As the owner of Bolt Bistro in Raleigh, North Carolina; Town Hall Burger and Beer in Durham, North Carolina; and Grille 620 in Ellicott City, Maryland, Adalius Thomas spends a lot of time in the air. While he lives in Atlanta, business often takes him to visit colleagues all over the country. (His record is traveling to 10 states in one week!) Thanks to Southwest Airlines’ flexibility, Adalius is able to budget for spur-of-the-moment switches without worrying about change fees—a luxury in the fast-paced world of restaurant ownership.
Adalius is a steadfast supporter of Southwest and the efficiency the airline brings to the table. His many travels have earned him status as an A-List Member of Southwest’s Rapid Rewards frequent flyer program, and he redeems points for both business and leisure trips. In doing so, he particularly enjoys using Southwest’s online booking features. Making travel arrangements is a breeze thanks to the “simple and elegant” design of Southwest’s website, Adalius says. “It’s easy to look ahead of time and choose ‘dollars or points’ for any given flight.”
Adalius and his wife, Sheri, his Companion Pass designee, are thrilled that Southwest offers two free checked bags, even on international travel. They took advantage of this perk during a recent trip to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
The airline’s focus on living and working with a Servant’s Heart is what Adalius enjoys most about flying Southwest. “To have such a Customer Service–centered state of mind is truly outstanding,” he says. He tries to foster the same culture and emphasis on Customer Service within his restaurants, insisting that any situation is “all about the experience.”
Adalius, we appreciate your loyalty and your love—it’s Customers like you that inspire us to offer the best Hospitality possible.
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07-16-2015
01:46 PM
5 Loves
(Photo by Steve Wiggins)
Many people are familiar with the large flaps on airplane wings and their role in producing lift/drag. But have you ever noticed the smaller hinged sections on the outboard part of the wings? These are ailerons (French for “little wings”), and they are an important part of the modern airplane—albeit relatively unknown to the general population.
Practical Significance
Ailerons work in opposition to bank an aircraft. For example, the right aileron may deflect upward and the left downward in order to cause a flight path to curve. Yes, contrary to popular belief, ailerons are largely responsible for turns—NOT rudders. The function of a rudder is primarily to control the position of an aircraft’s nose, but I digress. . .
Lift force (F) generated by ailerons is applied at the aerodynamic center of the aircraft some distance (L) from its center of gravity to create a torque defined as
Torque = F × L
about the plane’s center of gravity. Equal forces/distances result in a lack of net torque and unequal forces result in net torque rotating an aircraft about its center of gravity. All of this is good and well, but how did the aileron come to be? The answer begins with a particularly astute English gentleman!
Historical Background
While there are still conflicting claims over who first invented the aileron, some aspects of its history are irrefutable. Matthew Piers Watt Boulton patented a revolutionary lateral flight control system all the way back in 1868, but it was soon forgotten with practical aircraft still years away. In the mid to late 1800s, visionaries such as John Montgomery, Clement Ader, and Hugo Mattullath suggested a form of “wing warping” to control flight and applied the concept to kites with some success.
However, it was Wilbur and Orville Wright who combined wing warping with a rudder to counteract differential drag and achieve coordinated turns! With their radical combination of technologies and a forward-thinking patent including lateral control by mechanical means, the Wrights set in motion a new school of thought that French experimenter Robert Esnault-Pelterie subsequently expanded.
Esnault-Pelterie bridged the gap between wing warping and ailerons. He was concerned by the “excessive strains on the wiring” caused by wing warping designs of the Wrights, as explained in a January 1905 talk before the Aéro-Club de France. To alleviate the problem, Esnault-Pelterie’s original design featured two surfaces—deus gouvernails horizontaux (horizontal rudders)—placed between the wings, ahead of the leading edge.
The editor of L’Aérophile, a French aviation magazine described as the leading aeronautical journal of the world around 1910, pioneered the use of the word “aileron” in July of 1908. Soon thereafter, Henri Farman—inspired in the aftermath of Wilbur Wright’s flying demonstrations at LeMans in August of 1908—implemented the first recognizable modern aileron on his Farman III biplane! Farman was the first to make ailerons an integral part of the wing, with four flap-like ailerons at the outboard trailing edges of each set of wings.
Ailerons in use on contemporary airplanes echo those of times past, and it is important to consider the work of those early aviators that has allowed for such maneuverability in the present. Are you curious about another feature of our airplanes? Let us know in the comments below, and we’ll be sure to get the full scoop for you!
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07-09-2015
03:55 PM
07-09-2015
03:55 PM
Maureen,
The slot we had at DCA allowed for either service to Ft. Myers or Ft. Lauderdale—and after a while of flying the RSW route it became obvious that the better use of the slot was to FLL. It’s a far less seasonal market and offered greater long-term potential for beyond connections. I apologize—I know how convenient DCA is to so many residents of DC and Northern Virginia!
Bill Owen
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07-09-2015
03:55 PM
07-09-2015
03:55 PM
Harlingen Native—
We sure tried—we got up to 2 nonstops a day between Dallas/Love and Harlingen. But, they just didn’t perform. However—we always keep evaluating everything anytime we get new data, so you never know what might come back—especially with all of the new service offering connecting opportunities at the New Lovely Field!
Bill Owen
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Frank,
One thing we have to fix, technologically, is being able to accept foreign currency in order to serve Canada. The folks up there have very strict rules about that—and our current systems have work-arounds but can’t formally handle anything other than the USD. Alaska will need more of an operational look but is still attractive!!! (Cold doesn’t scare us—we have over 280 departures a day from Chicago/Midway, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis/St. Paul in the winter—and they’re as cold if not colder than Alaska!
Bill Owen
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We love to hear how our Employees make a difference in the lives of our Customers. Today, Southwest Customer Deborah Herst conveys the enthusiasm with which Flight Attendants Lisa Castignetti, Jamillah Shareef, and Avery Swanson hosted a birthday party in the sky for her dad!
Southwest Airlines brought my dad to a new “high” – both literally and figuratively. Upon learning my dad Mike Palmer was boarding Flight 2596, bound for L.A. on May 16 to attend his 95 th birthday celebration with family, the flight attendants arranged for a “Mile High” party with some help from the Boys and Girls Club of L.A. and all of the other passengers.
The Boys and Girls Club passengers were returning from a National Convention in Chicago where they performed, so their voices were well trained, but more importantly, their spirit to fete my dad was genuine.
It all started when Flight Attendant Avery Swanson announced my dad’s 95 th birthday and asked everyone to flip on their overhead lights for “virtual candles.” She presented my dad with a Birthday “Cake” – creatively furnished out of a roll of toilet paper signed by the flight attendants and “alit” by birthday “candles” – red coffee stirrers! She also crowned my dad with a laurel of red pretzel packages, woven together with the red stir sticks.
She then invited the Boys and Girls Club of LA who, in beautifully blended voices, serenaded my dad with “Happy Birthday.” My dad returned the favor by singing “You Are My Sunshine” to the whole cabin and then gave a private performance of “Temptation” to the flight attendants.
Before taking off, I considered the flight as simply a means of getting to L.A. from Chicago. By the time we landed, Southwest Airlines took on a completely different image as a caring, customer-focused airlines, thanks to Avery, Jamillah, and Lisa who took the time to make my 95-year-old dad feel sooooooo special. He hasn’t stopped talking about it and played “show and tell” at his party, bragging about the cake while donning his crown. You created the “Mike High Club!”
Thank you to your and your Southwest Airlines team for going “above and beyond.”
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07-02-2015
02:17 PM
07-02-2015
02:17 PM
Andrew,
NOTHING would please me more than Hawaii. However—one thing Southwest would have to do to make Hawaii a possibility is obtain our ETOPS (Extended Twin Engine Overwater Operations) certification, and that’s a piece of work. We’ve been so busy with so many other things that hasn’t bubbled up to the top of the soda can yet. But It’s still on our radar screen. Stay tuned!!!
Bill Owen
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07-02-2015
02:17 PM
07-02-2015
02:17 PM
Scott,
Glad the IND changes work for you! Like all of our markets, we’re continuing to monitor DSM. No news yet, as it depends on how the market develops. But we’re watching closely. Thanks for your “bidness”!!!
Bill Owen
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07-01-2015
06:21 PM
07-01-2015
06:21 PM
Steven,
MCI-ICT is an incredibly small market, which is why even at the market’s height in 2000 it averaged less than 23 passengers per day—so I doubt you’ll see that on full-size Boeing jets. Sorry!
Bill Owen
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07-01-2015
06:20 PM
07-01-2015
06:20 PM
Greg,
Southwest left Jackson, MS because it was no longer profitable, and hadn’t been for a while. I never say never (anymore) but I wouldn’t hope too hard.
Bill Owen
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Steve,
Me too! We’re watching developments up there very closely. No promises, as it is a fortress hub by another airline—but the people of the Twin Cities have embraced us both graciously and enthusiastically. We’ll “Keep The Faith” if you will!
Bill Owen
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07-01-2015
12:29 PM
07-01-2015
12:29 PM
Emerson,
While I can’t comment on specifics for any of our cities, we’re watching ROC very closely and tweaking service to make sure we remain viable there. Watch here and in media for details as they develop!
Bill Owen
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07-01-2015
12:29 PM
07-01-2015
12:29 PM
Hi Mike! Hope you’re doing well! No, you read that right. When we (I) mention “daily” service, it implies Monday-Friday. Our weekend schedules are always extremely different, particularly Saturdays. Also, with our growing international footprint we’re gradually getting the ability to do things like 3-times-a-week (don’t have that capability yet but we’re working on it!), so when you see me mention “Daily” just assume I mean “Weekdaily.”
Bill Owen
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06-15-2015
11:00 AM
3 Loves
Starting in October, Southwest will fly to Liberia, Costa Rica out of our brand-new international terminal in Houston. Tickets to all international routes from Houston are now for sale on Southwest.com—CLICK HERE to check out routes and fares.
Your legs are heavy. It’s the second hike of the day, and every muscle in your body protests the steep ascent. All of the sudden, you round a corner and you’re greeted by an incredible sight—Mount Arenal, an active volcano, quietly smoldering against a bright blue sky. How did you end up in such a majestic place? Welcome to Costa Rica.
Only several days earlier, you flew into Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport in Liberia (pronounced “lee-BEAR-ee-UH”), the capital city of Costa Rica’s Guanacaste province.
Here there are only two seasons: the dry spell from November to April and the rainy season from May to October. You absentmindedly flip through an informational pamphlet. Wow—97% of Costa Rica is literate!
Suddenly conscious of the US currency that fills your wallet, you are relieved to discover that Costa Rica has maintained a free trade agreement with the U.S. since 2009 and most Costa Rican businesses accept U.S. credit cards and cash. With a sigh of contentment, you turn your attention to another challenge—learning to surf!
Liberia is the gateway to some of the most exotic and ecologically-diverse places on the planet! Beaches like Playa Tamarindo are well-known for their exquisite sunsets, and Rincón de la Vieja National Park is home to a multitude of outdoor recreation activities.
Whether you decide to dabble in ecotourism at Monteverde or simply relax at a boutique hotel, Costa Rica is a great vacation spot that lays the groundwork for incredible adventures.
Now that Southwest has added Liberia as one of its international destinations, it’s easier than ever to get there! What are you waiting for?
For information regarding international travel, please visit https://www.southwest.com/html/air/intl/international-travel-documents.html.
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06-11-2015
11:00 AM
7 Loves
Airplanes are wonderfully complex machines. Fortunately for you, reading this article will ensure your flight-related vocabulary stays sharp and up-to-date. For today, consider the tail end of the quintessential Southwest Airlines airplane—the Boeing 737-300. No doubt you have noticed the slight elongation at the base of our planes’ vertical stabilizers and wondered about its significance. These additions are commonly referred to as “dorsal fins” and have emerged as the result of a fascinating history!
Our story begins with the very airplane Southwest relied upon in its early days—the Boeing 737-200. Note the steep descent from this plane’s vertical stabilizer as it joins the body. This particular model was first powered by Pratt & Whitney JT8D-15 and JT8D-17 powerplants that offered 15,500 and 16,000 pounds of thrust respectively. Though many Boeing 737-200 planes were subsequently equipped with more fuel efficient JT8D-9A powerplants, all three engine varieties were inefficient when compared to today’s modern engine standards and incapable of powering larger airframes.
The relatively small amount of thrust generated by these engines did allow pilots to maintain stability in the air without the dorsal fin addition of today. As the 1978 Airline Deregulation Act opened up a world of opportunity for Southwest however, it became clear that the company would need to find a larger plane with a more powerful engine. Enter the Boeing 737-300.
On December 17 th , 1984, Southwest’s first ever Boeing 737-300 debuted with the name The Spirit of Kitty Hawk to honor the anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ first flight (and is now on permanent display at the Frontiers of Flight museum in Dallas). This new plane featured high-efficiency CFM56 turbofan powerplants from CFM International—a collaborative effort between General Electric and France’s Snecma—rated between 20,007 and 22,008 pounds of thrust, depending on individual models.
The combination of a longer fuselage, higher engine thrust, and the need to maintain the directional control requirements both on the ground and in the air drove the need to increase the surface area of the vertical stabilizer. The best way to do this without increasing the height of the tail (which was considered a limitation due to existing infrastructure limitations, i.e., hanger door and ceiling heights), was to add the dorsal fin!
When it came time to design the NG, the increase in engine thrust levels required an even larger vertical stabilizer, and simply increasing the dorsal fin size would not suffice.
Boeing increased the height of the vertical stabilizer by ~5 feet to ensure adequate directional control capability with the higher thrust engines.
Are you curious about another feature of our airplanes? Do you ever wonder how your bags make it into your aircraft? Let us know in the comments below, and we’ll be sure to get the full scoop for you!
Photos by Richard West and Lari Pekurar
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Bright-eyed and innovative NoLimits Interns have been a welcome addition to Southwest every semester since 2001. While it is common for Interns to have parents or other relatives who work for the Company, we were delighted to discover a Southwest connection for one Intern this summer that dates all the way back to the first grade! Colleen Barrett, currently an Employment Intern in the People Department, has held a steady pen pal relationship with her namesake—Southwest’s President Emeritus Colleen Barrett—for more than a decade.
Their relationship began by happenstance.
At the age of seven, Intern Colleen remembers her mother reading about Southwest’s President and suggesting she write a “letter of congratulations” from a fellow Colleen Barrett. In true first grade fashion, the letter contained a smattering of introductory statements (e.g. “I like dogs”, “I play soccer”). No one in Intern Colleen’s family expected the overwhelmingly positive response that followed—on official Southwest stationery—from the President herself!
Intern Colleen is still moved by the way Colleen really put in effort to reach out to a seven year old.
Fast-forward a few months and the two began sending each other birthday cards, with Colleen even adding Intern Colleen to the Southwest birthday list! When Colleen was 11, Colleen invited her and her family to attend a Southwest Employee Appreciation Bash that was being held at the Country Music Hall of Fame near Colleen’s home in Nashville.
Intern Colleen remembers entering a room full of tuxedos and gowns dressed in the “denim skirt and boots” she associated with the venue, and she fondly recalls how Colleen took time to talk with her family despite the bustling event.
Their conversation continued throughout Intern Colleen’s middle and high school years.
Interning at Southwest was a decision Intern Colleen made independent of her ongoing exchange with Colleen.
She considers her longstanding connection to the Company an “added novelty” atop the internship and has grown to adore the Culture her pen pal so lovingly shaped. Prevailing in the face of a “fear that someone will inadvertently send an email to Colleen instead of herself," this story of dual Colleen Barretts is proof that sometimes all it takes to bring two people together is a bit of common ground and a kind word.
Do you share your name with another person? We’re interested in hearing your story. Let us know in the comments!
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Southwest has a long-standing tradition of awarding Employees who go “above and beyond”, and Kick Tail is one such program. Introduced in 2008, Kick Tails are a way for Employees to recognize their peers for “kicking tail” on the job. A-List Preferred Customers have recently been offered the opportunity to distribute Kick Tails as well. Each Kick Tail received by an Employee constitutes one entry into the overall database for monthly and yearly prize drawings. The number of yearly prizes is determined by whether or not Southwest reaches yearly goals that support our Company’s Vision of becoming the world’s most loved, most flown, and most profitable airline. For 2014, Southwest awarded ten yearly Kick Tail awards. This video captures the moment at which the first of those ten winners—BWI Flight Attendant Robert Baker—realizes he is the lucky recipient of a $5,000 award.
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