Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact Photographer Gordon Gebert JR
What: Cyprus Airways Airbus A330-200 en route from London to Larnaca Cyprus
Where: London
When: Jul 7th 2009
Why: The Airbus rejected take-off from Heathrow because of an issue with the air speed indicator.
George’s Point of View
What? What is this?
An issue with the air speed indicator? Where have we heard this before on an airbus?
Was this the NEW pitot tubes or the old ones not replaced yet?
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Cees de Krijger
What: AirExplore Boeing 737-400 en route from Verona to Kos
Where: Kos, Greece
When: September 4, 2010
Who: 7 crew, 169 passengers
Why: After the left engine caught on fire, the plane made an emergency landing on Kos. Passengers disembarked via emergency slides. No injuries were reported.
Virgin Australia flight VA1179 had to make an emergency landing at Canberra Airport, Australia, at around 5:30 p.m. on January 16.
According to the airline spokesperson, “In line with standard operating procedures, the captain decided to divert to Canberra as a precautionary measure after a cockpit indication light illuminated.” The flight was en-route from Albury to Sydney at the time.
The plane landed uneventfully and all the passengers and crew members remained unhurt.
The engineers examined the plane and cleared it after some time for resuming the flight.
What: Qantas Airbus A330-300 en route from Hong Kong China to Perth Australia
Where: Perth
When: Jun 22nd 2009
Who: 206 passengers and 13 crew
Why: A Qantas Airbus (like the one in the Air France crash) was off Borneo when it encountered turbulence that made it lose 800 feet in altitude, and injured a dozen passengers and one crew member aboard. Passengers reported that the turbulence sent crew, passengers and carts flying.
Although web reportsby word of mouth include statements that crystals formed on the Airbus instruments, there’s no credible source collaborating the allegation; the crew reported the turbulence as a purely meteorological event. Lightning flashes were seen but the plane did NOT fly through a thunderstorm.
George’s Point of View
Is this the boy who cried wolf? Or a case of “where there’s smoke, there’s fire?”
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Ken Iwelumo – Global Aviation Images
What: Arik Air Airbus A330-200 en route from Johannesburg South Africa to Lagos Nigeria
Where: Lagos
When: Sep 20th 2010
Who: 1 stowaway
Why: The body of a young Nigerian man was found in the wheelwell. How the stowaway accessed the airport and the aircraft is a mystery. There is inadequate oxygen in the compartment to survive. Due to the quick turnaround there, the body was not discovered in Johannesburg.
The carrier fears the incident will cause the airline to lose its recent Category 1 safety status US rating.
What: Kingfisher Airbus A320-200 en route from Hyderabad to Mumbai
Where: Mumbai, India
When: Oct 21 2010
Who: 136 aboard
Why: On final approach to Mumbai, the plane incurred a bird strike which struck the landing gear. The plane made a safe landing at Mumbai, although there was some damage to the plane. Everyone made it safely off the plane.
Newspapers reported “bird was trapped inside the wheels of the plane.”
TAP Air Portugal flight TP-72 had to return and make an emergency landing at Rio de Janeiro–Galeão International Airport, Brazil, on March 9.
The Airbus A340-300, en-route to Lisbon, Portugal, had to return after facing issue with one of its flaps.
The plane landed safely.
No one was injured.
