Cockpit up front inside a regional jet. Taken October 2008
Airline Hub: A centrally-located airport at which an airline harbors most of it's connecting flights. A passenger may book a ticket with one stop in an intermediary hub to board a second flight taking the passenger to their final destination. (Example: Chicago-O'Hare for United Airlines and United Express). Carrier: Another word for airline. Regionals: Airlines that operate exclusively with aircraft having under 100 seats that fly scheduled commerical air service.
(Most Common Examples: Air Wisconsin, American Eagle, Big Sky Airlines, Comair, Compass Airlines, ExpressJet, Great Lakes Airlines, Horizon Air, Mesa Airlines, Pinnacle Airlines, PSA Airlines, Republic Airlines, SkyWest Airlines, Trans States Airlines) Hot-Button Issue: Theme within the topic choice which consumers, companies, and regulators are in current debate over. Pilot Fatigue: Tiredness and sleepiness from working long hours that possibly contributes to mistakes made flying as Pilot in Command. Accident: A possibly fatal crash involving a passenger airliner in which the aircraft is damaged beyond repair. Incident: A non-fatal slip up with a passenger airliner in which the aircraft can be repaired and fly again. Mainstream Media: Agencies with public reports that are televised and possibly connected with an internal internet/print publication. *Internet sites alone do not count for this definition of mainstream. Appear: To be believed in non-radical public opinion by a majority as a result of media reports. FRONTLINE >FLYING CHEAP: An hour-long documentary by PBS produced at WGBH which examines training and regulations at regional airlines around the country. Available on DVD or iTunes (2/9/10) Part 121 Air Carrier: The FAA's definition of an airline that does business in the U.S. under government certification and regulation (must have capacity 9 passengers or more each flight). FAA: The United States Federal Aviation Administration, part of the Department of Transportation. National Transportation Safety Board: Commonly referred to by their their initials, NTSB, they are a government function that examines accidents in all aspects of travel and publishes safety reports. Fear Tactics: Unprofessional non-fiction reporting that influences public opinion into a fearsome state. Turn Time: The amount of time between when an airliner arrives at a gate to offload passengers and when it pushes back from the gate to get the next flight underway. (typically under 1 hour in domestic operation) Propeller Aircraft (Piston Engine): A plane that uses one or more propeller engine with the older form of engineering that aircraft with pistons which rotate the propeller. Example: Cessna 402 nine seater (Cape Air)/ most others no longer in service within the U.S. Turboprop Aircraft: A plane that uses one or more propeller engine with the newer engineering of turbine-rotated propellers that increase efficiency and service range.
Examples: Embraer 120 (SkyWest)/ Bombardier Q400 (Colgan Air)/ ATR-42 and ATR-72 (American Eagle)/ Saab 340B (Mesaba Airlines) Regional Jet/RJ: A jet powered aircraft with fewer than 100 seats, most common models are made by Bombardier (of Canada) or the firm Embraer (of Brazil)
Examples: Embraer ERJ-135, ERJ-145 (ExpressJet)/ Embraer E-170, E-175 (Republic Airlines)/ Bombardier CRJ-700, CRJ-900 (Comair) Mainline Aircraft: A typically jet powered aircraft that holds more than 100 seats, including "heavies" which have twin-aisles and many more seats up to 500.
Examples: Models made by Airbus, such as the A320 (US Airways)/ Models made by Boeing, such as the 777 (United Airlines) Massport: The Masschusetts Port Authority, a branch of the state DOT which operates and oversees Logan and Hanscom along with other shippng ports.
Airline Hub: A centrally-located airport at which an airline harbors most of it's connecting flights. A passenger may book a ticket with one stop in an intermediary hub to board a second flight taking the passenger to their final destination. (Example: Chicago-O'Hare for United Airlines and United Express).
Carrier: Another word for airline.
Regionals: Airlines that operate exclusively with aircraft having under 100 seats that fly scheduled commerical air service.
(Most Common Examples: Air Wisconsin, American Eagle, Big Sky Airlines, Comair, Compass Airlines, ExpressJet, Great Lakes Airlines, Horizon Air, Mesa Airlines, Pinnacle Airlines, PSA Airlines, Republic Airlines, SkyWest Airlines, Trans States Airlines)
Hot-Button Issue: Theme within the topic choice which consumers, companies, and regulators are in current debate over.
Pilot Fatigue: Tiredness and sleepiness from working long hours that possibly contributes to mistakes made flying as Pilot in Command.
Accident: A possibly fatal crash involving a passenger airliner in which the aircraft is damaged beyond repair.
Incident: A non-fatal slip up with a passenger airliner in which the aircraft can be repaired and fly again.
Mainstream Media: Agencies with public reports that are televised and possibly connected with an internal internet/print publication. *Internet sites alone do not count for this definition of mainstream.
Appear: To be believed in non-radical public opinion by a majority as a result of media reports.
FRONTLINE >FLYING CHEAP: An hour-long documentary by PBS produced at WGBH which examines training and regulations at regional airlines around the country. Available on DVD or iTunes (2/9/10)
Part 121 Air Carrier: The FAA's definition of an airline that does business in the U.S. under government certification and regulation (must have capacity 9 passengers or more each flight).
FAA: The United States Federal Aviation Administration, part of the Department of Transportation.
National Transportation Safety Board: Commonly referred to by their their initials, NTSB, they are a government function that examines accidents in all aspects of travel and publishes safety reports.
Fear Tactics: Unprofessional non-fiction reporting that influences public opinion into a fearsome state.
Turn Time: The amount of time between when an airliner arrives at a gate to offload passengers and when it pushes back from the gate to get the next flight underway. (typically under 1 hour in domestic operation)
Propeller Aircraft (Piston Engine): A plane that uses one or more propeller engine with the older form of engineering that aircraft with pistons which rotate the propeller. Example: Cessna 402 nine seater (Cape Air)/ most others no longer in service within the U.S.
Turboprop Aircraft: A plane that uses one or more propeller engine with the newer engineering of turbine-rotated propellers that increase efficiency and service range.
Examples: Embraer 120 (SkyWest)/ Bombardier Q400 (Colgan Air)/ ATR-42 and ATR-72 (American Eagle)/ Saab 340B (Mesaba Airlines)
Regional Jet/RJ: A jet powered aircraft with fewer than 100 seats, most common models are made by Bombardier (of Canada) or the firm Embraer (of Brazil)
Examples: Embraer ERJ-135, ERJ-145 (ExpressJet)/ Embraer E-170, E-175 (Republic Airlines)/ Bombardier CRJ-700, CRJ-900 (Comair)
Mainline Aircraft: A typically jet powered aircraft that holds more than 100 seats, including "heavies" which have twin-aisles and many more seats up to 500.
Examples: Models made by Airbus, such as the A320 (US Airways)/ Models made by Boeing, such as the 777 (United Airlines)
Massport: The Masschusetts Port Authority, a branch of the state DOT which operates and oversees Logan and Hanscom along with other shippng ports.