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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Jetstar Airways Flight Diverts to Brisbane due to Engine Problem

JetstarJetstar Airways flight JQ-956 made an emergency landing in Brisbane, Australia, on September 22nd.

The Airbus A320-200 plane flying from Sydney to Cairns, Australia, was diverted after one of the engines developed a technical problem.

The plane landed safely. Everyone aboard remained unhurt.

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MH370: One Ping Does Not A Discovery Make. Or Does it?

An underwater locator beacon (ULB) such as the one on the black boxes (CVR) Cockpit Voice Recorder and FDR (Flight Data Recorder) of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 on 37.5 kHz for about 30 days at 4°C temperature. They run on lithium-ion batteries, and “mileage” may vary; 30 days is the minimum expectation. This is all relevant to today’s news because the Chinese patrol ship Haixun 01 which is one of the ships equipped with a pinger locator, has heard a ping in the South Indian Ocean.

The particular frequency was selected because it is not one that occurs in nature.

Although Malaysia Airlines told the public that “This battery is not replaceable,” the ULB batteries had been scheduled for battery replacement in 2012, but were not replaced by Dukane Seacom, the original equipment manufacturer of the beacons. (Dukane Seacom either replaces the entire pinger or installed new batteries.) If replacement was not performed by toe OEM or other parties, the actual ping time may be less than 30 days.

One ping in an ocean does not a discovery make. The wreckage has not been located, nor the ping confirmed. But we can still hope this is a step in the right direction.

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TAP Portugal Plane Returns to Portugal due to Unusual Odour

TAPTAP Portugal flight TP-352 made an emergency return to Portela Airport, Lisbon, Portugal, on November 18.

The Airbus A320-200, en-route from Lisbon to London, had to return in emergency due to an unusual odour smelled mid-air.

The plane landed safely.

All passengers aboard remained unharmed.

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GoAir Flight Returns to Kolkata After Bird Strike

GoAir flight G8-101 had to return and make an emergency landing in Kolkata, India, on June 7th.

The Airbus A320-200 plane took off for Port Blair, India, but had to turn back after a bird strike.

The plane landed safely. All one hundred and sixty-seven people aboard remained unharmed.

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Vietnam Airlines Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Hong Kong

Vietnam airlinesVietnam Airlines flight VN350 had to make an emergency landing in Hong Kong, at around 4:10 a.m. on January 4.

The airline confirmed that the Airbus 321, heading from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to Fukuoka, Japan, was forced to land in emergency due to a technical fault in ventilation system.

The plane landed uneventfully. All 184 passengers and crew members remained unharmed.

The passengers were accommodated in another flight.

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Thai Airways Plane Rejects Take off in Thailand

ThaiThai Airways flight TG-206 had to reject taking-off at Phuket International Airport, Thailand, on November 29.

The Airbus A330-300 en-route to Bangkok, Thailand, was about to take-off when one of its engines emitted a loud bang.

The plane returned to the apron safely.

No one was injured.

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