New Southwest fuel conservation initiative

[Mr. Johnson]

What about the plane in Charleston with a hole in the roof? Packs off, circ fans on high?

 

[Remington]

Rapid D, no injuries, piece of plane missing. Nice job.

 

[Green Banana]

Funny, that is right where they are puttiung that huge WiFi sat antenna.

 

[grog_sit_reserv]

Guess that one missed the inspection too....

 

[grog_sit_reserv]

Is that an access panel?

 

[contrail67]

I think I just heard on the news they are inspecting...200 planes this morning? Is that true?

 

[Colonel Savage]

Looks like a manufacturing defect to me.

 

[ALSF 2]

I believe some of the 737 aircraft have a small flush antenna housing in that general location (I believe it was black in color). I can't seem to find a picture of it though. I wonder if it came off and caused the rapid D. It looks way too clean of a hole in the top of the fuselage for a hull crack.

Plus, hats off to the crew on a good job getting it down safely.


Cheers!

 

[ProFracPilot]

Just a guess, but it was probably at a skin penetration of the pressure vessel, likely for an add-on antenna of some sort. Post production structural doublers - especially for upper fuselage antennas - are prime locations for corrosion and stress risers to form.

Glad no one was hurt.

 

[jws717]

Shamu just sprouted a blow hole

 

[glasspilot]

That far back I doubt it's the "blowhole".

 

[PBRstreetgang]

That far back I doubt it's the "blowhole".

Is if you are felching!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felching

 

[grog_sit_reserv]

Felching.... 'that making a comeback?

Don't read the wikipedia page, you can't unread it when you're done.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Photo from a passenger inside the cabin and below the hole.

http://www.murfreesboropost.com/news.php?viewStory=18143

"Hall snapped a photo of the sunshine coming into the plane through the hole, using his Blackberry camera."

 

[relief tube]

Shamu just sprouted a blow hole

funny regardless what side you're on.

SWA farms out most of its maintenance.....correct? (yay unfettered capitalism ). Anyone know if that's true about heavy checks and eventual mods like media antenna's?

I know 3rd party co's do their winglet mods.

 

[ALSF 2]

SWA does the majority of its maintenance in house, with a few heavy checks lines done at various US facilities. I believe the MX contract just ratified allows for a couple of lines of heavy checks to go South of the Border. But unresolved issues of dispatching and flying down there have meant few, if any airplanes, have actually made the trek.

Cheers!

 

[Benjamin Dover]

SWA does the majority of its maintenance in house, with a few heavy checks lines done at various US facilities. I believe the MX contract just ratified allows for a couple of lines of heavy checks to go South of the Border. But unresolved issues of dispatching and flying down there have meant few, if any airplanes, have actually made the trek.

Cheers!

I wish this were true. Southwest outsources much of its heavy maintenance domestically.

http://www.thestreet.com/story/10418992/1/airline-maintenance-outsourcing-stabilizes.html

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/safety/2008/05/airline-safety.html

 

[The Victors]

funny regardless what side you're on.

SWA farms out most of its maintenance.....correct? (yay unfettered capitalism ). Anyone know if that's true about heavy checks and eventual mods like media antenna's?

I know 3rd party co's do their winglet mods.

No. not correct. This aircraft did not and was not getting any "media" antenna.

 

[onewithwings]

But unresolved issues of dispatching and flying down there have meant few, if any airplanes, have actually made the trek.

Kuddos to the crew! Thankful this didn't turn out like Hawaiian Air's years ago.

FAA doesn't require a dispatcher to release flights for Part 91 flights. However, if it's written into their FOM that's a different story. It's my guess their CBA doesn't address such flights.

 

[redflyer65]

Just needs some 40 weigh oil and some ball bearings and should be good to go!