My faint but best memory of CH9/AA/DC10 was a "People" Express (SFO-LHR) requesting FL30 or above and being ignored by ATC for nearly 15 mins after which our flight paths diverged. I am totally ignorant about how these requests are handled but I thought it odd that ATC didn't provide basic courtesy of an explanation why the routine request could not be satisfied.

(Written on 03/17/2023)(Permalink)

How was the reindeer sausage for breakfast?

(Written on 03/03/2023)(Permalink)

In the early 80s, an AA DC-10 pilot did slow dips over Grand Canyon for nearly 10 minutes after receiving permission from ATC. (I was on Channel 9 listening to the request and approval + a lot more that's off-topic).

(Written on 03/03/2023)(Permalink)

When will we know what exactly happened?

(Written on 02/24/2023)(Permalink)

Some detailed "optimization" scenarios must have been conducted whose results filtered upwards to management for this decision? Perhaps some details will "leak" for us to understand the numbers with some confidence level.

(Written on 05/15/2020)(Permalink)

Sincerely sorry for the younger generation of pilots especially given the worldwide forecasts of previous years.

(Written on 05/15/2020)(Permalink)

Will the Iranian government release the data from the recorders so that there is a clear demonstration of the flight path? There are too many lies from the Iranian sides (civil and military) to satisfy even neutral observers. For example, was the flight being tracked at all at the base near the airport?

(Written on 01/18/2020)(Permalink)

I flew a few times in an "orange colored" 747 (no prizes for guessing the company!) between Heathrow and Houston around 1978. All that rattling during takeoff was something that we shared with our peers (with smiles, of course) who traveled more regularly than I ever did. Truly fascinating to acquire more knowledge on the 747 engineering.

(Written on 01/17/2020)(Permalink)

What happened to lead FBI investigator for that "sad" event? Fell off the radar after a few months of forensic work?

(Written on 01/17/2020)(Permalink)

I believe the AN-225 used to visit KIAH in the past. It may have been the AN-124 if I'm mistaken although it would be difficult to mistake the former by a more experienced person than myself.

(Written on 08/30/2019)(Permalink)