Southwest and FedEx planes bump wings

by Katie Hammel on

A Southwest Airlines jet bound for Albuquerque clipped wings with a Fed Ex cargo jet Sunday at the Salt Lake City Airport. A spokesperson for Southwest said the jet was about to pull back from the gate when it was bumped by the cargo plane. The pilots had not yet started the engine when they felt the “jolt” of the impact, which sliced off a 6-foot section of the plane’s wingtip.

No one was injured, though there was some initial confusion as to what caused what one passenger said felt like “a mini-earthquake”. The passengers were able to move to another plane for take off; the affected jet was repaired and put back in service.

While on the ground collisions between planes are rare, they do happen. A different Southwest plane clipped another passenger jet with its wing back in March.
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Airport dining in style – in an air traffic control tower

by Scott Carmichael on

Amsterdam Airport has always been home to some very decent restaurants, and today, they welcomed the newest establishment to their lineup. The WINGS food & drinks restaurant is located at the east side of the airport, home to the old Schiphol location (which closed in the 60’s).

What sets this restaurant apart from any other airport eatery, is that it is built inside an old air traffic control tower. The tower was built in 1952, when Schiphol handled just 325 passengers a day.

In 1998, the tower was scheduled to be demolished, but thanks to donations from various Dutch companies, a moving team picked the tower up, and moved it 30 meters from its original location, saving it from the wrecking ball. At 661,000 lbs, not an easy thing to do.

With the tower at its new location, construction crews transformed it from its original task into a restaurant and meeting center. The tower features four floors of meeting rooms, all overlooking the airport runways.

Unfortunately, WINGS is not easy to reach from the main airport building, but a bus service operates between the main terminal buildings and “Schiphol Oost”. WINGS is open on weekdays, and offers a full menu with everything from typical Dutch food to various international dishes and sandwiches.

Try the Red Savina chicken wings at Jake Melnick’s Corner Tap

by Justin Glow on

Jake Melnick’s Corner Tap, a tavern located in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, announced last Thursday that it will begin selling chicken wings coated in one of the world’s hottest chili peppers: the Red Savina. For reference, the Red Savina is roughly twice as hot as the habanero, and 65 times hotter than a jalapeno.

The wings, according to a Reuters story, “will be served with an alarm bell for patrons to summon waiters with sour cream, milk sugar and white bread if things get out of hand.” Those brave enough to sample the three-alarm wing “must sign waiver agreeing not to sue for injuries.”

Sure, the move is no doubt a bid for publicity (hey look, it worked) similar to those serving up overpriced dishes like the $1,000 brownie, but some hardcore wing connoisseurs might actually make the pilgrimage. I’d try one.

Jake Melnick’s Corner Tap
41 E. Superior St.
Chicago, IL 60611
312-266-0400

[Via All Night Surfing]