#kdal

"Independence One" arriving on RWY 13L in Dallas

First time back on the 737MAX since the grounding of the aircraft ended! We flew on N8751R DAL-OAK early this morning. The last time I was on a MAX was on 9 March 2019 ironically boarding right here at Gate 9 as well at Dallas Love Field, that time we were flying DAL-SAN. Just five days after that trip, on 13 March 2019, in the wake of two crashes attributed to faults in the MCAS, the 737MAX was grounded. At the time there were 30 MAX aircraft in flight and they were allowed to reach their destinations. About 387 aircraft with 59 different airlines were grounded in the longest grounding in US aviation history of a commercial aircraft. Some MAX jets made ferry flights to storage with the flaps down to prevent any activation of the MCAS. I had followed the subsequent investigation and recertification process closely and I’m comfortable with my family and myself getting back on a 737MAX. I’ve also had the benefit of friends who have flown the 737MAX and have full confidence in the aircraft following a 20-month grounding. I have yet to get a flight on any of Alaska’s 737MAX jets for my work travels, perhaps one of these days! It is amazing to me that there was a time that doesn’t seem all that long ago in my travels on Southwest that it was all 737-200s making short multi-stop hops, then came the 737-300s and 737-500s, then the 737-700s. The first 737-800s don’t seem that long ago and that opened the door to ETOPS flights to Hawaii. And now we have the latest incarnation of the iconic 737 line, the MAX. #avgeek #aviation #aircraft #planeporn #KDAL #DAL #Dallas #DallasLoveField #igTexas #Texas #airport #planespotting #instaplane #Boeing #737 #N8751R #Southwest #SWApic⠀ ⠀ #instagramaviation #splendid_transport #instaaviation #aviationlovers #aviationphotography #flight ⠀ ⠀ #AvGeeksAero #AvgeekSchoolofKnowledge #AvGeekNation #TeamAvGeek (at Dallas Love Field) https://www.instagram.com/p/CX-Yj7drFnV/?utm_medium=tumblr

The Beverly Hillbillies at Marineland

Freedom One touches down at Dallas Love Field

N8570W, one of Southwest's 206 active Boeing 737-800s, gets airborne off 13R at Dallas Love Field. ⁣ ⁣ Fitting the 60-inch fan CFM56-3 to the 737-300/400/500 required some creativity with the low wings and squat undercarriage of the 737; the engine accessory drives were mounted to the sides allowing the nacelle to be flat bottomed. The top of the nacelle is nearly level with the top of the wing and the engine is tilted 5 degrees nose up for intake clearance which also gives a downward thrust component. ⠀⁣ ⁣ On the 737NG family, the landing gear was lengthened to allow stretched fuselage versions, but this also allowed a new CFM56 version, the -7, to be used which has a 61-inch fan. The intakes for the NG are rounder and less flat bottomed than those of the 737-300 family as a result and you can see that clearly in my photo. ⁣ ⁣ The CFM56-7B on the Boeing 737NG family was a significant improvement over the CFM56-3 engine used on the 737 Classics in many ways to create a more efficient, powerful and reliable engine.⠀⁣ ⁣ For example, aerodynamic improvements mean the number of fan blades were reduced from 38 on the -3 to only 24 on the -7B. In addition, advances in software and materials science also offer an 8% reduction in fuel burn and a 15% reduction in maintenance costs on the CFM56-7B versus the older CFM56-3. Compared to the older -3, the -7B engines can stay on the wing about 20% longer before major maintenance is needed. ⠀⁣ ⁣ Commercial aircraft engines are some of the most fascinating technical achievements in aviation in their own right.⠀⁣ ⠀⁣ #avgeek #aviation #aircraft #planeporn #KDAL #DAL #Dallas #DallasLoveField #igTexas #Texas #airport #planespotting #instaplane #Boeing #737 #N8570W #Southwest #SWApic⠀⁣ ⠀⁣ #instagramaviation #splendid_transport #instaaviation #aviationlovers #aviationphotography #flight ⠀⁣ ⠀⁣ #AvGeeksAero #AvgeekSchoolofKnowledge #AvGeekNation #TeamAvGeek (at Dallas Love Field) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ2XYzNBz00/?igshid=hyb7tkotualm

Flashback to 2015 and the twilight days of the Boeing 737-500 at Southwest Airlines, this is N523SW heading out from the gate area at Dallas Love Field.⁣⠀ ⁣⠀ The Boeing 737-500 made its first flight in 1989 and a single prototype aircraft was all that was needed for the 375 hour flight test and certification program. The -500 was developed as a 737-200-sized aircraft with the operating economics of the larger 737-300. Compared to the 737-200, the 737-500 burned 25% less fuel.⠀ ⠀ The first -500 was delivered to launch customer Southwest in 1990 (that was N501SW, now scrapped). Southwest had 20 aircraft in its 1987 737-500 launch order. Southwest operated a total of 25 737-500s in its history. After 388 737-500s were built, the last one was delivered in July 1999 to All Nippon Airways and flies today with its regional subsidiary ANA Wings. ⠀ ⠀ #avgeek #aviation #aircraft #planeporn #KDAL #DAL #Dallas #DallasLoveField #igTexas #Texas #airport #planespotting #instaplane #Boeing #737 #N523SW #Southwest #SWApic #instagramaviation #splendid_transport #instaaviation #aviationlovers #aviationphotography #flight #AvGeeksAero #AvgeekSchoolofKnowledge #AvGeekNation #TeamAvGeek (at Dallas Love Field) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5on1wchTRw/?igshid=cmpy2f8rdinv

Ever wonder why Southwest’s IATA identifier is WN? ⁣ ⁣ Southwest urban legend is that it’s because of Colleen Barrett’s fondness for Willie Nelson, but that’s not the case (as humorous as it is and certainly does fit Southwest’s unique history!). Another legend has it that WN stood or “We’re Nuts” (not true either). Then another legend has it that since SW was already taken, it was suggested that Southwest Airlines just take some random two letter code to which they responded “Why Not?” (also not true). ⁣ ⁣ Southwest’s original IATA code in the early 1970s when it first started was OE. But it didn’t last long. ⁣ ⁣ The SW identifier belonged to Air Namibia which at one time was named South West Air Transport and used the SW identifier since 1959. In 1978, they rebranded as Namib Air but kept the SW identifier. Herb Kelleher contacted the airline in the 1980s to see if some sort of exchange could be arranged so Southwest could get the SW identifier, but Namib Air asked for $10 million!⁣ ⁣ The closest thing that had a W in it that was available was WN. ⁣ ⁣ When Namibia became independent from South Africa in 1990, Namib Air rebranded again as Air Namibia. Southwest officials once again met with Air Namibia with offer of assistance and aircraft parts as Air Namibia also had the Boeing 737-200 in its fleet. Once again, an astronomical financial demand was put on the table and Southwest decided to stick with the WN designator.⁣ ⁣ #avgeek #aviation #aircraft #planeporn #KDAL #DAL #Dallas #DallasLoveField #igTexas #Texas #airport #planespotting #instaplane #Boeing #737 #Southwest #N713SW #SWApic #instagramaviation #splendid_transport #instaaviation #aviationlovers #aviationphotography #flight #AvGeeksAero #AvgeekSchoolofKnowledge #AvGeekNation #TeamAvGeek (at Dallas Love Field) https://www.instagram.com/p/B28XLSHBF7E/?igshid=16t57c6bkuvy9

Southwest’s N713SW decelerates on 31R at Dallas Love Field- this aircraft was delivered to Southwest in June 1998 in the old “Mustard Rocket” livery and from July 2005 to January 2015 wore the Shamu colors on the Canyon Blue tail. ⁣⁣ ⁣ At one time the Curtiss-Wright company was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the world-formed in 1929 with the merger of Buffalo-based Curtiss Aircraft and Dayton-based Wright Aeronautical. The company had three divisions- Curtiss building aircraft, Wright building engines, and another Curtiss division building aircraft systems and propellers.⁣⁣ ⁣ Failing to transition to jet aircraft postwar, Curtiss-Wright got out aircraft production, with the USAF selecting the Northrop F-89 Scorpion over the Curtiss XF-87 Blackhawk. The XF-87 was the last gasp from Curtiss an aircraft builder. In October 1948, Curtiss shut down its aircraft division and sold its assets to North American Aviation.⁣⁣ ⁣ Wright also lost out on jet engines- the company that at one time produced thousands and thousands of piston radial engines had as its last significant aircraft power plant the J67 engine which was a license built version of the British Sapphire jet engine. Subsequent Wright derivatives of the J67 lost out to the Pratt and Whitney J57. The engine market had dried up for Curtiss Wright by the late 1950s.⁣⁣ ⁣ That left the company’s aircraft systems division to soldier on and they still do to this day despite multiple reorganizations since the end of the Second World War. Today Curtiss Wright supplies the flap tracks and the flap/slat actuation hardware for the Boeing 737NG family.⁣⁣ ⁣ #avgeek #aviation #aircraft #planeporn #KDAL #DAL #Dallas #DallasLoveField #igTexas #Texas #airport #planespotting #instaplane #Boeing #737 #Southwest #N713SW #SWApic #instagramaviation #splendid_transport #instaaviation #aviationlovers #aviationphotography #flight #AvGeeksAero #AvgeekSchoolofKnowledge #AvGeekNation #TeamAvGeek (at Dallas Love Field) https://www.instagram.com/p/B2iU8RMhp2S/?igshid=9axv78guli6q