| |

Flight Data Recorders Beyond 447

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.

To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.

Similar Posts

  • | | | |

    4 Injured After Fort Lauderdale-Bound Spirit Airlines Plane Hits Turbulence

    Spirit Airlines flight NK-265 encountered severe turbulence near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on December 5th.

    The Airbus A321-200 plane flying from Atlantic City, New Jersey, was descending toward Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport when it hit turbulence that injured one passenger and three crew members.

    The plane continued for a safe landing.

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • | | | | |

    Pia Emergency Landing in Iran

    On January 4, 2013, a Pia Airbus A310-324 en route from Kuwait to Lahore with 198 passengers aboard diverted to Kerman Airport, Iran.

    The plane was en route when it developed a hydraulics problem and diverted to Kerman Airport, according to http://www.aerocenter.ir/forum/thread22299.html#post104898

    The flight left Kerman Airport and flew to Karachi where they made a safe landing.

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • | | | |

    IndiGo Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Kolkata

    IndiGo flight 6E-6616 had to return and make an emergency landing in Kolkata, India, on January 29th.

    The Airbus A320-200N plane took off for Delhi, India, but had to turn back due to an engine issue.

    The plane landed safely. All one hundred and seventy-four people aboard remained unharmed.

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • | | | |

    Mumbai: Kingfisher Airbus Landing Gear Fails


    Pictured: A Kingfisher Airlines Airbus
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Steve Brimley

    What: Kingfisher Airlines Airbus A320-200 en route from Mumbai to Bangalore
    Where: Mumbai
    When: Sep 15th 2009
    Who: 98 passengers
    Why: Shortly after takeoff from Mumbai, the gear failed to retract. The plane returned to the airport for a safe landing, where passengers debarked–also safely–to board alternative transportation.

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • |

    Is a Four Year Prescription a Bandaid for the Airbus Glass Cockpit? Not Shatterproof

    According to the NTSB, “on January 25, 2008, a United Airbus A320, registration N462UA, experienced multiple avionics and electrical failures, including loss of all communications, shortly after rotation while departing Newark Liberty International Airport, Newark (EWR), New Jersey. The flight returned for landing at EWR and electrical power was restored to the cockpit after landing when the flight crew selected the AC Essential Bus button. There were no injuries to the 107 passengers and crew aboard the airplane and no damage to the airplane. The airplane was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 and was a regularly scheduled passenger flight to Denver International Airport, Denver, Colorado.”

    Note that this was a glass cockpit. (A glass cockpit has digital instrument displays rather than analog.)

    In case of electrical failure, new Airbus models have backup systems and backups for the backups for their glass cockpits, but 50 episodes of multiple electrical failure have been recorded in the Airbus A320 (A318, A319, A320 and A321) according to AP. Obviously not all Airbus models are new.

    In 2009, the EU issued an order giving airlines four years to make the fixes so that pilots don’t end up losing all their electrical systems. The FAA issued the order in 2010. France reported 48 failures of 5 of 6 displays in 2008.

    The NTSB has suggested to the FAA that the optional fix be mandatory, but currentlyAirlines are not required to tell the Federal Aviation Administration when the repairs are made, and they can’t afford to automatically immediately ground planes when a bulletin is issued. Is this safety Russian-Roulette style?

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • | | | | |

    Scandinavian Airlines Flight Diverts to Canada After Loss of Cabin Pressure

    Scandinavian Airlines flight SK-944 had to divert and make an emergency landing in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, on April 16th.

    The Airbus A340-300 plane heading from Chicago, Illinois, to Copenhagen, Denmark, was diverted due to loss of cabin pressure.

    The plane landed uneventfully. There were 196 people aboard at the time; all of them remained unharmed.

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.