π
2013-10-13 01:01
in Flying, Nflying
Arturo had been wanting to go for many years and scored a couple of tickets this year, so he invited me and we went together this year.
He picked me up and we drove a special parking lot at SFO and got in the maintenance employee entrance:
![](/blogimg/00/thumb1024_100_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
One hangar had planes on display and MX people answering questions on how they do maintenance. That was interesting:
![](/blogimg/07/thumb1024_107_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
![they use eddie currents to see invisible cracks they use eddie currents to see invisible cracks](/blogimg/10/thumb1024_110_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
they use eddie currents to see invisible cracks
![engines sitting outside pre or post maintenance engines sitting outside pre or post maintenance](/blogimg/12/thumb1024_112_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
engines sitting outside pre or post maintenance
We got to visit the test cell, a very interesting part of the visit:
![](/blogimg/30/thumb1024_130_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
![this is where the engines get overhauled and tested this is where the engines get overhauled and tested](/blogimg/14/thumb1024_114_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
this is where the engines get overhauled and tested
![](/blogimg/19/thumb1024_119_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
![](/blogimg/20/thumb1024_120_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
![impressive facility to test engines (they get tested for over 8H) impressive facility to test engines (they get tested for over 8H)](/blogimg/26/thumb1024_126_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
impressive facility to test engines (they get tested for over 8H)
![](/blogimg/27/thumb1024_127_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
![mega blast door in case the engine disintegrates mega blast door in case the engine disintegrates](/blogimg/28/thumb1024_128_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
mega blast door in case the engine disintegrates
![](/blogimg/32/thumb1024_132_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
Planes on display were nice, including plane pulling contests
![warmup for the plane pull warmup for the plane pull](/blogimg/53/thumb1024_153_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
warmup for the plane pull
![it would be fun if we used them to tow planes from now on :) it would be fun if we used them to tow planes from now on :)](/blogimg/54/thumb1024_154_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
it would be fun if we used them to tow planes from now on :)
![Emergency slide deployment Emergency slide deployment](/blogimg/55/thumb1024_155_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
Emergency slide deployment
![Plane tours Plane tours](/blogimg/35/thumb1024_135_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
Plane tours
![Yes Arturo, this is what coach looks like. That's where other people sit :) Yes Arturo, this is what coach looks like. That's where other people sit :)](/blogimg/59/thumb1024_159_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
Yes Arturo, this is what coach looks like. That's where other people sit :)
![](/blogimg/62/thumb1024_162_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
![](/blogimg/65/thumb1024_165_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
They also had random other planes and cars for display:
![](/blogimg/40/thumb1024_140_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
![](/blogimg/42/thumb1024_142_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
![](/blogimg/48/thumb1024_148_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
![the fire truck was cool the fire truck was cool](/blogimg/49/thumb1024_149_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
the fire truck was cool
![](/blogimg/50/thumb1024_150_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
![](/blogimg/51/thumb1024_151_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
![](/blogimg/67/thumb1024_167_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
![](/blogimg/68/thumb1024_168_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
![](/blogimg/69/thumb1024_169_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
Sky writing, dot matrix style:
![](/blogimg/43/thumb1024_143_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
![](/blogimg/44/thumb1024_144_20131013_United_Family_Day.jpg)
And that was it. The only thing we messed up on was not getting in line to see the 747 cockpit very early on before a crazy line started, but oh well. |