Patrick · 2026-05-10
A vintage American Airlines luggage tag from 1964, discovered in an attic, bears flight number 12 from the Los Angeles-Boston nonstop route, which was retired on September 12, 2001, the day after flight 11 crashed into the World Trade Center. The article explains how airlines systematically assign flight numbers based on direction (even for eastbound, odd for westbound) and route prestige, revealing an ordered system behind the codes used across aviation.
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Patrick · 2026-05-10
A London hotel coaster features a Union Jack design that, when partially covered, reveals the hidden logos of British European Airways (BEA) and British Airways from the 1970s era. An aviation enthusiast notices this clever design element and reflects on the constant awareness of airline-related connections in everyday objects and experiences. The observation underscores the profound significance and ubiquity of commercial air travel in modern life.
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Patrick · 2026-05-10
A pilot discovered a photograph from Christmas 1972 showing himself as a first-grader with a transparent-fuselage 747 toy that he had long remembered but believed unrecorded. The plastic Pan Am model featured detailed interior seating and a spiral staircase visible through its clear polystyrene sides. Though the toy itself is now lost, the photograph preserves evidence of an artifact that shaped his childhood passion for aviation.
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Patrick · 2026-05-10
A conflict with Iran has halted Persian Gulf air traffic, forcing Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad to cut over 90 percent of their flights and leaving hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded. The disruption affects three of the world's largest aviation hubs—Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi—which collectively handle 182 million passengers annually and function as the globe's primary transit crossroads. The crisis highlights both the geographic advantage that made these hubs dominant in international aviation and their vulnerability to regional geopolitical instability.
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Patrick · 2026-05-10
A pilot completed a significant personal milestone when departing for Paris with 301 souls on board—the first time in his career flying a widebody jet carrying more than three hundred people, including passengers, crew, and lap children. The achievement represented decades of persistence following a career marked by bankruptcies, furloughs, and positions at lesser airlines. For the pilot, the number 301 quantified a long struggle that had finally paid off.
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Patrick · 2026-05-10
A photographer shares impressionistic aerial images that deliberately avoid conventional airplane photography clichés. The featured shots include views through an airplane window distorted by de-icing fluid revealing distant New York City lights, and a jetliner tail silhouetted against a Massachusetts sky.
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Patrick · 2026-05-10
A Jazz Aviation regional jet collided with a fire truck on March 22, 2026, at La Guardia Airport after an air traffic controller cleared the truck to cross the active runway while the aircraft was landing, killing both pilots. The accident has raised questions about air traffic control staffing levels, vehicle driver training, and the protocols that allow single controllers to make life-or-death decisions during high-workload periods. While the controller will likely bear primary blame, multiple contributing factors—including understaffing, darkness, distraction, and ATC protocols—created the conditions for the fatal error.
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Patrick · 2026-05-10
April 1, 2026 It’s the fall of 1981. Specifically it’s October — or, “Rocktober” in the lingo of the big local rock station, WCOZ, a monthlong event highlighting a different band each day. Today is “Cars Day,” and I’ve set my alarm extra early. I’m yet to own
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Patrick · 2026-05-10
April 13, 2026 I’m not sure how much of a bragging point it might be, but my knowledge of the world’s airlines is, I have to admit, fairly encyclopedic. Name an airline and chances are I can give you a brief synopsis of its routes, its history, and so forth.
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Patrick · 2026-05-10
April 26, 2026 Today marks the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster in Ukraine. on the evening of April 26th, reactor four exploded, sending plumes of radiation across Europe in what is still, by far, history’s worst nuclear
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Patrick · 2026-05-10
An airline enthusiast reminisces about viewing Manhattan's Pan Am Building in 1990, a 59-story skyscraper intimately connected to the prestigious airline's identity and New York sophistication. When Pan Am ceased operations in December 1991, the building was rebranded as the MetLife Building, stripping away its romantic historical significance. Decades later, the author discovered a commemorative plaque while walking past the structure and reflected on the inevitability of change and how seemingly disparate interests—aviation, architecture, and music—intertwine through shared cultural moments.
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Patrick · 2026-05-10
May 2, 2026 Early this morning, and not unexpectedly, the long-beleagured Spirit Airlines closed its doors, retiring to that big tarmac in the sky. The company had been in and out of bankruptcy, and never really regained their footing after the COVID
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2026-05-10
Ask the Pilot Express is a semi-daily aviation blog featuring news blurbs, photographs, and commentary on industry topics and personal travel experiences. The blog covers subjects including the continued operation of Boeing 747s by major carriers, critiques of airport terminal design and security practices, aviation history with vintage airline advertisements, and observations on premium class airfare pricing that can exceed $19,000. Posts combine industry analysis with personal anecdotes and nostalgic aviation imagery spanning aircraft liveries, first-class cabin experiences, and historical airline operations.
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Patrick · 2026-05-10
AskThePilot.com's "Hidden Airport" feature showcases little-known pleasant spots at various airports worldwide, including living green walls at Charles de Gaulle, a glass-floored luggage viewing area at Amsterdam Schiphol, retro arcade games at Boston, art installations at Indianapolis, and historical exhibits at JFK and Logan airports. The collection demonstrates that despite being generally unpleasant spaces, airports contain scattered pockets of unexpected beauty and charm, from artificial grass seating areas at Bangkok to unique architectural features at smaller hubs like Norfolk.
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2026-05-10
Archive of the original Ask the Pilot columns at Salon.com. NEVER HEARD OF IT Planes and Places of Mystery. LET THE STORIES BE TOLD Remembering the Cars. THE COLLISION AT LA GUARDIA Trucks, planes, and situational awareness. IMPRESSIONS The airplane as art,
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2026-05-10
AskThePilot.com offers a mailing list for readers interested in aviation content, including questions and answers, essays, and stories from pilot Patrick Smith. Subscribers receive periodic updates on new articles with mailings kept to a minimum. The site also features a blog archive and the recently published second edition of "Cockpit Confidential."
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2026-05-10
Airport security measures implemented after September 11, 2001 are largely irrational and ineffective, treating every traveler as a potential terrorist while wasting billions of dollars and countless hours. The author contends that most restrictions address the tactics of the 2001 attacks despite the security environment having fundamentally changed—modern hijackers would encounter armored cockpits and prepared passengers likely to resist. The flawed logic of these policies is exemplified by a 12-year period during which pilots underwent security screening while airport ground workers with thorough background checks remained exempt.
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2026-05-10
AskThePilot.com's essays collection includes personal narratives and professional reflections by a commercial pilot on aviation, travel, and global observations. The essays span memoir pieces about hometown nostalgia and workplace life to commentary on airport security, pilot psychology, and experiences at international destinations like Mumbai and Dakar.
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2026-05-10
Ask the Pilot's Q&A page features questions answered in the author's book Cockpit Confidential: Everything You Need to Know About Air Travel, with a revised edition published in June 2018. The questions address common aviation concerns including aircraft safety systems, turbulence, cabin conditions, airline comparisons, landing procedures, and electronic device regulations.
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2026-05-10
AskThePilot.com offers autographed copies of "Cockpit Confidential," a 300-page book about commercial aviation by the author. The site previously sold branded t-shirts and baseball caps, but both items are currently sold out with new designs announced as coming soon.
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2026-05-10
Patrick Smith's "Ask the Pilot" column has garnered widespread acclaim from journalists, authors, and major publications for combining expert aviation knowledge with witty, accessible prose that demystifies the airline industry. Readers have credited the column with alleviating flying anxieties, providing fascinating insights into air travel, and delivering consistently excellent writing that stands out for its clarity, humor, and ability to make complex topics engaging.
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2026-05-10
Patrick Smith, an aviation expert and commentator, has appeared on over 300 radio and television outlets including CNN, PBS, the BBC, and NPR, while being published in major newspapers such as The New York Times and Boston Globe. He was recognized as one of TIME magazine's "25 Best Bloggers" and speaks on topics spanning air safety, airline service, airport security, pilot training, and international travel. Smith's media appearances span from 2014 through February 2026 across outlets worldwide.
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2026-05-10
Patrick Smith, an airline pilot and air travel blogger, created the Ask the Pilot column that ran on Salon.com from 2002 to 2012 and has become widely recognized through appearances on over 400 radio and television outlets, including CNN and PBS. He began flying at age fourteen and currently flies Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft. Smith's work addresses pervasive myths and misconceptions about commercial aviation while exploring the cultural and human dimensions of air travel.
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2026-05-10
The page provides a contact form for visitors to submit questions about aviation topics or comment on site content. An alternative form is available for readers to join the Ask the Pilot mailing list.
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2026-05-10
AskThePilot.com's "Hidden Airport" feature highlights unexpected pleasant spots at airports around the world, including living green walls at Paris's Charles de Gaulle, a glass-covered luggage system view at Amsterdam's Schiphol, vintage arcade games at Boston's Terminal A, and various cultural exhibits and installations at facilities in Indianapolis, New York, Green Bay, and Minneapolis. These quirky, flyer-friendly gestures range from artistic installations and historical exhibits to landscaping features, offering passengers moments of calm and charm in terminals typically characterized as noisy, poorly laid out, and hostile to travelers.
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2026-05-10
AskThePilot.com is a website featuring essays, questions and answers, and blog posts about aviation, airports, and airline security by pilot Patrick Smith. The site aggregates numerous articles covering topics from airport operations and flight history to airline industry issues, with content endorsed by prominent writers including Stephen Dubner and James Fallows, and promotes Smith's book "Cockpit Confidential."
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