The NTSB and FAA are investigating a Dec. 18, 2022, incident in which a United Boeing 777 appeared to depart controlled flight into a steep descent after departing Maui for San Francisco, according to the industry data site The Air Current. The aircraft climbed to 2200 feet after departure and then entered the descent, coming within about 800 feet of the Pacific Ocean.
Over the past few days, I have been wondering when there would be some kind of announcement by the SNF organizers.
Now the big question is, with the event just over three weeks away, will their decision hold in the face of what is sure to be continued spread of the virus and more cases and more deaths nationwide. As Paul pointed out about the Aero show, there likewise must be a large number of SNF exhibitors who have developed severe cases of cold feet.
I still plan to go, as I love aviation too much to stay away (and a trip to Florida from my home in eastern Maine is a winter coping mechanism) – I am no expert in infectious disease or public health, so if they do end up pulling the plug, I wouldn’t question their decision. But it would nonetheless be a crying shame.
Lufthansa is cancelling ~ 50% of its flights and Germany has been grouped into the high risk countries with the Corona virus epidemic. Some countries are implementing travel restrictions and hospitals are putting up signs and cameras to prevent theft of desinfectants and masks.
Display space is filthy expensive for most if not all aviation exhibitions and as someone who has done the PPU calculations for events, in determining wether or not to display products to a large number of leisurely strolling onlookers, I can see event organizers trapped between a rock and a hard place.
The internet is the better marketplace anyways, so why not shift the suddenly remaining event- clowning budget into online advertising campaigns. I am glad to have cancelled AERO 2020 during the drive home from AERO 2019.
Many many of my colleagues had booked rooms in April 2019, planning their stays right down to the restaurants they’re planning to eat out in.
Those poor souls are kindly advised that the Bodensee area has more to offer than AERO. Its a beautiful area down there and Friedrichshafen is nice without thousands of driving-challenged aviators and aviatrixes fighting for their spot ahead of one.
This hysteria over Covid-19 is striking to watch as it un-folds. Kind of like throwing a “tootsie roll” into an Olympic size public swimming pool. That being said, something really big and substantial is happening here, I just haven’t put my finger on it. This is not going to go away without permanent long term effect.
Personally, I see the Covid-19 event as it unfolds as a major long term up tick for part 91 and 135 operators. Air travel is just to valuable for some people to forgo for any length of time. Many people will find the premium paid for private, or, semi-private air travel to be well worth it even to the point of wondering why they haven’t done it sooner.
I just travelled from MCO to MKE and back last weekend. On the MCO tramway, the announcement by Orlando’s Mayor said that ~80million people visit FL yearly. That’s four times the normal population. With that many folks coming in from who knows where, I’d imagine that spread of the virus won’t be too long in the making in FL with attendant economic impacts. I don’t think I’ll be traveling out of MCO any time again soon … it’s a zoo there. By contrast, MKE was a ghost town and the weather there was good. It was a joy to deal with by comparison. But then you climb into one of those aluminum tubes with seat pitches one notch up from pages in a book and that gets scary, too. I did see people wiping everything down around their seats.
What’s the most effective way to avoid a social disease?
Forego social behavior.
But it’s not as easy as it was in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s world.
Here in the Peoples Republik, Amherst College has banned fan attendance at this weekend’s NCAA women’s basketball event. They’ve prohibited tailgating, as well. The message? Go home. Lock your doors. Wait it out.
How long? No one knows.
Meanwhile, a half-mile away, U-Mass is holding their annual “Blarney Blowout,” a “day drink” event at which literally thousands of college students will engage in various forms of social behavior - all in very close quarters. Gesundheit.
At this point, the biggest fear factor with -19 is that we don’t know what we don’t know. As Paul said, it came upon the scene so recently that very little is known about it, especially how it is transmitted and how long it can survive on surfaces or in the free air. Unfortunatly it seems to be contagious before the host shows any symptoms, which is why the early screening practices at airports were so ineffective. All that leads to near panic in air travel passengers. Alfred Hitchcock, the great mystery writer and producer, said our greatest fear is fear of the unknown. That seems to apply pretty well with COVID-19. How it all plays out remains to be seen, but one thing is certain; airlines, cruise lines and large convention venues are in for a pretty lean year.
When I travel to Sun 'n Fun, I usually fly my own plane, but on those occasions where I go commercial, I fly into Tampa (TPA) as opposed to MCO. It is about the same distance from Lakeland, but the Tampa airport is far easier to navigate. No long lines of families laden with Mickey Mouse souvenirs and grumpy kids.
TPA won’t work for me, John … but JAX would. Unfortunately, I think Mickey Mouse subsidizes fares into MCO so … the prices are always better there. I usually travel only once a year so … I guess I’ll try JAX next time.
Are you flying your 177 to GIF this time? If so … give me the last 3 of your tail number. I usually stay a rocks throw away from there during SnF
It’s been just 24 hours since I posted the first comment on this story. Since then, we now have our first two Florida deaths from COVID-19 and six new reported cases. What next? No one knows but one thing is certain: it ain’t over. Be careful out there and follow the CDC guidelines, everyone!
The Senior center in Seattle reveled the real threat. People eligible for Social Security and have weak respiratory systems are at a very high risk of dying. The doctors knew what was coming and couldn’t treat those older folks.
This is going to affect many people who planned to come to the US for Sun n Fun and also Oshkosh.
No so much about the fear of catching COVID-19 which by the way is a real possibility given its ease of transmission. For us down under (Australia) the issues of being quarantined in the US and not being covered by travel insurance for it. Yes not covered by even the top level coverage insurance. This poses a huge financial risk to us. Sadly I have already booked and paid for Oshkosh and it looks increasing likely that by July COVID-19 will be having a huge impact on a wide range of events worldwide. Look how far this virus has spread in just 2 months. In another four months who knows what will be seeing.
