717 Q's... Anything we need to know?

[trollies_r_go]

Right all you JQ, ex IMP and QLink guys and gals, the 717 has arrived at National Jet, is there anything we need to know about the ol' girl?? Are the toilets as bad as we've all heard? What's worrying is the 7 pages in the manual inserts we've just received on unblocking techniques and basic toilet operation, almost as many pages on how to evacuate the bastard!! Honestly they have to be better than the ol' 146 'crap and run' thunderbox! Jeez I wish I had a dollar for everytime a pax has come up to me inflight and said the toilet stinks!! And those mirrors, luckily we are screened prior to boarding and I have no sharps on me, coz' those mirrors make you just want to end it all. I find turning the light off helps!! Also you ex 717'ers, there is a procedure in the Nat Jet B717 Cabin Crew manual on how to elimate smoke in the cabin inflight. No. 1 simply delegates the disarming of 1L and 1R, who then also perform 'cracking' of the doors, being sure to allow the door to settle against the 850 km/h airstream, then simply watch the smoke disappear! Note the warning "mind the decompression" Have any of you ex (and current JQ) 717'ers seen this procedure before? What worries me is that some nut at Boeing has obviously performed this procedure and lived to tell the tail. I think it would be a case of "you do it! NO you do it!" Also those dissing' the manual girt bar, atleast there shouldn't be anymore accidental popping of slides, (aslong as their disarmed) Any National Jetters heard about 'J' class on the Boeing? Also you ex 717'ers, something else that worries me that you can actually blow the slide on door 2 during flight which will 'jettison' the tail cone... how nice? I have NO IDEA what jettison means, but I am sure by the dodgy diagrams we got it means the tail splits in 2. This scares me. On that note, I'm sure many will miss the roar of the 146's 4 hairdryers on take off, and those perfect perfect landings , the endless 'miles' of silver gaffer tape (once seen on the wing) and not forgetting to mention the crapper! Judging on the lack of interest re: cabin defects lately from engineers (*cough u/s sinks*), me thinks the 146's days are numbered at nat jet, yes they'll keep their existing 146's/RJ's on the blue tail front, but something tells me the 146 is heading home.... or maybe big bird is the no. 1 priority for now... "now where's that roll of tape gone, my trolley's wheels just fallen' off!"

[Mr Seatback 2]

Aaahh...my little 717 is going west...

A few things about our little 'SuperJet' you SHOULD know:

1) No one I know has ever really had to bother about unblocking the toilet. Yes, the procedures exist...but not much else for you to be concerned with.

Just remember...DON'T FLUSH THE DAMN THINGS WHILST ON THE GROUND...The poor baggage handlers get a whiff from 'the tank' each flush. Some ramp staffers have (allegedly) fallen out of the baggage hold due to the strength of the 'fumes'. So I'm told!

2) The toilet mirrors are not the most complimentary...at the very least, if you can look good in our mirrors, you can look good ANYWHERE!

3) With that whole smoke in the cabin ritual, so long as Door 1R and Door 2 (@ at the tailcone) are BOTH disarmed, you won't have any problem.

Yes...if you open Door 2 while armed you COULD blow the tailcone and slide inflight...which is why you have to check, and re check, you have everything set BEFORE you open the doors.

4) Jettison - to separate from, to dispose of...the tailcone separates from the aircraft (and has done on DC-9s for decades...so nothing new)

5) You will miss having a rear galley on the 717 vs 146. Less places for you to 'chill' inflight.

6) The crew at the back of 717 won't appreciate being stuck between two crappers. There is no ventilation back there - which is really helpful in summer.

Other than that...the SuperJet doesn't have much else in the way of problems. Enjoy the ride (at least there's no fumes)

[ditzyboy]

Trolley r Go -
The toilets are bad coz JQ don't clean them... Not due to any design flaw. You guys will have proper overnight cleans and the loos will be fine :ok:

The overhead lockers are HUGE.

I wonder if they put in new seats when the 717s go West? NJS are getting all the 717s that don't have slimline seats. They are getting a bit old and crappy and make it seem like there's less room.

Without seeing the real thing the whole Tailcone situation is confusing. When you actually see it for real then it makes a bit more sense. There is also a video of it all happening too which they will prolly make you watch at some stage.

Here is a pic of the tailcone area... (http://www.airliners.net/open.file/372468/M/)

Hope that helps maybe?

I am gonna miss the 717s. They are like little rockets. I have always liked the ones with the slimline seats (that used to have J class) more for some reason. I think coz they seem a lot fresher/newer and they have nicer galleys and three loos. Sorry to say the ones you are getting are louder down the back than the newer ones. Dunno why? Oh and the curtain at the front doesn't go across the aisle so it minimises your hidey space.

You guys will have fun anyway. It's a new toy. And you get no fumes and 100% fresh air in the cabin. Makes a difference on longer sectors.

[blue_stew]

Never operated 717 - but did operate the DC-9 and I can remember the back seat was the most junior position. The only time in my years of flying I felt like I was going to spew was a rough decent in the back of a DC9-30.

[CaptHairDryer]

Well VQE (NJS' 1st 712) is very tidy, it has slimline seats and 3 x toilets, but No.2 (VQC) I am told is a pile of $hit, maybe VQE was chosen for the first flight with media on board etc. as it is very tidy, seriously it looks brand new.

[etihadlad]

As an ex Impulse/ QFLink and JQ'er, I too can add some input about the 717's. I have flown on everyone of them as they were introduced into the fleet and been through all the changes of seating configurations.

All the aircraft are great - no real problems about any of them - all aircraft have their own idiosyncracies and VQC is not that bad!!! Although sitting in the back jump seat on all the aircraft is not the most popular place to be - especially on hot and bumpy days !!!! :ugh::yuk: :yuk:


The big write ups you have got on a blocking toilet seems a bit excessive as we have never had to worry about it in the 5 years I have flown on them - so I wouldn't worry too much - just know where the shut off valves are in behind the sink and in the galleys.

The cracking of door 1R is possible for excessive smoke in the cabin, and this must be done in conjunction with the PIC once the aircraft pressurisation has been brought down to acceptable levels - once again - something that has never happened in 5 years. So, perhaps something to be aware of - but nothing to get too worried about - the 717's aren't like the 146's - we don't get the horrible smells and smoke like the 146's!!;)


But honestly, the 717's are going to be missed ( they are the "sportscar" of the aircraft ) and all I can advise is to just enjoy them guys - they are a good little aircraft and I wish you all the best with them........ Happy flying.;)


To all the JQ'ers - I am on my way - no looking back now!!!
All the best to you too....:ok: :O
Send my love to Aunty Neenie!!!!:uhoh:

[SkySista]

trollies r go,

just wondering if the 717s are flying rev yet, or are they still doing training/endorsements and so on??

I'm toward that end of the ramp, saw one outside the NJS hangar with its doors off last week - I figured you lot were doing evac training... :)

Also they've been doing touch & gos once or twice (that I've seen). So. When do you lot get to fly on them???

(To think I could have been starting with you guys too, but for personal reasons I had to turn down the chance... :( )

EY lad, all the best mate! :ok:

[etihadlad]

Thanks love - looking forward to the challenges that lay ahead and the fun that will be had!!!!:O :p :ooh: :O