What: Island Trading Ltd. Hawker Beechcraft 58 en route from from Frederick, Maryland to Olive Branch MS
Where: Leslie County
When: April 27 2010
Who: pilot and passenger
Why: While en route, the plane lost contact, and is believed to have wrecked in eastern Kentucky, in a remote, mountainous area of Leslie County. It is believed the wreckage was located at 5:30 pm, with no survivors.
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Contact photographer Jose Muñoz
What: Spanair McDonnell Douglas MD-87 en route from Madrid to Valencia
Where: Madrid
When: Apr 25 2010
Who: 43 passengers
Why: After takeoff, the flight developed an issue with the hydraulics. The crew decided to return to Madrid where they made a safe landing. A replacement jet was provided for the passengers.
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Contact photographer Darren Varney
What: Vueling Airbus A320-200 en route from London to La Coruna
Where: London
When: Apr 23rd 2010
Why: While en route, the plane indicated low engine oil pressure. The flight landed safely at Heathrow and was cancelled.
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Contact photographer Alfredo La Marca
What: Vueling Airbus A320-200 en route from Seville to Barcelona
Where: Sevilla
When: Apr 26 2010
Why: After takeoff, the Vueling Airbus impacted a bird, which was ingested in the right engine. After the crew shut down the affected engine, they made a safe landing at Seville’s San Pablo Airport, where the Airbus was taken out of service for examination, maintenance and repairs. A replacement aircraft was flown in by Vueling for the passengers.
Although both jets involved were Vueling Airbus A320-200, they were different jets, and neither problem had anything to do with volcanic ash.
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Contact photographer Joseph A. Del Guidice
What: US Airways Airbus A319-100 en route from Boston Washington DC
Where: DC
When: Apr 26th 2010
Why: On approach to Washington, the plane developed hydraulic problems with the landing gear. The pilot entered a holding pattern while the on board crew repaired the problem, after which the flight made a safe landing.
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Contact photographer Mark Kwiatkowski
What: British Airways Boeing 777-200 en route from London to Toronto
Where: Toronto
When: Apr 25th 2010
Why: Over Toronto, the crew reported an engine problem and had to shut down the right engine. The flight made a safe landing.
The cause has possibly been attributed to a crack in one of the engine’s parts.
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Contact photographer Mohammad Razzazan
What: Jordanian Royal Falcon Boeing 767-200 on behalf of Iraqi Airways en route from Stockholm to Baghdad/ Al Najaf
Where: Warsaw
When: Apr 25 2010
Why: After one of the cockpit window panes cracked, the plane made a landing in Warsaw. No one was injured.
How the passengers will be finishing their journey has not been published.
Pictured: An Air Arabia Airbus A320-214
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Contact photographer Steve Brimley
What: Air Arabia Airbus A320-200 en route from Sharjah to Chittagong
Where: Karachi
When: Apr 25 2010
Who: 155 passengers
Why: After a smoke detector indicated smoke in the cargo hold, the pilot made a cautionary landing in Karachi. Passengers were accommodated in the airport lounge while the plane was inspected.
The smoke detector later was determined to be faulty.
What: Emirates Airlines Boeing 777-200 en route from Dubai to Kochi India
Where: Bangalore
When: Apr 25th 2010
Who: 350 passengers and 14 crew
Why: Prior to landing at Kochi, the plane encountered severe turbulence which resulted in 20 people being hospitalized. At the time of the turbulence, baggage fell from overhead hatches, and those not belted slammed upward. The flight landed at Kochi and was removed from service for ten hours. All injuries were minor.
Two theories have been presented involving the turbulence. Meteorologists speculate that “the aircraft could have flown into an air pocket.”
Another theory is that “…World Area Forecast centre wind/temperature charts did not reveal thunderstorm cloudd, but it showed a slight wind shear condition off the coast of Mangalore. At 35,000 feet, the chart shows strong westerly wind with a speed of 60 kts dropping to 25-30 kts. It’s one of the indicators of clear air turbulence (CAT).’’
There are reports that say the plane suffered some damage after dropping from 20,000 to 5,000 feet.
What: Royal New Zealand Air Force Bell UH-1H Iroquois en route from Ohakea Air Base in Manawatu to Anzac Day commemorations in Wellington
Where: 40km NE of Wellington New Zealand
When: Apr 25 2010
Who: 4 aboard, 3 fatalities
Why: The helicopter crashed in rugged terrain near Pukerua Bay, in fog, killing 3 aboard (Flight Lieutenant Hayden Peter Madsen, pilot, 33; Officer Daniel Stephen Gregory, pilot, 28, and Corporal Benjamin Andrew Carson, helicopter crewman, 25) and injuring one.
787 Dreamliner Undergoing Extreme Weather Testing in Florida
VALPARAISO, Fla., April 22 — The Boeing 787 Dreamliner has begun a series of extreme-weather tests at Valparaiso, Fla. A special hangar at the McKinley Climatic Laboratory at Eglin Air Force Base allows the airplane to experience heat as high as 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 Celsius) and as low as minus 45 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 43 Celsius).
After the airplane is stabilized at either the hot or cold temperatures, flight test technicians will follow the Airplane Maintenance Manual to perform the steps required to prepare the airplane for flight release and operate under these conditions. Sensors and monitors will allow the test team to determine if all systems hardware and software operate as expected.
Cold-weather testing is being conducted first, with preliminary hot-weather testing to follow. Additional extreme-weather testing will be conducted later in the flight test program.
“We have Dreamliner customers who will operate the 787 in a wide variety of environments throughout the world,” said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “This testing is about ensuring that the airplane meets the expectations of our customers.”
A crew of approximately 100 people traveled from Seattle to support the test operations on ZA003, the third 787 airplane to be built.
The McKinley Climatic Laboratory is the second remote testing location for the 787 Dreamliner. The second airplane in the fleet, ZA002, performed a variety of tests in Victorville, Calif., last month. The testing in Florida is expected to last nearly two weeks.
About the Boeing 787 Dreamliner
The 787 Dreamliner is an all-new twinjet designed to meet the needs of airlines around the world in providing nonstop service between mid-size cities with new levels of efficiency. The airplane will bring improved levels of comfort to passengers with larger windows, bigger baggage bins and advances in the cabin environment, including lower cabin altitude, higher humidity and cleaner air. Delivery of the first 787 is planned for the fourth quarter of 2010.
Fifty-seven customers around the world have ordered 866 787s since the program was launched in April 2004, making the Dreamliner the fastest-selling new commercial jetliner in history. Delivery of the first 787 is planned for the fourth quarter of 2010.
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Contact photographer Jason Whitebird
What: Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 en route from Oakland to Burbank,CA
Where: Burbank on Apr 19th 201
When: Apr 19 2010
Who: 119 passengers and 5 crew
Why: Approaching the runway prior to takeoff, a a Cessna 172 passed over the passed over the 737, with a clearance of 200 feet (vertical) and 10 feet (lateral).
The NTSB is investigating.
Pictured: Image on Tedd’s Flying Adventures website
What: Tedd’s Flying Adventures Airborne Outback XT-912 SST Tundra micro-light aircraft
Where: Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii
When: April 21, 2010 9:36 a.m.
Who: Pilot Tedd Robert Hecklin, owner of Tedd’s Flying Adventures in Kailua-Kona and passenger Kathryn Grace Moran of Kailua-Kona
Why: While en route, witnesses report seeing the wing of the Airborn Edge “fold.” Then the plane descended and impacted Kealakekua Bay. Local tour boats hurried to retrieve both aboard, and those aboard attempted CPR but both victims had sustained fatal injuries.
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Contact photographer Frank Robitaille
What: Jetblue Embraer ERJ-190 en route from Fort Lauderdale to Boston,MA
Where: Fort Lauderdale on Apr 22nd 2010
When: Apr 22nd 2010
Who: 94 passengers and 4 crew
Why: After takeoff, fumes were detected on board. The flight returned to Fort Lauderdale and made a safe landing. On arrival, some passengers booked on alternative flights; others continued on the same plane a couple of hours later. No details have been released regarding the source of the fumes.
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Contact photographer Mathias Henig
What: United Airlines Boeing 767-300 en route from Washington to Moscow
Where: Azores Islands
When: Apr 21 2010
Who: 170 passengers
Why: While en route, the crew noted the smell of smoke, and diverted to the Azores (Terceira) to make a safe landing. Eu citizens were bussed to accommodations promptly; non EU were tied in paperwork at the airport for hours, straightening out their visas.
What: Pacific East Air Cargo/UPS / ATMA Atyra Transport Antonov AN-12BP en route from Mactan to Angeles Philippines
Where: SE of Clark airport, Pampanga province, northern Philippines
When: Apr 21 2010
Who: 6 crew
Why: Flying low over Mexico village in the Philippines, the cargo plane crashed south east of the base. The crash fragmented the plane, and it burst into flames. Three Russian crew members were hospitalized, 3 other crew members are reported missing. The pilot, who survived, was quoted saying that the plane encountered electric circuit trouble about an hour into the flight, and a fire that broke out forced him to make an emergency landing on the open field.
The Interisland Airlines flight was chartered on behalf of UPS.
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Contact photographer Diego Torres
What: Fuerza Aérea de Colombia MD Helicopters/Hughes 500/530
Where: Chaparral, Tolima Colombia
When: April 20, 2010 1:45 pm
Who: 7 deaths reported
Why: While performing maneuvers, a Bell 222UT helicopter and a Colombian Air Force MDH/Hughes 500/530 crashed on a military garrison near the town of Chaparral, Tolima.
Army:
– General Brigadier Fernando Joya Duarte, commander of the Task Force of the South of the Tolima.
– Colonel Brown Arturo Herrera Castaño, commander of Movable Brigade 20.
– Lieutenant Colonel Juan Gonzalo Lopera Echeverry, operations officer of the Task Force of the South of Tolima.
Air Force:
– Aviation technician Eider Vargas Avendaño, crew member.
– Aviation technician Víctor Sorza Pulido, crew member.
Vertical Aviation:
– Commander (r.) Rodolfo Garzón Venegas, pilot of Vertical Aviation Bell 222
– Lieutenant of Frigate (r.) Camilo Andrés Cujar, copilot.
The Army Captain Ejército Alejandro Suescún, professional soldier Jairo Suárez, the Air Force lieutenant Alcides Otálora Polo (pilot) and the technician José Hefner Lerma Prieto suffered burns and fractures but survived..
EVERETT, Wash., April 20 — The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted Boeing (NYSE: BA) expanded type inspection authorization (TIA) today, clearing the way for its personnel to fully participate in future test flights and for the collection of required flight-test data. Initial TIA was granted Feb. 11, which supported the collection of flutter certification data.
The expanded TIA marks the FAA’s confirmation that the airplane and team are ready to collect additional certification data. Boeing achieved the expansion by demonstrating the readiness of the airplane throughout a variety of speeds, altitudes and configurations.
“This TIA expansion is another significant step toward delivering airplanes to our customers. We remain on track to deliver the first airplane to ANA this year,” said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program, Commercial Airplanes.
In addition to receiving expanded TIA, Boeing finalized the aerodynamic configuration of the 787.
“We have completed sufficient testing to decide that no additional changes to the external lines or shape of the airplane are required,” said Fancher. “Having an airplane match its expected performance with so few changes is rare and speaks to the maturity of the design.”
The 787 flight-test fleet logged its 500th hour of flying April 16. On Sunday, ZA003, the flight-test airplane outfitted with interior elements, landed in Florida, where it will go through extreme weather testing at McKinley Climatic Laboratory at Eglin Air Force Base.
Boeing released two videos highlighting flutter and ground effects testing. These videos feature commentary by the pilots and the chief project engineer and are available on www.boeing.com and www.newairplane.com.
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Contact photographer Aurélien TRANCHET
What: Air France Boeing 747-400 en route from Paris to San Francisco
Where: Atlantic Ocean
When: Apr 20 2010
Why: While en route over the Atlantic, the left engine developed a leak. The crew shut down the engine to contain the damage and returned to Paris where they made a safe landing. A replacement jet was provided.
Follow up
Flight: (AF) Air France 84
Departure Date: Tue Apr 20, 2010
Status: Landed 914 minutes late
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Contact photographer Jose Mendez
What: American Airlines Boeing 737-800 en route from Miami to San Juan
Where: Miami
When: Apr 18th 2010
Why: The Boeing was maneuvering on the runway when it made an explosive noise. On acceleration, the plane began vibrating.
Instead of taking off, the plane returned to the gate with a flat tire. Passengers disembarked and were provided alternative transport.
PALMDALE, Calif., April 19 — The second Boeing 747-8 Freighter, RC521, landed in Palmdale, Calif., today, marking the beginning of a planned transition of 747-8 Freighter testing to Southern California. The more than four-hour flight from Boeing Field in Seattle included testing on avionics and cruise performance.
“Taking the airplane to Palmdale is a big step,” said Mo Yahyavi, vice president and general manager of the 747 program. “The team is focused on ensuring a seamless transition into the next phase of the flight-test program as we prepare to expand testing of the 747-8 Freighter’s performance characteristics.”
The airplane will be stationed in Palmdale for the majority of its scheduled flight-test program. The crew will conduct several tests on the airplane with fuel-mileage and engine-performance testing as key focus areas.
“Palmdale provides an excellent test environment for the 747-8 Freighter,” said Andy Hammer, 747 test program manager. “It allows us to take full advantage of one of the world’s premier experimental test flight facilities and the excellent weather conditions to meet our flight-test requirements on the road to obtaining our amended type certification.”
A contingent of employees has been stationed at Palmdale for the testing, including flight-test engineers and the support personnel who prepare the airplane for each day’s flights. In the coming weeks, the two other 747-8 airplanes in the flight-test fleet will join RC521 in Southern California.
The entire flight-test program calls for the three airplanes to perform a total of about 3,700 hours of ground and air testing. The first 747-8 Freighter delivery to Cargolux is planned for the fourth quarter of this year.
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Contact photographer Ignatius
What: Royal Brunei Airlines Boeing 767-300 en route from Manila to Bandar Seri Begawan
Where: Kota Kinabalu
When: Apr 18 2010
Who: 150 people
Why: While en route, the flight developed engine trouble. The plane made a safe landing and was able to resume the flight after several hours.
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Contact photographer John Richard Thomson
What: Virgin Blue Boeing 737-800 en route from Perth to Sydney
Where: Adelaide
When: Apr 19 2010
Who: 150 passengers
Why: While en route, passengers began suffering from breathing problems. An odor was detected aboard. The flight routed to Adelade where affected individuals were tested for Carbon Monoxide poisoning.
Fire crews and flight engineers cleared the flight for continuing to Sydney and passengers reboarded after being grounded for about an hour.
Eight passengers suffered nausea; one was taken to the hospital.
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Contact photographer Steve Brimley
What: South African Express Airways Canadair CRJ-200 en route from Cape Town to Windhoek
Where: Windhoek Namibia
When: April 17 2010
Why: The SAX CRJ landed with a hung nose wheel. (belly landing?) After landing with nose gear up, there were no injuries although airport operations were disrupted.
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Contact photographer Bruce Leibowitz
What: United Airlines Airbus A320-200 en route from New York to Denver
Where: Lincoln Nebraska
When: Apr 16 2010 5:45 PM
Who: 140
Why: While en route, the crew noted smoke filled the cockpit, and they diverted to Lincoln where they made a safe landing. Rescue vehicles were on standby, including Lincoln Fire and Rescue. After evacuation, passengers were booked on alternative flights.
The cause of the smoke has not been published.
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Contact photographer Georgiy Shvetsov
What: Air Europa Boeing 737-800 en route from Madrid to Valencia
Where: Valencia
When: Apr 16th 2010
Who: Atletico Madrid soccer team
Why: On approach to Manises Airport in Valencia the plane was struck by lightning. The flight made a safe landing, and the team was able to continue to the planned match.
