Globaliser
..."out", "off", "on" and "in" are the four critical times of a flight. "Out" and "in" are the true departure and arrival times...
Correct, and these are the times that appear in the BA timetable. Aviation is full of tradition however, and many, myself included, still tend to use the old terms Off-Chocks and On-Chocks.
Out is the aircraft's first movement off its gate, and In is the aircraft's final halt upon arrival at the gate.
Neither time has anything to do, except indirectly, with take-off or landing times, chocks, door positions, number of engines running or passenger disembarkation.
… ACARS based on when the parking brake is disengaged or set and the aircraft starts moving…
ACARS records departure times dependent on passenger door and parking brake positions, and is not a function of aircraft movement.
...Their new aircraft are coming with ACARS so this issue will gradually go away...
I've no reason to believe that WN crews were improving their on-schedule departure figures, but, for any airline crews that are so minded, it probably takes less effort to falsify ACARS than earlier paper reporting systems.
Forgive me if I don't go into details, but suffice it to say it is easy to get ACARS to report what you want.
Just out of interest, the overwhelming view amongst BA crews is to let ACARS report delays accurately. We hate delays as much, possibly more, than our passengers do, and covering up any delay simply means that the reasons for the delay are not addressed and the delay will recur.
whmere
… Except, of course, when the crew close the door/push back in full knowledge of any delays, making pax sweat in their seats for ever, so that that they can get paid for the waiting time…
Whilst we do sometimes push back knowing there are going to be delays, for the reasons Pucci has given, rest assured our pay does not come into it! In BA we are paid the same regardless of whether the delay is on the gate or on the taxiway.
I do hope we haven’t made you “sweat in your seat” whilst doing so!
Best regard
Bellerophon
[This message has been edited by Bellerophon (edited 06-20-2003).]