Smiggy

Long-term #avgeek and an occasional frequent flyer with a passion for classic & Soviet aviation. Languages English & Portuguese. Photos mine unless stated.

[Smiggy @Saggitair]

Come on, keep your foot on the gas and we can catch that little Fokker!

[Nick Hoffmann @n194at]

Pan American World Airways
Boeing 727-21 N357PA
“Clipper Berolina ”
Date: 1978
LHR/EGLL London Heathrow Airport
Photo credit Terry Dann
#AvGeek #Airline #Aviation #AvGeeks #Boeing #B727 #PanAm #LHR #London @HeathrowAirport #Heathrow @FlyPanAm @panamhistory 🇺🇸

[Nick Hoffmann @n194at]

Air France
Airbus A300B2-1C F-BVGB Line #6
ORY/LFPO Paris Orly Airport
Date: 1977
Photo credit Gerrit Bouma Collection
#AvGeek #Aviation #Airline #AvGeeks #Airbus #A300 #ORY #Paris #Orly #AirFrance @airfrance 🇫🇷

[Planes…..and classics @ClassicsPlanes]

A Condor B727 seen here in this photo at Athens Hellinikon Airport in April 1986 #avgeeks 📷- Johan Ljungdahl

[Brian Harrison @brianharrison72]

ČSA - Československé Aerolinie Tupolev Tu-154M, OK-SCA LHR/EGLL June 1985. @HeathrowAirport

[Nick Hoffmann @n194at]

Mexicana
Douglas DC-10-15 XA-MEX
LAX/KLAX Los Angeles Intl Airways
August 23, 1986
Photo credit Frank C. Duarte, Jr.
#AvGeek #Aviation #Airline #AvGeeks #Douglas #DC10 #Mexicana #LAX @flyLAXairport #LosAngeles 🇲🇽

[Paul M @MPol0111]

#aviationlovers #aviationgeek #AvGeek #avgeeks #aviation
🤩

[Planes…..and classics @ClassicsPlanes]

An Air France Concorde seen here in this photo at Paris CDG Airport in June 2003 #avgeeks 📷- Johan Knijn

[Dee Lo @deelo190]

Airline pilot here:

I’ve made a few posts, for posterity it seems I should combine them so here goes:

I guess I should lead with the fact that I know LGA really, really well -

And having 1 controller working both ground and tower; late… on a Sunday is straight up normal. Anything you’re hearing about a controller shortage is BS. Should there be 1 guy working? No -

But it’s been that way as long as I can remember.

Second, if you listen to the audio. You can hear the controller try to stop the truck. Which means a few things. The truck took too long to cross after the initial clearance was issued. In LGA shit happens quickly. If you can’t execute you’re immediately stopped. So looking at the truck. He took too long to cross.. which means that he was either in the wrong position when he first called, or he was going too slow. BOTH are wrong. That’s problematic. So if you listen to the guy IN the truck.. he’s nervous. Classic low confidence read back. What that says to me?

He was in training.

Let’s investigate that a little further? If the fire department was going to train someone… you’d do it when it’s “quiet” right? Well, LGA is never more quiet than late, on a Sunday -

You starting to see it yet?

Now, the controller. Was task heavy already (being by himself) working two frequencies in low weather. But again, nothing new there. Especially that guy. I recognize his voice. He’s a rockstar. He can handle it if anyone can.

Now… BEFORE the incident with the truck. It’s important to understand the truck was rolling in response to an emergency.

There was already a United flight that had supposedly aborted a takeoff due to a fume event on the other side of the field.

Usually not something they roll CFR for, BUT if you listen to the earlier audio it’s pretty apparent the United flight crew was basically losing control of the cabin. The flight attendants were running that show.

The United pilots, then respond by (incorrectly) pressing the Controller for a gate -

That’s important to recognize the United crew was pressing the GROUND controller. Because it’s important to recognize that ground IS NOT in charge of gate assignments… so the United crew was pressing the wrong controller, which then put him (the controller) into a spot of trying to coordinate FOR THEM because apparently they don’t know how to do their jobs.

The controller. Went from task heavy to what we call “task saturated.”

Add that little fiasco into the truck moving slower than it should’ve been… poor radio discipline on the truck…

We’re starting to create a scenario, yeah?

Now finally the flight crew.

Could they have gone around?

Should they have gone around?

Now we’re getting into Monday night quarterbacking.

Yes to both… in hindsight.

The reality is. The weather was low. So maybe they couldn’t visually verify that the truck had crossed.

I will say, defacto; a go-around is always an option. Until It’s not. And it’s not once the reversers are out. So to be at 100kts ground speed… the reversers were out.

To see what they saw, you’d have to be in the plane with them or re-create it in a sim.

I will also say.. the truck. DEFINTELY SAW THE LIGHTS COMING DOWN THE RUNWAY.

So, as usual. Multiple things played into it.

…it’s never just one thing, right?

But…

There’s gonna be a lot of focus on the truck -

[AntonovFans @AntonovFans]

Just flown again after more than a year! ❤️

[Smiggy @Saggitair]

@henrywinter Problem is Rudkin. He's on par with the captain of the Titanic. For me, i feel Top has unwavering Thai loyalty to him because of his support during the Vichai tragedy. They may as well be joined at the hip now.

[Smiggy @Saggitair]

@jameshurley_ @henrywinter Most would be season tickets already paid for.

[Smiggy @Saggitair]

The use of FIVE officers to arrest a political dissident at Heathrow was a disgusting waste of resources. The other 4 should have been elsewhere doing their job protecting the public. In the event of any incident they would have nowhere to be seen. Senior officers need to explain

[Smiggy @Saggitair]

Ok its took 116 flights on @Ryanair b4 I fell foul of the cabin baggage size (priority paid) with the same bag I've used on the previous 50+ flts. It was only 3mm (not joking) too fat & was subject to €80 until I showed it was just air inflating it. Guys are keen for €2.50 🫣

[Amsterdam Airport Schiphol @Schiphol]

80 years ago, these Canadian heroes helped free us in the Second World War. Today, they came back to the Netherlands to celebrate liberation 🕊️🥹

[@miami_rick 🇺🇸✈️ @miami_rick]

Alright, regarding this Kendall Swanson situation and the unfortunate yet fortuitous events of Delta 4819 operated by Endeavor.. Kendall was fully qualified to sit where she was. Conditions however were perhaps just outside her level of experience and expertise at the time and although I understand that as a Captain one is called upon to be a teacher and a mentor, there’s a time and a place to teach and mentor. Kendall was given a chance at 26 to fly a commercial airliner, I was given the same chance at 21 so this isn’t about age. No one is born knowing it all. Experience isn’t learned, it’s accrued and accumulated over many years. I hope she can shake this off and continue on with her career. Keep flying.

[Smiggy @Saggitair]

Come on @BarclaysUKHelp my 92 year old father, banked personal and business with you all his life has waited 1 hour 10 mins on the phone for your customer service. Make billions but can't afford a few extra staff. Shame.

[Essiejosie ✈ @Essiejosie]

5 years ago today, I was lucky enough to see #Cargolux LX-VCV B744 op on behalf of Air France Cargo dep rwy 28(L) from the top of the new ATC Tower at #DublinAirport

177703 Royal Canadian Air Force Boeing CC-177 Globemaster III (C-17A) was parked up on the West Apron 🥰✈️

[Essiejosie ✈ @Essiejosie]

#TurkishAirlines TC-LSP A321N arr rwy 28L #DublinAirport with the iconic Poolbeg Chimneys in the background and an #IrishFerries ferry leaving Dublin Port taken from the new ATC Tower during a visit in June 2024 😀✈️

[Smiggy @Saggitair]

#RYR3103 AMS-DUB passing Leicester at FL160. Interesting alt. Thoughts anyone?

[Smiggy @Saggitair]

@Essiejosie 😁🤣🤣