career and his columns that often alternately “em rollin’ in the aisles” with gut-wrenching laughter and an emotional Texas-guy style that also brought tears to many an eye. Another way to think of Bax’s storytelling night was like an evening of improv but all about flying and airplanes.
Born in Port Arthur, Texas, he learned to fly after World War II following his stint as a B-17 turret gunner. Bax was no professional pilot—just a guy with a private certificate, an instrument rating, and eventually his beloved Mooney. On the back cover of one of his books, appropriately titled Bax Seat, Flying’s Stephan Wilkinson said “Bax tries to pass himself off as a pilot, but don’t believe him. He never could fly worth a damn. But Gordon feels airplanes, loves and honors them in ways that the rest of us are ashamed to admit. And he’s certainly one of the few romantics who can express what he feels so perfectly.” I couldn’t have written that myself, but I, too, felt it.
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Making the Brazilian ATR-72 Spin
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Note: This story was corrected on August 10th at 10:23 am, thanks to the help of a sharp-eyed reader.
Making an ATR-72 Spin
I wasn’t in Brazil on Friday afternoon, but I saw the post on Twitter or X (or whatever you call it) showing a Brazil ATR-72, Voepass Airlines flight 2283, rotating in a spin as it plunged to the ground near Sao Paulo from its 17,000-foot cruising altitude. All 61 people aboard perished in the ensuing crash and fire. A timeline from FlightRadar 24 indicates that the fall only lasted about a minute, so the aircraft was clearly out of control. Industry research shows Loss of Control in Flight (LOCI) continues to be responsible for more fatalities worldwide than any other kind of aircraft accident.
The big question is why the crew lost control of this airplane. The ADS-B data from FlightRadar 24 does offer a couple of possible clues. The ATR’s speed declined during the descent rather than increased, which means the aircraft’s wing was probably stalled. The ATR’s airfoil had exceeded its critical angle of attack and lacked sufficient lift to remain airborne. Add to this the rotation observed, and the only answer is a spin.
Can a Large Airplane Spin?
The simple answer is yes. If you induce rotation to almost any aircraft while the wing is stalled, it can spin, even an aircraft as large as the ATR-72. By the way, the largest of the ATR models, the 600, weighs nearly 51,000 pounds.
Of course, investigators will ask why the ATR’s wing was stalled. It could have been related to a failed engine or ice on the wings or tailplane. (more…)
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How the FAA Let Remote Tower Technology Slip Right Through Its Fingers
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In June 2023, the FAA published a 167-page document outlining the agency’s desire to replace dozens of 40-year-old airport control towers with new environmentally friendly brick-and-mortar structures. These towers are, of course, where hundreds of air traffic controllers ply their trade … ensuring the aircraft within their local airspace are safely separated from each other during landing and takeoff.
The FAA’s report was part of President Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act enacted on November 15, 2021. That bill set aside a whopping $25 billion spread across five years to cover the cost of replacing those aging towers. The agency said it considered a number of alternatives about how to spend that $5 billion each year, rather than on brick and mortar buildings.
One alternative addressed only briefly before rejecting it was a relatively new concept called a Remote Tower, originally created by Saab in Europe in partnership with the Virginia-based VSATSLab Inc. The European technology giant has been successfully running Remote Towers in place of the traditional buildings in Europe for almost 10 years. One of Saab’s more well-known Remote Tower sites is at London City Airport. London also plans to create a virtual backup ATC facility at London Heathrow, the busiest airport in Europe.
A remote tower and its associated technology replace the traditional 60-70 foot glass domed control tower building you might see at your local airport, but it doesn’t eliminate any human air traffic controllers or their roles in keeping aircraft separated.
Max Trescott photo Inside a Remote Tower Operation
In place of a normal control tower building, the airport erects a small steel tower or even an 8-inch diameter pole perhaps 20-40 feet high, similar to a radio or cell phone tower. Dozens of high-definition cameras are attached to the new Remote Tower’s structure, each aimed at an arrival or departure path, as well as various ramps around the airport.
Using HD cameras, controllers can zoom in on any given point within the camera’s range, say an aircraft on final approach. The only way to accomplish that in a control tower today is if the controller picks up a pair of binoculars. The HD cameras also offer infrared capabilities to allow for better-than-human visuals, especially during bad weather or at night.
The next step in constructing a remote tower is locating the control room where the video feeds will terminate. Instead of the round glass room perched atop a standard control tower, imagine a semi-circular room located at ground level. Inside that room, the walls are lined with 14, 55-inch high-definition video screens hung next to each other with the wider portion of the screen running top to bottom.
After connecting the video feeds, the compression technology manages to consolidate 360 degrees of viewing area into a 220-degree spread across the video screens. That creates essentially the same view of the entire airport that a controller would normally see out the windows of the tower cab without the need to move their head more than 220 degrees. Another Remote Tower benefit is that each aircraft within visual range can be tagged with that aircraft’s tail number, just as it might if the controller were looking at a radar screen. (more…)
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A Sign of Ice
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Ed note: While this story is a bit dated, the winter-flying lessons are not.
Inexperience, stupidity, get-home-itis — take your pick. Any of them applied to me one late November evening as I cruised Just east of Chicago’s Loop with an electric night sign slung beneath the belly of an old but well-running Champion Citabria. It was supposed to be a routine advertising trip over Soldier Field adjacent to Merrill C. Meigs Airport (the late CGX). I’d flown the trip many times, and I knew the area well. At the time, I’d logged about 400 hours and had a fresh commercial certificate under my belt. I was already working on my instrument rating.
The night sign resembled a chicken-wire cage running underneath the aircraft from wing tip to wing tip. When folks on the ground looked up, they’d see words appearing to move from the right wing to the left, similar to a moving marquee sign you might see at a shopping center. The sign was usually hung on the Champ in the fall when the nights were longer. We removed it during the summer when I’d use the same airplane to tow banners along the Chicago lakefront. To the aircraft owner, the sign meant extra income. To me, as the pilot, the sign meant extra drag.As I prepared for the flight from Palwaukee Municipal Airport (now Chicago Executive PWK), I was aware that light snow was forecast, but not for nearly three hours after the job would end. Unfortunately, as I approached the plane, I noticed it leaning to one side. The right main tire was flat. After some quick phone calls to the customer about the delay, I managed to find the night mechanic to fix the tire. More than an hour late, I rushed to get airborne into the already darkened sky.
I hadn’t checked the weather for almost two hours, but when I did, DuPage Airport (DPA) to the west was still good VFR. I didn’t think to check the weather at Rockford, about 30 miles northwest of DuPage. If I had, I would have known it was 200 overcast and a half mile in snow.
Giving the Customer Their Money’s Worth
I turned on the night sign while still about six miles north of the target, figuring that the customer had the extra bit of time coming. I circled around the target numerous times, and the conversation with the tower controller at Meigs made it tough to tell who was more bored. I’d been over the target for perhaps half an hour when I saw lightning to the west of the city. I called Chicago Flight Service and learned that DuPage was IFR in snow, with a thunderstorm, too. I had to do something. But with only $3 in my pocket, I wouldn’t even be able to pay for the cab ride back to my apartment if I landed at Meigs. I made a few more passes around the target to give the customer his money’s worth before I bade the Meigs controller good night and headed north up the Lake Michigan shoreline toward Palwaukee. Actually, Palwaukee is northwest of Meigs, but I didn’t like to fly directly over the city at night in a single-engine airplane.
Three miles north of Meigs, drizzle began that sounded like thousands of tiny grains of sand hitting the plexiglass windshield. The visibility was still good, so I figured I was home-free, even though the outside air temperature was near freezing. As I looked toward my destination, I realized that some of the city was beginning to disappear in the precipitation. I thought about it for a minute and decided that it was time to break my rule and fly over the city.
A much newer version of the Champ I flew in this story. The intensity of the rain increased, but only for a short time. Then, the only sound was the constant drone of that 150-horsepower Lycoming. It took me a few minutes to realize why it was so quiet and why I no longer saw the rain streaming across the windshield. It was freezing. I saw tiny drops of ice clinging to the struts and tires; but, most of all, it was clinging to the hundreds of little pieces of wire on that big night sign.
One Stupid Decision After Another
As I looked behind me to the shoreline, I decided that I couldn’t turn around. Palwaukee, now six miles ahead, was reporting three miles visibility in freezing rain. I did the only thing that I thought I could — I climbed — hoping to give myself more time once this big block of ice decided to come down. Straight ahead, the rotating beacon of what was then the Glenview Naval Air Station seemed to beckon. For years, I’d been told that civilian airplanes were not allowed there except in emergencies. The lights of Glenview’s 7,000-foot runway reflected off the ice on my sign as I passed over the field.
Palwaukee was two-and-a-half miles away as I flew a straight-in approach to Runway 30 Right. Even though I was now holding full power, the aircraft began to descend from 1,500 feet AGL. A mile out, I was down to 400 feet agl. The icicles hanging from the night sign looked like stiff tinsel. I held full power almost to the ground. About six feet above the runway I began easing back on the throttle. As the rpm slowed through 2,250, the old Champ gave up the fight and fell to the runway. I don’t think that airplane rolled more than 200 feet before it stopped. The snow, sleet, and freezing rain were now so heavy that I could barely see the tower a half mile away.
As I taxied closer to the fuel pumps, I watched the line attendant’s eyes widen. I shut down and took a few deep breaths before I got out. Now it was my turn to look surprised. The little taildragger looked as though it were encased in clear, shiny plastic.
After I tied the airplane down, I headed for the airport restaurant and some coffee. I ran into one of the charter pilots I knew and told him what had happened. “Why didn’t you land at Meigs?” he asked. “Why didn’t you declare an emergency and land at Glenview?” he continued. “Why didn’t you keep closer track of the weather? What kind of decisions are those?” By now, I realized that most of my decisions had been pretty awful.
There were plenty of options, that night, but I’d been too single-minded to recognize them and make a better decision. There are always other options, but you have to look out the windows to actually see them. And if you’re lucky, you live to tell the tale.
Robert P. Mark, AOPA 634507, is a business jet pilot, a flight instructor and publisher at Jetwhine.com. (This story was originally published by AOPA Pilot and is reprinted here with permission.
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Flying Aero: One Passenger’s Experience
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By Brian T. Coleman
An Aero ERJ prepared for departure For discerning travelers seeking to bypass the hassles of commercial air travel, Aero offers first-class seating on private jets. The luxury airline, based at Van Nuys airport in Southern California, presents a compelling alternative to traditional travel options. Aero flies out of Van Nuys, CA airport to select destinations, including Aspen, Sun Valley, Palm Springs, Las Vegas, Napa Valley, and Cabo San Lucas. They deliver passengers to their destination in style and comfort with a focus on luxury and efficiency. Today was my opportunity to experience Aero service.
Aero was founded by Garrett Camp, co-founder of Uber, with the goal of bridging the gap between commercial first-class and semi-private jet charters, offering scheduled service to select destinations. Essentially, Camp viewed Aero as the Uber of air travel. Service was first launched with flights between the Mediterranean vacation Islands of Mykonos and Ibiza before bringing luxury travel to America. In addition to scheduled flights, Aero offers exclusive flights to major sporting and entertainment events nationwide. Aero operates a fleet of Embraer 135 and Legacy jets configured for between 13 and 19 passengers.
Aero invited me to experience them on a trip from Van Nuys, CA, to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and back. A member of their marketing team directed me to book my reservation on their website so I could have a complete passenger experience. Booking my flight was a seamless process. The most difficult part was deciding on a date that fit my busy schedule. The www.aero.com site was a simple, user-friendly, clutter-free website. It is well laid out with only the basics of what passengers need to make their booking. A nice addition to the site, though, would be a cabin layout graphic so the passenger could easily choose their preferred seat. Of special note, Aero does not fly to every destination every day of the week and offers only seasonal service to some airports.
After booking my reservation, one of their very professional concierge team contacted me and stayed in contact with me throughout the entire process. The concierge team members I worked with were efficient and answered every question I could throw at them. For example, having never flown out of Van Nuys airport, I had no idea where to park. After a text to my concierge, I learned valet parking is available for $45. In addition, the valet company could wash or detail my car while I was traveling, a valuable convenience for busy travelers.
The day before departure, another text message gave me the tail number of the aircraft I would fly to Cabo. On FlightAware, I learned my ERJ-135 was initially delivered to American Airlines in 2006. You would never know any of their ERJ-135s were not brand-new. It’s not uncommon for these planes to move from airline to airline, being completely refurbished in between. Additionally, Aero flies the smaller Legacy 600, which is laid out in a more traditional private jet configuration with seats facing each other.
At Van Nuys
When I arrived at Van Nuys airport, I easily reached the exclusive terminal for Aero passengers at Signature Aviation. Awaiting me on the tarmac were four ERJ-135 aircraft beautifully painted in a deep black livery. They oozed elegance. There was also a smiling valet ready to take my car for its much-needed spa treatment.
In the well-appointed terminal building, Aero provides a private, luxurious atmosphere, with efficient and courteous staff ensuring a smooth check-in process. The waiting area, while comfortable and well lit, could
benefit from a few more amenities. However, there were some delicious fresh pastries, cold drinks in a self-serve refrigerator, and a team member was offering Veuve Clicquot Champagne and a non-alcoholic sparkling wine. As you would imagine, all of this was provided free of charge. Sadly, it didn’t look like any of the other passengers touched the yummy pastries.Aero’s fleet of ERJ-135 jets, includes all-forward-facing seats across eight rows of 1-1 seating, ensuring everyone gets both an aisle and a window seat. They are very similar to domestic first-class seats but with much larger seat pitch. While I didn’t have a tape measure with, I imagine the seat pitch was at least 45 inches. The over wing exit row pitch was even larger. With this spacing, there is plenty of room for everyone. When flying as a regular regional jet, the ERJ-135 is typically configured for up to 37 seats.
An Ontime Departure
Our scheduled takeoff time was 9:30 AM. We were fully boarded in 4 minutes. The captain pushed back … actually, we taxied forward at 9:40 and were in the air four minutes later. Oh the joy of flying out of a non-commercial airport. The flight was scheduled for two and a half hours. The in-flight experience was exceptional, with a modern cabin design, spacious seating, and an attentive flight attendant who ensured all passengers’ needs were promptly met.
There is no inflight entertainment on Aero, but no one seemed to mind as everyone seemed to be using their phone, tablet or computer. I have been wondering for a while now how important IFE is, especially on short flights when everyone has a phone or tablet with hours of content preloaded? All Aero aircraft are equipped with Starlink satellite service which I found to be surprisingly fast and reliable. Running SpeedTest, I consistently received 22 Mbps download and 10Mbps upload speeds with a ping of 4 milliseconds. Very impressive for travel at 40,000 feet in an aluminum tube. Aero also beefed up their fleet with additional soundproofing, so the jets are very quiet, making the journey even more enjoyable.
The complimentary gourmet food offerings provided by Erewhon, an upscale grocery store, were a delightful touch. While the selections were all tasty, the portions were somewhat small. But no one seemed to care but me. The menu offered a choice of Banana Bread Bites with Seasonal Berries, Strawberry Overnight Oats, and Smoked Salmon Tartine. As the flight was almost full, 15 of the 16 seats were occupied, I told the flight attendant to take everyone’s order first and give me whatever remained. I knew I’d be happy with any of the choices. I ended up with a delicious Smoked Salmon Tartine. There were complimentary pre-packaged snacks available as more Veuve Clicquot and other cocktails and soft drinks were offered further enhancing the in-flight dining experience. I’d rate the comfort and service on this flight as excellent.
Using the Lav
A few thoughts on the plane’s lavatory. Although very spacious, the soap and lotion bottles were not secured and ended up in the sink. The flush button is VERY small an in a difficult location some passengers will find difficult to locate. I learned this the hard way since the previous passenger either did not find or chose not to use the flush button. I believe Aero custom-designed the lav or at least chose a different one than what was installed with American Airlines owned the aircraft. This oversight, however small, can lead to some interesting surprises.
Another item I found strange was the quality of the hand towels in the lav. They were very large and thick… a great quality product. However, I was surprised to see them because many passengers typically flush paper towels down the toilet which would clog the system. This is the main reason traditional commercial airlines don’t use regular towels and eventually switched to super thin and quick dissolving paper ones. Now I’m not complaining about having great towels. Again, I’m just surprised that Aero has such a nice product for their lavatories with its potential to disrupt their entire service.
Arrival in Cabo
It was a clear day and the sights going down the Baja peninsula were truly specular. I saw my most favorite town in all of Baja … Bahia de Los Angeles, a tiny village where I’ve been able to scuba dive many times. Its geography makes it super easy to spot from the air. With the Starlink satellite network aboard, I was able to snap a picture of the town and send it to my marine biologist friend, Dr. Hans Bertsch, with whom we have spent many hours underwater observing nudibranch.
After the quick 2.5-hour flight, we landed at 12:15 and taxied to the gate. A highlight of the Aero experience was the efficient and hassle-free arrival at Cabo San Lucas. One of the standout features was the expedited customs and immigration process just for Aero passengers. After landing, passengers were promptly guided through a separate, streamlined lane, significantly reducing wait times. The customs officers were professional and efficient, ensuring the entire process was quick and stress-free. This allowed all to start their vacations almost immediately after landing, without the usual delays associated with international travel. Assistance with luggage retrieval and transport was much appreciated by all the guests and well-organized on the part of Aero.
A travel podcaster’s job is never done. Despite the beautiful location, my real vacation in Cabo would need to wait for another time since I needed to return to Los Angeles on the next flight home, in about 45 minutes. Although Aero does not have a private terminal at Cabo, the waiting area was large and well lit. It included a small bar was where I purchased a drink and snack while waiting to board the flight home. While waiting to board, I engaged in a very pleasant conversation with the bar tender who was born and raised in Cabo. We talked about my experience flying down and my observations of Bahia de Los Angeles. With a big smile, he informed me that he also loves vacationing there. We had a laugh and then it was time to board the flight home.
The concierge in Mexico was originally from London and was awesome. Boarding started at 1:15PM and the door was closed at 1:20. The return flight mirrored the positive experience of the outbound journey. Two of the passengers were cold on this leg and asked for blankets. I thought the temperature was perfect, but the flight attendant adjusted the temperature a bit higher, and everyone was happy.
The food choices on the return flight were from their lunch menu again with items prepared by Erewhon. I had the roast beef sandwich from choices of Asian Chicken Salad and Tibetan Power Salad with Teriyaki Glazed Tofu. After finishing my sandwich, I was still hungry, so I asked the flight attendant if there were any other goodies. She told me there was an extra Asian Chicken Salad. She promptly delivered it to me with an ice-cold Coke.
We landed back at Van Nuys on time, at 3:54. We started deplaning at Signature by 3:56. Yes, only two minutes after touchdown the door was open where another Aero concierge met us. The valet had all the cars waiting and everyone was back to reality and enjoying LA traffic for their ride home or wherever they were headed.
Aero delivers on its promise of a premium flying experience characterized by the comfort, service, and efficient operations of private-jet travel. The airline offers a compelling alternative for discerning travelers seeking a luxurious and hassle-free travel experience. My flight with Aero was a positive experience overall, and I can’t wait to fly them again.
Maybe next time I can spend a few days on the ground and enjoy the destination as much as the flight on Aero.
Author Note: While Aero provided this flight at no cost to me, my opinions are my own. I can’t be bought.
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Brian Coleman, a lifetime IK United premium flyer, is co-host and producer of the popular travel podcast, The Journey is the Reward.
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The Recent Airline Crashes in South Korea and Azerbaijan
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While wandering around online the other day, I ran across Jenny Beatty’s post, which offered practical advice following the Azerbaijan Airlines E-190 and a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 airline crashes. The guidelines are simple but are well worth remembering, especially the passenger alerts. I’ve shared that kind of aircraft exit advice with my wife, daughter, and friends for at least 30 years.Happy New Year. Fly safely.Rob__________________________________________
Boeing 737-800 Post by Jenny Beatty
As I said only days ago, I rarely comment on airplane crashes.
Then I caught a snippet of a CNN news show with a short segment on the Jeju Air Flight 2216 accident within 24 hours of it happening. A live reporter mentioned the black boxes and got the Flight Data Recorder part right. In his summary, however, he mentioned it and “the video recorder.”.
Perhaps he misspoke, a brain fade in the moment of a live on-the-scene report, and meant to say “Cockpit Voice Recorder.” But he led viewers to believe there might be actual cockpit videos, but I don’t think those exist.
It’s true that a few non-U.S. airlines have small video cameras mounted on the flight deck and release videos to the internet for entertainment purposes. Those reels of landings, seen from the pilots’ perspective, are fun to watch! But such cockpit video set-ups are disallowed in the U.S. and uncommon elsewhere — and are unlikely to meet the standards for data preservation in case of an accident.
The Facts
Another popular misconception is that you can listen to an accident aircraft’s Cockpit Voice Recorder tapes. The fact of the matter is, you won’t hear those tapes. What’s widely available online are recordings of pilots and air traffic controllers communicating on ATC radio frequencies, such as from LiveATC. However, the Cockpit Voice Recorder tapes, actual recordings of the pilots' sounds and conversations on the flight deck of an accident aircraft, are never supposed to be released to the public.
Rather, a written transcript of these recordings will be released eventually. Only a few select people are authorized to listen to the actual recordings: Accident investigators, the pilots themselves, and family members of people who perished in the accident. Accident investigators have told me — you do NOT want to hear these recordings. What you hear will haunt you for a long time, perhaps forever.
These misunderstandings are part of what prompted me to sit down and write.
Here’s what I say today:
– U.S. passenger airlines have had 0 (zero) passenger fatalities in the last five years, with the most recent fatalities being in 2019 (1 fatality), 2018 (1), 2009 (50), and 2006 (49).
– Passengers: During taxi, takeoff, and landing, stay alert and keep your shoes and eyeglasses on. Listen to flight attendant briefings, locate the nearest exit and an alternate, and buckle up tight. If there’s an emergency evacuation of the cabin, leave your belongings behind! And if you’re seated in an emergency exit row, ONLY open that exit for an emergency that requires everyone to get out quickly, such as a fire in the cabin. Listen to the flight attendants!
– Airline accident investigations are helped by the “black boxes,” which are actually bright orange and built to withstand impact, fire, and water. The Flight Data Recorder shows the position of flaps, gear, engine power, altitude, airspeed, and 3000 other parameters. The Cockpit Voice Recorder has separate channels to record pilot conversations and sounds on the flight deck, as well as all communications on the radio frequencies in use, including air traffic control and company. Both are running continuously to collect data.
– Accident investigators WILL find out what happened. They will make information available in a preliminary report within a week; the full investigation and final report can take a year or more. Factual information is more useful to us, especially to us pilots, than speculation.
My heart goes out to the grieving families and friends who lost loved ones.
Jenny Beatty is a Boeing 737-800/Max captain for a major US airline.