Okay so I'm on a smoker outta Denver on a bidness trip and the 4 bars in the left seat just taxiied us into the company cattle car next door!



Oh I'd LOVE to hear what these guys are saying to each other!


Gonna need some paperwork to fix this one!


FAA is here to help!


Awkward phone call!




Here hold my beer!

That's confidence inspiring!

Did you fly out?

CW

Front row seats!

AS did that here a few years ago except into the terminal building. The wing walker told them to stop, the cockpit crew kept right on going. Did more damage to the building than the wing. Boeing makes solid equipment.

Oh I'd LOVE to hear what these guys are saying to each other!

"So, what are you going to do on your two weeks off?"

No fly. Found another plane and crew and four hours late we departed. Sat on the Tarmac for 45 minutes while the thought about it though.

don't they have people walking out by the wingtips? and i thought they had taxi lines painted that virtually guarantee there won't be any oopsies this close to the terminal? obviously mistakes were made, just wondering what they were.

They did have a ground crew with wing walkers. What happened was they pushed us back first and the ground crew I think walked away once we were released to taxi. Captain sat there for a little while not sure why. Then the crew in the plane to the left pushed back and backed the plane partially in front of us. Our captain didn't check he was clear o. The left and started taxiing away. Left winglets hit each other. Dost appear to be much damage but they're was no way they were going to let us go so both planes back to the gate and unloaded. New plane and new crew - 5 hour delay.

soyAnarchisto wrote:They did have a ground crew with wing walkers. What happened was they pushed us back first and the ground crew I think walked away once we were released to taxi. Captain sat there for a little while not sure why. Then the crew in the plane to the left pushed back and backed the plane partially in front of us. Our captain didn't check he was clear o. The left and started taxiing away. Left winglets hit each other. Dost appear to be much damage but they're was no way they were going to let us go so both planes back to the gate and unloaded. New plane and new crew - 5 hour delay.

That stinks for all parties involved!

Doesn't seem to be the case here, but let me assure you, wing walkers more than not are not looking at the wings...just there to check a box and get a pay check. It's like pulling teeth trying to get them to keep the safety zone free of equipment. Funny thing is they are much better about it in third world countries where labor is cheap and an airport job is a good job to have...and they want to keep it. Also, with more companies flying winglet equipped aircraft, some parking spaces can't accommodate two winglet planes next to each other. All things that could lead to the accidental exchange of paint with another object.

Grassstrippilot wrote:Doesn't seem to be the case here, but let me assure you, wing walkers more than not are not looking at the wings...just there to check a box and get a pay check. It's like pulling teeth trying to get them to keep the safety zone free of equipment. Funny thing is they are much better about it in third world countries where labor is cheap and an airport job is a good job to have...and they want to keep it. Also, with more companies flying winglet equipped aircraft, some parking spaces can't accommodate two winglet planes next to each other. All things that could lead to the accidental exchange of paint with another object.

Exactly, I can't tell you how many times I push back and the right wing walker ends up to the left of the nose after a turn during the push. I point it out to the company, but it doesn't seem to matter. I guess I tried...

Warning: Short Rant.

Is it just me or does there seem to be an erosion of pride in work?

Whether it is digging a ditch straight and true or fabricating the most delicate device, I seem to remember people taking pride in what they did instead of just making eight or building seniority.

I am now surprised when a job is completed well and the fine details are taken care of. That should be a given not the exception.

Stepping off soap box now. (For those of you who remember soap boxes.)

TD

Also remember that from the cockpit of a 737, you can barley see the wingtips, and that's if you really push your head up against the glass. They're way back there. That's why those wing walkers are so critical in tight spaces. Not ready to crucify that captain, but I wonder why he didn't insist on a wing walker if it was at all close.

do the newer, bigger airliners have cameras mounted in the tail looking forward so the pilots can get kind of a bird's eye view of the situation?

A few years back a I heard of a guy that taxied his 180 wing into the prop arc off a Maule. Cut the wing completely off in the middle of the outboard aileron hinge. A Dewalt cordless, a few pieces of scrap aluminum and some pop rivets and it got out of Idaho and back to home port.

Tim

qmdv wrote:A few years back a I heard of a guy that taxied his 180 wing into the prop arc off a Maule. Cut the wing completely off in the middle of the outboard aileron hinge. A Dewalt cordless, a few pieces of scrap aluminum and some pop rivets and it got out of Idaho and back to home port.

Always wondered what the story was. Now I know.

scottf wrote:do the newer, bigger airliners have cameras mounted in the tail looking forward so the pilots can get kind of a bird's eye view of the situation?

I'm also interested in this question if any of the airline guys know. Just curious. A contract 747 I rode in recently had a camera on the tail like this as an option for passengers to watch from their seats.

Brett

Not 100% certain, but it seems the only ones I've heard of are the 777s and 380s. Very well may be more, but I've not seen any on any plane I've flown or jumpseated on.

Now what you need is a drone operator. He comes driving out on his little tug and deploys the drone to fly above and around the big ship looking for any danger. Blue tooth it to the captain and heck even the passengers for their entertainment pleasure. Maybe let the copilot operate it so he gets to fly something on the trip!?