US Airways - August 2012 - (Page 11)

? ★ illustrations by nigel holmes embark Did You Know? News, Notes, and Inflight Insights What are wing flaps for? Say What? sometimes it sounds like crewmembers have their own language. We asked flight attendants to tell us about some of their most common terms. You may notice hinged flaps on the rear section of the wings. The flaps are extended downward during takeoff and landing, and then retracted at cruising altitude. Planes take off and land at slower speeds than they cruise, and that’s when these flaps help. During takeoff, the wing flaps extend downward, creating a larger wing area with a slight curve. This makes the air under the wing move slower than the air above the wing, which creates a lifting force. During landing, the wing flaps help reduce the aircraft’s speed by creating a drag force. DE ADHEA D Deadhead an on-duty crewmember traveling on a flight to or from an assignment but not scheduled to perform duties on that flight Layover station the city where the crew rests while waiting for the next scheduled flight Base the city in which a crewmember begins and ends her or his trips trading, Dropping, Picking up Flight attendants can trade, give away, or take other flight attendants’ trips. Bid Flight attendants put in requests (bids) for choice routes and specific monthly schedules. Reserve reserve flight atten- dants bid for days off only. When they don’t have a day off, they’re on call, which means they can be assigned a trip at any time (with at least two hours’ notice). Line a sequence of trips a flight attendant is offered each month What’s the white “smoke” behind a plane in the sky? It’s not actually smoke. It’s a streak of condensed water vapor called a contrail — short for condensation trail. You know how you can see your breath when it’s cold outside? Well, that’s the same phenomenon that creates a contrail. As the hot exhaust from the jet engines mixes with the cooler air at higher altitudes, it condenses and forms a cloud of vapor. Contrails can also develop behind the wing tips, or even along the entire wing, due to the change in air pressure. Contrails form differently depending on altitude, temperature, and humidity. For example, a thin, short contrail usually indicates low humidity, whereas a thick, long contrail forms in humid air. usairwaysmag.com august 2012 11 http://www.usairwaysmag.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of US Airways - August 2012

US Airways - August 2012
Table of Contents
CEO Letter
From the Editor
Did You Know?
Making It Happen
Hot Spots: Making Waves
Wine & Dine: The American Spirit
Adventure: Reynolds Plantation
Great Escapes: Puerto Vallarta
Tel Aviv: The City That Never Sleeps
Heavy Duty: US Airways Maintenance
Toques Off! Top Chefs on Summer Entertaining
Welcome to Tampa Bay
Driving Force: The First Tee of the Triad
New Vision: Lexington, Kentucky
Best of Education: Salisbury University
Puzzles
Charlotte in 2012: Making a New Economy Possible
Readers Resource Index
Your US Airways Guide
Video Entertainment
Audio Entertainment
U.S. and Caribbean Service Map
International Service Map
Airport Terminal Maps
US Airways Fleet/Customs & Immigration
Passenger Info/Contact US Airways
US Airways MarketPlace™
Giving Miles for Good: Fisher House
Window or Aisle?

US Airways - August 2012