Trip Reports - ....so I'm on this run to make a 100K bonus

...with AA for flying 10 full-fare segments. I get a good deal on Eagle service by flying SJC-LAX-SAN-LAX-SBA-etc.

When I'm in LAX for the second time, the gate agent asks for volunteers, stating that "the plane is severly over-weight". Five of us volunteer, and then 5 minutes later the gate MANAGER comes along. I saw the first gate agent hold up five fingers to him, as if to indicate "five volunteers" that he had. Then the manager, one-by-one, went to work on the computer and gave us all boarding passes. At least myself and one other passenger complained about the weight issue. All I got was a "Thank you for volunteering".

On the plane, each seat was filled, some folks had babies in thier laps! This plane (SAAB Turbo-prop) was packed to the teeth. Upon full thrust on the runway, the plane learched left a little, but the pilot kept his "foot" in it and we gradually left the ground. We were certainly heavy as the run before lift-off was the longest I've ever had on about a hundred Eagle flights. We did not have a rapid accent either.

For whatever reason, this gate manager must have been on a personal mission, probably got blasted in the past by his boss for allowing so many vols, but it made me feel pretty nervous since that regional jet hit a hanger the other month, with possible weight being the issue.

I will not be jeopardizing my safety in the future on Eagle, that's for sure. This is, in my opinion, a case of profits over safety. As a safety professional myself, it goes against my grain to put myself in that position again.

B-bye now Eagle, I no you have a choice in safety, and this time you showed me what you're really about. PU!

CF http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

P.S. Sorry for all the poor spelling.

And yes, I am unhappy that I didn't get bumped.. but that's just because I like vouchers as much as the next FTer. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I was on an AE/NW codeshare, LAX-MRY, in IFR on approach....When we heard the Terrain Terrain Pull up pull up alarm. Pilot went to climb prop, full throttle, and immediately excecuted a strong hard bank to starboard (probably a 2 g turn)....

Nothing was said... (but I know better...)

See discussion in NW forum, and search on Terrain

Safe travels

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by kb0fhp:
See discussion in NW forum, and search on Terrain</font>
Here is the thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum35/HTML/005480.html

Sometimes it's funny to listen to the ignorance of people who aren't familiar with flying (i.e. aren't pilots).

First, the pilots would never exceed the maximum weight allowed-- why risk loosing your licenses and livelihood? Pilots are allowed to ground a flight for several safety reasons, and will do so without hesitation (cause they still get paid).

Second, even at maximum gross weight, under FAA rules commercial airliners have to be able to maintain climb EVEN with one engine dead after decision speed. Never mind two engines. The US Airways Express accident was due to mis-loading & center of gravity issues, not total weight.

As for the Ground Proximity Warning Systems that go woop-woop, it's very common for those to go off from time to time, it doesn't mean the plane is about to impact. If the pilots maintain the same course for long enough, then sure, it will. Realize the smaller airports regionals fly into don't always have instrument landing systems like bigger airports, and more complicated approaches are required with turns and timed descents.