ArVaGuy

It will be BOTH the FAA and Boeing who will certify the airworthiness of that aircraft. The FAA does not have the technical capability to find and fix the issue. All they will do is stand over the shoulder of the engineers and mechanics while they do the work. Then certify it as acceptable. A solution will be found to what is a serious but not major flaw. After all the FAA issued the flight certificate for this aircraft after years of testing.

"Cap'n, She's gonna need new dilithium crystals if she's evr ta fly agin." http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c262/cpapa8162/Scotty_zpse88debb1.jpg

But who watches the regulators? The FAA has been criticised for being a revolving door between the airlines, manufacturers, and government bureaucrats for decades. Corporate donors get plum Administration posts while high and mid-level bureaucrats take cushy jobs with industry titans for very lucrative salaries to "consult" on how to win contracts or keep the regulators at bay. We can't trust Congress to do the job regardless of party they are corrupt and inept when it comes to oversight.

The FAA did not ground the A380 because no US carrier purchased the plane for their fleets. Regulatory groundings are country specific though each authority closely follows its international counter parts. Hence the FAA acted after the Japan regulator grounded the ANA and JAL fleets. Of course the fleet should be grounded till the issue is resolved. But any new design is going to have production issues. I'm not say the board is freaking out but the media coverage is overhyped. Its doubtful to me that we have another DeHavilland Comet on our hands.

I recall that Boeing chose to have many of the component parts manufactured by overseas subcontractors. The finished components such as wing assemblies and other parts are then flown to the Boeing plant (in 747s no less) and then assembled. Clearly the effort to shave a few percent on the costs may have contributed to some of the issues but that's true with all manufacturing these days. (Build it all in the US and eliminate the worry of lousy sub-contractors is my line of thinking on this issue.) Let's keep in mind we are talking about 50 aircraft being grounded world wide. Only six of those are flown by a US carrier at this time, United. The engineers are busting their collective asses to trouble shoot this problem and will have it solved in time. No need to freak out about this, it's new technology and don't be surprised if some of this is computer coding issues and not mechanical. The A380 was grounded twice in the first full year of operation. Those pesky engine mounts snapping off in mid-flight or taxi were a bitch. Further the A319 and A320 have been pulled from service due to accelerated corrosion issues from time to time. And the Boeing 737 had major issues just fourteen years ago where the worldwide fleet had to be grounded due to wire insulation issues near the fuel tanks. Not a single 737 ever blew up mid flight as I recall but the entire electrical system of those planes in use in 1998 had be reworked. I personally refuse to buy in to media hype about this issue. The 787 will prove to be a success long term and we need to get over the hand-wringing. (Mullaly went on to save the Ford Motor Company so no doubt he's feeling pretty good about his situation these days.)

Hugh Jackman! Hugh Jackman!! Hugh Jackman!!!

Awww, the twink is becoming a man. And a damn hot one at that. Yum!

Contact Tom Isern.

Neil Patrick Harris - Awesome! NPH appears on Glee tonight. Damn, he's hot.

That sequence was awesome. Here's a Fox link on background about the scene. Perhaps it will wind up on iTunes sooner or later. http://www.fox.com/watch/glee/82964646001

Here's a site for tracking down some of the fake pics and profiles that are out there. http://www.fakersbusted.com/

$2.79 for me last weekend. Did it really take over a year for this thread to get revived from the last post in 2008?

Tomorrow could be the Big Bang guys if this thing goes wrong. Everybody ready? http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23552722-details/Countdown+to+man's+Big+Bang+begins/article.do

I certainly wanted to inspect those abs up close and personal. Was it a good experience when you hired him?

>I have to stop skimming these boards. I got all excited >because I thought it said "Large Hardon Collider." >;( Rick, Perhaps "Large Hardon Collider" could be the title of a video that you and Derek might post on Rentmen? :+

>I have to stop skimming these boards. I got all excited >because I thought it said "Large Hardon Collider." >;( Rick, Perhaps "Large Hardon Collider" could be the title of a video that you and Derek might post on Rentmen? :+