[HN Gopher] Airport Stuffed with Airliners
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       Airport Stuffed with Airliners
        
       Author : vinnyglennon
       Score  : 33 points
       Date   : 2020-04-28 20:41 UTC (2 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (www.thedrive.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (www.thedrive.com)
        
       | bogomipz wrote:
       | The Southwest livery really sticks out in these photos. Is it
       | possible that this is close to their entire fleet? If so wouldn't
       | seem wise to have some diversity in your storage facilities?
        
       | blhack wrote:
       | How hard is it to reactivate these planes?
        
         | Simulacra wrote:
         | Generally they can turn around and activate a reserve plane in
         | about 30 minutes. It's got everything it needs except food,
         | water, and fuel.
        
           | redis_mlc wrote:
           | Well, there's some nuances.
           | 
           | If they're mothballed (skin covered and various systems
           | pickled), then about a month of work each.
           | 
           | If they're not mothballed and they do weekly or bi-weekly
           | maintenance on each plane like they're supposed to, then an
           | inspection, and then they're ready.
           | 
           | So the worst case is a month, and the best case is an
           | inspection plus 30 minutes.
           | 
           | Also, note that in the mdoern era, a lot of avionics require
           | periodic updates, which also have to be performed before
           | flight.
           | 
           | But if I was the FAA, I'd be requiring crew-only acceptance
           | flights before any revenue flights. You never know where
           | those pesky wasps built a nest, or if those AOC sensors
           | corroded, etc.
           | 
           | Source: commercially-rated airplane pilot.
        
             | jedberg wrote:
             | > a lot of avionics require periodic updates, which also
             | have to be performed before flight.
             | 
             | Better to happen before flight than during it!
        
             | Krasnol wrote:
             | Do they have to be maintained in any way or can they just
             | leave them there for weeks/months?
        
               | ddoolin wrote:
               | They can be left wholly unattended but they will not be
               | considered airworthy when their maintenance/inspection
               | requirements lapse.
        
       | nunez wrote:
       | VCV (Victorville) is often used for aircraft storage. While they
       | have way more aircraft on their parking lot than usual, it's not
       | abnormal for this airport to have a bunch of aircraft hanging
       | out.
        
       | toomuchtodo wrote:
       | YouTube video of 500 foot above ground level (AGL) approach of
       | the runway shutdown to accommodate storage:
       | https://youtu.be/zIbXai0l174
       | 
       | Airport details: https://www.airnav.com/airport/KVCV
       | 
       | Runway 3-21 is the temporarily closed runway being used for
       | storage
        
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       (page generated 2020-04-28 23:00 UTC)