NEW 787 takes off!

Some sweet screen shots from the Paine Field live cam. The 787 ZA102. I watched this cam for 2 hours and no fire balls. Just a white blob taking off. But I guess it is somewhat exciting...

First it taxis down

Then it takes off! 

Anniversary for the "first flight" of the Boeing 787

Many people in the aviation industry think that today is the anniversary of the first flight of the Boeing 787. But is it? With so many delays and delivery push backs it leaves one wondering if an actual 787 has even flown at all yet. In the Everett Boeing plant they do not allow photography, the reason I think for this is that the Dreamlifter is really just a couple 767s with reshaped noses and they didn't want anybody documenting this happening. I think all the ones sitting around the Everett Boeing plant are fakes. The windows are all blacked out hiding the fact that they have not actually been able how to cost effectively
produced their promised magically lit interior? Are they all engine less because the real 787 engines do not exist and the fake wings they have on the aircraft would not support the weight? Did they call it the Dreamliner because that is all it is, some ones random dream never to actually see the light of day? Is the 787 just a way for Boeing to be back in the news and create excitement for their brand without ever actually producing a new plane? To me that is what it seems.

"787" photo thanks to airlinereporter.com

And I thought they had the largest bladders ever.

I have never been on a flight where I have seen the pilots use the lavatories. I just always assumed they had the largest bladders ever or pulled the old Gatorade bottle trick. I have seen in the past other airlines Liveries that explained different things on the plane, and recently while reading the internet I stumbled upon this picture of a livery that explains how the pilots use the toilet mid flight. I just feel bad for the co-pilot.

RyanAir

What can I say, I love their business model. You only pay for the services you need, true capitalism at work.

Paine Pics of the Day

A Ya All Aeroplanes

Do you like Airplanes? Do you like attractive women? Do you know Russian? Well 2 out of 3 isn't bad. Check out this video sent to me by an airline nerd who in the past 2 days has claimed to watch it over 27 times just for the planes...

Moo Moo Buckaroo

Recently I read a blog about Getting a good seat flying Southwest. While I applaud Southwest on a great business model with the bags fly free. I wonder if they have some kind of odd enjoyment in seeing their passengers line up like cattle and fight for seats. The one time I flew southwest was after a business meeting so I happened to get there super early and got a good boarding Letter, I got lucky, or so I thought. That just got me first in the chute to the slaughter house. People packed in behind me trying to shove in front, then when I got on the plane I was lucky to get my self into a seat before everyone pushed past me to try to get what they thought would be the best seat. 


After getting felt up by the TSA the last thing I would want to do is fight for a seat. So here are my simple steps to getting a good seat and overall better experience: 


1. Don't be "cheap" Many times you can get lower fares even if you consider in the $25 bag fee on an airline where you can pick your seats. 


2. Check out SeatGuru.com for the best seats on your plane and select your seat a head of time. 


C. If you are flying with someone else book one of you for the aisle and one for the window. If the flight isn't full you will likely not get a person in the middle. And if the flight is full 99% chance you won't get a freak that insists on keeping the middle seat. They will trade you either the aisle or window. 


4. When you check your bags, flirt with the ticket girl behind the counter, ask her if there are any better seats. If you do it right you might get upgraded to an exit row or a seat they don't typically book ahead of time. 


5. Make sure your carry on is just a little too big to fit under the seat in front of you. That way you get to keep your leg/foot space. And even if you are among the last to board the plane, with a little kindness the stewardesses will find a place for your bag to fit in the overhead compartment. 


6. All the above will take 10 minutes of your time saving you from having to check in 2hours extra early to get a good seat (just make sure you get there before they give up your seat). 


7. After you star in a TSA peepshow. Stop at Starbucks get a coffee. Casually stroll to your gate. When they last call your plane the line should have died down walk to your assigned seat and enjoy your flight. 

TSA Pat Downs, The Untold Story

As with all media bias, we only hear one side of the story. As the TSA pat downs and body scanners make news for what is spun by the media as being egregious, more positive news is left by the wayside. Stories about breast cancer survivors being made to expose their prosthetic breasts and people getting large blades through security despite the pat downs dwarf stories that show the real success of the program, stories like Jonathan McDougal's.

Jonathan is a single, 31 year old suburbanite, Pokemon trading card game champion, and an avid flyer that travels the country in an effort to catch 'em all. Jonathan loves America and loves making it a safe place to live. As far as Jonathan is concerned, the TSA pat downs aren't intrusive enough. Jonathan's story isn't one of sensationalism, just one of a satisfied customer -- a story not being told.

You see, Jonathan has felt unsafe for a long time on flights. He has been worried about the "lack of attention" to detail in security screening for a while now. "I feel much, much safer when I get a really good pat down, the more stern the pat down, the safer I feel. I like it really thorough," he said while grinning. "I mean, you know, like, because then I know everyone is getting that same security screen," Jonathan stated emphatically.

"I've opted out of the backscatter scans every time, I really appreciate the personal service by the TSA agents," Jonathan stated. When asked if he thought the TSA could improve security further, he responded, "There is a good 2 or 3 inches at the top of my inner thigh I could be hiding some sort of bomb that just isn't being checked. If the agents could just get up in there a bit more I'd feel a lot more safe." He later added that the TSA agents need to rotate their hands a bit and use additional strokes to increase their search coverage.

Jonathan is also quoted as saying, "Everyone is being babies about this, the TSA isn't even checking my crack and I could have a blade in there for sure. In fact, I told the last TSA agent that I might have a package hidden back there and she didn't even check. She kind of gave me a disgusted look like, 'Why would I check you, you're clearly a safe flyer' and sent me on my way".

I applaud Jonathan for his courage to step forward and take an unpopular stance in the wake of this media smear campaign.

Is This Amsterdam?

Driving around Paine Field and Boeing I see all these yellow bikes. Sorry for the quality of pictures they are poor even for my standards. I will hope to get some on my next trip out there. Where do these Boeing employees go on these bikes. I have seen them sitting at various locations around Boeing's exterior but have not seen anyone on one to follow them. Is there a secret bunker where gas vehicles would pollute the air too much? Is this Boeing's way of trying to cut healthcare expenses in bariatrics? Any ideas what they are for ?

One Way Transparent Aluminium

While browsing through some of the thousands of awesome airline pics available out there I stumbled upon this one. A windowless Boeing 777. While I didn't see any interior I will have to assume that based on the lack of visible windows they must be made out of one way transparent aluminium. I first heard of this substance back in the 90's (I was too young to see the original premiere) while watching Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Scotty traded the formula for plexiglass to save humpback whales. While I know that was  science fiction, many of the technologies from Star Trek end up as the jumping off point for scientists. It appears Boeing may have had some success in this allowing for a very sleek looking aircraft. Thumbs up Boeing this looks great! 

Picture from: Drewski2112

Pepsi Corporate Jets

Looks like Pepsi ordered a couple new jets with what I can only assume is a sneak peak redesign of their new logo. Looks like these planes are the choice of a new generation of Pepsi flyers.

Putting an Engine together

Looks like I was fooled before, I thought it was a cool new engine design. I didn't know a half done plane would be sitting outside. I thought it was a cool new green plane with awesome engines but who knows if the green is even going to be its real color. Here are some pics of them putting the engine together I got before they started to notice me watching them.

What are they hiding?

If you are at Paine Field in Everett you will see a large number of Boeing 787s sitting around. They all have their windows and doors covered. But what are they hiding? Seeing as I don't have any contacts at Boeing I will have to guess. Boeing could be using them to hide immigrants, maybe they are letting homeless people live in them and don't want the public seeing cause they are doing it just for the true goodness of the act. Whatever they are doing in these planes, one thing is sure they don't want us to see.

Dream Lifter, the worlds largest passenger plane?

Last time we discussed how the Dream Lifter could be a new Vomit Comet. This time I will tell you about the most popular thought I have heard on what the Dream lifter is for, the worlds largest passenger plane. Based on the size it looks like it can hold about 2.5 times as many passengers as the 747 or around 1300 passengers. At first this sounds like there would be a lot of challenges around this many passengers, first how would you get this many people in and out in a timely manner, Boeing thought of this the whole rear end swings wide open meaning you can load all 3 levels of passengers at once. No windows you ask? The newest technology, HD interior window screens. Stewardesses can dim once in flight for the movies.

Yellow Boxes

What are these yellow boxes hanging from the wings of all these planes without engines. These 787s with all the new high tech lightweight material must have the chance of blowing away so they have weigh them down.

A Flying Bridge?

Is this like a transformer? How does it turn into a bridge? Or does it just haul large sections of bridge?

Keeping us safe

From cameras and fences everywhere to men in shiny white vehicles on patrol hanging around Boeing seems like the safest place I can go. Thank You Boeing ! 

New Engine Design?

Another sighting at Paine Field here in Everett. A new jet engine design due to fences and posts it was hard to get a good side picture but this open design engine looks pretty cool to me.

Dream Lifter, A new Vomit Comet ?

We have all heard of the Famous Vomit Comet where astronauts train in a plane that flies a parabolic flight plan, is the Dream Lifter a large version of this? With 3 times the cargo area of its 747 base it could be the Dream of some rich kids to be Lifted to Zero G fun in the new Dream Lifter. Or maybe a movie company will purchase it to build a sound stage and shoot space scenes that show realistic weightlessness. Keep your barf bags handy for this option.

The New Tanker project?

Spotted this plane at Paine field. It looks to be the 767 tanker we have been hearing about. It must be the test model. Seeing it in person It looks way bigger than I thought it would be. In its gray paint it looks like it could be a re-fueler for the Coast guard for the long range Alaskan rescues.