A story of how you want your retirement flight to go. And how you do not want your it to go.

[@markmccann8032]

I lost my medical in October of 2021 at the relatively young age of 52. Until I saw my AME 5 days later, I didn't know I had flown my last flight. This leaves you with a marked lack of closure and throws a giant monkey wrench in your life plan, but I can look back at an almost 30 year career with pride, having never injured a passenger nor dinged an airplane. Congratulations on making it to the finish line!

[@scottbravo3]

Legit the reason that nobody should invest in the EXTREME amount of money and time it takes to go into a flying career. The expense is extreme these days and the FAA will end your career for even the slightest medical issues. It’s like they’re living in 1940 with the medical requirements. Why would anyone want to endure the financial cost and dedication and have the high risk of having your career end suddenly and through no fault of their own. There’s a massive pilot shortage that’s limited to rich kids that can afford all the associated risks. I’m in great shape can still easily get and maintain my first class medical but I left flying as a career and found something that makes as much money that’s stable long term.

[@joeglennaz]

Sorry that happened to you hello from Phoenix Arizona just a private pilot but I too flew my last flight and didn’t know it. I have a medical condition where I can’t get my medical.

[@andrewstorm8240]

What did you do instead

[@markmccann8032]

@andrewstorm8240 I am essentially retired. Still an employee, but receiving no pay or benefits. Fortunately, my wife has a good job 😊

[@smaze1782]

Sorry to hear it man. I was close to losing mine as well for a heart valve issue. May I ask why you lost your medical?

[@jeffsmithist]

Had 35 at AAL, finished up flying from Shanghai to DFW on the 787. had a speech written out to read over the PA and couldn’t get thru it. In spite of all the issues surrounding deregulation and labor/management it was a charmed career and I was so very blessed.

[@Dstew57A]

Here’s to hoping you Retirement is just what you are wanting it to be. Thank you for safely getting passengers to where they want to go?😇✈️

[@nick39]

That is a great story! I didn’t realize my last flight was my last. Landed in ORD… made a mad dash for my commute home. Had some on going medical issues on my days off.. never made it back to work due to those problems. I ended up retiring at 56 years old. I’m very thankful to have had the opportunity to fly 25 years with no issues. I was lucky to have had great people around me to work through emergencies over the years to keep my safety record clean!🙂 I do miss flying sometimes, but have greatly enjoyed retirement as well. Your story is excellent! Thank you for sharing and congratulations on your retirement!

[@randolphmahoney]

Ron, great story. Although this is a "first world problem,: after 38 years with american, I had the bad luck to be flying the A-330 when Isom decided to park/retire the entire fleet during COVID. Had 9 months to go, so no re-training to the -78 or the -777. Just a FedEx label to hand back my ID and KCM asap. On my retirement day, I did get a call from my former Chief Pilot, which was appreciated. My neighbor obliged me with squirting the garden hose over the driveway when I got home (A nice and funny touch, really.) With both the wonders and the small unpleasantness we see as airline pilots, I think we all start anticipating and planning for that finis trip, and hosting a small get-together afterward. Just didn't happen; no period at the end of the sentence. Just disconnection. Moving on.....

[@caseyedward2890]

We had those A3 30s out of Philly really enjoyed riding them sad when they park them

[@moroboshidan7960]

Now that's a nice neighbor!

[@daveluttinen2547]

A friend was a captain at United and in 1993 we were discussing what his future plans were; he said he would never have enough seniority to bid 777s so he flew 757s out of SFO. Lourens Botha was his name; I believe his son flies for United now. Anyway, as an instrument rated private pilot with some multi-engine time, we would talk shop until late a night. Your stories reminded me of him; always looking on the upside of things. Lost him to cancer quite a few years back. Too nice a guy and too soon. Congrats on a successful career!

[@Dstew57A]

Level headed with lots of experience..just what you want your pilot to be..thank you for the years of service taking passengers safely to their destination.

[@oyveydetoymeny]

This resonates deeply : I just turned 58 and 27 years in the same airline albeit with several name changes but no contract suspensions. Emotions run high and eyeball windshield wipers don’t yet exist but hey technology gets better everyday. It’s good to have a plan for what to do on that very next day I believe and it won’t be couch- remote-refrigerator in my case. There’s so much useful stuff you can continue to do, like this channel 👍

[@jimselzle3782]

Congrats Ron on a successful career. My best friend flew in the Navy, then the airlines (Northwest, then Delta) for another 30 years. Unfortunately, he had to retire at age 64 due to medical reasons (cancer). He passed away in 2022, age 67. Count your blessings everybody.

[@mikethompson3534]

I’m so sorry to hear that but he’s in heaven now watching out for the safety of all airplanes

[@mrkc10]

Another great story Ron. Thanks for sharing some more insight on your fini flight. Checklist complete.

[@ronrogers]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@raymorley8241]

Great video. I am currently 65 enroute to 66 and still totally active flying with my carrier.

[@cappy9867]

Capt Ron, enjoy your videos...as luck would have it I was living in the LA area in 1978 and on the day of the Continental accident I was returning to LAX on a Western Airlines DC-10 from Seattle ...the weather was lousy for SCal and the approach was from the west over the ocean and we flew directly over the crashed still smoldering Continental jet on landing....very sobering...

[@leechjim8023]

That bad weather in 1978 was heavy flooding rains similar to what is happening now (early 2024)

[@keithfreitas2983]

Worked for Continental at LAX during that CO DC10 final retirement flight to HNL in Ramp Ops. Remember those passengers trying to get out on the burning side of the aircraft. There was a Pan Am ramp guy driving a belt loader drive up to the rear to help passengers out going down the belt loader. The aircraft was at max takeoff weight.

[@rosecolored2024]

I interviewed for my flying job at Continental on the very day that DC-10 crashed. My mother, who lived in nearby Torrance, call me in the morning and said, "a Continental airliner crashed at LAX." The airplane was still sitting there smoldering when I arrive for my interview. It was a wild day but I completed my interview, got hired, and went to work for Continental. 5 years later, I went on strike against Frank Lorenzo, and never flew at Continental again.

[@sganzerlag]

I am really really enjoying these airline stories! Thank you so much for sharing them here!! Best regards from Brasilia, Brazil.

[@ronrogers]

Glad you like them!

[@Dan_Bender]

My Father retired as a station manager for United. He was the station manager in SUX when Al Haines miraculously put his DC-10 into the fields there. I grew up in a United family. Great times. I'm a Maintenance Inspector with American Airlines in PIT. (Started with USAir in 1987). Love your stories and videos!!! Keep them coming.

[@Brian-kl1zu]

Thank you for sharing your retirement flight family photos. It was the "icing on the cake" for your video story.

[@jtoddk98]

Hi Ron, I love your airline stories, I’m sure many others do as well. You are a wealth of information and a great storyteller. Please keep doing the airline stories, no matter how insignificant you think they are. You have a wealth of experience and knowledge from your flying career

[@ronrogers]

Thanks for listening

[@marjoriemorris5849]

An amazing career, Captain Rogers!!! I’m sure it’s bittersweet to have it come to an end. Thank you for sharing your story!!! And thank you for 36 years of safely getting so many people to their destinations. Even though you probably didn’t get to meet many of your passengers, hopefully you know that you were an important part of so many special memories!!! You flew people to weddings, graduations, vacations, holiday celebrations, and so much more. What an incredible, incredible privilege. And what a blessing you have been to innumerable lives, not only those many thousands who traveled on your planes over the years, but those with whom your passengers spent time once they arrived. May God bless you and your family!!! And best wishes to your son, that he enjoy a long and wonderful career as a pilot too!!!

[@SteveD328]

Congratulations on a great career and Happy Retirement!! I quit flying for the airlines when i was 40 (loved the first airline I worked for, but they went out of business, then hated the second airline, stayed there only 10 months, both were regionals), but then began flying for one of the major players in the fractional ownership industry, no mandatory retirement here, also a great company to work for. I will have my 24th anniversary there on Feb 28, then just a few days later I will turn 65, but plan to keep going as long as they let me (we’ve got guys in their mid 70s still going strong there).

[@kounpark4389]

are you ex ACA guy?

[@SteveD328]

@@kounpark4389 Nope…….Lone Star Airlines out of DFW. Probably the most fun job I ever had. I trained on the 328 turbo-prop at Oberpfaffenhofen in late 1994. It’s been nearly 26 years since i last flew one, and even though i now fly a pretty sweet super midsize corporate jet for a major player in the fractional ownership industry, the 328 turbo-prop remains my favorite airplane ever. I’ve heard that the jet version was somewhat of a disappointment.

[@TobyMcVinn]

Bravo Captain Ron, really good stuff.

[@MarsVinette]

Great story Ron. I really enjoy your videos. You tell your stories with the human aspect in mind and not a lot of technical mumbo jumbo. I heard enough of that from my brother in law and sister in law who were both long time retired captains. Thanks for telling the human side and please keep posting.

[@ronrogers]

Thanks for watching

[@jibeneyto91]

As an aspiring airline pilot I hope one day I get to look back at my retirement flight as fondly as you did here!

[@jiyushugi1085]

Unintentionally retired at 67 from a Pt. 135 airline when Hawaii banned all inter-island flying due to the pandemic and the airline went bust. No pension but a big stack of unemployment checks. Low and slow is way to go!

[@BigDukeX]

I too was at LAX that morning when this accident occurred. This aircraft nearly made it to the perimeter of the airport. A bit further and it may have stopped on Sepulveda Blvd. What a mess that day was. Condolences to the passengers who were lost as a result of this accident. A hellva way to end your final flight as Captain.

[@davidbrooks1724]

Thank you for your service in the air for all of us

[@stephenmcgeown]

Congratulations on your amazing career. How amazing that you got to mark in that way by taking your family with you on that last trip.

[@CrashTestPrivate]

Congratulations, Ron!! Hope you are enjoying your retirement, sir.

[@GoSolarPlz]

Nice episode!

[@chrismredsox1]

Dear Capt Ron, as a UA million miler, thank you for your years of dedicated professional service and I wish you and your family the best and a happy, healthy retirement!

[@sebastiansandstede2539]

Very inspiring Episode! I‘m a Captain on A320 Fam. in Europe…as well already a few stories to tell…! We once farewelled a Captain on Longrange from Singapore back home. Watercanon and all that stuff. Wife and daughters with us. It got very emotional, when he did shut down those 4 Engines for the last time! Took him 2 minutes…;) You must be a happy man after this long and safely done career! Another 20yrs to go… I‘ll do my best, in all aspects…! Keep up the good work. Looking fwd to see more… Regards

[@markbushnell5400]

Hi Ron I really enjoy your stories. I am retired from Continental / United (post merger) where I worked in aircraft maintenance, all of them at EWR. You mentioned the CAL DC-10 accident at LAX. I spent quite a bit of my time on the Widebody Crew at EWR, working DC-10's, B-747's. and B-767's flying trans cons and trans Atlantic. One day we received a part from stores to install on a DC-10 (I believe it was an Avionics "Black Box"). The plastic bag enclosing the part was yellowed, indicating that it had been sitting on a shelf for a while. We looked at the parts tag which indicated the last aircraft that it had been installed on and it happened to be the aircraft that was involved in that accident. I want to say that it was fleet number 045, but I could be wrong. This was close to 20 years if not more after that incident. Who knows when it was removed from that aircraft. Also, the in-laws of a co worker of my fathers were on that flight when the accident happened.

[@leesantos9711]

Thank you for your service Capt. Rogers !

[@matthewwesterfield4888]

You have a new subscriber now. I really enjoyed your video and I look forward to you posting more..... Thanks for all your safe years, Captain!!

[@ShadesOClarity]

I thought I missed this one, but I used my other account. You had some great Hawaii photos and had an almost perfect career. Congrats on all of your flying years.

[@davidlindburg1921]

Congratulations Captain. Steadfast, dedicated, stellar service. Very appreciative of you sharing your career, enjoy a long, happy, safe (and no doubt still productive) retirement. 🍾 ✈

[@scottlewisparsons9551]

Thank you for sharing your retirement flight. I am about to subscribe. I retired on 28 October last year. I am/was a quantity surveyor (building cost estimator, cost controller for you guys). I worked for a large Canadian company. On my last day I was taken to lunch at an upmarket Italian restaurant and afterwards we had drinks and food and presentation, etc. For me it was a surprise as I had not expected anything like that. About fifty four years. To finish as you did flying a jet back from Hawaii would be amazing! Enjoy your retirement! 😊 All the best from Sydney Australia 🇦🇺

[@TeslaPhotographer]

Another great one Ron! I hope to have a great & safe career as you did! Im in flight school right now (working on my commercial currently) and your videos help me stay motivated!

[@ronrogers]

Best of luck!

[@ronaldfish1569]

Hope you have a wonderful retirement. Thank you for flying my favorite airline.

[@FAtoCPA]

Thanks for the brutal honesty and beautiful story, and congrats on your completion across the finish line. I was a CO flight attendant in my very early 20s (started at 21) and was fired 4 years later for an immature and arrogant lack of judgment - I sat in a pax seat while on duty and the scab in the cockpit decided to make an example out of me. Pushing 40 now, I'm a CPA and have a beautiful wife, two beautiful daughters, and enjoy being on the receiving end of service on international flights. I have multiple friends from my flight attendant days who are now pilots. One is a 75/76 captain, the other, a 73 FO. I still dream of perhaps a career in the front, but you paint a very realistic picture of the uncertainty. While the dream is alive, the risk is not worth the investment for me. Congratulations, Captain! Enjoy your best days ahead.

[@jmp.t28b99]

Great retirement story. I flew my last flight at 70 years of age as a corporate pilot , some Air Force, some airline and I enjoyed every year of my flying career. I still look up when I hear a plane flying overhead. 16 Type ratings and four dollars will get me a bottle of beer.

[@rogerrees9845]

Nice to hear another part of your career... It's always so interesting..Thank you...Roger....Pembrokeshire

[@ronrogers]

Thanks for listening

[@BestEachDay]

I hope you enjoyed your last flight. For most of us, nobody throws a party. I'll probably just leave my office, since I work from home, with no fanfare. I'm glad you got such a nice send-off. Thank you for your service and years of safe flying!

[@CapitalismSuxx]

What a lovely story! It really sucks having -7 eyesight. I'm going to school to become a teacher now, after a life of working with computers as an engineer.

[@lreid2495]

That was fascinating, cheers.

[@raillashupaviation5108]

Great Story Sir!

[@ronrogers]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@warped-sliderule]

you know -- that pilot that retired with a "bang" while unfortunate and not his fault, got to do his best work on the last day. had he not rejected and taken off with a damaged wing due to the blowout, the outcome could have been a whole lot worse. I hope he is as proud of his work as you are. both are very deserving!!!

[@Dstew57A]

Well said and so true!

[@johncline7518]

Good video with coffee this morning. Thanks, Ron!

[@ronrogers]

Morning!

[@RailpaxScott]

Congratulations on a great career! I flew a lot of UA 777 trips as a pass rider, greatest airplane ever!

[@christopher88719]

It can never be said that Captain Ron sat idle as life passed him by. You have an amazing life filled with accomplishments that were only possible because of your hard work and dedication.

[@WalterThorne-h5k]

Thank you Capt.

[@alannewman85]

Well done! Lucky you!

[@LG-hp5wh]

I’m not an airline pilot but totally enjoyed this clip. A fantastic and admirable career. I’ll keep watching your videos!

[@whaledriver5457]

My father had a very similar flight. I flew to Honolulu a few days before his last trip. I got to hang out with him and enjoy the island before the flight to MSP. He was a A330 pilot for NWA and this was shortly after they merged with Delta. So a Delta flight on a NWA painted A330. I jump-seated on this last flight. Unfortunately he didn't get the fire truck salute in MSP as we landed at 5:30 in the morning.

[@InvertedFlight]

Wow, totally forgot about continental. Wow did the memories come flooding back. I would love to have one of their cocktail napkins.

[@jaytowne8016]

Great episode Ron! Was flying that day at a near GA airport and could see the smoke.

[@Olandaeta]

Very nice story! I really enjoy this channel!

[@ronrogers]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@GoSolarPlz]

Thank you!

[@ronrogers]

You're welcome!

[@joefin5900]

My first flight was a Continental Cv440 from Peterson Field to Stapleton in February, 1958. My last Continental flights were 98/99 from Newark to Hong Kong on three trips much later. The crews always got us there safely.

[@floridaactor]

I was a Flight Attendant Supervisor at LAX the day this happened. A few of us spent time with the passengers from that flight helping as we could. Despite the statement otherwise, Captain Gene Hershe was credited for making the right decision which saved the lives of many. I knew Gene and flew with him many times as an Inflight Supervisor.

[@Bruno-tm3xo]

I was captain on the 380 when Covid hit in early 2020. From one day to the other I had no aircraft to fly as management in its almighty wisdom, decided to pull it out of the fleet. Months later, we are offered a golden handshake…….350 000 usd . No last flight, a hell of a way to end a career and I basically took what the law allowed me which was : To give management the finger and kindly refuse the money Retrain on another aircraft for the remaining 2 years. Best decision I ever made. I was able to have closure…..in my terms and not end a career with the mark of of boot on my backside. I really sympathise with those who, like above, had to stop flying overnight due to a medical problem. Like a neurosurgeon friend of mine told me when he went into retirement : no disaster, job done.

[@bobcfi1306]

Wonderful

[@ronrogers]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@MarsVinette]

You are welcome Ron. I love your laid back commentaries

[@ronrogers]

Thanks

[@torgeirbrandsnes1916]

Great vlog as always! It sounds to me that UA got burned a few times on last captain flts. SAS have learned it the hard way… 25 yrs go a SAS captain had his last flt. EWR-FBU on a 767 and land the morning of his 60th Birthday. That did not happend as planned. A snowsorm cancelled the flight. The FAA said no to him flying no more. A captain had to DH from CPH-EWR. Our Birthday boy had to have a special permition to land the plane one day after turning 60. Oh well. Lol!

[@brianmee5398]

Definitely better to enter an airliner (or any aircraft) knowing it’s your last flight than not knowing.

[@fleetwin1]

For sure. As my Mom always used to say: "by the grace of God go I...."

[@BobInMatcham]

Congratulations on a great career Ron! My flying was with the airlines for 40 years with my first aircraft being a DC3 and the last a B747-400, I flew just short of 25000 hours. Like you I haven't scratched an aircraft and left flying with a clean sheet. I guess we are an aviation family as my dad was an aircraft engineer, I married a Flight Attendant and our son is in the airlines and about to start his command training on 737s.. Enjoy your well deserved retirement!

[@ronrogers]

Thanks for sharing

[@LarryEggert]

My father. Charles Eggert, had an almost identical career. Seniority date 12-15-1944 United Airlines in DC-3. DC-4, C54, DC6, Convair 340/440, DC7, B720, various DC 8, DC 10, B747. Retired June 1981- mandatory age 60. Approx 2500hrs. At least half night. Had gone back to college after children out of college at Columbia and continued LAW School there while flying lon range DC8s to Honolulu. Used his law degree to sue UAL for age discrimination and was awarded a confidential settlement settlement several yrs later. Anyway, quite a career and flew with some of the pioneers and guys like Jeppson. Also flew some of the routes and aircraft involved in those infamous Denver accidents in 1955 and could recite like Ron R the exact causes and every detail. UAL was a smaller operation and the pilots knew each other.

[@LarryEggert]

25000 hrs!!

[@raytheonbuna1021]

Nice one Ron. 👍

[@ronrogers]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@bmused55]

The 777 is a good ship to finish out on! Congratulations on 36 years of safe flying. I hope you enjoy your retirement.

[@CraigArndt]

Great video, really interesting.

[@user-xz9hu4rd2v]

After 34 years with military/airline flying I went into Long Term Disability a couple of years ago and don’t miss a thing about (professional) flying.

[@Sreybk]

I am not sure how my Uncle Gene's final UPS flight went or if they even do fini flight traditions. But as we've talked about he was diagnosed with mild neck cancer back in the 90s. He was grounded briefly once for high cholesterol. Anyway, he had to retire because ATC could barely understand him because radiation treatments messed up his vocal cords. Imagine Don Corleone that had just swallowed gravel. So, he was basically forced to retire in his mid-50s. He did get full retirement benefits under the condition he never fly any type of aircraft again. Unfortunately, his cancer returned and he died in 2019. It sucked. His final flight didn't go like UPS Flight 1354 - the crash short of the runway at Birmingham, Ala. that killed both pilots. Gene flew a few times with their captain Cerea Beal Jr. when he was an FO. You had one hell of a career.

[@ronrogers]

Thanks. Sorry to hear about your uncle.

[@ginkat1318]

What a fantastic story

[@jamesgovett3225]

I love your marvellous stories on your aviation career even though I’m from the other side of the world in Australia but United do fly here to Melbourne and we have flown with United 👍

[@ronrogers]

Yes, I have flown there also!

[@jetpilott2420]

Love hearing these!

[@corgiowner436]

Congratulations!

[@004Black]

Congratulations Captain on such a distinguished career. The 36 years either proved that commercial aviation is relatively safe, or, you were blessed with God’s grace to avoid calamities. As for me, I tend to believe both to be true. I have thousands of hours as a passenger starting in 1970 and have avoided any sort of emergency myself. I won’t count the two incidents in a float plane in Alaska.

[@Jeff-sp7bg]

You're right. I've flown hundreds if not thousands of times as well as a passenger. I had one close call at dfw in the early 90s. We were on approach from jfk in an AA 727. As soon as we were about to touchdown a HUGE gust of hit us turning us sideways and left wing pointing at the runway . It missed hitting the ground by inches and thar pilot decided to abort the landing and pulled up so hard it hurt my neck. It was unbelievable the forces thar were exerted on thar plane I don't know how he didn't lose control but I can say I'm very Fortunate to be here to type this. That's the only close call I've ever had in all my decades of flying. Anyway my 2 cents

[@petrovichbauer5105]

I’m within a year of retirement. I’m in good health, a LCA, don’t abuse sick leave, accept trips over holidays and I really like my job. Too bad they are forcing me into retirement, and not the grumpy 80 yo grandmas.

[@Civilianart]

Fascinating stuff. Did you keep a personal log book of airports (and/or flights) you visited as a pilot?

[@JAMESWUERTELE]

I hope I was on one of your flights growing up flying out of Stapleton as a kid and DIA. Mostly to California, but my one and only flight in 2000 on a 777 to Detroit.

[@rezamostafid8810]

Hi Captain Rogers...love how you're shining a light on the "people aspect" of flying...thank you!....Re. the ill-fated DC10 flight: was there anything the crew could have done differently or are we looking at sheer bad luck on the captain's last day?

[@boeingav8tr525]

Really? An FO was upset because he didn’t get a leg in the captain’s retirement flight??? I had the great pleasure to be the relief officer on a JFK-CDG-JFK flight where the captain was retiring. To me it was just a privilege to be on the flight. Sadly, no one traveled with the captain as he was recently divorced. But, we still had a great time. The whole crew went to a great restaurant, and the captain insisted in buying dinner for all. Then on the leg back the FO said, I flew copilot over, you fly back. Truly an honor to be this captains FO. As we still used HF for the crossing, every sector added a congratulations to the captain on his retirement. Arriving at the TWA flight center at JFK (the iconic Saarinen designed terminal) we were met with the water cannon salute. The only sad part was I never saw a captain shutdown an airplane slower. He truly loved what he was doing. So yea, if I make it until my retirement I’m taking both legs!

[@ronrogers]

Funny thing I just remembered. I flew with a DC-10 Captain on his last flight. It was a ORD -DTW but the captain wanted to get off in DTW because he started his career in Willow springs. So I got a new captain in DTW and he said, "Well, since you gave the previous captain all the legs, how about you fly the next several legs!" That was a really nice guy!

[@boeingav8tr525]

@@ronrogers appreciating the stories Ron. I’m only a few years behind ya

[@Jeff-sp7bg]

Don't they still use HF? I can still hear the sfo to Honolulu track on 8843 khz. Many flights 24/7

[@TheGospelQuartetParadise]

Question on Continental 603. You mentioned go, no go. If the Captain had elected to go wouldn't he have been in the same situation that the Concorde was in when the metal piece caused a fire on the port side? I also heard that an elderly couple had died when they jumped from the wing trying to escape the flames.

[@ronrogers]

That is a good question, but I think the tank rupture didn't occur until he aborted and the tires started failing and coming apart. So if he would have taken off, he would have been ok.

[@DougDemsko]

Congratulations and enjoy your retirement. 🇺🇸✈️

[@ronrogers]

Thank you! Will do!

[@maxsmodels]

I am looking at the same thing in 2 years if all goes well.

[@ronrogers]

Best of luck and have a great final flight. Mine was fantastic!

[@noyfub]

Congrats on a great career.

[@RoamingAdhocrat]

just marvelling that they shut the doors after evacuating the aircraft and extinguishing the fire... hence why 1L and 2L are not marked with smoke. very weird effect!

[@ronrogers]

Yes, I thought that made the picture look odd also!

[@PalmBeachDog]

Retirement is great, but I sure miss the days off!

[@ronrogers]

Me too!

[@rlsmith6904]

Congratulations.

[@ronrogers]

Thank you!

[@PInk77W1]

I love planes. I spend the whole month of July at LAX just watching them. I especially love the 777. Have a great retirement

[@EricCoop]

@8:58, the gentleman in the blue plaid shirt, bald, beard, and glasses looks almost exactly like me. I guess you are related to my doppelganger!

[@nikamichi]

Thanks Ron. Your channel deserves to "blow up" with this amazing content.

[@ronrogers]

Thanks!

[@conantdog]

Awesome career 👍

[@ronrogers]

Thank you 👍

[@marcmcreynolds2827]

The Continental DC-10 accident was a driver for improving airliner wheels. A tire failure would often lead to the failure of its wheel, and when that failed even more load would be placed on the companion tire, increasing the chance of its failure. And so on with the remaining tires of a dual tandem landing gear. Plus the resulting metal wheel fragments could cause even more failures/damage. Exactly what was talked about in the video. The result of incidents such as this was the issuance by the FAA of "run flat" wheel standards by the early 1980s. This mainly involved implementing wheel designs with stronger rims. Now if a tire failed, there was a better chance that the wheel would remain intact, and still support enough of the load to avoid a cascade effect. Just one example of myriad improvements made over the decades which combined to drive the accident rate down. IIRC the fatality rate for airliners is about a tenth of what it was back when that Continental DC-10 roared down the runway its last time. And that rate was already far lower than the early 1960s period when jet travel was becoming mainstream.

[@jayreiter268]

We were also seeing partial rim failures on L1011's. I saw a foreman remove the Shrader Valve on one at the gate. I asked why he did not have the tire spiked. He said it was to close to departure to back out of the gate. Very gutsy. We had a tire shop at LAX and they were rejecting wheel half's during ultrasonic inspection. We were also seeing thru bolt failures and it was a must to deflate the tire before losing the bearing.

[@marcmcreynolds2827]

@@jayreiter268 I'll propose that if the current worldwide fleet somehow consisted of nothing but 1980s airliners, things would still be a lot safer than then simply because nowadays people would be fired or even prosecuted for what used to be a judgement call. When I developed brake cooling nomographs at my airframer c. 1985 for optional line pilot use, one airline operations chief said they were going in the very back of a file cabinet drawer where they would "never see the light of day". But hey, as long as an aircraft doesn't end up needing to do an RTO on the next takeoff, everything will probably work out...

[@jayreiter268]

@@marcmcreynolds2827 Marc I read your proposal and I do not agree. In my time I have worked the C47 in the USAF and with TWA most Boeing aircraft except the 737. In my short 40 year career I have seen the evolution of the airliner. I retired 2003. I think they have become safer and better to work on.

[@marcmcreynolds2827]

@@jayreiter268 Maybe a better wording on my part would have been "Even if the current worldwide fleet somehow consisted of nothing but 1980s airliners, things would still be a lot safer now than it was back in 80s, simply because operating protocols have become more stringent". People tend to think in terms of hardware when they talk about safety, so I was pointing out how even if you subtract out the hardware improvements, it's still a much safer environment. Safety-related protocols which used to be optional are now mandatory, for example.

[@johnreds1384]

Mr. Ron Rogers is the epitome of what a pilot should be..well seasoned, cool, calm, collected, wealth of knowledge including mustache and all.

[@aengberg1]

Regarding the Continental captain - at least that wasn't his first flight!

[@code3responsevideos872]

Great vid

[@greyjay9202]

I put this disaster squarely on the shoulders of two people. 1. The bean counter at Continental who thought buying recap tires was a good decision. 2. Whoever failed to check tire pressures before takeoff.

[@jjcalvillo]

Flying a DC10 is scary to begin with.

[@RandomJensen]

Congrats on an amazing career! Do you do any consulting or any part 91/135 flying now?

[@ronrogers]

I fly my airplanes part 91 now.

[@gregmarchegiani6656]

When my day will come I will simply not return to work on the next shift. No one is indispensable and we’re all disposable. No fanfare for me. I will make sure of that

[@Lukeduke7773]

Is there a way pilots can visually check tire inflation to get an accurate reading during preflight? Would be nice to know when you’re near the limitations.

[@pastorjerrykliner3162]

I know that a visual inspection of the gear and the tires is part of the pre-flight walkaround. Usually the 2nd Officer/Flight Engineer (in the 10) would conduct that walkaround. I don't think the actual pressure is checked in the walkaround...there are a number of stories of accidents with under-inflated tires...one of the most famous was an accident in Saudi Arabia where the maintenance crew KNEW the tires on a DC-8 were under-inflated but didn't have the equipment or the authorization to inflate them and the tires overheated badly on the taxi across the blistering tarmac and blew during the take-off roll... The crew didn't abort and they retracted the gear...which was on fire...and brought the fire into the well. By the time they knew they had a fire onboard, it was too late to get back on the ground safely...they ended up breaking up in midair as the plane burned up around them.

[@BobbyGeneric145]

Nope... Just eyeballs to see if it looks right. If you don't think it does, call maintenance.

[@ronrogers]

Some aircraft have gauges on the tires. Our did on the 777 but they took them off. Also, some aircraft, notably Airbus, had cockpit readings of tire pressure, but not all airlines opted for the option.

[@geofslagle410]

Hey Ron, at AA , I heard those gauges on the tires called “ nickel and dime gauges “ . They were the size of a nickel and weren’t worth a dime. A little tough to read…

[@p7301c]

All our aircraft have a tire pressure check along with a service check or transit check before each flight. The DC-10;MD-11 are notorious for gear failures; the gear is designed to break away clean from the wing but often it ruptures or breaks the wing off entirely; enjoy your channel👍