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    Aer Lingus Airbus Rudder Failure


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

    What: Aer Lingus Airbus A321-200 en route from London to Cork
    Where: Dublin
    When: Nov 24th 2009
    Who: 117 passengers
    Why: Although the plane completed the Cork to London flight, the return leg London to Cork had to divert to London when the plane experienced (non-specific) problems with its rudder.

    A replacement flight flew in to Dublin to provide passengers the rest of the return flight.

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    Airbus Gear Door Issues Cancel Nice Flight


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

    What: Easyjet Airbus A319-100 en route from Paris to Nice
    Where: Paris
    When: Nov 21st 2009
    Who: N/A
    Why: While en route, the Airbus control panel indicated that the gear door remained open after the gear was retracted. The plane returned to the Orly airport for a safe landing.

    Note: We don’t have a follow-up indication telling us if this was a technical problem, a physical problem, or if the sensors or software was just overly sensitive.

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  • | |

    A 380-Just a note

    George’s Point of View

    Airbus wants to do the impossible. Always pushing aviation physics to be bigger than we thought it was possible to be.

    There’s a whole lot of buzz about Airbus’s superjumbo elephantine double-decker, wide-body, four-engine jets with seating for up to 853 people. The families who have lost loved ones at sea–especially those in the recent Airbus flight 447 and the Comoros crash–must feel crushed when they hear about expensive Airbus efforts to make their already huge aircraft series break more size records.

    Maybe Airbus should stop trying to be the biggest plane on the block, and work a little harder on safety. If they were as safe as they are big, there would be 380 families not in mourning today. Yes, 380. Here’s the biggest irony.

    There were 152 fatalities in the Airbus crash in the Comoros. There were 228 fatalities in AF 477. Does anyone else find it macabre and frightening that that adds up to 380? I’m not a numerologist, but that’s awfully disturbing–

    Airbus needs to rethink their entire aviation philosopy, stop making these monstrous death traps, go back to the drawing board, and correct the defects of the planes they already have in service.

    If they had done so already, there would be at least 380 mothers, fathers, and children still alive.

    Or they should be responsible, and ask that their planes be grounded until they are made safe.

    Airbus needs to stop throwing money at air shows, and start compensating the families of those that have died or been injured due to design flaws of Airbus planes.

    Yes, even the much vaunted new jet has niggling problems surfacing all of the time, but the flaws in the Airbus 380 skywhale behemoth are being downplayed by the powers that be.

    Issues have been found with all of these systems:

    • a braking system fault
    • a plethora of system nuisance warnings based on alleged over-sensitivity
    • weight growth during development
    • fuel tank indication
    • nose wheel steering

    This is just what has come to light so far.

    Please, let’s go back to the drawing board Airbus, for the sake of your human family. There is nothing, nothing, nothing you can do to bring joy back to 380 families who remain wounded, broken, with holes in their lives that can never be filled, lives that have been deformed by damage that can not be undone. Airbus, you want to do the impossible, be ever bigger. How about doing something in the realm of the possible? Let your heart be big. Step up to the plate, and compensate the grieving, who are suffering from lives lost in Airbus planes. This is beyond the physics of aviation and above the laws of man. It’s the right thing to do.

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    Boeing Emergency Landing in Istanbul


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

    What: Turkish Airlines Boeing 737-800 en route from Istanbul to Konya
    Where: Istanbul
    When: Nov 22 2009
    Who: 101 passengers
    Why: While en route, the crew received an open cargo door indication. The plane returned to Ataturk Airport and made a safe landing. Passengers debarked and transferred to alternative flights.

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    S Korea Helicopter Crash Kills 3 Rangers



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

    What: South Korean Forestry Service Kamov Ka-32T
    Where: Jeolla lake, Yeongam County, South Jeolla South Korea
    When: Nov 23 2009
    Who: 3 on board
    Why: The helicopter was participating in training for dumping water on forest fires when it crashed. Rescuers found the wreckage in the lake, with only its tail protruding above the water line.

    The aviation office lost contact with the helicopter about 12:15. It was practicing filling up the tank with water from the lake. Since the weather is calm, it is not known if wind was a factor, or practice, or if this was a case of mechanical failure. Sixteen Russian model Ka-32Ts are in use by the forestry service, to put out forest fires.

    The deceased are a 52-year-old crew chief named Park, and a 46-year-old and a 44 year old, both named Lee.

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    Italian Military Crash Near Pisa


    Pictured: A Italian – Air Force Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules (L-382)
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Renato Burkhart

    What: AMI 46′ Brigata Aerea Lockeed C-130J Hercules
    Where: Le Rene, near Coltano Italy
    When: Nov 23, 2009
    Who: 5 airmen (two pilots and three officers)
    Why: While en route, the Lockeed C-130J Hercules crashed on the railway line Pisa-Collesalvetti-Cecina, killing all aboard the plane.

    The crew was from the 46th Air Brigade of Pisa, out practicing the “touch and go” maneuver. The plane had touched and was gaining altitude when it veered to the right and crashed.

    Although the plane crashed on the train tracks in a widespread area, train traffic was not disrupted.

    The Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi expressed condolences to the families of the five victims.

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    Hot JAL Emergency Landing


    Pictured: A Japan Airlines – JAL (J-Air) Canadair CL-600-2B19 Regional Jet CRJ-200ER
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Alastair T. Gardiner

    What: JAL Japan Airlines/ J-Air Canadair CRJ-200 en route from from Osaka Itami to Yamagata Japan
    Where: Nagoya
    When: Nov 23rd 2009
    Who: 17 on board
    Why: While en route, the plane’s generator began running too hot. The flight diverted to Nagoya where they made a safe landing. The cause of the problem appeared to be a faulty cable.

    Passengers transferred to alternative flights.

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    Airbus Cracks, Lands in Argentina


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

    What: TACA Peru Airbus A321-200 en route from Lima Peru to Buenos Aires
    Where: Resistencia Argentina
    When: Nov 23rd 2009
    Who: 180 passengers
    Why: While en route, the flight encountered a high altitude hail storm, which cracked the windshield. The flight diverted to Resistencia after the crack was found. There is no indication if the crack caused a disruption of cabin pressure; however passengers were still booked on alternative flights on landing.

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    Sikorsky Still Being Researched

    The (Canadian) Transportation Safety Board is still investigating the cause of the Cougar Flight 491 crash, which killed 17 people.

    Sikorsky claims to have proven that the chances of an oil leak from the gearbox housing is extremely unlikely.

    However:

    The gearbox of the Sikorsky S-92A model hadn’t passed a 30 minute dry-run test which is an industry standard that required it to run for 30 minutes without oil.

    The gearbox fell about 20 minutes short of the goal when it was run at moderate speeds after oil was rapidly drained.

    European regulators say the test proved the helicopter could only stay in the air for “around 10 minutes after an oil loss, and question if the cooler would be the only likely source of oil leakage.

    On March 12, 2009, about 0926, Atlantic Daylight Time, a Sikorsky S-92A helicopter operated by Cougar Helicopters, impacted the waters of the North Atlantic about 28 miles east of Cape Spear near St. John’s, Newfoundland. Two pilots and 16 passengers were on board. One passenger survived with serious injuries, but the other occupants were fatally injured.

    The helicopter was en route from St. John’s International Airport to an offshore oil platform in the Hibernia oil field. The pilot made a MAYDAY call due to a mechanical difficulty, and was returning to St. John’s. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The sea had 3 – 5 meter swells.

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    Bombardier’s CSeries Aircraft Wing Manufacturing Facility Under Way in Belfast

    Bombardier Aerospace today celebrated another major milestone in the CSeries aircraft programme as construction got under way on its new state-of-the-art aircraft wing manufacturing and assembly facility in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
    “This is another significant milestone in the ongoing development of the CSeries aircraft programme. In August, the test fuselage barrel arrived ahead of schedule at our St-Laurent, Québec site, from China, and in September we celebrated the groundbreaking of our first CSeries aircraft manufacturing building in Mirabel, Québec. The CSeries aircraft programme is progressing well and to schedule, and we look forward to receiving the first test wing from Belfast in 2011,” said Guy Hachey, President and Chief Operating Officer, Bombardier Aerospace.

    The new 600,000 sq ft (55,742 m2) factory is being built in two phases and will incorporate an existing production building. The facility’s design and layout are being optimised both for the production process and to minimise environmental impact. The structure will ensure maximum energy efficiency, and will incorporate low energy solutions into its mechanical and electrical infrastructure. Waste management was also a key consideration in the design, with a particular focus being given to waste segregation and recycling.
    Joining Michael Ryan, Vice President and General Manager, Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast to lay a special corner stone to mark the construction was Northern Ireland Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster, along with guests including contractors.

    “We are delighted to mark this major investment in a new facility for the production of advanced composite aircraft wings. The CSeries aircraft programme will help to build on our track record of almost 40 years experience in composites technology. We are currently testing and proving out the design, manufacturing and assembly processes for the CSeries aircraft wing. We are making excellent progress and are very pleased with the results so far,” said Michael Ryan.

    “Just over a year ago, the CSeries aircraft project was announced. Today we have laid the corner stone for a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. This is a 20-year programme which will generate around 800 high quality jobs at Bombardier Belfast in addition to the many employment opportunities during the build phase for the local construction sector during the current downturn,” declared Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster.

    “Locating the CSeries aircraft wing project in Northern Ireland is a clear endorsement of the expertise and skill which exists in our aerospace sector and highlights our international reputation for excellence. As this project develops, I hope that there will be further opportunities for Bombardier and Invest Northern Ireland to strengthen the Northern Ireland aerospace industry,” she added.

    Bombardier Belfast has successfully assembled a pre-production demonstrator wing using its innovative Resin Transfer Infusion advanced composites process, and is on track to begin testing this in early 2010. Testing will be undertaken in a specialised test rig where hydraulic jacks will be used to induce bending and twisting into the wing structure, replicating every possible combination of severe loading that the wing may experience in service.

    Almost 400 engineering and support staff in Belfast are currently engaged in the research and development of the wings. Some 800 jobs will be generated during full production, as well as many more in the wider supply chain. In addition, around 450 construction personnel are involved in this first phase of the building project.

    “We are delighted that Bombardier Belfast’s capabilities and skills, as well as the wider economy, will benefit strongly from the CSeries aircraft programme,” Mr Ryan added.

    Since launching the CSeries family of aircraft at the Farnborough Air Show in July 2008, Bombardier has recorded firm orders for 50 CS100 and CS300 aircraft from Deutsche Lufthansa AG and Lease Corporation International Group. The CSeries aircraft, which are optimized for the longer range, single-aisle 100- to 145-seat market, will deliver the lowest operating costs in their class, exceptional operational flexibility, wide body comfort and an unmatched environmental scorecard.

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    Bombardier’s latest CSeries due in 2013

    AVIC, China’s aviation manufacturing conglomerate, is a risk-sharing partner for Bombardier’s latest CSeries aircraft due to enter service in 2013.

    Shenyang Aircraft Corp, the subsidiary of AVIC, designs and produces the center fuselage for the new CSeries. Bombardier will develop China’s ARJ21-900 regional jet, help to enhance the competitiveness of the ARJ21-900 and explore commonalities between the ARJ21-900 and Bombardier CSeries.

    So far, Bombardier has 25 CSeries aircraft.orders from Lufthansa and 25 from Lease Corporation International. Shenyang Aircraft Corp builds the fuselage for Bombardier’s 70-seat Q400 turboprop regional airliner.

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    Purdue University Opening New Aviation Engine Testing Facility

    WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University will operate a new federally funded facility to test aircraft engines and develop alternative fuels in work that also aims to reduce the nation’s reliance on imported oil.
    The National Test Facility for Fuels and Propulsion is funded with a $1.35 million grant from the U.S. Air Force and will be housed in the Niswonger Aviation Technology Building at the Purdue Airport.

    “The aerospace industry now has an unprecedented interest in developing green aircraft using biofuels,” said David L. Stanley, an associate professor of aeronautical engineering technology at Purdue and principal investigator of the facility. “Testing will be conducted while fuels are being researched for development. This means input will be provided during the development phase, not after the fuel has been developed, which helps to ensure the best results possible.”

    The facility, expected to open in late 2010 or early 2011, will test aerospace hardware in engines and aircraft and provide data related to fuel-sustainability and emissions goals and for economic assessments.

    “This is a multidisciplinary research approach that begins with growing crops, developing fuels from those crops in the laboratory and then testing those fuels in engines,” said Denver Lopp, a professor of aviation technology and one of two co-principal investigators.

    The other co-principal investigator is J. Mark Thom, a professor of aviation technology.

    Work will focus on jet engines but will include some testing related to piston engines.

    “The project involves faculty members in the colleges of Agriculture, Engineering, Science and Technology to develop a well-rounded and capable research team for fuels research, with particular focus on aviation and aerospace,” Lopp said. “Purdue is strong in each of these areas, and having an airport also enhances these strengths.”

    The researchers will work with the Air Force, industry and government agencies to develop the fuels.

    “Roughly 17 billion gallons of turbine fuel are burned annually in the United States, and clearly a portion of this could be saved by blending alternative fuels,” Stanley said. “The U.S. Air Force intends to be able to operate its fleet on blends of these fuels.”

    The work will tackle four major bottlenecks to aerospace progress: access to hardware testing; development of control logic and systems permitting flex-fuel operation and realization of improved efficiencies; sustainability of biofuels related to crop productivity, as well as bio and synthetic fuels’ ability to meet both near- and long-term aerospace requirements; and regulatory compliance.

    “The overall goal is to update and maintain a multifaceted national testing facility with dedicated administration to support development and testing of alternative energy sources for aerospace equipment,” Lopp said. “This facility will address all energy sources and will not be an advocate of any particular fuel.”

    Writer: Emil Venere, 765-494-4709, venere@purdue.edu

    Sources: David Stanley, 765-494-6266, stanledl@purdue.edu

    Denver Lopp, 765-494-6387, denver@purdue.edu

    Purdue News Service: ( 765 ) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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    Airbus Emergency Diversion in Brussels


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

    What: Iberia Airbus A320-200 en route from Brussels Belgium to Madrid, Spain
    Where: Bordeaux
    When: Nov 22nd 2009
    Who: 94 passengers and 6 crew
    Why: While en route from Brussels, the flight experienced a loss of cabin pressure. The plane performed an emergency descent, and diverted to Bordeaux, where it landed safely.

    Some passengers were treated for ear pain, but otherwise there were no medical issues reported. Passengers were booked on alternative flights.

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    Allegiant Emergency Landing


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

    What: Allegiant Air McDonnell Douglas MD-87 en route from Wichita,KS to Bulkhead City, AZ
    Where: Wichita Mid-Continent
    When: November 19, 2009
    Who: 125 passengers and 5 crew
    Why: While en route, the plane recorded an engine fire indication. The left engine made an explosive noise and flames were visible coming from the (left) engine. The flight returned to the airport. The flight landed safely. Some passengers debarked via slides and some debarked via stairs.

    Several were injured on the slides.

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    Cessna Fatality in N Cal


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

    What: single-engine Cessna 182K Skylane (registered to Harold Gartner III of Janesville, Calif) en route from Susanville to Lodi
    Where: Northern California near the Nevada border
    When: Nov 20, 2009 12:45 pm
    Who: pilot
    Why: While en route, the plane encountered bad weather, crashed and burned. The crash occurred two miles north of the airport.

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    Legacy Crashes in Apple Orchard


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

    What: Lancair Legacy 2000
    Where: 2276 Freedom Boulevard, Watsonville, CA
    When: Nov 21, 2009
    Who: 1 fatality
    Why: On approach to the Watsonville Municipal Airport, the plane’s engine was on fire. ATC lost contact with the pilot.

    The wreckage was found on the apple orchard property at 2276 Freedom Boulevard, Watsonville, CA.

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    Piper lands in NJ Blueberry Field


    Contact photographer

    What: Piper PA-28R-200 Cherokee Arrow II en route from Hammonton Mun. Airport
    Where: Myrtle Street, Atlantic County, NJ
    When: NOV 21, 2009
    Who: pilot
    Why: After takeoff, the engine failed. The pilot landed safely in a nearby field.

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    Nose Gear Fails at Barnstable Airport


    photographer David G. Curran

    What: Cape Air/Hyannis Air Service Cessna 402C en route from Boston to Martha’s Vineyard.
    Where: Barnstable Municipal Airport HYANNIS, MA
    When: Saturday Nov 22, 8 pm
    Who: Pilot and 5 passengers
    Why: At 7:15 prior to a flyby of the airport, Pilot John Call reported to ATC that his indicator revealed a nose gear problem .

    On landing on a retracted, or not fully locked gear, the nose gear on the plane collapsed and struck the tarmac. No injuries were reported. Emergency crews were standing by

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    Airbus A380 Lands at JFK

    Air France Airbus A380 crosses the Atlantic and lands at JFK. Passengers commented on how weirdly quiet the plane is inside, not being able to hear the engines.


    A380-800 Brake test in overweight landing situation.
    Dynamometer energy: 125.2 MJ
    Brake application speed: 90.07 m/s
    Stop distance: 1120 m
    Mean deceleration: 3.62 m/s/s
    Energy absorption rate: 5.04 MJ/s

    Air France on Friday became the first European airline to operate the double-decker Airbus A380 in commercial service, completing its inaugural flight from Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.

    Thank god for the success of this flight. In an earlier flight this time of the year (November) in 2007, during testing, an an Airbus 340-600 crashed through a barrier and rammed into a wall at the Toulouse-Blagnac airport. Nine on board, and one person on the ground were injured. When the airplane’s four engines were throttled up and the brakes applied, the plane lurched into the barrier and wall “for reasons still unknown.”

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    Delta Flats


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

    What: Delta Airlines Boeing 737-800 en route from Santo Domingo to New York
    Where: Santo Domingo
    When: Nov 20th 2009
    Who: 142 passengers
    Why: About to take-off, the plane had two flat tires, and had to be towed. Passengers debarked, the flight was cancelled; and the airline provided hotel accommodations for the passengers.

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    Pilot Fatigue

    Pilot Fatigue:
    George’s Point of View


    We passengers have a problem. We don’t want our pilots falling asleep on the job. Behind that locked cockpit door, there’s a real danger that our pilots might well be dozing off. Like Howard Beale, in the movie NETWORK, we’ve gotta say, “I’m a human being, goddammit! My life has value! … I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!!”

    Apparently aviation authorities are taking notice of the sleepy pilot phenomenon.

    In a September 2009 speech, the Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization, Raymond Benjamin raised the critical issue of pilot fatigue. The ICAO is coming out with new provisions governing flight times, duty times and rest periods for pilots which are applicable now, in November 2009. Fatigue risk management systems to augment new fatigue provisions are in development. I wonder if this includes things like alarms going off at random times during a flight, random check-ins or shrill-voiced stewards armed with tasers knocking on the cockpit door every fifteen minutes asking “Are you guys still awake?”

    Ever since the Colgan Air crash near Buffalo that killed all 50 people onboard, the United States had been developing more stringent standards; and this has been stepped up even more since the recent occurrence of pilots who overshot their destination by 150 miles–although both pilots in this incident claimed to be distracted and not asleep. American regulations currently allow a maximum of 16 hours on duty–but that figure is currently being reassessed by the FAA.

    Canadian pilots are looking toward the Canadian Transportation Safety Board to also up their standards, which they have not yet done, even though the Canadian Transportation Safety Board recently reported about a pilot: “Fatigue likely resulted in a degradation of his concentration” in reference to a 2005 incident where a pilot nodded off and allowed the plane to slow nearly to a stall. Although a dozen Canadian fatigue incidents have been connected to 23 deaths, the Canadian Transportation Safety Board claims that their current regulations are “adequate.” The European Union allows a maximum of 13 hours. Canadian regulations allow a crew to be on duty for 14 hours in 24), night work, irregular start times, routes that cross several time zones and multiple takeoffs and landings.

    Some of the hardest work to deal with is called continuous or stand-up duty, which is when pilots handle a late evening flight, stay overnight and fly the turnaround leg–or the timing of this type of flight which forces irregular daylight hours to be the only time a pilot can sleep. Turnaround times don’t exactly respect human biorhythms.

    Pilots might be dropping off to sleep while they’re flying, but the rest of us look at the statistics and fly white-knuckled with our hearts in our throats. With worries about everything from plane maintenance, to lax air traffic control, from crowded flight corridors to random part failure, the least we passengers can do is bring alarm clocks, our souped-up air horns, and plenty of high-test Starbucks emergency caffeine to keep our pilots awake, alert and on the mark.

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    Fokker 100 Gear Sensor Failure


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

    What: Contact Air /Lufthansa Fokker 100 en route from Stuttgart to Berlin
    Where: Stuttgart
    When: Nov 20th 2009
    Who: 75 passengers
    Why: While en route, the gear proximity sensor failed, indicating that gear was indicated unsafe after retraction. The flight returned to Stuttgart, and had to be towed as nose gear steering was inoperable.

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    Airbus Engine Shut down


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

    What: Brussels Airlines Airbus A330-300 en route from Kinshasa N’Djili to Brussels
    Where: Kinshasa
    When: Nov 19th 2009
    Who: 125 passengers
    Why: While en route, one of the planes engines exceeded vibration limits and had to be shut down. The plane returned to Kinshasa and made a safe landing.

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    Airbus Experiences Computer Problems


    Pictured: a US Airways Airbus A330-323X
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Paul Nichols

    What: US Airways Airbus A330-300 en route from Philadelphia to Madrid
    Where: Atlantic
    When: Nov 17th 2009
    Who: not available
    Why: Over thirty minutes into the flight, the flight experienced computer problems and turned around to return to Philadelphia.

    The flight landed safely with no further issues.

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    787 Before 2010?


    All I want for Christmas is…a 787.

    Well, I’d settle for my two front teeth. But at Boeing, they’re still hoping the 787 Dreamliner is going to actually fly before 2010. They’ve gone back to the drawing board a couple of times, (back in June was the 5th delay, so I’ve lost count.) Delays like when they reinforced the wing and fuselage so it didn’t fall off. And all the testing with the composite material which is hopefully a good idea. It remains to be seen. Literally.

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