Flying Freight In The Corona Crisis
Nice write-up, but…let’s not forget the “real” heroes that make your mission possible. The “army” that includes the folks that: a) work location is non-optional, b) every bit at risk (more so because they work in a much less controlled environment), c) paid a small fraction of “freight dog” crews, d) don’t get premium pay for “volunteering” to work in higher risk areas (which is pretty much everywhere now). I could go on.
Here’s to all the real underdogs who load the freight, drive the tugs, clean the cockpits, etc.!
Eric N.
Thanks Glenn, for sharing what is really happening in your world that many of us just take for granted. I am a Florida school district aviation program director, and I see a great divide of understanding of how this pandemic will change our lives on the same scale of 911 did, and I think this will more impactful and long lasting.
My best wishes for you and your family staying safe and healthy. You are a hero.
John R.
What Will Be The New Normal?
When I do flight instruction, I tell my students “hope for the best, plan for the worst”. I really hope Oshkosh goes ahead because that would mean my best hope was realized, but that doesn’t mean I am planning on attending
A lot of what I am reading seems to be the epidemiological equivalent of taking off on a cross country flight into a headwind without enough fuel to get to the destination and no mid-flight alternates, because the headwind is forecast to turn into a tailwind.
We North American GA pilots can still fly our own airplanes pretty much how we want. I still enjoy flying my airplane but now do not take passengers and take great care to maintain social distancing when on the ramp and dis-infect anything I touch that is public, which is pretty much restricted to the self-service fuel stations.
Many European countries have out right banned recreational GA flying, so I am very cognizant of how lucky I am to own an airplane and be financially secure enough to afford to fly it.
David G.
Personally, if Oshkosh goes on but it’s a requirement to wear a mask and/or get your temperature checked before being allowed in, then I definitely won’t be going. I’d actually prefer they just cancel it now, instead of holding out hope to still go forward with it. I think enough people are not going to go regardless of what happens between now and then that it won’t be worth the effort to put on a lackluster, lightly-attended show. Which is a real shame, because I was particularly looking forward to going this year.
Gary B.
Poll: Should Boeing Get a Bailout With No Strings?
Boeing has screwed up consistently over the last few years and are in a pickle of their own making, nothing to do with the virus, so no special treatment for them!!!
Peter B.
No one is “too big to fail,” period. NO BAILOUT!
Michael L.
Who was it that complained about government subsidies for Airbus and now wants same from U.S. government?
Ronald V.
Put Boeing in Chapter 11, to protect employees and contractors.
Any government bailout, including a loan facility, that allows equity holders to be protected, only benefits management and shareholders.
Instead of conserving cash for difficult times, management and shareholders have benefited to the tune of $45 billion of buybacks and dividends these past few years.
Those same management and shareholders should not therefore be able to access circa $60 billion of taxpayer funds to shore up their equity positions now that bad times are here.
That would be nothing less than American Socialism – privatizing profits and socializing losses.
PS – Dave Colhoun should hang his head in shame for even asking the US government for cash, having been part of the Board group that got Boeing into this mess over recent years.
Andy M.
