Airline’s ‘adoption’ program brings aviation down to earth
What happens when a bird flies into a plane’s engine?
That’s the question fifth-grader Jonathan Jones shot at Southwest Airlines pilot Neil Begalman last week.
Begalman is visiting Karen Allen’s Liberty Lake Elementary fifth-grade class as part of Southwest’s adopt-a-pilot program. He told them that if it’s a small bird, the bird dies, but the engine isn’t damaged.
More than one large bird, however, could kill the engine as well as the birds.
“Birds are not pilots’ friends,” he said.
Allen uses Begalman’s visits to teach her students about geography, math, vocabulary and science.
They map where Begalman flies and average the distance he flies each day.
On this visit, Begalman explained the physics principles that affect flight, including thrust, drag, lift and gravity.
He’s one of about 550 pilots volunteering in their hometown schools as part of Southwest’s program.
A little trivia from this class: A Boeing 737 weighs about 150,000 pounds when fully fueled.
And Begalman has never run off a runway without taking off, a question asked by Evan Grinalds
Whew.
Lies, lies and more lies
You’re right. That estimated gas mileage listed for your car is higher than you will probably ever get in the real world.
AAA is fighting mad about the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s miles-per-gallon estimates, calling them inaccurate.
AAA did its own tests of 2003 and 2004 vehicles and found that cars rarely got the gas mileage the EPA claimed. While EPA estimates 27-33 mpg for a 2004 Dodge Neon, AAA found it got 24. The EPA estimate for a 2003 Toyota Tundra is 14-17 mpg. AAA’s results were 12.9 mpg.
AAA is now pushing the “Fuel Efficiency Truth-in-Advertising Act” to solve the problem.
Fair warning
This week is going to be an especially bad one to jaywalk downtown.
The Spokane Police Department will be conducting its traffic emphasis patrol downtown, focusing on pedestrian violations.
So, drivers, be on your best behavior, too, and watch out for people in the crosswalks.
More than a few Washingtons
The city will hold a public meeting Wednesday to discuss its plans to reconstruct Washington and Stevens streets between Third and 14th avenues.
The $2.3 million project is in the design phase and will be under construction this summer.
If you want to know more, head over to the Global Credit Union Building at 1520 W. Third Avenue Wednesday between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Call Rich Hanson at 625-6700 for more information.
The best rocks are safe
Interstate 90 is going to be getting a $2 million makeover in Lincoln County, just west of the Spokane County border, starting today.
Ruts are necessitating resurfacing of about 10 miles here, and road crews will also be making that stretch safer for faster-moving vehicles.
Since the speed limit was raised from 60 mph to 70 mph there several years ago, the state-required “clear zone” has been enlarged. This is the area where obstructions, like trees and boulders, must be removed.
But don’t worry. While lower rocks will be taken out, the cool, tall, basalt rock formations in the median will remain, said Washington State Department of Transportation Spokesman Al Gilson, who anticipates worried calls from local rock hounds.
What may not be safe are speeders. While work is under way, the speed limit is going to be reduced there to 55 mph.
Slow going
Work on the Liberty Lake pedestrian bridge over Interstate 90 surprised some commuters with lane restrictions last week. Prepare for intermittent lane closures there this week.
Sewer work on Perry Street is set to start today between North Foothills Drive and Wellesley. Traffic will be detoured.