Boeing

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    Continental Flight Diverts to Guam


    Pictured: A Continental Airlines Boeing 737-724 over Fukuoka Japan
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer J.Suzuki

    What: Continental Airlines Boeing 737-700 en route from Guam to Hiroshima
    Where: Guam
    When: Jul 22nd 2010
    Who: 95 passengers and 5 crew
    Why: While en route, the pilot noticed irregularities from the control panel altitude and airspeed indicators. The plane turned back for Guam where the problem was repaired and the flight took off again a couple of hours later.

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    Azerbaijan Airlines Orders Boeing 767-300 Passenger and Freighter Models

    FARNBOROUGH, United Kingdom, July 22 — Boeing (NYSE: BA) and Azerbaijan Airlines have signed an agreement to substitute two Next-Generation 737 airplanes for one 767-300ER (extended range) and two 767 Freighters, a new model type for the Baku, Azerbaijan-based airline. The substitution has been updated on Boeing’s Orders and Deliveries website.

    “With our centralized geographic location, Azerbaijan is becoming a busy hub in the region between east and west and north and south,” said Jahangir Askerov, president of Azerbaijan Airlines. “We are capitalizing on this development by expanding our long-haul passenger fleet and growing our cargo business with the proven efficiencies of the 767 Freighter.”
    Including today’s announcement, Azerbaijan Airlines has a total of eight Boeing airplanes on order: two 767-300ERs, two 767 Freighters, two Next-Generation 737s and two 787-8s.
    “With the economic recovery gaining momentum at various speeds around the world, our customers are making changes to their fleets to accommodate the upturn,” said Marlin Dailey, vice president of Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “We have worked with Azerbaijan Airlines to make changes to its order book that meet its needs.”

    The Boeing 767 family is a complete family of clean, quiet, fuel-efficient airplanes that provide maximum market versatility in the 200- to 300-seat market. The Boeing 767 family includes three passenger models — the 767-200ER, 767-300ER and 767-400ER — and a medium-widebody freighter, which is based on the 767-300ER fuselage.

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    FAA Orders Inspections for Boeing 767 Pylons

    July 21 – The FAA is ordering U.S. operators of 138 Boeing 767 airplanes to reduce the initial pylon inspection time mandated in a September 22, 2005 Airworthiness Directive from 10,000 to 8,000 total flights. This inspection must be done within 400 flights after the most recent inspection required by the 2005 directive, or within 90 days, whichever occurs later.

    The FAA is also reducing the interval for repetitive inspections for cracking of the pylon midspar structural fittings and an adjacent structure from 1,500 to every 400 flights thereafter. There is also an option for replacing the fittings instead of conducting the inspections.

    Since the 2005 Airworthiness Directive (AD), the FAA has received two reports of cracking of the midspar structural fitting on Boeing 767 pylons. The pylon attaches the engine to the wing. Undetected cracking could lead to fracture of the structural components, damage to the pylon, and separation of the engine from the wing.

    The Immediately Adopted AD affects 138 U.S.-registered airplanes out of 314 worldwide. The total cost to U.S. operators is approximately $46,920. The AD affects only those 767 models that have the original pylon design. Boeing has improved the design of the 767 pylon and those aircraft with the improved pylon designs are not included in this AD.

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    Boeing, American Airlines Complete Order for 35 Next-Generation 737s

    SEATTLE, July 21 — Boeing and American Airlines, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of AMR Corp., today announced the airline has exercised options for an additional 35 Next-Generation 737-800s.

    The order is part of American Airlines’ ongoing fleet renewal plan, replacing MD-80s with fuel-efficient Next-Generation 737s. The 737-800 is 35 percent more fuel efficient on a seat-mile basis than the MD-80s it will replace.

    “American Airlines is leveraging all the performance benefits of the Next-Generation 737 to enhance the airline’s competitive position, while providing an enhanced passenger travel experience,” said Marlin Dailey, vice president of Sales for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “American’s investment in additional 737s demonstrates real confidence in the 737’s technology and economics. In addition, the new interiors on its existing 737 fleet and the new 737 Boeing Sky Interior on deliveries starting in 2011 will ensure American’s customers continue to enjoy an exceptional flying experience.”

    “The 737-800 provides additional amenities for our customers while helping to reduce our operating and fuel costs and lessen our impact on the environment,” said Virasb Vahidi, chief commercial officer for American Airlines. “The 737 is a product that benefits all of American’s stakeholders and is a good fit for our current fleet renewal plans.”

    Famous for its extremely efficient operation, high dispatch reliability and leading performance on coast-to-coast flights, the 737-800 remains the airplane of choice for airlines wanting to take advantage of new opportunities in the market.

    Today’s 35 new orders build on an order for 84 737s that began arriving in 2009. American currently expects to have a total of 195 737-800s in its single-aisle fleet by the end of 2012.

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    United Airlines Turbulence over Kansas


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

    What: United Airlines Boeing 777-200 en route from Washington to Los Angeles,CA
    Where: Kansas
    When: Jul 20th 2010
    Who: 255 passengers and 10 crew
    Why: While en route over Kansas, the flight encountered severe turbulence which caused a number of injuries. The flight diverted to Denver Colorado where they made a safe landing and were met by emergency services. 21 passengers and 4 crew were hospitalized with one head injury, one broken leg plus assorted less serious injuries. The interior of the plane incurred minor damage.

    A replacement flight was provided within four hours.

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    LOT Brake Fire in Chicago


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

    What: LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 767-300 en route from Warsaw to Chicago
    Where: Chicago
    When: Jul 17th 2010
    Why: The flight made a safe landing in Chicago. However, after landing, the left brakes and tires were smoking and on fire. The captain told passengers that the brakes had fractured and caused damage to the hydraulic lines leading to the fire.

    Emergency services put out the fire while on the runway–it is not mentioned if passengers disembarked, before, during or after emergency services were deployed.

    Although the left tire and brake were replaced, on return to Warsaw on the 18th, the same plane suffered another brake fire on landing.

    George’s Point of View

    I know I’m being a back seat driver again, because it’s impossible to know from my armchair in California what’s happening on the ground in Chicago and Warsaw, but it seems to me that there is obviously something going on.

    Either the wrong brakes were replaced, or the brakes were not replaced, or the pilot consistently lands too fast, or the wrong (i.e. flammable) grease lubricating the brakes caught fire, or the thrust reverser is flawed or something else is going on that caused the brake fire to repeat on the return flight. Let’s hope LOT’s home base in Warsaw will get to the bottom of it before the plane has to land on a tabletop runway like Mangalore, or an unsurfaced runway like TAM Airlines Flight 3054 at Congonhas-São Paulo International Airport.

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    China Southern 737 Loses Air Pressure

    What: China Southern Boeing 737-300 en route from Kunming to Zhengzhou
    Where: en route
    When: Jul 17th 2010
    Who: 130 passengers
    Why: After takeoff and reaching cruise level, cabin pressure was lost. Oxygen masks were deployed, and the flight returned to Kunming where it made a safe landing. Twenty passengers were hospitalized with ear pain.

    A replacement flight was provided six hours later.

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    All Nippon Airways Fuel Leak

    What: ANA All Nippon Airways Boeing 777-300 en route from London to Tokyo
    Where: en route (halfway)
    When: Jul 20th 2010
    Who: 249 passengers and 17 crew
    Why: While en route, about halfway to their destination, the pilot detected one engine burning fuel faster. The crew d to continued on to Tokyo, eventually shutting down the left engine prior to making a safe landing.

    Maintenance did discover a fuel pipe leak.

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    Norwegian Air Shuttle Exercises Purchase Rights for 15 Boeing Next-Generation 737s

    FARNBOROUGH, United Kingdom, July 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) and low-cost carrier Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA today signed an agreement at the Farnborough International Airshow for 15 Boeing 737-800s. The airline is exercising purchase rights from its landmark 2007 order for 42 Next-Generation 737s. Today’s order is valued at $1.15 billion at average list prices and increases the airline’s unfilled orders to 59 Next-Generation 737s.

    Norwegian Air Shuttle, which operates commercially as “Norwegian,” is the second largest airline in Scandinavia and has a route portfolio that stretches across Europe into North Africa and the Middle East.

    “We owe our success to our customers – almost 11 million passengers chose to fly with us in 2009. The Next-Generation 737 allows us to offer them on-time departures and arrivals, an environmentally-responsible and comfortable journey,” said Bjorn Kjos, CEO of Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA. “We recognize the tremendous value Boeing’s products and services bring to our business and are highly appreciative of the people of The Boeing Company.”

    Norwegian’s landmark order in 2007 for 42 airplanes and 42 purchase rights was the largest ever airplane order from any Scandinavian carrier. Norwegian also is among the first airlines in the world to incorporate the new, spacious 737 Boeing Sky Interior into its airplanes. The interior features soft, blue-sky-like lighting overhead, contemporary sculpted sidewalls and window reveals designed to draw passengers’ eyes to the airplanes’ windows, enhancing the passengers’ overall flying experience.
    “Increasing the production rate of the Next-Generation 737 was the right thing to do to support the growth ambitions of successful carriers like Norwegian,” said Marlin Dailey, vice president Sales and Marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “At the same time, we are improving the performance of the Next-Generation 737 to reduce fuel consumption and emissions by a further 2 percent.”

    Boeing routinely seeks environmental improvements throughout its product development process. In the case of the Next-Generation 737, improved aerodynamics, a lighter airframe, and a lighter and more powerful engine produced by the French-American partnership CFMI, have led to major environmental gains compared to previous models.

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    Turkish Airlines Drops Parts on Runway


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

    What: Turkish Airlines Boeing 737-800 en route from Istanbul Ataturk to Vienna
    Where: Turkey
    When: Jul 18th 2010
    Why: The Turkish Airlines Boeing took off successfully, but a subsequent plane lining up for takeoff reported parts on the runway.

    The parts turned out to be the engine cowling around the thrust reverser from the Turkish Airlines Boeing. The Boeing returned to Istanbul and made a safe landing. An alternative (Airbus) is being flown in as a replacement.

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    Turkish Airlines Birdstrike at JFK


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

    What: Turkish Airlines Boeing 777-300 en route from Istanbul to New York
    Where: New York
    When: Jul 14th 2010
    Why: On approach to JFK, the Turkish Airlines Boeing encountered a bird. The flight made a safe landing although it incurred slat damage that will cause a delay in the return flight.

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    Turkish Airline Cautionary Landing in Istanbul


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

    What: Turkish Airlines Boeing 737-800 en route from Istanbul to Birmingham England
    Where: Sliven Bulgaria
    When: July 18 2010
    Who: 83 passengers
    Why: This Turkish Airlines flight developed a problem with the plane’s right engine, and had to divert to Istanbul. Passengers disembarked after a safe landing, and were provided an alternative flight on another Boeing that was flown in especially to replace the disabled plane.

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    Flight Attendant Injured in Clear Air Turbulence.

    What: Delta Airlines Boeing 767-300 en route from Guam to Tokyo
    Where: Tokyo
    When: Jul 15th 2010
    Who: 192 passengers and 10 crew
    Why: While en route, the plane encountered turbulence over the Atlantic.
    A flight attendant was injured between Guam and Tokyo, about 100 minutes before landing in Tokyo. The plane made a safe landing in Tokyo


    Satellite photo of area annotated by A.H.

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    American Airlines Precautionary Landing in Amarillo a False Alarm

    What: American Airlines Boeing 777 cargo plane en route from Alaska to Dallas
    Where: Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport.
    When: July 13 2010 7 pm
    Who: 21 crew
    Why: While en route, the plane’s fire indication light indicated there was a cargo fire. The pilot landed at the closest airport (Amarillo.) The crew disembarked on landing. After inspection by firefighters, the fire was deemed a false alarm, and the flight continued on to Dallas.

    Earlier this week another American Airlines flight (N777AN) had a cargo fire indication during a demanding transcontinental flight; however, that plane was configured and operating as a passenger plane.

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    Air North Boeing Loses Electrics Over CA


    Pictured: An Air North Boeing 737-2X6C/Adv
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Todd Martin

    What: Air North Boeing 737-200 en route from from Vancouver to Whitehorse
    Where: over Canada
    When: Jul 12th 2010
    Why: About 200 miles N of Vancouver, the plane lost electrical power, although maintaining radio contact. The pilot returned to Vancouver where the plane made a safe landing after burning off fuel.

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    American Airlines Cautionary Landing in Wyoming


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

    What: American Airlines Boeing 767-300 en route from San Francisco to New York
    Where: Casper Wyoming
    When: Jul 12th 2010
    Who: 193 passengers, 9 crew
    Why: While en route, the flight developed a smokey odor in the cockpit. The pilot decided to divert to Casper Wyoming. In Casper, when American Airlines found the source of the fumes to be a computer screen, maintenance dealt with the problem, and the plane was allowed to continue with its passengers to the destination.

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    Boeing Hosts Global Educators at Weeklong Space Camp

    CHICAGO, July 12, 2010 — The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] this week is sponsoring more than 100 teachers from around the world at the 19th Annual Boeing Educators to Space Camp program at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala.
    The five-day Boeing Educators to Space Camp program uses space exploration initiatives to enhance teachers’ skills in presenting math, science and technology lessons in a way that will inspire students and help build a skilled work force for a globally competitive technology market.
    “Sponsoring educators to attend Space Camp each year is just one of the many ways Boeing is investing in the future,” said Rick Stephens, Boeing senior vice president of Human Resources and Administration. “The number of students pursuing math-, science-, and technology-related degrees is declining, particularly in the United States. It is important to work with educators, who have a direct influence on the students starting at a young age, to bring the excitement of these subjects into the classroom.”
    The teachers will be involved in hands-on workshops that include simulated space missions, astronaut training, and presentations by rocketry and space-exploration experts. The workshops help bring the excitement of real-world engineering challenges to levels suitable for students to achieve a better understanding of scientific and mathematic principles.
    “Space Camp provides a hands-on learning environment where the excitement of science, math and technology are explored and practiced through the mysteries and wonders of space,” said Ruth Oliver, director of Education at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.
    Boeing worked with U.S. and international education institutions to select more than 100 applicants from 13 countries for the weeklong course, making this the largest, most diverse Boeing-sponsored group ever. Since 1992, more than 700 teachers have participated in Boeing’s annual program, reaching an estimated 30,000-plus students around the world.
    Boeing’s support of Space Camp aligns with the company’s community investment focus area in primary-secondary education, which promotes the professional development of teachers and provides them with the tools and resources they need to help improve student performance.
    “The teachers’ experiences at Space Camp will give them a unique perspective to share with their students,” added Stephens. “By sponsoring Educators to Space Camp, Boeing is helping the students of today become the citizens of the future and the next generation of scientists, engineers and space explorers.”
    After graduating from Space Camp on July 17, each teacher will return home with educational resources that can be easily implemented in the classroom to help their students meet national standards for science, math and technology. Boeing will follow their progress to accurately measure the program’s effectiveness.
    Boeing is the world’s leading aerospace company and the largest manufacturer of commercial jetliners and military aircraft combined. Additionally, Boeing designs and manufactures rotorcraft, electronic and defense systems, missiles, satellites, launch vehicles and advanced information and communication systems. As a major service provider to NASA, Boeing operates the space shuttle and International Space Station. The company also provides numerous military and commercial airline support services. Boeing has customers in more than 90 countries around the world and is one of the largest U.S. exporters in terms of sales.
    # # #
    *Note to editors:
    Teachers from the following locations will attend this year’s camp: Alabama (5), Arizona (1), California (10), Florida (4), Hawaii (1), Illinois (12), Maryland (3), Missouri (10), Oregon (3), Pennsylvania (10), Texas (19), Utah (6), Virginia (4), Washington (5), Australia (1), Canada (1), Greece (1), India (1), Italy (1), Japan (1), Korea (1), Poland (1), Singapore (1), Saudi Arabia (1), United Arab Emirates (1), United Kingdom (1).

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    Cargo Fire on American Airlines flight diverts to remote air station


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

    What: American Airlines Boeing 777-200 en route from Dallas to Tokyo
    Where: Bering Sea
    When: Jul 11th 201
    Who: 211 aboard
    Why: While en route, the plane received an indicator of a cargo fire. The pilot diverted to Shemya Island where they made a safe landing on Eareckson Air Station in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands.


    View Larger Map

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    Air France Bomb Threat on Rio/Paris Flight


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

    What: Air France Boeing 747-400 en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris
    Where: Atlantic
    When: July 10, 2010
    Who: 405 passengers and 18 crew
    Why: While en route, the crew was radioed that a woman had called Galeao Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport with information about a bomb aboard the flight. The flight diverted to Recife Brazil and made an emergency landing. Passengers immediately disembarked and were searched. The plane and baggage were inspected for bombs and explosives. Nothing was found.

    The airline reports that they will provide hotel accommodations for passengers. When (if) the plane is cleared, it will be allowed to continue.

    The Air France Flight 447 designation has been suspended since the Air France Airbus crashed on June 1 2009. This flight was designated AF 443.

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    FAA Issues Directive to Prevent Windshield Fires

    July 9–The FAA is issuing an Airworthiness Directive (AD) that requires operators of Boeing 757, 767, and 777 airplanes to either inspect or replace certain flight deck windows. The AD only affects the forward viewing windows, not the side windows.

    Operators have two options: Begin inspections within 500 flight hours and then continue at intervals that are specific for each of two window designs OR install a new, redesigned window. The inspection takes about an hour.

    The AD is aimed at preventing smoke, fire or cracking of the inner layer of the forward viewing window caused by loose electrical connections that are used to heat the window to prevent ice.

    Over the past two decades, there have been 11 reports of fire or flames on 757 (five events), 767 (three events), and 777 (three events) airplanes. Improper installation resulted in loose, improperly torqued or cross threaded screws that can contribute to overheating and arcing. The most recent incident was a May 16, 2010 emergency landing by a United 757 at Dulles International Airport.

    The FAA proposed the AD in March 2008. The agency received extensive comments and determined additional 757 service information was needed from Boeing. That in-depth review identified unique issues on the upper electrical connections on 757s which will be addressed in a separate AD so as not to hold up the fix for the lower electrical connector issue which constitutes the majority of the service problems identified to date. Although there have been no fire events on 747s, the FAA plans to propose an AD this fall since those later model airplane windows are similar.

    This AD affects 1,212 U.S. airplanes out of 2,619 worldwide. The estimated cost for the inspections is $103,020 total for U.S. operators. The window replacement is optional and would be an additional cost.

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    Alitalia Falling Parts in Mineola


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

    What: Alitalia Boeing 767-300 en route from Rome to New York
    Where: New York
    When: Jul 3rd 2010
    Why: While on an otherwise uneventful flight, the plane’s (1′ X 2′) access door disengaged and fell around 4 pm at the Nassau County Courthouse in Mineola,NY.

    Individuals at Nassau County Courthouse retrieved the access door after witnessing it strike the ground. Alitalia discovered the door missing after landing in NY.

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    FAA Issues Directive to Prevent Windshield Fires

    July 9–The FAA is issuing an Airworthiness Directive (AD) that requires operators of Boeing 757, 767, and 777 airplanes to either inspect or replace certain flight deck windows. The AD only affects the forward viewing windows, not the side windows.

    Operators have two options: Begin inspections within 500 flight hours and then continue at intervals that are specific for each of two window designs OR install a new, redesigned window. The inspection takes about an hour.

    The AD is aimed at preventing smoke, fire or cracking of the inner layer of the forward viewing window caused by loose electrical connections that are used to heat the window to prevent ice.

    Over the past two decades, there have been 11 reports of fire or flames on 757 (five events), 767 (three events), and 777 (three events) airplanes. Improper installation resulted in loose, improperly torqued or cross threaded screws that can contribute to overheating and arcing. The most recent incident was a May 16, 2010 emergency landing by a United 757 at Dulles International Airport.

    The FAA proposed the AD in March 2008. The agency received extensive comments and determined additional 757 service information was needed from Boeing. That in-depth review identified unique issues on the upper electrical connections on 757s which will be addressed in a separate AD so as not to hold up the fix for the lower electrical connector issue which constitutes the majority of the service problems identified to date. Although there have been no fire events on 747s, the FAA plans to propose an AD this fall since those later model airplane windows are similar.
    This AD affects 1,212 U.S. airplanes out of 2,619 worldwide. The estimated cost for the inspections is $103,020 total for U.S. operators. The window replacement is optional and would be an additional cost.

    The PDF is available here:

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    Burning Electrics Odor causes Alaska Airlines Diversion


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

    What: Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-800 en route from Las Vegas to Portland
    Where: Klamath Falls
    When: Jul 8 2010
    Who: 136 passengers
    Why: While en route, the passenger cabin developed a burning smell. The flight diverted to Klamath Falls where they made a safe landing. A replacement jet was provided for the passengers.

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    Boeing CEO McNerney Statement on Export Council Appointments

    CHICAGO, July 7 — Boeing (NYSE: BA) Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Jim McNerney issued the following statement after today’s announcement by the White House of appointments to the President’s Export Council. President Obama named McNerney chairman, and Ursula Burns, chairman and CEO of Xerox, vice chairman of the council on March 11.

    “President Obama has assembled an outstanding team to help reach the goal he has set for our nation to double U.S. exports over the next five years. It is an ambitious goal. However, with this team in place, I am confident we can develop a solid plan for the public policy decisions that will expand free and fair trade and strengthen the United States economically. I congratulate and welcome the new members named today and look forward to working with them in the months ahead.”