That'll leave a brown spot. A big one.

“Passengers left the aircraft using its stairs”

Must be a new option. None of the Airbuses I flew had integral airstairs.
 
Rgbeard said:
In Goodyear, Aersale has an experimental 737 with an integrated air stair. It’s fun to see. When it retracts you see zero evidence of its existence.

kinda neato!
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That was a Boeing option. Kinda rare to see actually.
 
Doc Holliday said:
That was a Boeing option. Kinda rare to see actually.
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Yeah the stair is optional on the Boeing, and I think Airbus as well. Most carriers don't buy it due to cost and weight. Usually see it on carriers that do a lot of charter work to airport without jetways. I know Sun County has at least one with it.
 
midwestpa24 said:
Yeah the stair is optional on the Boeing, and I think Airbus as well. Most carriers don't buy it due to cost and weight. Usually see it on carriers that do a lot of charter work to airport without jetways.
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Guess that includes grass runways or grass runway extensions at the end of the pavement ... :dunno:
 
IIRC the early DC-9s (which were designed for airports without airstairs) had a retractable air stair that extended horizontally and then lowered the outboard end to the ground. I haven't seen one in use in years...

Google images photo:

passenger-stairs.jpg


-Skip
 
Skip Miller said:
IIRC the early DC-9s (which were designed for airports without airstairs) had a retractable air stair that extended horizontally and then lowered the outboard end to the ground. I haven't seen one in use in years...

-Skip
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The 737 one is similar in concept. It is stored flat behind a door under the main boarding door. It is extended electrically by sliding out then unfolding and tilting down.

 
I believe Alaska Airlines 737s flying routes to certain airports have integrated stairs.
 
3393RP said:
I believe Alaska Airlines 737s flying routes to certain airports have integrated stairs.
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Yes, and when I used to jump seat from Alaska I have had to use those stairs after the W&B was done and I was the one making the plane too heavy....
 
Zeldman said:
Yes, and when I used to jump seat from Alaska I have had to use those stairs after the W&B was done and I was the one making the plane too heavy....
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Nothing worse than having to kick a jumpseater off. Usually we can find a way...
 
Kritchlow said:
Nothing worse than having to kick a jumpseater off. Usually we can find a way...
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Yep! My pre-merger airline didn't have much to brag about contract wise, but that was one cool thing we had - the jumpseater(s) were considered part of the BEW.
 
kayoh190 said:
Yep! My pre-merger airline didn't have much to brag about contract wise, but that was one cool thing we had - the jumpseater(s) were considered part of the BEW.
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Before 9-11 I was in DFW trying to ride on an airplane. There were lots of people at the same gate. Two of us had to hang out in a lav during takeoff because we did not have seats. Things sure changed after 9-11.
 
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