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Aviation Geeks unite?! Anybody else care about planes here?

What's your level of interest in aviation?!


  • Total voters
    50
Boeing doesn't fucking learn.

It's be reported that pilots were "inappropriately coached" during the recertification process for the 737-max.

If there's any substance to the claims, the certification revoked pending further investigation to make sure that the aircraft is truly safe to fly.

Boeing is currently under criminal investigation over the max and this should be looked into as well.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/boeing-coached-pilots-737max-senate-report-1.5848305

Boeing is run by Bean Counters. During the McDonnell Douglas Merger, somehow the Bean Counters took over management and kicked out all the engineers from upper management.
 
He was actually employed by Northrop as part of a marketing campaign for the F-20, which they had financed themselves and were trying desperately to sell as an F-16 alternative. IIRC it was around the time of The Right Stuff movie, so he was at the height of his public image.

Yeager and the Tigershark even crossed over to auto parts commercials:
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I remember Yeager's commercials on TV promoting it. That's weird, if you think about it. In an age where broadcast TV advertises prescription meds, class action lawsuits, lawyers and dubious gold investment schemes, the idea a huge defense firm would be trying to sell fighter planes while you're waiting for the game to come back on, seems implausible.

Northrop took a huge hit on that. That level of defense funding is political, and Northrop tried to do it on the merits instead. It was a better fighter than the F-16, and would have sold better abroad the General Dynamics F-16, most likely. But I've worked for N-G and G-D, so no horse in that fight :D

It wasn't the last time Northrop and later Northrop Grumman would go it alone trying to push some idea on their own hoping the government would buy in. The most recent was OmegA. It was a great idea 30 years too late.
 
I remember Yeager's commercials on TV promoting it. That's weird, if you think about it. In an age where broadcast TV advertises prescription meds, class action lawsuits, lawyers and dubious gold investment schemes, the idea a huge defense firm would be trying to sell fighter planes while you're waiting for the game to come back on, seems implausible.

Northrop took a huge hit on that. That level of defense funding is political, and Northrop tried to do it on the merits instead. It was a better fighter than the F-16, and would have sold better abroad the General Dynamics F-16, most likely. But I've worked for N-G and G-D, so no horse in that fight :D

It wasn't the last time Northrop and later Northrop Grumman would go it alone trying to push some idea on their own hoping the government would buy in. The most recent was OmegA. It was a great idea 30 years too late.



Now I picture someone in a fighter plane pulling up to a Caltex "fill her up"
 
Boeing is currently under criminal investigation over the max and this should be looked into as well.

Some FAA officials going to jail would send quite a message, but I won't hold my breath. The story remains disgusting.

I remember Yeager's commercials on TV promoting it. That's weird, if you think about it. In an age where broadcast TV advertises prescription meds, class action lawsuits, lawyers and dubious gold investment schemes, the idea a huge defense firm would be trying to sell fighter planes while you're waiting for the game to come back on, seems implausible.

I knew I had seen an F-20 commercial on TV, but I wasn't sure if it was run in an actual commercial spot or if I saw one of their industrial promo films on the news or something.

That level of defense funding is political, and Northrop tried to do it on the merits instead. It was a better fighter than the F-16, and would have sold better abroad the General Dynamics F-16, most likely.

You probably know better than me, but IIRC the Reagan administration kind of pulled the rug out from under Northrop by loosening export restrictions on the F-16. Overseas customers figured since the US had chosen the F-16 that was what they wanted to buy; the F-20 must be second-best.

Moving on: How did I miss this? Delta retired its MD-80s and -90s this past summer, blaming the Covid slump. They were the last US carrier to operate them in scheduled passenger service. The related 717 remains in their fleet, for now, but I will miss seeing the stretched jets, especially with the Pratt & Whitneys. So long, Mad Dogs!
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I love the French

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And some love for these giant monsters

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Being a former maintainer of heavies and fighters in the USAF and in a Navy rotor wing..........I do enjoy popping in to this thread once and a while to catch up!
 
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