Had to do weight and balance on a 738 last night!
Apr 27, 2017, 3:51 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 616
Had to do weight and balance on a 738 last night!
Just wanted to share a little avgeek humor. Our 738 bwi-fll was filled to a total of about 35...and although we were 35 minutes late due to a late crew, it was a lot of fun! First our ops agent jokingly made the full boarding announcements and encouraged us to spread out. Also for the second time in my life, I was part of a weight and balance situation. They asked for 5 volunteers to sit in the back, a few for the middle, and the rest for the front! I asked one of the FAs and she said this was one of the emptiest 800s she's worked, and the emptiest I've been on. Felt like first class! I wish I had more flights like that!
Apr 27, 2017, 8:12 pm
#4
Join Date: Jun 2015
Programs: VX Gold/WN Companion
Posts: 682
Very common on super low capacity flights even on the older 737's. The need to keep the weight evenly spread out.
Last one I was on FA offered free drinks to whoever moved to the back first!
I kid you not...gate agent just said "aaaaaand...everybody on"...did not even line up! I take it there was no BS fares! There was like 20 of us.
It was the last flight of the day and I joked with the GA that it was a good thing that WN needed the plane at the destination next day or we would all probably be SOL with a cancelled flight!
Last one I was on FA offered free drinks to whoever moved to the back first!
I kid you not...gate agent just said "aaaaaand...everybody on"...did not even line up! I take it there was no BS fares! There was like 20 of us.
It was the last flight of the day and I joked with the GA that it was a good thing that WN needed the plane at the destination next day or we would all probably be SOL with a cancelled flight!
Apr 27, 2017, 9:06 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: RNO
Programs: AA/DL/UA
Posts: 10,766
I was on a lightly loaded flight several years ago LAS-ONT. It was late on Friday night, which of course is the opposite direction of the high demand direction. I sat in the back because I like watching the flaps. There was no need for people to move around.
related story: I was once on an AA MD-80 that had a very light load. They upgraded everyone until F was full and then moved everyone in coach up to the front of coach. I read that if the passenger load is even worse than that, they have to load the front hold with sand bags.
related story: I was once on an AA MD-80 that had a very light load. They upgraded everyone until F was full and then moved everyone in coach up to the front of coach. I read that if the passenger load is even worse than that, they have to load the front hold with sand bags.
Apr 27, 2017, 9:30 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SFO
Posts: 1,752
I was on a UA 737 or a 321, don't remember for sure. What i do remember was there were about 20 people on the flight and how DARK the plane was inside with nonreading lamps or glowing screens.
Added bonus, the flight was from DEN - SFO and it was so clear you could see the Vegas lights from around the Black Rock desert.
Added bonus, the flight was from DEN - SFO and it was so clear you could see the Vegas lights from around the Black Rock desert.
Apr 28, 2017, 11:35 pm
#9
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 143
May 1, 2017, 6:58 am
#10
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 921
When Southwest first started flying out of Punta Cana, our return trip had 33 people on board. Service was mighty quick on that flight!
Being it was in December, one of the flight crew guys was dressed up as an elf. The ground crew at PUJ never saw anything like it - they were coming up the stairways onto the plane just to get pictures with the guy!
Being it was in December, one of the flight crew guys was dressed up as an elf. The ground crew at PUJ never saw anything like it - they were coming up the stairways onto the plane just to get pictures with the guy!
May 1, 2017, 9:30 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
Southwest operates ~3,400 flights a day that don't depart from or land at MDW. If management lets MDW takeoff performance dictate the entire fleet, they're idiots.
May 1, 2017, 12:30 pm
#13
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,502
Compared to the average Turbofan-powered Narrow-body Commercial Passenger Aircraft, which can take off with 6,390 ft of runway and land with 4,500 ft, the Boeing 737-900ER:
Needs 1,792 ft more (a 28% margin)
Needs 200ft more (a 4.4% margin)
Compared to the average takeoff and landing field lengths for all Commercial aircraft, which are 5,840 ft and 4,164 ft respectively, the Boeing 737-900ER:
Needs 2,341 ft more (a 40% margin)
Needs 537ft more (a 13% margin)
Needs 1,792 ft more (a 28% margin)
Needs 200ft more (a 4.4% margin)
Compared to the average takeoff and landing field lengths for all Commercial aircraft, which are 5,840 ft and 4,164 ft respectively, the Boeing 737-900ER:
Needs 2,341 ft more (a 40% margin)
Needs 537ft more (a 13% margin)