2774: Taxiing - Revision history

Elektrizikekswerk: /* Explanation */ No, we do NOT need more alternative explanations on how to steal a plane. This is explainxkcd, not explain plane hijacking.

2025-11-14T11:55:19Z

‎Explanation: No, we do NOT need more alternative explanations on how to steal a plane. This is explainxkcd, not explain plane hijacking.

Mathmaster at 04:03, 9 October 2025

2025-10-09T04:03:01Z

2607:F140:400:AF:CD9E:9774:D467:6FE: /* Explanation */

2025-09-29T09:31:30Z

‎Explanation

172.71.178.74: An excess of it.

2025-04-03T12:42:58Z

An excess of it.

Log of n: /* Explanation */

2025-04-03T12:12:28Z

‎Explanation

Log of n: /* Explanation */

2025-04-03T12:03:11Z

‎Explanation

Lettherebedarklight: /* Explanation */ -

2024-07-05T11:30:38Z

‎Explanation: -

Jkshapiro: /* Explanation */ Omit needless words

2024-04-25T15:38:24Z

‎Explanation: Omit needless words

172.70.86.38: It's already cited, so not even an Actual Citation Needed... (Also, punctuate it better...)

2023-08-22T00:14:49Z

It's already cited, so not even an Actual Citation Needed... (Also, punctuate it better...)

172.69.134.153: /* Explanation */

2023-08-21T21:18:07Z

‎Explanation

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 ==Explanation==
 [[File:A Polish airman marshals a U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules aircraft March 13, 2014, at Lask Air Base, Poland 140313-F-BH566-088.jpg|thumb|300px| A marshaller marshalling, indicating the airplane should stop. Or possibly a {{w|Sith}}.]]
-In this comic, [[Cueball]] is directing an airplane with marshalling wands onto a ramp that leads onto the trailer of a {{w|flatbed truck}}. The caption reveals he is not an actual aircraft marshal: instead he is tricking the pilot into driving the plane onto the trailer. Randall, as Cueball, says the "glowing wand things" (the marshalling wands) were bought cheaply on the internet, at a cost much lower than that of the plane he is now stealing. This, of course, is impractical for multiple reasons, such as the fact that the plane would not fit on the ramp and that the pilot taxiing would realize something was wrong and stop (and possibly contact authorities). An alternative plan with fewer impracticalities would be to steal the plane using a {{w|pushback tractor}}. Alternatively, since Cueball has apparently has access to the tarmac, which is (at least supposed to be) a secure area, he could (with enough simulator practice) just fly the plane away like {{w|2018 Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 incident|Richard Russell}}.
+In this comic, [[Cueball]] is directing an airplane with marshalling wands onto a ramp that leads onto the trailer of a {{w|flatbed truck}}. The caption reveals he is not an actual aircraft marshal: instead he is tricking the pilot into driving the plane onto the trailer. Randall, as Cueball, says the "glowing wand things" (the marshalling wands) were bought cheaply on the internet, at a cost much lower than that of the plane he is now stealing. This, of course, is impractical for multiple reasons, such as the fact that the plane would not fit on the ramp and that the pilot taxiing would realize something was wrong and stop (and possibly contact authorities).
 The word "ramp" can also refer to the apron of an airport, the area where marshallers most often work. A pilot may be quite used to having their plane directed onto that form of ramp, and not notice that Cueball is using the word in a different sense.

@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 The word "ramp" can also refer to the apron of an airport, the area where marshallers most often work. A pilot may be quite used to having their plane directed onto that form of ramp, and not notice that Cueball is using the word in a different sense.
-The title text suggests that Cueball did not even pay to rent the truck: instead, he placed "Detour" signs on the road to trick the driver into driving the truck into place for loading. This raises the question of what happened to the original driver. Also, if Cueball stole the truck in order to steal a plane, perhaps stealing the plane is not his final goal but instead an intermediate step to steal something else.
+The title text suggests that Cueball did not even pay to rent the truck: instead, he placed "Detour" signs on the road to trick the driver into driving the truck into place for loading. This raises the question of what happened to the original driver, or if they were also somehow tricked into getting the plane. Also, if Cueball stole the truck in order to steal a plane, perhaps stealing the plane is not his final goal but instead an intermediate step to steal something else.
 ==Transcript==

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 ==Explanation==
 [[File:A Polish airman marshals a U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules aircraft March 13, 2014, at Lask Air Base, Poland 140313-F-BH566-088.jpg|thumb|300px| A marshaller marshalling, indicating the airplane should stop. Or possibly a {{w|Sith}}.]]
-In this comic, [[Cueball]] is directing an airplane with marshalling wands onto a ramp that leads onto the trailer of a {{w|flatbed truck}}. The caption reveals he is not an actual aircraft marshal: instead he is tricking the pilot into driving the plane onto the trailer. Randall, as Cueball, says the "glowing wand things" (the marshalling wands) were bought cheaply on the internet, at a cost much lower than that of the plane he is now stealing.
+In this comic, [[Cueball]] is directing an airplane with marshalling wands onto a ramp that leads onto the trailer of a {{w|flatbed truck}}. The caption reveals he is not an actual aircraft marshal: instead he is tricking the pilot into driving the plane onto the trailer. Randall, as Cueball, says the "glowing wand things" (the marshalling wands) were bought cheaply on the internet, at a cost much lower than that of the plane he is now stealing. This, of course, is impractical for multiple reasons, such as the fact that the plane would not fit on the ramp and that the pilot taxiing would realize something was wrong and stop (and possibly contact authorities). An alternative plan with fewer impracticalities would be to steal the plane using a {{w|pushback tractor}}. Alternatively, since Cueball has apparently has access to the tarmac, which is (at least supposed to be) a secure area, he could (with enough simulator practice) just fly the plane away like {{w|2018 Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 incident|Richard Russell}}.
 The word "ramp" can also refer to the apron of an airport, the area where marshallers most often work. A pilot may be quite used to having their plane directed onto that form of ramp, and not notice that Cueball is using the word in a different sense.
-The title text suggests that Cueball did not even pay to rent the truck: instead, he placed "Detour" signs on the road to trick the driver into driving the truck into place for loading.
+The title text suggests that Cueball did not even pay to rent the truck: instead, he placed "Detour" signs on the road to trick the driver into driving the truck into place for loading. This raises the question of what happened to the original driver. Also, if Cueball stole the truck in order to steal a plane, perhaps stealing the plane is not his final goal but instead an intermediate step to steal something else.
 ==Transcript==

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 ==Explanation==
 [[File:A Polish airman marshals a U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules aircraft March 13, 2014, at Lask Air Base, Poland 140313-F-BH566-088.jpg|thumb|300px| A marshaller marshalling, indicating the airplane should stop. Or possibly a {{w|Sith}}.]]
-In this {{w|comic}}, [[Cueball]] is directing an {{w|airplane}} with marshalling wands onto a {{w|ramp} that leads onto the {{w|trailer}} of a {{w|flatbed truck}}. The {{w|caption}} reveals he is not an actual {{w|aircraft}} marshal: instead he is tricking the {{w|pilot}} into driving the {{w|plane}} onto the {{w|trailer}}. [[Randall]], as [[Cueball]], says the "{{w|glowing}} {{w|wand}} things" (the marshalling wands) were bought cheaply on the {{w|internet}}, at a {{w|cost}} much lower than that of the {{w|plane}} he is now {{w|stealing}}.
+In this comic, [[Cueball]] is directing an airplane with marshalling wands onto a ramp that leads onto the trailer of a {{w|flatbed truck}}. The caption reveals he is not an actual aircraft marshal: instead he is tricking the pilot into driving the plane onto the trailer. Randall, as Cueball, says the "glowing wand things" (the marshalling wands) were bought cheaply on the internet, at a cost much lower than that of the plane he is now stealing.
-The {{w|word}} "ramp" can also refer to the apron of an {{w|airport}}, the {{w|area}} where {{w|marshallers}} most often {{w|work}}. A {{w|pilot}} may be quite used to having their {{w|plane}} directed onto that form of {{w|ramp}}, and not notice that [[Cueball] is using the {{w|ramp}} for a different purpose.
+The word "ramp" can also refer to the apron of an airport, the area where marshallers most often work. A pilot may be quite used to having their plane directed onto that form of ramp, and not notice that Cueball is using the word in a different sense.
-The title text suggests that [[Cueball]] did not even pay to {{w|rent}} the {{w|truck}}: instead, he placed "{{w|Detour}}" {{w|signs}} on the {{w|road}} to trick the {{w|driver}} into driving the {{w|truck} into {{w|place}} for loading.
+The title text suggests that Cueball did not even pay to rent the truck: instead, he placed "Detour" signs on the road to trick the driver into driving the truck into place for loading.
 ==Transcript==

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 ==Explanation==
-[[File:A Polish airman marshals a U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules aircraft March 13, 2014, at Lask Air Base, Poland 140313-F-BH566-088.jpg|thumb|300px| A marshaller marshalling, indicating the airplane should stop. But probably not a {{w|Sith}}.]]
+[[File:A Polish airman marshals a U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules aircraft March 13, 2014, at Lask Air Base, Poland 140313-F-BH566-088.jpg|thumb|300px| A marshaller marshalling, indicating the airplane should stop. Or possibly a {{w|Sith}}.]]
-In this comic, [[Cueball]] is directing an airplane with marshalling wands onto a ramp that leads onto the trailer of a {{w|flatbed truck}}. The caption reveals he is not an actual aircraft marshal: instead he is tricking the pilot into driving the plane onto the trailer. Randall, as Cueball, says the "glowing wand things" (the marshalling wands) were bought cheaply on the internet, at a cost much lower than that of the plane he is now stealing.
+In this {{w|comic}}, [[Cueball]] is directing an {{w|airplane}} with marshalling wands onto a {{w|ramp} that leads onto the {{w|trailer}} of a {{w|flatbed truck}}. The {{w|caption}} reveals he is not an actual {{w|aircraft}} marshal: instead he is tricking the {{w|pilot}} into driving the {{w|plane}} onto the {{w|trailer}}. [[Randall]], as [[Cueball]], says the "{{w|glowing}} {{w|wand}} things" (the marshalling wands) were bought cheaply on the {{w|internet}}, at a {{w|cost}} much lower than that of the {{w|plane}} he is now {{w|stealing}}.
-The word "ramp" can also refer to the apron of an airport, the area where marshallers most often work. A pilot may be quite used to having their plane directed onto that form of ramp, and not notice that Cueball is using the word in a different sense.
+The {{w|word}} "ramp" can also refer to the apron of an {{w|airport}}, the {{w|area}} where {{w|marshallers}} most often {{w|work}}. A {{w|pilot}} may be quite used to having their {{w|plane}} directed onto that form of {{w|ramp}}, and not notice that [[Cueball] is using the {{w|ramp}} for a different purpose.
-The title text suggests that Cueball did not even pay to rent the truck: instead, he placed "Detour" signs on the road to trick the driver into driving the truck into place for loading.
+The title text suggests that [[Cueball]] did not even pay to {{w|rent}} the {{w|truck}}: instead, he placed "{{w|Detour}}" {{w|signs}} on the {{w|road}} to trick the {{w|driver}} into driving the {{w|truck} into {{w|place}} for loading.
 ==Transcript==

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 In this comic, [[Cueball]] is directing an airplane with marshalling wands onto a ramp that leads onto a trailer. The caption reveals he is not an actual aircraft marshal, but is trying to steal the airplane by misleading the real pilot. Randall, as Cueball, says the "glowing wand things" were bought cheaply on the internet, much cheaper than it would have been to buy the plane he is now stealing.
-Stealing a very large plane this way does not work, for the simple reason that an {{w|Airbus A320}}'s main gear bogies are 7.6 meters apart; and those of a {{w|Boeing 737}} 5.7 meters{{Citation needed}}. No trailer is that wide. Even transporting the fuselage alone (A320: 3.96 meters wide, B737: 3.76 meters) would need a police escort on the road. This problem can be solved though, by the timely acquisition of a police car (donut: $1.50). The plane Cueball is attempting to steal is clearly much smaller than this, as its nose is barely higher than Cueball's head, but is still big enough to almost certainly create loading and/or transportation issues without further advanced planning.
+Stealing a very large plane this way does not work, for the simple reason that an {{w|Airbus A320}}'s main gear bogies are 7.6 meters apart; and those of a {{w|Boeing 737}} 5.7 meters. No trailer is that wide. Even transporting the fuselage alone (A320: 3.96 meters wide, B737: 3.76 meters) would need a police escort on the road. This problem can be solved though, by the timely acquisition of a police car (donut: $1.50). The plane Cueball is attempting to steal is clearly much smaller than this, as its nose is barely higher than Cueball's head, but is still big enough to almost certainly create loading and/or transportation issues without further advanced planning.
 {{w|Aircraft marshalling|Marshallers}} stand or walk on aircraft pathways and use marshalling wands to direct planes around while they are taxiing. Another part of the joke is that the apron of an airport, the area where marshallers most often work and where airplanes will typically be parked during trans-loading of passengers and cargo, is also referred to as 'the ramp', mainly in the US, Canada, the Maldives, and the Philippines.