Kicking Tin

I am not completely OCD or anal retentive, but some things just get me going. How do I know this? They get me going so much that I won’t stop talking and nice people like this evict me from their office and tell me to blog about it.

So here I am. Looking at this image, would you guess that it would be a good place to put most of the accessories of an engine if you were doing a field overhaul? Don’t get me started on the concept of what a “field overhaul” is… just ask yourself, would it make sense to put all the engine accessories on this beautiful wing?

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Popularity: 52%

Lithium Batteries are considered Class 9 dangerous goods -UN3090 not in equipment, and UN3091 in/packed with equipment.

The TSA wants to make sure that any spare lithium batteries you take with you on your flight meet its new standards.

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Popularity: 57%

Prepare Yourself for the Upcoming Icing Season  Icing encounters can be lethal, even for turbine-powered aircraft. Remember the American Eagle pilots who lost control of their ATR-72 after flying into icing over Indiana in 1994? How about the November 2004 crash on takeoff of the Challenger 600 in Montrose, CO, or the February 2005 accident involving a Cessna Citation 560 on approach to Colorado’s Pueblo Memorial Airport? Business aircraft operators based in the northern United States, as well as fliers located in warmer climates who may occasionally fly into colder, ice prone areas, need to be prepared for the icing season.

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Popularity: 67%

 A man was flying from Seattle to San Francisco. Unexpectedly, the plane was diverted to Sacramento along the way. The flight attendant explained that there would be a delay, and if the passengers wanted to get off the aircraft the plane would re-board in 50 minutes. 
 
Everybody got off the plane except one lady who was blind. The man had noticed her as he walked by and could tell the lady was blind because her Seeing Eye dog lay quietly underneath the seats in front of her throughout the entire flight.

He could also tell she had flown this very flight before because the pilot approached her, and calling her by name, said, “Kathy, we are in Sacramento for almost an hour. Would you like to get off and stretch your legs?” The blind lady replied, “No thanks, but maybe Buddy would like to stretch his legs.” 
 
Picture this:
 
All the people in the gate area came to a complete standstill when they looked up and saw the pilot walk off the plane with a Seeing Eye dog ! 
 
The pilot was even wearing sunglasses. People scattered. They not only tried to change planes, but they were trying to change airlines! 
 
True story… Have a great day and remember… 
 
 
THINGS AREN’T ALWAYS AS THEY APPEAR.

Popularity: 57%

Nitrogen Used To Fill Aircraft Oxygen Systems 

Airlines all over the world are being warned to check to make sure there’s actually oxygen in their aircraft oxygen systems after an embarrassing mix-up by Qantas Airlines at Melbourne International Airport. For ten months, crews have been filling airliner oxygen systems from a nitrogen cart that’s supposed to be used to fill tires. The mistake went unnoticed until a couple of weeks ago when an observant aircraft engineer spotted service workers using the cart. “He was walking around the plane and asked what they were doing. When they said they were topping up the oxygen, he said, ‘No you’re not, that’s a nitrogen cart,’” an unnamed source told The Age. As anyone who works with industrial gases knows, oxygen tanks have different fittings than other gases to prevent exactly this kind of mix-up. However, when the crews discovered the fittings on what they thought was their new oxygen cart didn’t fit, they swapped them for the ones on the old cart they were retiring. Of course, Australian officials are looking into the error and Qantas has been busy notifying other airlines that use its services in Melbourne. Hundreds of aircraft may be affected.

Popularity: 58%

SEE WHAT ACCIDENTS HAVE OCCURED AT YOUR AIRPORT

Next time you’re planning a flight to an unfamiliar airport, wouldn’t it be nice to know what kinds of accidents have taken place there, just to get an idea of the things you need to be aware?

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Popularity: 62%

THOUSANDS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NEW SAFETYCAST SEMINARS (From the AOPA - ePilot Volume 9, Issue 48 November 30, 2007 )

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Popularity: 59%

On Sunday, November 11, 2007, a Bombardier Global 5000 (BD-700-1A11) registered as C-GXPR and operated by Jetport, Inc. departed Hamilton, Ontario (CYHM) at approximately 11:53 for a 734nm trip to the private airport at Fox Harbour, Nova Scotia (CFH4). There were eight passengers and two crew on board the aircraft.

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Popularity: 70%

Are important. Whether the flying public will ever realize the importance of good ‘ole stick ‘n’ rudder skills or not, the bottom line is you need to use your feet. KickingTin submitted this video to me in an email. Then I realized…. why does he send me all this *&$# mail when I can put it on his blog. What a great video for us taildragger folks to brag, show off and pontificate.

Popularity: 100%

There are four aviation publications I receive on a regular basis, and which I tend to read cover to cover. I enjoy them all for vastly different reasons (two are even FREE!).

In no particular order, they are; Aviation International News, AOPA PILOT, Flying, and Professional Pilot.

I have always felt that articles relating the trials and tribulations of others as well as those that impart new knowledge (or knock the rust off old knowledge) have special value. If, in our own careers, we encounter situations that caused others significant grief, we may be better prepared under similar circumstances.

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Popularity: 65%