Comair may be getting the Dork Jets.

[surplus1]

Why must you call it a "crappy question" when a new pilot entering the airline business asks for honest opinions? Wasn't it just as easy to give the same opinions without the dig?

 

[frjmx328]

As an aside (from a possible future Do Jet driver)just to satisfy my own curiosities - I've been seeing an awful lot of comments about 'maint. issues' - even in the Enquirer article it was mentioned - what have been the problems with the airplane? I know that engine life was mentioned earlier in the thread - are you just seeing shorter than expected engine life or have there been actual engine failures? Is it only the engines or are there airframe and avionics issues as well?

Just curious.


CL

The PWC 306-B has seen somewhere around 5 mods now to the hot section of the engine. Biz-jet engine, not designed for rigerous airline usage......tolerances are too close i.e. -- engine temp limitations. PWC has even re-written the FADEC software several times now. Eliminating single ignition starts ( all starts performed in continuous to eliminate blue FADEC minor cas messages that come up as NB faults on MX laptops ) Yes blue minors still arise, but in smaller numbers. Before anyone starts yelling that they just got off a trip flying a MEL'd FADEC blue cas aircraft realize that MEL 71-10-00 states that the aircraft is permitted to fly 150 flt hrs with said message posted. Not saying the message is un-heard of now, but rather smaller numbers should be flying as long as the boys in CVG are doing their jobs.
N429FJ was nick-named among a couple co-workers and myself as the deathbird due to its tendancy to drop all 5 screens in IMC conditions. Happened twice in 2002 roughly 2 months apart, never occured again. Tech-reps poured over the aircraft, the NTSB was involved also. No one can say for sure what caused the problem, or what fixed it. A DC power control unit ( infamous 1VE ) was replaced, as well as DAU #1 -2. If my counterpart with the dojet in Indy colors would be so kind to refresh my memory on the other item, i'd appreciate it.
Never had a airframe issue that wasn't self induced. Infact, the airframe is one of the best things going for the bird. N416FJ had the DC cart ripped out of her 3 times ( the last in JFK with a resulting NLG wheel well fire....small, but fire none the less ) Swap a couple NLG doors, a external DC pwr recepticle, and away she goes, good as new. Yes the fire required a couple more things.
What the Dojet suffered the most from was being an new bird in a new roll and having mom and dad ( Fairchild Dornier ) go out of business in its infancy. Leaving behind a workforce of mechanics to sort of the issues on their own. There were no former UAL guys with 20 yrs experience for her. Infact former mainline mechanics were almost useless for the first few months with her due to her incorperation of 5606 in the hydrualics ( we all know that skydrol is the fluid of choice among larger aircraft ), her DC pwr system ( again AC is primary in most other jets over 12,500lbs ), her FADEC system ( which outside of the business jet world is slow in progression ). Her de-ice system was also a prob with the older guys. They haven't seen a boot since A&P school.
But with every aircraft like a bottle of wine, they get better with age. Mechanics get up to speed and learn their "issues" ( the 328's HATE the cold ) the pilots get to know the issues, and how to get around them. I'm confident, that with the right mechanics and spare parts the aircraft could be operated reliably. ACA never chose to properly address the 328 issues, and operate the girl accordingly. The MX horror stories are the result, and make for some interesting reading on flightinfo at 2am. ACA closed Boston MX and voulentarily gave up 95% of their Dojet experience. The Boston guys had the benifit of working with tech reps prior to the closing of FD, and learned some very useful ins and outs from them. Some can argue that CAE was around just as long....but hangar MX and line are two different worlds. From the stories i'm hearing in IAD, the CVG mechanics are jumping ship for greener pastures now. Why wait till the end if you can better yourself now? I miss my Dojet, and good luck to all who get to fly them. Dorkjet, Doorknob, whateven. Challenge your CRJ or ERJ flying counter parts to a time to climb race sometime. Un-realistic, I know.

 

[DoJetMX]

If my counterpart with the dojet in Indy colors would be so kind to refresh my memory on the other item, i'd appreciate it.

They replaced a couple or more IACs (integrated avionics computers) as well. I am not sure what actually fixed it. It may have been one of those common DoJet deals where you had to find the right combo of new parts to correct the problem.

 

[Capt. Over]

not bitter.....just talented

Hey Propstink, at least I have some real world experience out there. Let's see.....the last thing you flew as a PIC was what....a 172? Not to mention the last left-seat multi-engine craft you "commanded" was I believe a seminole? I'd rather have experience in several "real" airplanes versus thousands of hours in that "turbo-prop science experiment" you're clogging up all the airways with. And, yes, I've had several jobs....but I've passed every interview I've gone on without any problems, so these companies must not think I'm too much of a "rookie."

"Waterski 5675.....slow to your slowest practical airspeed, you're 5 in trail of a D38J and you're 90 knots faster than whatever that is"

 

[crjdxr]

Could have anything to do with the Do328Jets?

http://www.reuters.com/financeQuoteCompanyNewsArticle.jhtml?storyID=5901507&ric=DAL.N&infotype=news&articletype=RTR

Canada provides loan to aid Bombardier jet sale
Fri Aug 6, 2004 06:58 PM ET
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug 6 (Reuters) - The Canadian government said on Friday it will provide a loan to help Delta Air Line Inc.'s (DAL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) Comair unit by regional jets from Montreal-based Bombardier Inc. (BBDb.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) .

 

[Flash 7]

But were WAY to expensive!

That's why they grew us like a weed the last 3 years.

Same old mgt. BS.

 

[General Lee]

Flash,


That's true--and all of the other problems at Delta are a direct result of the mainline pilots! (according to our Grandma stews!)


Bye Bye--General Lee