AirTran announces new service to Key West

[Smacktard]

All the B.S. aside. It probably should be a special airport for AAI. 4800ft is a piece of cake for 90% of the guys out there. Its the 10% that would worry me.

If the White Dragon, John R, and Jeffrey C from ASA can land there, Airtran will have no problems...

 

[gt1900]

BTW...Who's Ron? Funny thing is you said I couldn't find TEX on a map.... Your probably right. But I can find it in my sleep all day long. Next time your at Smugglers, tell Tina I want my beer mug. Pretty sure its still on the wall with my name on it! Guess you were wrong, I can find TEX! Besides, one way in and out don't count. Any idiot can do that... Even in a jet! I bet you diverted when the winds got a little too strong out of the west didn't you! If your such a stud, why you worried about a little old 4800ft long runway?

 

[at7driver]

the other thing is its only 100 wide I believe.. the sight picture seems awfully tiny compared to alot of other places.. just dont float or bounce and you'll be fine.. they have some sand on the ends as well, just in case.

 

[jhiflyin]

BTW, Ron says "high".:laugh:

Hey TY would that be Ron K from Great Lakes??

 

[Ty Webb]

No, it'd be Ron B. from Mesa/Cal-Lite days.

 

[Ty Webb]

If your such a stud, why you worried about a little old 4800ft long runway?

I'm not worried about me and a 4800 ft runway, I'm worried about you and a 4800' runway. . . . especially at an Airline that trains by bulletin.

 

[rajflyboy]

All the B.S. aside. It probably should be a special airport for AAI. 4800ft is a piece of cake for 90% of the guys out there. Its the 10% that would worry me.

You Worry me because you still don't understand that the Takeoff is more of a performance problem than the landing!

 

[gt1900]

RAJ.... When was the last time someone screwed up a takeoff? With the exception of a wrong flap setting? What you don't understand is that this is not an A/C performance issue, its a pilot performance issue! The A/C will have no problem, its already been proven on the performance runs... The issue is missing the touchdown zone, having too much speed, and rolling long off the end of the runway. Maybe you don't understand that? If youve flown into a short runway you would know that as well! Don't believe me, just ask SWA! Any idiot can make the T/O numbers work. Hold the brakes, add full power, and go..... I will say it again, maybe you missed the point, AAI already did the testing runs! THEY ALREADY PROVED THE A/C HAS THE PERFORMANCE!!!! Hell, even though Ty and I argue about everything, even he is smart enough to know that the issue is pilot performance when landing, and not T/O performance.

Ty. Sorry, don't know a Ron B at Mesa/Cal light. Only know 2 Ron's, haven't talked to either in over 5 years! BTW. What kind of training do you want AAI to do? The only possible thing would be to make it a "special" airport and allow only a certain few pilots bid Key West. The guys who can do it, can! the guys that can't...... Can't! No amount of training is going to help those that cant fly be able to suddently handle a short runway. How do you "train" someone to land in the touchdown zone? Were not talking TEX, EGE, or ASE here. This is a very easy aiport with the exception of a somewhat short runway.

 

[Captjiggles]

gt,

A good pilot should always take all factors into consideration and not cowboy it like you seem to be interested in. Ty is just being careful and there is nothing wrong with that.

 

[gt1900]

Capt. I agree 100%. But what do you do? Train 400 737 captains how to land in the touchdown zone? Send everyone to the sim? What if a guys doesn't show he can proficiently land there? Make it a special airport based off seniority? What if a senior guy can hold it but can't fly it? You either have to train everyone, or no one. All Ty does is mouth off about everything, without giving anyone any idea how to make things work. Hell, even his buddies say that. Im all for making it a special airport and allowing it to be bid on proficiencey and seniority. But, the rumor I heard was that the company went to the union with that and the union said NO. I was honestly a little suprised AAI anounced it after that. But the proving runs must have shown that it really wasn't a big deal to operate the 737 out of the Keys. Interesting that all the guys who have spoke up on this thread have all said it was no big deal. Im sure 737-700 performance is very close to the performance of a 50 seat RJ, big ERJ, or such!

Its funny that he mentioned how he has operated into TEX, and I couldn't possibly handle it. Last time I checked I have landed at TEX somewhere between 500-1000 times. Hes right, I would have a hard time finding TEX on a map, never really looked at one after the first 20 landings. And I would all but gurantee hes never landed on 27, especially in a jet! Hell, TEX is just another airport when you fly straight in and out! Doesn't get fun until you have to keep it inside the road with a stiff breaze blowing out of the southwest, trying to push you into the mountains on base with the big updraft coming from the canyon when your rolling your wings level on short final..... Landing in TEX in the snow is a piece of cake. He11, the minimums are 2000 and 2 miles. In other words, its VFR! As long as you don't turn left on the miss then your fine! But then again, Ty already knew that since hes flown in there so many times!
Pretty sure the 737-700 will be just fine!


http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2006/q3/060729a_nr.html

And he didn't practice...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV4tgjSPgks

 

[Captjiggles]

Hey, I totally agree that EYW should be a special airport. It is with most airlines because swamp effect that creates illusions when the heat rises off of it. I think we should have special training..ie. sim training at least or OE down there. Safety is first. Hopefully MP will be on top of this issue.

 

[Colonel Savage]

BTW...Who's Ron? Funny thing is you said I couldn't find TEX on a map.... Your probably right. But I can find it in my sleep all day long. Next time your at Smugglers, tell Tina I want my beer mug. Pretty sure its still on the wall with my name on it! Guess you were wrong, I can find TEX! Besides, one way in and out don't count. Any idiot can do that... Even in a jet! I bet you diverted when the winds got a little too strong out of the west didn't you! If your such a stud, why you worried about a little old 4800ft long runway?

Was that CAL Express at Telluride? You guys fly for Rocky Mountian before that?

 

[gt1900]

Yep. Cal express!

 

[instructordude]

4800 ft is a pretty long runway in my book. I don't see why landing 1000 ft down the runway would require any special training or simulator. I was taught on a 2800 ft runway during my initial Private licencse training. Give me a break guys.

 

[Colonel Savage]

Then get hired by AAI and show 'em all how it's done.

 

[gutshotdraw]

He doesn't want to give up his job at Taco Bell. He's got seniority. He's moving up to Assistant Manager next year. That's when the big bucks start to roll in.

 

[Adiabatic Pilot]

Yawn. . . . I hate to break it to you, ace, but I was based at a 5100' strip for two years, and the jet I was flying had higher ref speeds, manual spoilers, manual brakes and similar runway numbers to the 737.

I've flown jets into Key West, and Telluride, and other places that you couldn't even find on a map, certainly not the map that came with the happy meal you are a few fries short of completing.

Let's revisit this conversation after 12 months of EYW ops, shall we, and we'll determine then if the risk was worth the reward . . . . I hope it will be, but I doubt that will be the conclusion.

...havin to defend your knowledge of flying to a 1900 guy, and then 'hoping' your airline doesn't screw up, but secretly hoping they do, just to prove your point...interesting.

You make it sound like you are an expert. Unless, you have stepped up and helped do some of the work/analysis to make sure the decision makers at your airline aren't making a stupid decision (they usually pay good bucks for this from experts like you, and you are helpin to save a bud down the road), your words are nothin more than social discourse.

If you have worked to make the correct solution on this, good on ya!
Good luck either way.

 

[Ty Webb]

You either have to train everyone, or no one.

Uh, yeah, B-bag, that's how real airlines do it. Apparently, you have never been at one. Commuter to AirTran, and you know it all . . . . mmmf!

All Ty does is mouth off about everything, without giving anyone any idea how to make things work. Hell, even his buddies say that.

Actually, since the last D.O. change, they have implemented two changes I suggested. . . . so again, maybe you should quit running your man-pleaser and start doing your job, instead of me doing your job for you. Have a nice gay day, dude.

 

[instructordude]

Then get hired by AAI and show 'em all how it's done.

I work at a Major. AAI would be a step down.

 

[Adiabatic Pilot]

I work at a Major. AAI would be a step down.

I've found the AirTran crews to be professional, friendly-the kind you would want to fly with. Their jets are better than yours, bet a week's pay-yours, not mine.

And if your post is serious..."C-152,C-172,C-182,BE-90, RJ"-call back in 10 years-no, 15 years....and your weight should be WAY less than your flight time divided by 10, if you are at a major. Take a trip over to the Jenny Craig webpage...you'll make it to 65. And if you're at Delta, how much does that size uniform cost?