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Contact photographer Stefan Heymanns
What: Lufthansa Airbus A340-600 en route from Shanghai to Munich
Where: Munich
When: May 24th 2010
Why: On approach, after getting a gear indicator message, the flight performed a go-round followed by a safe landing. On the ground the hydraulic leak was discovered.
What: Air India Airbus A319-100 en route from Gaya to Kolkata
Where: Kolkata India
When: Oct 11 2010
Why: On landing in Kolkata, the a bird was ingested into the engine on approach. The extent of damage has not been published.
Jetstar Airways flight JQ-731 had to return and make an emergency landing in Melbourne, Australia, on April 11th.
The Airbus A321-200 plane took off for Launceston, Australia, but had to return shortly afterwards due to a hydraulic failure.
The plane landed safely. All seventy-three people aboard remained unharmed.
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What: Emirates Airlines Airbus A340-500 en route from Cape Town to Dubai
Where: Capetown
When: Jan 4 2012 1.55pm
Who: 243 passengers
Why: After takeoff, the gear did not retract and (as was observed) the gear doors remained open. We presume the pilots did a fly-by that was the source of the visual conformation of the issue at hand.
An hour and a half after takeoff, with emergency crews on standby, the pilots landed back in Capetown (3.20pm), and was towed.
Passengers were provided hotel accommodations. The replacement flight was scheduled for Jan 5, 2012.
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Contact photographer Hans Schulze
What: Air France Airbus A320-200 en route from Warsaw to Paris
Where: Warsaw
When: Nov 5th 2010
Why: After takeoff, the crew noticed that fuel levels had dropped alarmingly. Suspecting a fuel leak, the crew returned to Warsaw where they made a safe landing with rescue crews on standby.
American Airlines flight AA-797 made an emergency landing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on November 17th.
The Airbus A321-200 plane took off for Los Angeles, California, but had to return shortly afterwards due to a bird strike.
The plane landed safely. All passengers and crew members remained unharmed.
Pictured: An Air France Airbus A380-861 over New York – John F. Kennedy International (Idlewild) (JFK / KJFK)
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Contact photographer Amrish Bandagale
What: Air France Airbus A380 superjumbo passenger jet scheduled from New York to Paris
Where: New York
When: Monday
Who: 511 passengers
Why: Prior to take-off, half of the passengers were accommodated by a later A340 flight, and the rest were moved to other flights.
The A340 was grounded in New York due to a problem with the fuel tanks (cited as a “technical” problem.)
Another A380 was grounded due to an unspecified “minor computer problem.”
Are we surprised to hear that fly-by-wire is imperfect?
