generalelectric: The team at GE Aviation is gearing up for the Farnborough International Airshow in the UK next month! Airshow visitors will have the chance to get up close with our GEnx engine, like this one on the wing of a B747-8 Intercontinental. I’ve never been, only seen still photos of the Farnborough Airshow. I wish I could see this engine for real though. It is, well, it is so pretty. The star sapphire blue hub in the center of the spiral looks elegant. United Airlines MOC memories I worked at United Airlines’ Maintenance and Operations Center (MOC), on the south edge of San Francisco Airport (this was awhile ago, at my first job, post-college). MOC is a combination hangar-office building. I only went there to use the computers. There was a dedicated line to the mainframes in UA’s Chicago-area, ummm, Elk Grove Village HQ. I was programming, not working on the planes, though it would have been nice to watch. Spares Anyway, when I needed to take a break, I could stroll around the facility. I walked through the maintenance bays, after hours, and saw spare parts sitting on shelves for the airplanes. They had little white paper tags attached with string, and the purchase price written on the tag. Boring-looking metal parts the size of a loaf of bread cost $25,000 or more. The most expensive part I ever saw was $75,000. Aircraft parts are machined exceptionally well in order to ensure adequately low failure rates. Particularly since most passenger aircraft are good for 20 or more years of service.

generalelectric:

The team at GE Aviation is gearing up for the Farnborough International Airshow in the UK next month! Airshow visitors will have the chance to get up close with our GEnx engine, like this one on the wing of a B747-8 Intercontinental.

I’ve never been, only seen still photos of the Farnborough Airshow. I wish I could see this engine for real though. It is, well, it is so pretty. The star sapphire blue hub in the center of the spiral looks elegant.

United Airlines MOC memories

I worked at United Airlines’ Maintenance and Operations Center (MOC), on the south edge of San Francisco Airport (this was awhile ago, at my first job, post-college). MOC is a combination hangar-office building. I only went there to use the computers. There was a dedicated line to the mainframes in UA’s Chicago-area, ummm, Elk Grove Village HQ. I was programming, not working on the planes, though it would have been nice to watch.

Spares

Anyway, when I needed to take a break, I could stroll around the facility. I walked through the maintenance bays, after hours, and saw spare parts sitting on shelves for the airplanes. They had little white paper tags attached with string, and the purchase price written on the tag. Boring-looking metal parts the size of a loaf of bread cost $25,000 or more. The most expensive part I ever saw was $75,000.

Aircraft parts are machined exceptionally well in order to ensure adequately low failure rates. Particularly since most passenger aircraft are good for 20 or more years of service.