AA No-Flap Takeoffs for Fuel Savings
I was on an AA MD-80 flight about a year and a half ago when the Captain announced beforehand that the airplane would be traveling faster down the runway because of a fuel conserving reduced flap takeoff. I think he also mentioned that the wheels might be noiser when they were retracted. I enjoy flying on AA flights and was impressed by the Captain's forethought. It may have been too much information for a nervous nanny, but the junior wanna-be pilots out there probably thought it was interesting. For what it's worth, my old legacy carrier is still trying to figure out how to save fuel by reducing APU use. I wrote the CP about 5 years ago to suggest that. Good work. He's at his second job since leaving that carrier. They just announced that they are sending teams into the field to inventory and inspect GSE to ensure that the appropriate equipment is available at the gate. It's a few days late and a few billion dollars short, but still a great idea. The Captain who told me not to bother shutting off the APU as we walked away from the last flight of the day deserves his 50% paycut and pension in the toilet. P.S. there was a big fuel split the next day in the wing tanks because the APU ran for hours and hours needlessly. Everyone else at that carrier should be rewarded for their hard work. Well, not the guy who droned on and on for three days on my last trip at the company about how how excited he was at the prospect of making extra $$$ by picking up open time as the company cut back crews - even in the bus to the parking lot after the trip, he just wouldn't shut up about it. He deserves what he got. P.S. I probably made more than him last year flying outside of Part 121 ops. Oops, one more idiot to add to the list of those deserving their fate. The moron who, immediately after the furloughs were announced, exclaimed loudly in the junior base's crew room: "Well, at least I won't have to fly with so many new guys." You deserve your humble pie. Everyone else there who made it a joy to come to work and do my best to support the team, thank you. I hope you retire on easy street soon! Good luck to you and everyone else trying to save the industry. Nice job AA adapting and innovating to save a buck and some jobs while providing good service!
