Southwest 737 Grows a Sun Roof!!!

[Palehorse]

CNN) -- Investigators found "widespread cracking" on the skin of a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 that made an emergency landing in Arizona after a hole opened on top of the aircraft during flight Friday, a National Transportation Safety Board member said Sunday.
A flight attendant received minor injuries when the hole opened and the cabin depressurized 18 minutes after the plane took off from Phoenix, Arizona, bound for Sacramento, California, NTSB member Robert Sumwalt told reporters.
The flight data recorder indicated the plane was cruising at 36,000 feet when it depressurized, but it dropped to 11,000 within four-and-a-half minutes, Sumwalt said.
The pilot initially planned to return to Phoenix to land, but after the flight attendants reported seeing blue sky through the jet's roof he made an emergency landing at a military base in Yuma, Arizona, Sumwalt said. . .

The initial inspection found "clear evidence that the skin separated at the lower rivet line" where "the skin comes together on the aircraft," Sumwalt said.


http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/04/03/arizona.flight.diverted/index.html?hpt=T2

This is some scary shit right here! 

SW Airlines grounded its 737's to inspect for evidence of additional incidents of this situation on its aircraft. . .

I'd have a MAJOR laundry problem if I were on that flight! 

[Anne]

Remember when the same thing happened to the plane in Hawaii only they lost most of the top of the plane.

[The Troll]

Remember when the same thing happened to the plane in Hawaii only they lost most of the top of the plane.

  Next time I want to go to Florida, I going to call for my tickets, I going to say " I want to buy two "chances" to Florida and make them Southwest.   

[Palehorse]

Remember when the same thing happened to the plane in Hawaii only they lost most of the top of the plane.

Aloha Airlines Flight 243 (AQ 243, AAH 243) was a scheduled Aloha Airlines flight between Hilo and Honolulu in Hawaii. On April 28, 1988, a Boeing 737-200 serving the flight suffered extensive damage after an explosive decompression in flight, but was able to land safely at Kahului Airport on Maui. The only fatality was flight attendant C.B. Lansing who was blown out of the airplane. Another 65 passengers and crew were injured.. . .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloha_Airlines_Flight_243

http://www.airdisaster.com/reports/ntsb/AAR89-03.pdf

Yeah, and it was also a 737 but the 200, not the 300. . . But it appears to be along the same lines surrounding stress fractures and failure of rivets. . . (However, it may be too soon to make such comparisons until the investigation and root cause(s) are identified in the current incident).

[Palehorse]

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The Federal Aviation Administration announced Monday it will require additional inspections of certain older model Boeing 737-series aircraft.

The inspections will initially apply to around 175 aircraft, 80 of which are U.S.-registered. Most of the aircraft registered in the U.S. are operated by Southwest Airlines. . . . Specifically, the FAA is requiring airlines to perform "electromagnetic inspections for fatigue damage" on certain 737-300, 737-400 and 737-500 Boeing aircraft. . . .

http://money.cnn.com/2011/04/04/news/companies/southwest_airline/index.htm?hpt=C1

I've flown these 737-300's several times on business and pleasure over the past few years. . . (as a passenger. . . not operating it!)

In fact, Southwest is the airline I prefer in private travel!

[The Troll]

Aloha Airlines Flight 243 (AQ 243, AAH 243) was a scheduled Aloha Airlines flight between Hilo and Honolulu in Hawaii. On April 28, 1988, a Boeing 737-200 serving the flight suffered extensive damage after an explosive decompression in flight, but was able to land safely at Kahului Airport on Maui. The only fatality was flight attendant C.B. Lansing who was blown out of the airplane. Another 65 passengers and crew were injured.. . .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloha_Airlines_Flight_243

http://www.airdisaster.com/reports/ntsb/AAR89-03.pdf

Yeah, and it was also a 737 but the 200, not the 300. . . But it appears to be along the same lines surrounding stress fractures and failure of rivets. . . (However, it may be too soon to make such comparisons until the investigation and root cause(s) are identified in the current incident).

   From what I can understand, as strong as the plane are.  The more takeoffs and landings and pressurization and depressurization the more stress of the skin of a plane.  The frames of these planes are super strong.  This is what cause the Aloha Airline problem, island hopping.  Many takeoffs and many landings.

  The B-52 bombers are over 50 years old and the U.S. Air Force says that they will fly for another 25 years.  These airlines were deregulated by Ronald Reagan and the price of the tickets are so low, proper care of the planes are down.  The airlines are going to have to check the body skins more often. 

[Anne]

When we go visit our son in Fl and don't drive we always fly Southwest. They don't charge for luggage and we were always able to find direct flights that were convenient for us.

[The Troll]

  You do know they found 7 more planes of Southwest's with skin cracks.

  Good luck.  You sure wouldn't want to lose money on your luggage cost.  Who cares about a skin cracks at 30,000 ft, yes Thirty Thousand feet.  Just think how long you get to think about when the top of the plane come off and you meet the earth.   

  This come from a guy with many hours flying a light plane and have been caught in some rough weather.  I sure wouldn't fly in a plane in good weather or bad weather with tired and cracked skin.