One time, I did tell them that the first officer was flying this leg and that he had just started with Delta three months ago. Normally, I wouldn't ever say this, as many people would assume that he's just learning to fly (a lot of people think that the "co-pilot” is in that job because he's not yet experienced enough to be the "pilot"), but then I followed it up with "He just came here after spending the last six years flying Air Force 2." I thought some people might enjoy telling that to their friends later.

Do Air Force 1 and 2 pilots get swapped out when a new administration comes into office? Or do they typically remain in their positions for many years?

There is no policy to swap them. The guy I flew with had flown both Biden and Pence.

Do you have any guesses as to why they routed you like that?

I would assume it doesn't matter who is in office. It's just like any other military posting - when you're time is up you get rotated out.


I knew a guy that flew Reagan in Marine One. He just moved on when it was time.


Fun Fact - Air Force One and Marine One aren't specific aircraft. It's the call sign of any aircraft the President is on.

No. I know it wasn't weather related and no one, including my dispatcher and several controllers en route, had any explanation. I started to imagine national security scenarios which couldn't be told to us.

In my flying experience, given that weather across the country was fine, this was an unprecedented routing. I'd love to know what was going on.

Same for Air Force Two and the Veep.

Another fun fact. For this one, you have to know that all aircraft registered in the U.S. have a registration number that begins with the letter N. (Every country in the world has a specific leading letter or pair of letters.)

The FAA administrator rides around in a plane with the registration number N1. (I hope you were seated that one.)

I remember this article I read back in the spring, and the route looks similar:

https://thepointsguy.com/news/us-tra...herly-routing/

What’s the normal route you take? This is the NWS SPC for that day looks like some issues flying the northerly route.

What is the fuel situation like when you get a bizarre route like that? Did you cut it close or did you still have plenty in reserve?

Yes, there was some scattered weather, but no worse than I've seen before on many, many transcons.

It wasn't an issue for the 757. It can carry plenty of fuel. But my dispatcher told me that some other aircraft types required fueling stops that day.

I'm drafting my FOIA request.

I was on call to fly VP Cheney if he needed a medevac during a visit to Korea. We discussed the possibility of using the Army 2 call sign, but decided to stick with our usual medevac call sign because that's what the hospitals listen for and we didn't want to cause any confusion. Ultimately it didn't matter because he got through his visit without needing us.

An hour of internet sleuthing and I think I can only add to the bewilderment.

They had this reroute going for SoCal/PHX/TX flights going to DC and PHL at the same time as w0x0f's flight: (ignore those lines going from Boise and Utah, they weren't in effect)



Meanwhile everyone from SoCal/PHX/TX to the NY metros got the same route as w0x0f. But there isn't an apparent reason why everyone can't get the slightly more northern route.

So my guess is the people designing the routes that day were worried about weather over TN and volume along the route going through TX. But that doesn't help the poor controller in Albuquerque who has to get everyone over El Paso without going into Mexico's airspace to the south and the Special Use Airspace to the north.

Insert Breaking Bad reference here.

I understand that Delta was in need of a few pilots for some flights last week from NY to LA. What's the deal? Did you decide to skip work? Seriously, how does that happen?

I am not aware of the situation you're referring to. Was this your personal experience, or was there a news item about this? I never heard about it, but I did get called on my days off to fly to LAX on August 1st. This kind of thing happens frequently and is likely the result of something as simple as a pilot calling out sick. I also got called on the 5th to fly to Las Vegas and again on the 9th for a flight to SFO.

A likely contributing factor to any staffing issues during the last week would be the irregular operations (IRROPS in the biz) that New York has experienced lately due to summer thunderstorms in the Northeast. This sometimes results in crews and equipment being out of position which can play havoc with schedules.

Here's a link. Two days in a row of 18+ hour delay for the same flight.

How is landing at SJC-San Jose, CA? Do you find it problematic that the downtown with ~20-story buildings is so close to the runway?

Also, if you fly a plane that is the same type but different engines (e.g., 757 with Pratt & Whitney vs. Rolls Royce), do you notice a difference in performance?

Not the OP but this is a really cool arrival and approach coming from the north. BRIXX2 I think, you fly directly over SFO then follow along the ridgeline at about 1k agl or so just to the south of the city. On a clear day the views are spectacular. Did this twice in the past two days. As far as the buildings go, if you are on a visual just don't hit them!

Hi Folks

Not sure if this has been posted ITT before, but it is funny and the right place for it...

I had an interesting flight yesterday. It was a day off and my phone rang at 0330 with an automated message from Delta seeking a captain for a flight. Usually, they need someone so soon it's impossible for me to make it from D.C. in time, but this was for a simple flight to Atlanta with a 0900 report time for a 1000 pushback. After that one flight, a deadhead back to JFK. Prefect! I could easily make it, and then deviate from the deadhead and fly right back to DCA from ATL (still getting paid for the scheduled deadhead, of course).

I hit "1" to signify my acceptance of the trip and then had to wait 10 minutes to see if I actually got it. The automated system awards the trip to the most senior guy who opts to take it during the 10 minute window.

My phone rang and another automated voice told me I had the flight and gave me one last opportunity to accept it ("1") or decline ("2"). I hit 1, then showered, shaved and hit the road by 0430 to catch the 0605 flight to JFK. It was wide open, so no need to ask for positive space (which they would give me to facilitate getting that flight out from JFK).

I arrived at JFK around 0715, giving me time check in and then sack out in the quiet room (windowless room off the crew lounge that has a dozen comfortable recliners with blankets and pillows).

When I checked in, I saw that my flight number was 9936. The 9000 series of flight numbers are reserved for reposition or ferry flights; the 8000 series is for charter flights, like the ones I've done recently for the Red Sox and the Mariners. The flight yesterday was a simple reposition of an empty 767 to Atlanta where it would be used later for a flight to Munich.

On reposition flights, we have no flight attendants so there are a few extra things we have to do. Mainly, we have to check the cabin to make sure all of the service carts and compartments are secured so they don't fly around during takeoff and and landing. We also have to arm the slides for the forward doors in case we need them during an evacuation. I take extreme care in this duty since the FAs normally do it. We practice it during our training but screwing up and blowing a slide is an expensive mistake and the plane would be down for hours.

We don't take any paying passengers on reposition flights, but we can, at the Captain's discretion, take up to 19 company employees as non-revenue passengers. Nineteen is the magic number that the FAA came up with in the Paleozoic Era of aviation as the maximum number of pax needing no flight attendant. (Thorough readers of this thread might recall that I began my airline career flying the J-32, a 19-seat turboprop that had no lav, no autopilot and no flight attendant.)

On this flight, we had one passenger, an elderly woman (actually she was probably my age, but I guess that qualifies as elderly) who identified herself as "Miz Bailey." Ed, the FO, made a remark about "driving Miz Bailey.” Since we had a passenger, I armed the other doors on the plane as well. (If it's just the flight crew on board, we only arm the forward doors.) I invited Miz Bailey into the flight deck for a picture in the FO's seat and then she had the plane to herself for our flight to Atlanta. I gave her the flight plan paperwork after our arrival as a souvenir.

I sat in the jumpseat on an Airbus 320 for the flight back to DCA, landing at 3:40 pm. It was a nice little day trip.

WOXOF,

I've been a Delta frequent flyer (Silver or Gold depending on the year) for approximately the last decade. My most frequent hops are NYC to LA, NYC to Seattle, NYC to ATL, NYC to Dallas, and the shuttle.

What are the odds that you have been my pilot?

Approaching LAX out of YVR last night we were I'd say about 2,500 feet above the ground when someone just got up out of her seat and stepped into the aisle (to use the lav?). The FAs started screaming "take your seat! We're landing." Then after 10 seconds "SIT DOWN!!!" Then an announcement over the PA "Madame, French French French" (this was Air Canada which operates bilingually) which I'm assuming was "ma'am, sit the **** down or you're going to get flung to the front of the plane when we touch down and the thrust reversers engage."

My first thought was, "poor old clueless lady. I hope she sits down in time." Then I thought "hmmm, could I stay standing in the aisle under braking?"

Which leads to the question, what kind of Gs are experienced under braking after landing?