Got it!

Delta had one of their A359s at PIT doing touch and go's. Plenty of pics here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pitairport/albums/72157686877576410

What a gorgeous plane

N502DN just came in again moments ago!

OneJet expands in Milwaukee

"Already, Maguire anticipates as many as 15 more routes from Milwaukee, though he says the carrier won’t stop there. “Certainly, Milwaukee will not be our last base,” he predicts.

What (if any) impact might this have on Pgh?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/f ... 726125001/

FedEx will be operating an MD-11 PIT-SJU for hurricane relief. One of two cargo jets to operate to SJU later today.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/FDX9121/history/20171005/1145Z/KMEM/KPIT

3 days in a row now for the DL A350
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL9976/history/20171005/1130Z/KATL/KPIT


Wouldn't it be great to get paid to do what many of us try to do from the arm chair on this site? "Manager, Air Service Development" opening at the ACAA:
https://workforcenow.adp.com/jobs/apply/posting.html?client=pitairport&ccId=19000101_000001&type=MP&lang=en_US#

flyPIT wrote:

Delta had one of their A359s at PIT doing touch and go's. Plenty of pics here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pitairport/albums/72157686877576410

That front window is sexy. Just sayin'.

PITexpress wrote:

OneJet expands in Milwaukee

"Already, Maguire anticipates as many as 15 more routes from Milwaukee, though he says the carrier won’t stop there. “Certainly, Milwaukee will not be our last base,” he predicts.

What (if any) impact might this have on Pgh?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/f ... 726125001/

Positive impact I would think. Increased efficiency at spoke cities shared by both MKE and PIT will benefit the whole operation.

I'm a little intrigued by DL doing tough-and-gos with an A350. While on subject of DL, it's awesome they're bringing in a 763 for the seasonal CDG flight. On some days next Summer, PIT will see 2x daily scheduled 763s.

steeler83 wrote:

I'm a little intrigued by DL doing tough-and-gos with an A350. While on subject of DL, it's awesome they're bringing in a 763 for the seasonal CDG flight. On some days next Summer, PIT will see 2x daily scheduled 763s.

Makes sense for them to use PIT with its long runways and not-too-busy traffic that would otherwise interfere with flight crew training.

N502DN has been doing ATL-PIT-DTW-IND during this 3 day stretch.

The Jags should be coming in tomorrow for their game this weekend against the Steelers. They've been using an Atlas Air 744 for the majority of this season so be on the lookout!

So if I'm reading their schedule correctly, we should be looking at a 9am arrival for the first QR Cargo flight on Wednesday? Seems like it shifts to an night arrival and early AM departure after the inaugural.

Does anyone know why this Southern Airways flight goes from PIT-AGC? http://flightaware.com/live/flight/FDY9842

corkscrew wrote:

So if I'm reading their schedule correctly, we should be looking at a 9am arrival for the first QR Cargo flight on Wednesday? Seems like it shifts to an night arrival and early AM departure after the inaugural.

Word is they'll unload/load in one of the pads since they haven't gotten a cargo spot ready for them yet.

Runway28L wrote:

steeler83 wrote:

I'm a little intrigued by DL doing tough-and-gos with an A350. While on subject of DL, it's awesome they're bringing in a 763 for the seasonal CDG flight. On some days next Summer, PIT will see 2x daily scheduled 763s.

Makes sense for them to use PIT with its long runways and not-too-busy traffic that would otherwise interfere with flight crew training.

N502DN has been doing ATL-PIT-DTW-IND during this 3 day stretch.

The Jags should be coming in tomorrow for their game this weekend against the Steelers. They've been using an Atlas Air 744 for the majority of this season so be on the lookout!

The Atlas 744 is here. Arrived around 1435ish.

bravoindia wrote:

Word is they'll unload/load in one of the pads since they haven't gotten a cargo spot ready for them yet.

One of "the pads"? As in de-ice pad? If so that's pretty amateur hour by the ACAA. I would think it would park behind Cargo A like some of the other ad hoc cargo flights do.

One thing I never understood about Cargo A is they never (re)built a proper ramp next to it on the southeast side (evidenced if you look at Google Earth). Then plans for Cargo B which was to be right next to and northeast of Cargo A were dropped in favor of 3 planned corporate hangars.

flyPIT wrote:

bravoindia wrote:

Word is they'll unload/load in one of the pads since they haven't gotten a cargo spot ready for them yet.

One of "the pads"? As in de-ice pad? If so that's pretty amateur hour by the ACAA. I would think it would park behind Cargo A like some of the other ad hoc cargo flights do.

One thing I never understood about Cargo A is they never (re)built a proper ramp next to it on the southeast side (evidenced if you look at Google Earth). Then plans for Cargo B which was to be right next to and northeast of Cargo A were dropped in favor of 3 planned corporate hangars.

Deicing pad C. Its only temporary until the construction is completed on its own pad by Cargo 3. That should be around the December/January time frame. I am told that they are making fast progress on that ramp expansion but haven't been over to observe it myself.

Flaps wrote:

Deicing pad C. Its only temporary until the construction is completed on its own pad by Cargo 3. That should be around the December/January time frame. I am told that they are making fast progress on that ramp expansion but haven't been over to observe it myself.

OK; I've seen them working on the little taxilane extension that leads to nowhere. During peak UPS uses that area to park a third airplane so I imagine QR will move over after Christmas. I still think they should have done that work a long time ago speculatively if they intended to attract a long haul cargo carrier.

Can confirm the plan is for Charlie pad to be used until construction is complete, in meantime if any deicing is needed, will all be done at Sierra.

EDIT: After it departs, Charlie is good to be used for deicing until it returns, my mistake

Out of curiosity, I check AA's PIT schedule and noticed a few things...

PIT-DFW reverts back to all-MD80 in December. However, it goes down to 3x daily then eventually back up to 4x daily in January. Also by looking at fares, mainly on more recent dates, it clearly looks like they're fare-matching NK who's also on the route.

PIT-CLT gets 1 738 starring in February. I believe this is the first metal swap between L-US and L-AA for this route.

PIT-BOS goes from 3x daily CRJ2s to 2x daily Piedmont E145s and 1x daily Republic E175.

It may have been mentioned earlier that mainline on PIT-ORD was going to be temporary. Well it looks like mainline is staying for good, as the route becomes a mix of CRJ7s, MD80s, and 738s starting in December, then CRJ7/738-only in February.

I have noticed a late-night E190 on PIT-LGA recently as well.

Overall, some pretty nice equipment changes and upgrades. I'm really surprised about the BOS and ORD changes.

Some recent visitors

flyPIT wrote:

Some recent visitors

Sweet! Thanks for sharing!!

Anna.aero's coverage of PIT at the World Routes forum:

http://cdn1.pps-publications.com/anna-aero-dailies/routes/barecelona-2017/issue-03/index.html#32
Page 32

http://cdn1.pps-publications.com/anna-aero-dailies/routes/barecelona-2017/issue-01/index.html#106
Page 106

QTR8144 at PIT with water cannons

bravoindia wrote:

QTR8144 at PIT with water cannons

Qatar flight photos at PIT https://www.flickr.com/photos/pitairport/

OneJet is going to add the Citation CJ4 to the fleet and maybe even larger capacity aircraft on select routes, according to a press release and https://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/ ... s-out.html

ConcourseZ wrote:

OneJet is going to add the Citation CJ4 to the fleet and maybe even larger capacity aircraft on select routes, according to a press release and https://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/ ... s-out.html

Any idea if the BizJournal story has more information than the story on the OneJet site?

http://www.onejet.com/press-archive/one ... 4-aircraft

It sounds like the Citation will support up to 9 passengers because it is certified for one pilot. I believe OneJet had plans (maybe already happening) to get an 8th seat on their existing aircraft. A nine-passenger jet is of course a seating increase, but I wonder if there is serious consideration of something with more than 9 seats.

The tricky thing with OneJet is that because they are not the operating carrier it's hard to know what the effective limitations are. Are there frequency limitations currently? Could they run 10+ seat aircraft today? And if there are those limitations now what are the realisitic prospects of overcoming them with their current contractor or somebody else?

Pittsburgh-Hartford seems to be the market looking most for more capacity. I wonder if there's something preventing them from running a third mid-day frequency today (using the slack time where the planes sit in PIT for several hours.) Or, maybe they just don't think it would be popular enough and the solution is staying 2x/day but with more seats.

With WN's announcement of Hawaii service, any chance in the furture there could be a PIT-HNL flight with a pit stop at LAX?

CaptainMidnight wrote:

With WN's announcement of Hawaii service, any chance in the furture there could be a PIT-HNL flight with a pit stop at LAX?

I doubt it, I don't have the numbers to back my theory but just a strong felling it won't happen

knope2001 wrote:

ConcourseZ wrote:

OneJet is going to add the Citation CJ4 to the fleet and maybe even larger capacity aircraft on select routes, according to a press release and https://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/ ... s-out.html

Any idea if the BizJournal story has more information than the story on the OneJet site?
.

For what it's worth I combed more carefully through that press release item on the OneJet site.

"The initial program with Textron Aviation Inc., home to the Cessna brand, will use aircraft from the company’s Pre-Owned Direct inventory and focus on a base-specific roll out."

Base-specific sounds like the Citation and B40's won't generally mix. Not sure if this is meaningful but there's a Citation service center in MKE but not PIT .


"OneJet will provide dedicated pilots and maintenance technicians as well as an assigned parts inventory, as the fleet is deployed."

This is especially curious. OneJet is not an airline. What does it mean to "provide" pilots and maintenance technicians? Subcontract from somebody? Hire and train them directly? OneJet is not really an airline and it would be a huge (expensive and time-consuming) step to truly do any of that themselves. Perhaps OneJet is "providing" this by having CFM/Contour do this? Nothing in the press release says OneJet is partnering with X to actually fly and maintain these aircraft.

I wonder if what this means is OneJet has contracted with Textron to lease a bunch of aircraft which CFM/Contour will operate and maintain for them.

CaptainMidnight wrote:

With WN's announcement of Hawaii service, any chance in the furture there could be a PIT-HNL flight with a pit stop at LAX?

As a connection, probably.

Same plane service, not gonna happen.

Now they have my attention! I would consider going there to fly the CJ, but not the Beech jet. I was really hoping it would be a Phenom 300 as I really would love to fly that plane some day.

As for larger planes, yes they absolutely can fly larger aircraft. CFM is already flying jetstreams and even the ERJ135/145 on scheduled EAS services. As a Part 380 operator under Part 135, they can fly any aircraft up to 30 seats in scheduled service.

As for the CJ4, it will only be an 8 seater. They run dual crews, so nobody will be in the cockpit. The Beechjet is only a 7 seater for them I believe. I looked at the Cessna inventory. There are only two CJ4's currently available, both 2011 models with 6 seats and a two place couch along the right side in front of the door.

As of right now, CFM does not have any postings up for CJ4 pilots.

"Pittsburgh International Airport to cut fees for airlines in 2018"
http://www.post-gazette.com/business/development/2017/10/20/Pittsburgh-International-Airport-to-cut-fees-for-airlines-in-2018/stories/201710200211


Aug passengers are up 13.1% and Sept up over 4% despite the TX and FL hurricanes:
http://www.flypittsburgh.com/newsroom/news-releases/pittsburgh-international-airport-has-busiest-summe

Total for the year is now up 7.2%

CaptainMidnight wrote:

With WN's announcement of Hawaii service, any chance in the furture there could be a PIT-HNL flight with a pit stop at LAX?

They're probably be better off having a PIT-LAX flight connecting with an LAX-HNL flight as opposed to a direct PIT-LAX-HNL schedule. You have to figure that PIT might not be the only origin for passengers continuing to HNL through LAX (or, for that matter, SAN or SJC/OAK/SFO).

GSP psgr wrote:

In the latest OAG thread, PIT-SFO once again goes seasonal.....pathetic for a market of our size. That'll be really impressive to the Amazon HQ2 site selection team.

SFO wouldn't be relevant to Amazon considering they're based out of Seattle (the lack of a PIT-SEA nonstop hurts Pittsburgh more than lack of service to the Bay Area). That said, I'm surprised that there isn't at least one daily WN flight from PIT to either OAK (crew base), SFO or SJC.

ctrabs0114 wrote:

SFO wouldn't be relevant to Amazon considering they're based out of Seattle (the lack of a PIT-SEA nonstop hurts Pittsburgh more than lack of service to the Bay Area). That said, I'm surprised that there isn't at least one daily WN flight from PIT to either OAK (crew base), SFO or SJC.

Flights to SFO was specifically mentioned in Amazon's RFP. But like I said before air service is the easiest item to rectify regarding Amazon's criteria and Pittsburgh's outlook for HQ2 continues to be positive by those entities keeping track. Forbes being the latest:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/marciaturner/2017/10/19/amazon-is-most-likely-to-build-its-second-headquarters-in-1-of-these-5-cities/#639259dc6168

ctrabs0114 wrote:

CaptainMidnight wrote:

With WN's announcement of Hawaii service, any chance in the furture there could be a PIT-HNL flight with a pit stop at LAX?

They're probably be better off having a PIT-LAX flight connecting with an LAX-HNL flight as opposed to a direct PIT-LAX-HNL schedule. You have to figure that PIT might not be the only origin for passengers continuing to HNL through LAX (or, for that matter, SAN or SJC/OAK/SFO).

I have a feeling it will be another "focus city"-LAX-HNL that way they can filter more people into it.

flyPIT wrote:

ctrabs0114 wrote:

SFO wouldn't be relevant to Amazon considering they're based out of Seattle (the lack of a PIT-SEA nonstop hurts Pittsburgh more than lack of service to the Bay Area). That said, I'm surprised that there isn't at least one daily WN flight from PIT to either OAK (crew base), SFO or SJC.

Flights to SFO was specifically mentioned in Amazon's RFP. But like I said before air service is the easiest item to rectify regarding Amazon's criteria and Pittsburgh's outlook for HQ2 continues to be positive by those entities keeping track. Forbes being the latest:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/marciaturner/2017/10/19/amazon-is-most-likely-to-build-its-second-headquarters-in-1-of-these-5-cities/#639259dc6168

I know non-stop to SEA was part of the RFP, but I wasn't aware about SFO. I'm curious as to what role SFO plays for Amazon, considering corporate is in Seattle. That's what has me confused.

Are there any significant business ties (excluding the potential Amazon HQ2) between Pittsburgh and San Francisco that would warrant improved air service? The only ones I can think of are Chevron and Oracle.

Runway28L wrote:

Are there any significant business ties (excluding the potential Amazon HQ2) between Pittsburgh and San Francisco that would warrant improved air service? The only ones I can think of are Chevron and Oracle.

Google and Uber as well.

Don't know why, but the lack of an announcement of a PIT-SEA route at this point really does not make me feel good about our chances, I know it's something small and easily fixed, but I figured it would've happened by now

Lemieux wrote:

Don't know why, but the lack of an announcement of a PIT-SEA route at this point really does not make me feel good about our chances, I know it's something small and easily fixed, but I figured it would've happened by now

It should certainly come at some point, but there has to be some factors that may be causing an announcement to be held back. For example, DL is very tight on gate space at SEA and I believe that's the biggest detriment to them for expanding from SEA.
AS also has to deal with consolidating VX ops since their single operating certificates are merging in Spring 2018 as well as dealing with equipment swaps and repaints. AS also probably wants to solidify their presence at SFO, LAX, DAL, SAN etc first before expanding more from SEA.

My point being that it's a scenario where PIT-SEA is a top priority for the ACAA, but not as much as a priority for AS or DL.

Lemieux wrote:

Don't know why, but the lack of an announcement of a PIT-SEA route at this point really does not make me feel good about our chances, I know it's something small and easily fixed, but I figured it would've happened by now

If I were Pittsburgh, I 'd already have a per flight revenue guarantee agreement in place with an airline for PIT-SEA service (conditional on HQ2 award). And include that in the Proposal. Of course we won't know if that was even considered, since Pittsburgh chose to tag their submittal as "non-disclosure".

Interesting twist regarding the incentives offered to Qatar Airways:

http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2017/10/25/Air-the-incentives-Kudos-for-Qatar-cargo-deal-but-details-matter/stories/201710310040

"Ms. Cassotis said it isn’t her intent to keep airline incentives a secret going forward. But in this case, she said, she developed a special formula to induce Qatar Airways’ business and break into the ultra-competitive cargo market. She isn’t ready to share details yet. In time, she said, she knows they’ll come out in one way or another."

They finally uploaded the statistics spreadsheet for Aug and Sept. Nice int'l increases.

http://www.flypittsburgh.com/getattachment/Newsroom/Airport-Statistics/August-2017-Short-Report.pdf.aspx?lang=en-US

http://www.flypittsburgh.com/getattachment/Newsroom/Airport-Statistics/September-2017-Short-Report.pdf.aspx?lang=en-US

PIT-MDT flights resume:
https://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/2017/10/27/pittsburgh-toharrisburg-flights-resume.html



Left leaning NY Times has Pittsburgh as most likely finalist for HQ2 (previously Denver):
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/26/business/amazon-headquarters-competition.html
https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2017/10/27/nyt-makes-another-guess-on-amazon-hq2-city-denver.html

Right leaning Daily Caller has Pittsburgh as a top 4 contender:
http://dailycaller.com/2017/10/25/amazon-is-not-coming-your-city-has-already-lost/

flyPIT wrote:

PIT-MDT flights resume:
https://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/2017/10/27/pittsburgh-toharrisburg-flights-resume.html



Left leaning NY Times has Pittsburgh as most likely finalist for HQ2 (previously Denver):
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/26/business/amazon-headquarters-competition.html
https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2017/10/27/nyt-makes-another-guess-on-amazon-hq2-city-denver.html

Right leaning Daily Caller has Pittsburgh as a top 4 contender:
http://dailycaller.com/2017/10/25/amazon-is-not-coming-your-city-has-already-lost/

Definitely surprised both still have us as a top four, I wish nothing more than for us to get it, especially with CMU right there, but I have a gut feeling AUS gets it

Sydney based CAPA (Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation) awarded PIT "Regional Airport of the Year":
https://centreforaviation.com/insights/analysis/norwegian-aeromexico-and-willie-walsh-among-capa-aviation-for-excellence-award-winners-376232
(scroll down)

Interesting visitor came in today

http://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/3dc-swz

Runway28L wrote:

Interesting visitor came in today

http://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/3dc-swz

Link not working for me, what's the tail number on that bad boy