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Bad Day for Air Europa Flaps


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Galen Burrows

What: Air Europa Boeing 737-800 en route from Madrid,SP to Lanzarote,CI
Where: Lanzarote
When: Jun 16th 2011
Why: On approach to Lanzarote, the plane developed flap problems. The crew responded by entering a holding pattern, and shortly afterward landed with flaps up. Touchdown was lower and at a higher speed but a safe landing.

What: Air Europa Boeing 737-800 en route from Lanzarote,CI to Bilbao,SP
Where: Bilbao
When: Jun 16th 2011
Why: The same plane was on approach to Bilbao and suffered a reoccurrence of the flap problem.

The pilots diverted to Madrid. Touchdown was lower and at a higher speed but a safe landing.

In George’s Opinion
One can not help but wonder what was going on behind the scenes here–if they had an attempted-but-failed flap repair in maintenance, or if someone had a boneheaded thought process of flying a disabled plane.

We do not have a record here that this was a ferry flight, so whether or not there were commercial passengers aboard, someone else will have to enlighten us.

Hopefully the flaps problem will be repaired rather than continuing to subject the crew to a less-than-airworthy plane. Good on you to the flight crew of EC-III

.

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