Airbus

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    Air France 447 Revisited by Air France 471

    Satellite Image Jul 22nd 00:00Z : NASA
    Satellite Image Jul 22nd 00:00Z : NASA

    What: Air France Airbus A340-300 en route from Caracas Venezuela to Paris
    Where: NW of Point A Pitre Guadeloupe
    When: Jul 22nd 2011
    Why: In an experience that is being compared to Air France Flight 447, in night/instrument conditions, the AF Airbus flew through turbulence (reported by pilots, not on METAR) at 35,000 feet, accelerated (to 0.66 mach), and autopilot quit. Pitch attitude increased to 11 degrees and decelerated. Turbulence reduced, and pilots were able to level off and return the flight to normal parameters.

    Hopefully the events of this flight will inform us of what is going on in the Airbus at high altitude

    In George’s Point of View


    Perhaps this flight recapitulates the events of Air France 447. It certainly seems to. Because of what history shows us, I wonder if there was a repeat of faulty input from the pitot tubes. The pilots, in this case managed to regain control of the plane. (I doubt if there is an airbus pilot now who hasn’t studied the events of AF447 and worked out some kind emergency response.)

    Pilots blame the equipment. The BEA blames the pilots. Air France blames the instruments.

    When the dust settles and the finger-pointing stops, we want those involved to stop blaming, and start taking responsibility.

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    Mahan Flight W5-613 Emergency Landing in Iran


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Shahram Sharifi

    What: Mahan Airbus A300-600 en route from Tehran to Mashad
    Where: Mashad
    When: Sep 4th 2011
    Who: 230 passengers
    Why: The hard landing of Mahan flight W5-613 blew out the nose wheel tires, causing the flight to skid off the runway on collapsed nose gear.

    Slides were used to evacuate the flight, injuring eleven in the process, all of whom initially went to the hospital. Three were retained with serious injuries.

    Expediency Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaii was among the injured.

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    Slippery Turkish Airlines Airbus On Skids in Mumbai


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Rutvij Talavdekar

    What: Turkish Airlines Airbus A340-300 en route from Istanbul Turkey to Mumbai India
    Where: Mumbai
    When: Sep 2nd 2011
    Who: 93 passengers and 11 crew
    Why: After a fast landing in Mumbai on a slippery runway, the plane skidded off the runway onto mud, where it still sits.

    Passengers were provided an alternative flight. Photos of the jet on the runway show emergency slides. No injuries were published. The incident is under investigation.

    VABB 012310Z 19005KT 1200 R27/1400 RA FEW012 SCT015 FEW030CB BKN090 25/25 Q0999 TEMPO 0800 +SHRA
    VABB 012210Z 19005KT 2100 HZ FEW012 SCT015 FEW030CB BKN090 26/26 Q0998 TEMPO 1500 SHRA

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    Gulf Air Airbus Skids into Mud On landing in Kochi.

    What: Gulf Air Airbus A320-200 en route from Bahrain to Kochi, India
    Where: Kochi
    When: Aug 28th 2011, 3.55 am
    Who: 137 passengers and 6 crew, 8 injuries
    Why: On landing in gusty wind and severe rain at Cochin International Airport, the plane skidded to the right and slid ten meters from the pavement into mud. The nose was damaged, and according to some reports, interfered with the operation of the slides; some slides were brought to the plane. Those who were injured were the ones who jumped. Said Muhamad, 47, sustained a fractured right ankle, left rib and left elbow and is recovering at Little Flower Hospital.

    One report says flight 270 hit an air pocket and overshot (or landed too far down) the runway. It may have been simple turbulence.The approach appears to have been too fast on the slick runway. No mention has been made of the runway surface, or if the runway had been resurfaced.

    According to Said Muhamad, the flight crew apparently did not adequately direct passengers, or explain what was going on, which may be why he did not wait for slides, and just jumped off the plane.

    The Metars:
    VOCI 282300Z 00000KT 4000 HZ FEW005 SCT015 OVC080 26/24 Q1008 NOSIG
    VOCI 282130Z 29005KT 3000 HZ SCT010 SCT080 26/24 Q1008 NOSIG

    Passengers disembarked quickly after it appeared (to them) that the pilot had lost control. Evacuation occurred promptly, after “Mayday!” “Evacuation!” was shouted in the plane’s cabin.

    Reports conflict as to the success of the emergency slides which did not apparently deploy perfectly, and some people jumped from the plane. There were 8 injured, one with extreme fractures.

    Evacuation was reported to be in more than twenty seconds. (though I interpret that to mean that the evacuation began within twenty seconds of landing—one can hardly picture 137 passengers and six crew members making it out of a disabled plane within twenty seconds.)

    The interior of the plane smelled like some kind of fumes, and the pilot was described as being in shock.

    Although the English video says otherwise, the flight originated In Bahrain, and landed in Kochi.

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    ATC Catches Runway Incursion, China Airbus Possible Collision


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer K.H.Yim

    What: China Airlines Airbus A330-300 en route from Taipei to Hong Kong
    Where: Taipei
    When: Aug 19th 201
    Who: 288 passengers
    Why: As the China Airlines Airbus was accelerating for takeoff, a private jet was also taxiing on to the same runway after landing. ATC caught the runway incursion and prevented an inevitable collision, and held the China Airlines Airbus flight, delaying the takeoff by an hour.

    The pilots of the South Africa registered aircraft reported they had been instructed to taxi taxiway NC to the end. At a crossing, they requested direction and were told to turn right onto taxiway NC. They made an error based on unclear signage turning back on to the runway instead of to the taxiway.

    In George’s Point of View


    Heya

    Just another everyday incursion.

    Ok, someone needs to commend Taipei ATC on a pretty stupendous catch. From this side of the screen, it looks like this was a practically inevitable disaster.

    And do I have to say that someone needs to fix the signs? Something needs to be amended there so that even pilots unfamiliar with the airport can see which is the on ramp and which is the off ramp.

    I’m just saying.

    Good job, ATC.

    Satellite view:

    View airport PDF

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    Onur Airbus Escorted Over Germany


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Sebastian Lukasiewicz

    What: Onur Air Airbus A321-200 en route from Manchester to Cyprus
    Where: Germany
    When: Aug 20 2011
    Why: The airbus was a source of concern when it lost communication for a quarter of an hour while over Germany, during which time a sonic boom was heard.

    The two fighter jet “escorts” were the probable source of the sonic boom which disturbed residents’ peace of mind.

    Communications were restored and the flight continued to Cyprus as scheduled.

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    Italy: Windjet Emergency Loss of Control over Catania


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Pise – Roma Spotters Club

    What: Windjet Airbus A320-200 en route from Catania to Milan Italy
    Where: Catania
    When: Aug 16 2011
    Who: 164 passengers
    Why: While en route, the crew discovered the plane was unresponsive to certain controls.

    The crew returned to the airport and made a safe landing.

    A replacement jet was provided for the passengers.

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    Lufhansa Emergency Landing in Frankfurt


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Pieter-Jan Van De Vijver

    What: Lufthansa Airbus A319-100 en route from Frankfurt/Main to Hamburg
    Where: Frankfurt
    When: Aug 10th 2011
    Why: After takeoff from Frankfort, the right engine made an explosive noise.

    The flight crew shut down the engine and diverted back to Frankfurt where they made a safe landing. No indication if fuel was dumped or emergency crew on standby. The problem has been initially attributed to either a fuel or air intake issue.

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    Airblue 202 A Year Later


    India’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has issued a statement which they are calling an interim report. It is not what we would call an interim report, but appears to be a report that there is a report that restates the facts as they were known already, not containing actual investigation output. The media has already highlighted the findings of the interim report several times. The report notes that the investigation covered system issues, fire, bird strikes, etc but does not mention causes or place responsibility, and promises a release when component manufacturers have responded.

    So basically, the families have waited a year for the Air Blue Interim report, on the July 28 flight from Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport to Benazir Bhutto International Airport and still have no satisfactory answers.

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    Emergency Landing in Long Beach CA


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Daniel Arroyo

    What: JetBlue A320 en route from Salt Lake City to Long Beach
    Where: Long Beach Municipal Airport
    When: Aug 5th 2011
    Who: 147 passengers, 5 crew
    Why: On approach to Long Beach, the crew saw a hydraulics/ brake problem and aborted their first approach; instead of landing they burned off fuel, then made a safe landing (with an undescended wheel).

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    Protestations of Bias in Official BEA Report

    In George’s Point of View


    Like the pilot association, we wonder how blaming the victims will improve the state of aviation.

    The pilots of Air France Flight 447 had already lost valid data before the Airbus A330 stalled. Fell for three minutes down into the Atlantic in June of 2009, carrying the 228 people aboard to their death. Fell, with pilots flying blind. Fell, with only erroneous data available. Fell with the warning system squawking confused messages. Yet the Bea report says this was was the pilot’s fault.

    We want to know if this investigation will turn out to be deliberate persecution of the pilots instead of legitimate prosecution of Airbus flawed design?

    It is no wonder that the families of the victims are crying foul that the report criticizes pilot performance but not the faulty stall alarms.
    It is no wonder that pilot associations all over the world are protesting.
    It is no wonder that the BEA is being accused of protecting Airbus.

    Why would the recommendation to improve the warning system be removed from the report?
    Why, if not to protect Airbus, scheming to avoid the legal and financial consequences of the crash?

    Pilots say that the stall alarm tends to sound while simultaneously messaging the pilots to ignore the “superfluous” warning. Airbus denies this ever happens.

    How valid can the report be if it is being skewed to protect Airbus and blame the pilots? Should the BEA be placed under criminal investigation alongside with Air France and Airbus?

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    Air India: False alarm?

    What: Air India Airbus en route from Delhi to Jammu
    Where: Delhi
    When: August 3, 2011
    Who: 122 passengers
    Why: After takeoff, the pilots noticed an emergency alert, and returned to Delhi where they made a safe landing. The plane was inspected, and the flight continued.

    In George’s Point of View


    This alert may be an indication of bad reportage, or bad aviation safety practices; I don’t know which, but it is one or the other. When there is an alert, reputable airlines usually go over the plane with a fine toothed comb until the problem is located.

    But according to reports, the alert was immediately determined to be false, and the plane went right back out to make the flight. Reputable airlines usually fly in a replacement plane to take over the flight so the plane with the problem is cleared.

    So. Either this plane was sent out too soon, without a thorough inspection. Remember, Air India has an acknowledged safety problem. Are they playing Russian roulette with their passengers’ safety?

    Or. The reportage does not make it clear that another plane was flown in.

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    Remembering Air Blue Flight 202: July 28


    In George’s Point of View


    Sometimes all we do is listen. We listen to the families speak of their loved ones, listen to the little ones cry, the child who loves snowflakes because that is what her father called her. The wife and children with no means of support and feeding themselves with empty spoons. Knowing that no matter what we do, we cannot bring them back, nor fill that empty place. Still we do what we can on behalf of the families.

    This will be the first July 28 in history when these 152 people will not be living on this earth. We want to remember these people who lost their lives in such a tragic and unnecessary way. They deserve to be remembered.

    Some remember those who are no longer with us by using symbols. Memorials like the one promised. There are other symbols, like the bird in flight that symbolizes a soul, or a chain with a broken link.

    There is a tradition dating back to ancient times of placing rosemary by the graves of loved ones. “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray, love, remember;” Hamlet, (V.iv.124)

    I was going to talk about more ways that people remember, but I must pause here. In ancient times they put rosemary by the graves of loved ones. Some people still do. But we cannot lay sprigs of rosemary for remembrance at the feet of our loved ones, because there are families still waiting for a memorial promised before the first anniversary of the crash. Waiting a year to lay their flowers and their grief.

    Instead of a bouquet of flowers, we have a bouquet of broken promises. Shall we count them?

    A broken promise to share the final investigative report.
    A broken promise over the Monument at the crash site (they want it elsewhere); and a broken promise over the 72 unmarked graves.
    A broken promise over Airblue being grounded for negligence, malpractice, manslaughter.
    A broken promise to assist the families.
    Or maybe we can call this a pending promise, as we wait for an independent inquiry board and a pending promise of greater safety in the skies over Pakistan.
    We have our Rosemary for remembrance, but it is bittersweet.

    CDA is constructing a memorial for the Air Blue Flight 202 just a few miles from Damn-e-Koh, Islamabad
    CDA is constructing a memorial for the Air Blue Flight 202 just a few miles from Damn-e-Koh, Islamabad
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    Tam Airbus Diverts to Miami


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Paul Guinea

    What: TAM Linhas Aereas Airbus A330-200 en route from Orlando,FL to Sao Paulo Brazil
    Where: Miami
    When: July 19th 2011
    Why: While en route, the odor of smoke was detected.

    The crew diverted the flight to Miami where they made a safe landing less than half an hour after smoke was detected.

    Seven hours later, hopefully after a good inspection, the flight continued to Sao Paulo.

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    Ural Airlines Airbus loses Hydraulics


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

    What: Ural Airlines Airbus A320-200 en route from Bourgas to Ekaterinburg
    Where: Ekaterinburg
    When: Jul 19. 2011 0:20 Moscow time
    Who: 119 passengers
    Why: While en route from Bourgas to Ekaterinburg, the plane developed a hydraulic problem. (Specific details about the hydraulic problem have not been released.)

    The flight continued to Koltsovo Airport in the Urals where it made a safe landing.

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    Airbus with Retread Throws Tread in Toronto


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Manuel Fernandez

    What: Air Transat Airbus A330-300 en route from Toronto to Dublin
    Where: Toronto
    When: Jul 15th 2011
    Who: 314 passengers
    Why: During takeoff, a tire was damaged. The tire caused damage to several parts of the plane, which initially had been attributed to a bird strike. Tire debris (tread) was found on the runway.

    The flight continued to Dublin, where the plane made a safe landing on a tire which had lost tread. On inspection, it was found that a wing panel and a landing gear door needed repair, having been damaged on takeoff by tread.

    A replacement flight was sent to Dublin to make the return flight.

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    Jet Blue Emergency Landing In Bermuda

    What: Jetblue Airbus A320-200 en route from Boston to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
    Where: Bermuda
    When: Jul 13th 2011
    Who: 129 passengers
    Why: While en route NW of Bermuda, the plane indicated smoke in the electronic bay, and did a flyby for emergency services to view the right side of the plane. There was no visible smoke.

    The pilot diverted to Bermuda and made a safe landing. The plane underwent an inspection prior to leaving for Punta Cana.

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    Airbus Instrument Failure Behind Emergency Landing in Greece


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Ilgaz Deger

    What: Saudi Arabian Airlines Airbus A330-300 en route from Jeddah to Paris
    Where: Athens
    When: Jul 14 2011
    Who: 168 (?) 187 aboard
    Why: While en route, the Airbus experienced instrument failure. The pilot decided to divert to Greece.

    The pilot made an visual (ILS?) approach to Athens airport, with its instruments inoperable.

    The plane made a safe landing with no injuries reported. After maintenance went over the plane, it was back in the air within five or six hours.

    On July 12, a Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 777 en route from Washington to Riad made an emergency landing in Athens due to instruments indicating a fire in the luggage compartment. (No fire was found.) according to Thailand News Agency.

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    Bird Strike in Novosibirsk


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Oleg Chaplin

    What: Vladivostok A320 en route from Novosibirsk to Krasnodar
    Where: Novosibirsk
    When: Jul 3rd 2011
    Who: 152 passengers and 8 crew
    Why: After takeoff from Novosibirsk, the plane’s right engine ingested a hawk.

    The pilot burned off fuel and made a safe landing three hours later with engine vibration.

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    Emirates emergency Landing in India

    What: Emirates Airbus A330 en route from Dubai to Kochi
    Where: Kochi
    When: Jul 2nd 2011
    Who: 270 passengers
    Why: On approach to Kochi, the plane developed a loss of pressure in the hydraulics. (The landing gear would not retract.)

    The flight made a safe landing however, though it’s return flight was delayed. Passengers on the return flight were provided alternative transportation or hotel accommodations.

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    A330 and A340 Landing Gear Airworthiness Directive

    EASA Emergency AD No.: 2011-0122-E has been published limiting the life of A330 and A340 landing gear parts.

    During ground load test cycles on an A340-600 aeroplane, the MLG bogie beam prematurely fractured. The results of the investigation identified that this premature fracture was due to high tensile standing stress, resulting from dry fit axle assembly method. Improvement has been introduced subsequently with a grease fit axle assembly method.

    Click to read the full pdf

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    SATA Emergency Landing in Funchal

    What: SATA International Airbus A320-200 en route from Funchal to Copenhagen
    Where: Funchal Portugal
    When: Jun 20th 2011
    Who: 104 passengers, 6 crew
    Why: On takeoff, the plane flew through a flock of birds, resulting in damage to both engines. There was vibration but no loss of power. Within a quarter of an hour, the pilot landed safely back at Funchal.

    Both engines ingested seagulls, resulting in damaged fan blades. Also, on impact with a gull, one of the cargo doors opened.

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    Flight Data Recorders Beyond 447

    Honeywell could be resting on its laurels, since the Honeywell Flight Data Recorders aboard Air France Flight 447 certainly performed, resisting two years worth of extreme water pressure and temperature. Skeptics did not expect the data to be recoverable. The fact is that the flight data recorders working for two years at 12,800 feet is operability beyond the design parameters. They were only expected to last about 28 days under water.

    The FDR reports confirmed that in the minutes leading up to the crash, pilots were given conflicting speed readings.

    The event does provide Honeywell a wakeup call with at least one FDR feature.

    The only thing that gave out within 28 days was the battery. Honeywell plans to extend battery life.

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    Airbus Major Airshow Humiliation


    Damaged A380 Wing
    Update
    The gearbox problem is not the only recent technical glitch that occurred. The aircraft’s huge propellors built by French company Ratier-Figeac, (indirectly owned by U.S. group United Technologies _UTX.N_,) developed cracks prematurely.


    What: A380 superjumbo,
    Where: Le Bourget airport, Paris
    When: June 17, 2011
    Who: no reported injuries
    Why: Before an audience including 2,100 exhibitors from 45 countries—a jury of its peers—during the Paris Airshow, Airbus had to pull its A380 display.

    The A 380 was withdrawn from the flying display when the jet had an on-the-ground collision with a building, clipping a wing on a taxiway structure.

    Also, although it made a fly-over, the Airbus A400 M military transport demo was cancelled due to a “a minor gearbox problem”

    Then on Saturday Airbus announced that two of three versions of the A350, would be delayed for about two years. We commend the decision to delay, because while Rolls Royce will be granted more time to develop a more powerful motor, hopefully Airbus will take the time to work on whatever bugs are in its system. A delay in release is clearly an opportunity to perfect the product, from a safety perspective.