Aircraft

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    Santa Cruz Flight Emergency


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

    What: AeroSur Boeing 727-200 en route from Santa Cruz to Miami,FL
    Where: Cochabamba Bolivia
    When: Feb 16th 2010
    Who: 87 passengers
    Why: While en route, the plane developed electrical problems and had to put down in Cochabamba. After overnighting in hotels, passengers will be flown back to Santa Cruz, and then on to Miami. No details have been released about the plane, as far as we know.

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    Mexicana Flight Diverts to Merida


    Pictured: A Mexicana Link Canadair CL-600-2B19 Regional Jet CRJ-200ER
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Jose Lopez

    What: Mexicana Link Canadair CRJ-200 en route from Cancun to Puebla
    Where: Merida
    When: Feb 15 2010
    Who: 37 passengers
    Why: While en route, during the flight the windshield developed cracks. The flight diverted to Merida Mexico and made a safe landing.

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    Milan Emergency Landing


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

    What: Itali Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-82 en route from Milan to Naples
    Where: Milan on Feb 10th 2010
    When: Feb 10 2010
    Who: 6 crew
    Why: After takeoff, the plane’s engine left a trail of sparks and was vibrating. A quarter of an hour later, the plane returned to the runway for a safe landing in spite of hydraulic damage. The speculation is that ice ingestion caused damage to the engine and hydraulics, but of course that is an open question until after the investigation.

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    Boeing-led Team Submits Proposal for C-17 Training

    For Immediate Release:

    ST. LOUIS, Feb. 15, 2010 — A team led by Boeing [NYSE: BA] has submitted a proposal to the U.S. Air Force to provide aircrew and maintenance training support for the service’s C-17 Globemaster III fleet under the new C-17 Training System contract. Boeing Training Systems & Services has delivered C-17 aircrew training to the Air Force for the past 18 years.

    The team draws on the experience and strengths of Boeing, FlightSafety Services Corp., FlightSafety International, Delaware Resource Group, Safety Training Systems, and CymSTAR. Boeing’s five program leaders have more than 78 years of combined experience delivering C-17 training.

    “As the incumbent prime contractor for C-17 aircrew training, we have consistently delivered guaranteed students to the Air Force for nearly two decades,” said Mark McGraw, Boeing vice president of Training Systems & Services. “And our Training System team has ensured that the service’s C-17 training devices are available for training more than 99 percent of the time.”

    The new C-17 Training System contract consolidates the contract for aircrew training systems with a contract for supporting the maintenance training devices. The Boeing team’s experience with both training programs will ensure a seamless transition to a single, integrated support program. The Air Force will continue to provide maintenance instruction separately from the other activities.

    “FlightSafety Services is pleased to be participating with The Boeing Company as a teammate on the C-17 Training System follow-on contract,” said Eric Hinson, executive vice president, FlightSafety International. “FlightSafety has a 20-year history of producing successful C-17 training simulators and a long-standing relationship with both Boeing and the Air Force. We stand ready to work with Boeing and the Air Force on this important program.”

    The cornerstone of the Boeing team’s ongoing success in C-17 training is its highly qualified instructors and support personnel. The same personnel will continue to instruct aircrews and support the training systems for the C-17 Training System contract.
    “The Boeing team has submitted an innovative proposal to the Air Force that will continue to provide the outstanding training the customer deserves while offering significantly lower costs through greater efficiency,” said McGraw. “The Air Force can have complete confidence in our ability to meet their C-17 training needs.”

    A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world’s largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.

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    Milan: Easyjet Smoke Emergency


    Pictured: An EasyJet Airline Airbus A319-111
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Paolo Migliavacca

    What: Easyjet Airbus A319-100 en route from Milan to Brindisi
    Where: Milan
    When: Feb 14th 2010
    Why: While en route, the control panel of the cockpit began emitting smoke. Landing in oxygen masks, the flight crew returned to Milan and made a safe landing. Passengers were provided a replacement craft.

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    Small Plane Crashes in NJ

    Updated:
    4 bodies identified, 1 missing in the NJ crash. Monmouth Airport is 5 miles east of Trenton. In Wall township. Relatives of the pilot were on the scene (mentioned on the video) and the current input is that the plane was neither going to or from Monmouth.


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

    What: Jack Air LLC’s Cessna T337G Turbo Super Skymaster en route to Monmouth Executive Airport
    Where: Monmouth Executive Airport
    When: 4 p.m. Monday Feb 15 2010
    Who: 2 dead, 3 missing
    Why: Witnesses saw the plane coming in for a landing when the tail broke off, the plane veered and crashed nose down beside the runway in a field.

    Witnesses say the pilot pulled up and a piece of the plane fell off before it spun out of control and crashed.

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    Birdstrike Sends Spirit Airbus Back to Hollywood Fla


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

    What: Spirit Airlines Airbus A321-200 en route from Fort Lauderdale to New York
    Where: Fort Lauderdale
    When: Feb 15 2010
    Who: 229 aboard
    Why: On departure, the Spirit Airlines Airbus struck a bird reportedly the size of a turkey just below the windshield. 36 minutes after departure, and after dumping fuel,
    the flight returned to Ft. Lauderdale for an inspection. No one was injured. No indication was made of another bird striking the aircraft. Although emergency vehicles were on standby, plane operations appeared to be normal. Passengers were provided an alternative flight within 4 hours.

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    Mexicana Airbus Emergency Diversion to St. Louis


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

    What: Mexicana Airbus A320-200 en route from Guadalajara to Chicago O’Hare,IL
    Where: St. Louis
    When: Feb 12 2010
    Who: 115 passengers
    Why: While en route, cabin pressure was disrupted. The crew descended to a lower altitude and landed safely in St. Louis.

    George’s Point of View

    Maintenance! Maintenance! Maintenance!

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    Runway Incursion at Schiphol


    Pictured: A KLM – Royal Dutch AirlinesBoeing 737-306 taking off from Amsterdam – Schiphol
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Fred Willemsen

    What: KLM Boeing 737-300 en route from Amsterdam to Warsaw
    Where: Amsterdam
    When: Feb 10 2010
    Why: After being cleared to take off on one runway, the flight actually took off from the taxiway. No incident ensued, and the flight continued to its destination.

    Amsterdam Schiphol airport is reportedly supposed to be a confusing airport which recently changed its runway markings; and at the time of incident, it was sunset, and had supposedly snowed, which may have obscured the yellow taxiway/white runway distinctions, although there was good visibility. Hopefully the investigation will be used to make negotiating the runways safer.

    http://www.nu.nl/algemeen/2182654/vliegtuig-steeg-taxibaan.html

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    Boulder Collision Video

    Click the headline to access the two videos

    When 2 planes collided near Boulder Municipal Airport, glider pilot Reuben Bakker flew through the fireball. He and his two passenger were all right; three people were killed. Altitude my have been a factor, as well as the highly technical nature of the Cirrus, which is heavily video-electronic with a blind spot under the plane

    It appears that a Piper Pawnee hit the a Cirrus SR-20 from below.

    Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

     

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    Klutzy Inspector Breaks Plane

    In Khartoum , a South African Inspector inspecting South African-registered aircraft noticed a Gulfstream II aircraft not under his jurisdiction, and after he boarded, damaged the door when trying to close it.

    The vehicle that sustained damage was Thabo Mbeki’s charter plane. Mbeki is a South African politician who served two terms as president of South Africa. The incident is under investigation and while the inspector is awash in paperwork due to the expense of the damage, but the rumors of his arrest are an exaggeration, as he was just doing his job.

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    India: ATR Engine Failure in Bhopal


    Pictured: A Jet Airways ATR ATR-72-500 (ATR-72-212A) filmed in Mumbai
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Petr Popelar

    What: Jet Airways Aerospatiale ATR-72-500 en route from Bhopal to Indore
    Where: Bhopal
    When: Feb 11th 2010
    Who: 60 passengers 4 crew
    Why: After takeoff, the right engine failed. The flight returned to Bhopal, and landed hard causing a flat. Otherwise there were no problems recorded and no one was injured, although the closed runway disrupted scheduling for a while.

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    Emergency Landing in Monterrey


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

    What: Mexicana Click Fokker 100 en route from Mexico City to NEW LAREDO
    Where: Monterrey
    When: Feb 11 2010
    Who: 96 passengers (one site reports 29 passengers and 4 crew)
    Why: The Mexicana Click made an emergency landing in Monterrey when it developed a fault in the undercarriage. It apparently made a safe landing, with no emergencies although it appear one individual may have been suffering from hysteria. Rescue crews were on hand. Other flights were cancelled.

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    Boeing Helps Prepare Danish Machining Firm Multicut for Aerospace Quality Management System Certification

    VILDBJERG, Denmark, Feb. 11, 2010 — The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] this week launched an industrial-cooperation project to assist Multicut, a high-end machining firm based in Vildbjerg, as it pursues AS/EN 9100 certification. This project supports the Boeing industrial-cooperation program that is tied to Denmark’s New Combat Aircraft competition. The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighter is a finalist in the contest.

    The project began with a Boeing Supplier Quality expert training Multicut employees on the quality management system (QMS) requirements used across the aerospace industry. Over the coming months, the Boeing expert and a third-party QMS specialist also will assess Multicut’s overall operations in preparation for its AS/EN 9100 certification audit later this year, and provide any necessary follow-up guidance.
    “As a company with a clear goal to expand into the global aerospace market and preserve jobs for Danish industry workers, it is invaluable for us to tap into Boeing’s quality management system expertise,” said Frank Dühring, Business Development manager for Multicut. “The training and assessments will help us gain AS/EN 9100 certification, which is a ‘must have’ for winning subcontracts from the main players in the aerospace industry.”

    AS/EN 9100 is based on ISO 9001 standards, with additional specific requirements for aerospace manufacturing. Most major aerospace manufacturers, and their suppliers, require AS/EN 9100 compliance. In adopting this standard, Multicut also expects to benefit from quality improvements and cost reductions.

    “In just over a decade, Multicut and its metalworkers have distinguished themselves in the machining industry,” said Rick Cisiewski, senior manager of Boeing Industrial Participation in Denmark. “The training and assessments Boeing is offering support Multicut’s plans to grow into the aerospace industry. This workshop is part of a broader Boeing program to position Danish industry for high-technology manufacturing jobs and demonstrates Boeing’s commitment to working with Danish companies of all sizes.”

    Today, Boeing also is hosting an AS/EN 9100 quality management seminar at Unimerco’s manufacturing facility in Herning, Denmark. More than 40 Danish firms are expected to participate in the conference, which Boeing is offering in conjunction with CenSec, the Danish Defense and Security Industrial Cluster; FAD, the Defense and Aerospace Industries Association in Denmark; and DECA, the Danish Enterprise and Construction Authority under the Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs.
    Multicut is a high-end factory delivering complex machined parts and subassemblies. It uses state-of-the-art production equipment in its Lean manufacturing facility — including 9-axis turn-mill, 5-axis vertical and 4-axis horizontal computer numerical controlled machines networked with robotic material handling systems.

    A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world’s largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.
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    Borneo Emergency Landing


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

    What: Trigana Air Service Aerospatiale ATR-42-300 en route from Berau to Samarinda Indonesia
    Where: East Kalimantan, Borneo
    When: Feb 11th 2010
    Who: 46 passengers and 5 crew
    Why: While en route, the plane suffered engine failure in one of its turboprops. The pilot had diverted to Balikpapan but could not reach the airport, and was forced to land in a rice field near Bone village. The plane was feared missing after losing contact with ATC. One individual had a broken leg but no other serious injuries were reported. No other details have been released regarding the retrieval of the passengers.

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    Update: Ethiopian Crash Cockpit Voice Recorder Found/not found


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

    In an announcement hauntingly similar to the initial release of 7 survivors (who were later confirmed as 22 dead), the cockpit voice recorder was reportedly found…but later reported to be missing the memory unit.

    Ethiopia Airlines release is below and denies recovery of the CVR.
    ET Flight 409 Accident Update 9 – 10 February, 2010

    Ethiopian Airlines would like to express its position on the latest speculative reports released on the cause of the accident on ET-409, 25 January.

    As a member of the investigation team, Ethiopian Airlines strictly adheres to the ICAO annex 13 regulation, in which it is mandated to refrain from any inconclusive comments on the process of investigation.

    The investigation is still in its early stage and the CVR (Cockpit Voice Recorder) and the aircraft wreckage are not yet retrieved for analysis, it is therefore, too early to conclude the cause of the accident. Ethiopian Airlines does not rule out all possible causes including the possibility of sabotage until the final outcome of the investigation is known.

    Ethiopian Airlines would continue to cooperate with the investigation team to complete the process in accordance with the ICAO regulation and reveal the truth.

    We share the pain and sorrow of the families of our crew and dear passengers who have lost their lives in the accident.

    What: Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 en route from Beirut to Addis Ababa
    Where: 2 miles west of the coastal village of Na’ameh.
    When: Jan 25 2010
    Who: 7 crew 83 passengers
    Why: Shortly after taking off in stormy weather and heavy lightning, Lebanese ATC lost contact. The plane disappeared from radar 45 minutes after leaving Beirut. Witnesses on the coast saw the plane as it crashed into the sea. So far 9 bodies have been found by members of the Lebanese army

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    Helicopter Crashes While Filming Robbery


    What: Record TV News helicopter
    Where: Sao Paulo’s jockey club
    When: February 10
    Who: Pilot and cameraman
    Why: News network’s Astar helicopter developed rear engine failure and careened to the grass of Sao Paulo’s jockey club. The pilot managed to avoid rush hour traffic on Marginal Pinheiros, and no one on the ground was injured. The cameraman Alexandre Borracha was conscious when on the way to the hospital, surviving with serious injury. The pilot Rafael Delgado Sobrinho was found slumped over the controls died on the scene. The accident was filmed by another news crew.

    Pilot of the helicopter filming the crash incident was Globo pilot Dato de Oliveira, who followed and landed, and rushed to assist; he turned off the fuel pump and battery to avoid an explosion.

    Both crews were in the area filming a bank robbery.

    Longer video from the crashed vehicle and Portuguese newscast

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    Austrian Airlines Smoke in Cockpit


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Damian Leśniak

    What: Austrian Airlines de Havilland Dash 8-400 en route from Vienna Austria to Iasi Romania
    Where: Iasi
    When: Feb 10th 2010
    Who: 27 passengers and 4 crew
    Why: After reporting smoke in the cockpit, the crew made a safe landing wearing oxygen masks, landing ten minutes early in Iasi. The cause of the smoke is under investigation. Newspapers reported a fire had broken out in the cockpit and that passengers disembarked without injury, without noting if slides were used, or if they deplaned on to the tarmac. The plane will not be making the scheduled flight to Vienna but will be in maintenance.

    With the early arrival however…one cannot help but picture the investigator inquiring…”What? The flight is early? That we really have to look in to…”

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    Boeing’s India Commitment

    NEW DELHI, Feb. 9, 2010 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] will present world-class products and services including the F/A-18IN Super Hornet, C-17 Globemaster III, P-8I, AH-64D Apache and CH-47F Chinook to Indian government officials, military officers, and other valued stakeholders at Defexpo 2010. The exhibition takes place Feb. 15-18 at the Pragati Maidan complex in New Delhi.

    “This is an important year for Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS) in India,” said Vivek Lall, BDS vice president and India country head. “Many of our products and platforms are currently in competition or under active consideration by the government, and we are looking forward to demonstrating how they will quickly contribute to India’s defense modernization and bring long-term industrial benefits to the nation.”

    Boeing is kicking off its Defexpo participation with a preshow briefing for the media at noon on Thursday, Feb. 11, at the Taj Mansingh Hotel. During the show, BDS executives will invite stakeholders into an F/A-18IN Super Hornet cockpit simulator to demonstrate the aircraft’s advanced features, including its superior air-to-ground and air-to-air capabilities. Boeing also will provide media briefings on the C-17 Globemaster III and on two Boeing Rotorcraft products in current competitions — the CH-47F Chinook and AH-64D Apache. An Airborne Battle Management briefing will cover Airborne Early Warning and Control as well as the P-8I long-range maritime patrol and anti-submarine aircraft. India selected the P-8I for its navy last year; the first of eight aircraft is scheduled to enter the fleet in 2013.

    Boeing’s online press kit at www.boeing.com/bds/mediakit/2010/defexpo will be updated throughout the show with presentations from the briefings and schedule changes, if any. The site also contains program backgrounders, executive biographies and a link to high-resolution photos.

    Note: All briefing times are local to New Delhi.

    Thursday, Feb. 11 – Taj Mansingh Hotel
    1200: Boeing India overview with Boeing India President Dinesh Keskar and BDS Vice President and Country Head Vivek Lall

    Tuesday, Feb. 16 – Defexpo Conference Hall
    1445: C-17 Globemaster III briefing with Business Development lead Patrick Druez

    Wednesday, Feb. 17 – Defexpo Conference Hall
    1200: Rotorcraft briefing with Business Development leads Dean Millsap and Wes Spreen

    1400: Airborne Battle Management briefing with New Business Development Director Tim Norgart

    A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world’s largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.

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    Pakistan: Runway Excursion


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

    What: Shaheen Air International Boeing 737-200 en route from Abu Dhabi to Peshawar
    Where: Peshawar
    When: Feb 8th 2010
    Who: 112 passengers
    Why: While landing on a wet runway, the Shaheen Air flight either hydroplaned or experienced a “technical fault.” If the plane had hydroplaned off the end of the runway instead of veering off the side, it could have impacted the traffic like the Congonhas crash. Instead we have a minor muddy runway excursion.

    No on one was injured. An airline spokesman said “It was tremendously heavy rain and the aircraft skidded off the runway” but others say it was not raining that much. The plane may return to service this week.


    View Peshawar International Airport in a larger map

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    American Airlines Emergency Landing in Phoenix


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Ivan Voukadinov – BGspotters

    What: American Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-83 en route from San Diego CA to Chicago
    Where: Phoenix
    When: Feb 9th 2010
    Why: While en route, on board indicators detected a hydraulic leak. The flight diverted to Phoenix AZ where it made a safe landing. Passengers were provided alternative flights.

    Another American Airlines maintenance issue?

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    Boeing to Continue Providing F/A-18 Engineering Services to Royal Australian Air Force


    WILLIAMTOWN, New South Wales, Feb. 8, 2010 — Boeing Defence Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA], has been awarded a $1.5 million contract for the provision of engineering support services for the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) fleet of F/A-18A/B Hornet aircraft.

    The 30-month contract, managed by the Tactical Fighter Systems Program Office (TFSPO) at RAAF Base Williamtown, requires Boeing Defence Australia to deliver repair plans for faults uncovered during F/A-18A/B Hornet maintenance.

    “This contract maintains our F/A-18 engineering capability as it increases our overall business on the platform,” said Brad Hume, Boeing Defence Australia F/A-18 program manager.

    Boeing Defence Australia has delivered engineering support services to the TFSPO for the past six years. It also continues to perform Hornet Upgrade Phase 2.3, which involves upgrading the Electronic Warfare Self Protection Suite on 68 aircraft and modifying 76 wing pylons. Phase 2.3 is expected to be completed in 2012.

    “The RAAF’s decision to award this contract to us demonstrates their faith in Boeing’s ability to support the F/A-18 platform,” Hume said. “We will continue working closely with our customer to maintain the Hornet’s air combat capability.”

    Under the new contract, engineering services will now be delivered under Boeing Defence Australia’s Authorised Engineering Organisation (AEO) certificate.

    Boeing Defence Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company and a business unit of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, is a leading Australian aerospace enterprise. With a world-class team of nearly 2,000 employees at 13 locations throughout Australia and two international sites, Boeing Defence Australia supports some of the largest and most complex defense projects in Australia.

    A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world’s largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.
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    Contact:
    Sarah Wills
    Boeing Defence Australia
    +61 7 3306 3132
    sarah.e.wills@boeing.com