Aircraft

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    Air France Flight 447 Airbus Missing


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

    Family members can call — 0 800 800 812 for people in France and 00 33 1 57 02 10 55 for families outside France.


    What: 4 year old Air France Airbus A330-200 en route from Rio de Janeiro,RJ (Brazil) to Paris Charles de Gaulle
    Where: Missing over the Atlantic Ocean
    When: June 1
    Who: In all, there were 216 passengers (incl seven children and one baby, 82 women and 126 men) and 12 crew. 60 French citizens were on the plane. Italy said at least three passengers were Italian.The pilot had 11,000 hours of flying experience, and 1,700 hours flying this aircraft.
    Why: The last known radio contact was an automatic message made at 0133 GMT when the plane was near the Island of Fernando de Noronha; since then, the airplane has made no radio communication. Fifteen minutes after flying through a storm and strong turbulence, there was an electrical short-circuit. There is speculation that the plane may have been hit by lightning.

    Search planes left Fernando de Noronha Island looking for signs of the plane concentrating in an area 230 miles off the northeast Brazil coast. Though there is not radar over the entire ocean, the black box will be emit a signal even if it is under water.

    The flight left Rio at 7 p.m. and was expected in Paris on Monday at 11:15 a.m. By now, fuel would have run out.

    Families of the missing are being brought to an information centre at Charles de Gaulle airport.

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    Airbus Flap Failure


    Contact photographer Ian Older
    What: Lufthansa Airbus A340-600 en route from San Francisco,CA to Munich Germany
    Where: Munich
    When: May 29th 2009
    Who: 277 passengers
    Why: When landing flaps failed, the Airbus prepared for an emergency landing. Fortunately, though the plane landed too fast, there was no serious consequence to the flap failure. Reportedly the plane was repaired and returned to service hours later.

    George’s Point of View

    It’s a good thing they weren’t landing at Sao Paulo, or another airport with a short runway–

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    Helicopter Lands in Lake

    What: Tonnesen Aviation’s Robinson R44
    Where: Y-Landing Marina on Meredith Neck, Lake Winnipesaukee
    When: May. 26, 2009 11:30 a.m.
    Who: 4 aboard
    Why: The helicopter was struck by wind gusts on approach to the landing pad, and landed in 15 foot water. Everyone made it safely to shore. Pilot was Glenn Tonnesen. Passengers include Phil Davidson.

    George’s Point of View

    I saw a comment online where someone cites the Robinson Helicopter Safety Notice:
    “Flying in high winds or turbulence should be avoided..”
    Sounds like a good idea to me.

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    Unreliable Airspeed: Blame it on the Bee

    What: SAS Norway Boeing 737-700 en route from Oslo Gardermoen Norway to Malaga Spain
    Where: Gardermoen Airport
    When: May 30th 2009
    Who: 134 passengers
    Why: After takeoff, airspeed numbers did not agree. The crew landed back at the airport about half an hour after takeoff. Passengers were flown to their destinations on an alternative Boeing 737-800.

    Mechanics found the problem. A bee had flown into one of the plane’s air speed sensors (pitot tube).

    George’s Point of View

    A good thing that the pilot was able to land the plane and discover the problem.

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    MD-90 Engine Failure over Madinah, Saudi Arabia

    What: Saudi Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-90-30 en route from Damascus to Madinah, Saudi Arabia
    Where: emergency landing at Prince Muhammad International Airport in Madinah
    When: Thursday May 28th 2009-evening
    Who: 121 passengers
    Why: On approach, the plane experienced a failure in one of its engines. The pilot had to burn off fuel, telling the control tower he was unable to land. After a number of attempts, the MD-90 landed safely.

    George’s Point of View

    Math question
    If an MD-80 flies from Damascus to Madinah carrying 121 passengers with all its engines, loses one and has to circle for thirty minutes after it arrives at its destination, how much fuel was in the plane to begin with?

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    ConocoPhillips Strikes Ducks on the Way to Oil

    What: ConocoPhillips (new) Boeing 737-700 en route from Anchorage to Deadhorse
    Where: emergency landing in Fairbanks
    When: Thursday May 28
    Who: 135 oilfield workers
    Why: The plane flew into a cloud of fifty (or thereabouts) ducks, cracking the 3 ply windshield, denting the engine cowling and forcing an emergency landing in Fairbanks.

    George’s Point of View

    There is no connection between ducks (n.) and duck (v.) (I checked.)

    And then I was going to write something about airline insurance companies using ducks as mascots–but there’s already an insurance duck.

    So let’s just hope the ducks that survive figure out how to get out of the way next time–and be glad that this time, no unfeathered passengers were hurt.

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    Helicopter Crash in Santo Domingo

    What: Amable Aristy’s Enstrom E480B en route from Bavaro, Punta Cana to Isabela terminal at Higüero Santo Domingo
    Where: Batey Lechuga, Guaymate, La Romana province, Dominican Republic in a cane field
    When: noon
    Who: Miguel Perez and passenger
    Why: Cause unknown

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    Hawaii Helicopter Crash

    What: 25th Combat Aviation Brigade OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter
    Where: Hawaii Wheeler Army Airfield runway
    When: 3:34 p.m May 27 2009
    Who: 2 deaths
    Why: While two soldiers assigned to the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade were running a maintenance test flight on the two seat rotor when the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior Helicopter made a hard-landing.

    *Col. Matthew Margotta:”the accident a “hard landing” because the pilots were in control of the aircraft when it went down.”

    George’s Point of View

    The helicopter in question has been in service since 1991. Isn’t this well past the date for a helicopter’s active duty?

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    Congonhas Radio Interference

    What: TAM Linhas Aereas Airbus A320-200 en route from Victoria to Sao Paulo Congonhas
    Where: Campinas
    When: May 27th 2009
    Who: 100 passengers
    Why: On approach to Congonhas, the plane’s communication with air traffic control was interrupted. Because of the interference, the plane diverted to Campinas where it made a safe landing.

    Brazil has a history of problems with reception in areas of the Amazon; but in this case, in Sao Paulo, the radio problems caused several flights to be diverted.

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    McDonnell Douglas Litters Chicago Midway


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

    What: Delta Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-90-30 en route from Atlanta, GA to Chicago Midway
    Where: diverted to Cincinnati,KY and concluded in Chicago
    When: May 26th 2009
    Who: Not Listed.
    Why: “DELTA AIRLINES FLIGHT 2090 MCDONNELL DOUGLAS 90-30 AIRCRAFT AFTER LANDING, INSPECTION REVEALED A PIECE OF THE AIRCRAFT FELL ONTO THE RUNWA. NO INJURIES REPORTED, CHICAGO, IL”

    George’s Point of View

    As you see, the FAA report indicates that the plane lost a piece of itself on landing. I don’t know what’s more curious–what exactly fell off the MD-90 when it landed (generally I don’t think of external plane parts as optional); or if the dropped item was related to the plane’s delay in Cincinnati.

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    Airbus Engine Shuts Down on Singapore-London flight

    What: Singapore Airlines Airbus A380-800 en route from Singapore to London Heathrow
    Where: Heathrow Airport
    When: May 25th 2009
    Why: One of the plane’s four engines shut down causing an hour’s delay. The plane was taken out of service, and the return flight was delayed until the Airbus was back in service.

    George’s Point of View

    Airbus is just starting out with this monster and already having engine issues. Engine shut down is serious stuff, even though the monster can fly on less than 4 engines, it’s serious.

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    Canadair Jet Cockpit Side-Window Shatters in Flight

    What: British Air on behalf of Air France Canadair CRJ-100 en route from from Barcelona to Paris
    Where: 15 passengers
    When: May 26th 2009
    Who: 15 passengers
    Why: Near Limoges, the right cockpit window shattered, causing the plane to experience sudden decompression. the plane landed safely at Limoges. Cockpit crew had some injuries from flying glass.

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    Emergency Landing in Reno

    What: Fedex Boeing 757-200 en route from Reno to Memphis
    Where: Reno-Tahoe International Airport
    When: May 26th 2009 7:45 p.m.
    Who: Fed Ex crew
    Why: The plane’s emergency light indicated overheating after leaving Reno, and the crew requested to return, before entering a holding pattern over Carson City and Minden to burn off fuel. The plane landed safely in Reno; the packages were not delayed.
    =

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    Turbulence Rattles Tam Airbus


    Contact photographer SkyMember
    Pictured: flight 8095

    Contact photographer Jerome Mervelet
    Pictured: TAM Linhas Aereas Airbus A330-200 registration PT-MVN
    What: TAM Linhas Aereas Airbus A330-200 en route from Miami,FL (USA) to Sao Paulo
    Where: Sao Paulo
    When: May 25 2009
    Who: 154 passengers
    Why: On approach to Sao Paulo, the flight experienced turbulence. Fasten seat belt signs were illuminated about 20 minutes before landing–Some passengers struck the ceiling.

    Thirteen were treated at the airport; eight were taken to the hospital. No mention is made of any injuries to crew members

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    Flat Tire Down Under

    What: A Virgin Blue Holdings Ltd. Boeing 737-700 en route from Sydney Nova Scotia to Coolangatta Australia
    Where: Brisbane Airport Queensland
    When: 2:30 p.m. local time May 26
    Who: 109 passengers
    Why: After departing, Airport crew at Sydney found parts of the Boeing’s nose wheel tire. The plane made a safe emergency landing in Brisbane. Passengers debarked; and the tire was replaced.

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    Bomb Scare

    What: Oman Air Boeing 737-800 en route from Muscat to Chennai
    Where: Mumbai
    When: May 25, 2009
    Who: 140 passengers
    Why: When a passenger found a suspicious object and a letter which threatened to kill all the passengers aboard the flight, the crew requested an emergency landing.

    Another source quoted: ‘a flight attendant had found a note in one of the lavatories saying “you will all die. Bye.”‘

    The flight landed safely and the passengers were directed to another plane.

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    MD-82 Engine quits over Bahia Blanca


    Contact photographer Daniel Rodolfo Popinga
    What: Andes Lineas Aereas McDonnell Douglas MD-82 en route from Buenos Aires Newbery,BA to Puerto Madryn Argentina
    Where: Bahia Blanca
    When: May 22nd 2009
    Who: 140 passengers and 7 crew
    Why: The right engine shut down when oil pressure (or the quantity of oil) went down. The flight was diverted to divert to Bahia Blanca

    George’s Point of View

    Another emergency on another MD-82. Two engines are always safer than one, and we’re all glad they made a safe diversion…

    Now…how old was the plane? Was this a leak that just developed, or a lapse of maintenance?

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    Brazil Crash Kills Businessman and Family

    What: King Air 350 jet en route from Sao Paulo to Trancoso
    Where: seaside resort town of Trancoso, Bahia near the resort area of Porto Seguro. Their destination had been the Terravista complex in Bahia.
    When: 23 May 2009
    Who: Eight passengers and three crew members including Roger Ian Wright, founder of a Sao Paulo-based investment company, his wife Lucilia Lins and two children–Veronica and Felipe, two grandsons, a grand daughter, a great aunt,and the 56-year-old pilot Jorge Lang Filho
    Why: UPDATED:The plane left Sao Paulo at 6:31 pm, and crashed in a forested area near the runway at 9: 10 pm while attempting to land during a heavy storm. Prior to impact, the pilot reported that “visual and landing conditions were normal.”

    In addition to being the ex-director of Banco Garantia, Roger Wright, was the owner of Arsenal Investmentos and a friend of Prince Andrew.

    George’s Point of View

    We share the sentiments expressed on the Arsenal Investment’s website:

    Arsenal Investimentos está profundamente pesarosa diante do trágico acidente aéreo ocorrido na noite de sexta-feira, dia 22 de maio, em Trancoso, na Bahia, que tirou a vida de seu sócio-fundador, o empresário Roger Ian Wright, e de seus familiares. Diante desse momento doloroso, a empresa se solidariza com todos os amigos e parentes das vítimas.

    Arsenal Investments is deeply sorry the tragic crash occurred on the evening of Friday, on May 22 in Trancoso, Bahia, which took the lives of their socio-founder, the entrepreneur Roger Ian Wright, and their families . In this painful moment, the company in solidarity with all the friends and relatives of victims.

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    Two In One Day

    What: experimental plane
    Where: Healdsburg Municipal Airport
    When: Thursday, May 21 10:58 a.m.
    Who: Pilot
    Why: A quartering wind caused the pilot to veer off the runway and into the Funsten Ranch vineyard grape vines. Plane owner/pilot was not injured when his homebuilt crashed.

    Then…a mere six hours later…same place…

    What: low-wing, single-engine Mooney
    Where: Healdsburg Municipal Airport
    When: 4:55 p.m
    Who: pilot
    Why: Right after take-off, the Mooney went to partial power, passed a home and powerlines, then skidded on its belly into the vineyard where this Mooney also crash-landed on grapevines by the Mazzocco Winery

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    Carelessness Begats F-15 Escort

    What: single-engine Piper en route from Florida to Louisiana
    Where: Galliano Airport
    When: Thursday morning
    Who: Ricky Navarro, 62, of Riverview, Fla.
    Why: Ricky Navarro was flying near the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) facility offshore and ventured into restricted airspace at which point Harbor Police were unable to reach him on the radio. He was “given” an escort of F-15’s to the Galliano airport. All because Navarro had forgotten to turn on his radio.

    Navarro was released.

    George’s Point of View

    Let’s look at the predecessors to this event.

    -911
    -Banker Marcus Schrenker faking his death in a plane
    -semi-suicidal Turkish Canadian Adam Dylan Leon flying from Canada to the US
    -Brazilian father who abducted his 5 year old daughter and flew his stolen plane into a mall

    I’m not saying these events are directly linked. I’m just saying that the rate of air events of this nature is disturbingly frequent. Our brave, free-minded and patient fighter pilots who pursue flying fools can only keep their finger off the button for so long. Kamakaze-minded idiots keep testing the waters, doing stupid things and putting themselves and others in danger

    On the day we ever inch closer to war, there will not be a US resident who will blame the soldier for pushing the button the next time someone forgets to turn on their radio.

    Ricky Navarro, if you’re going to be that negligent–rookie mistake or not–you don’t need to be flying. The cockpit is no place for carelessness.

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    Boeing emergency landing in Buenos Aires

    What: Flight AA956, American Airlines Boeing 767 en route from Ezeiza International of Buenos Aires to New York
    Where: Buenos Aires
    When: May 20 took off at 8:39 p.m and landed at 1:17
    Who: 200 passengers
    Why: The flight returned to Buenos Aires for an emergency landing due to a technical failure of the “defrosters.” The 767 anti-ice system is essential as the plane flies at 10,000 feet. No injuries were reported. The flight had to fly over De la Plata River to “*finish the fuel.”

    There’s no indication if *finish in this context means dump (they did fly over a river) or use up. The term came verbatim from a Xinhua report–so we have a report that has gone from Spanish to Chinese to English and we do apologize if we lose details.

    The flight has been rescheduled for Thursday.

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    TAM Linhas Aereas Airbus loses Airspeed, Data


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Normando Carvalho Jr

    What: TAM Linhas Aereas Airbus A330-200 en route from Miami, FL to Sao Paulo Brazil
    Where: en route to Sao Paulo
    When: May 21st 2009
    Who: not listed
    Why: While in flight, the flight crew observed a drop of the outside temperature and recorded seeing St. Elmo’s Fire. They lost the air data reference system. Autopilot and autothrust system disconnected, and fly by wire switched to alternate law (and remained in alternate law for the remainder of the flight.)

    Rudder travel limiter was deactived and airspeed and altitude indication was lost.

    Standby instrumentation allowed data restoration in under ten minutes.

    George’s Point of View

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    Turbulence Injures Three on US Airways/Mesa Airlines

    What: US Airways/Mesa Airlines de Havilland Dash 8-200 en route from Phoenix AZ to Flagstaff AZ
    Where: Flagstaff
    When: May 20th 2009
    Who: two passengers and one crew member
    Why: The plane encountered turbulence on approach to Flagstaff during which two passengers seatbelts failed, and they collided with an attendant. After landing, all three were hospitalized.

    George’s Point of View

    I don’t know what good it is for me to constantly be harping to passengers on the merits of keeping the seatbelt fastened and obeying the signs when the seatbelts don’t work!