A private plane made an emergency landing at Palm Springs International Airport, California, on December 4.
Airport authorities said the plane, carrying two people, requested an emergency landing after its landing gear failed to deploy.
The plane landed on its belly. Both occupants remained unhurt.
Renowned panelists in the first panel discussion at the 20th World Routes Development Forum, which was held in Chicago on September 21, concluded that the global aviation industry is currently facing 5 critical challenges.
As per the results of live polling moderated by BBC World News presenter, Aaron Heslehurst, the delegates regarded infrastructure as the most critical challenge, with aviation profitability, safety/security, taxation and oil price stability being the other 4.
At the start of the session, the issue of safety and security was discussed, particularly in context of the recent incidents of MH17 and MH370. Managing director of Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), Datuk Badlisham Ghazali appreciated the actions taken by the ICAO and other bodies in order to improve aviation safety, however, he emphasized on the need of enhanced visibility from global aviation bodies regarding the industrial developments aimed at increasing safety. Referring to MH17 tragedy, he said, “The industry needs to move forward in more visible way. Response has not been as visible as what I had hoped for.”
The issue of aircrafts flying over conflict area in eastern Ukraine was also brought up during the discussion. Thomas Windmuller, SVP airports, passenger and cargo services at IATA, asked why some airlines had the vital information not to fly while the others were not aware.
Profitability was another point of discussion in the forum and according to Windmuller, “We are in a period of sustained growth in volume, but not necessarily profitability. The number of airlines that recover their capital cost is very small… The problem is not just airlines, it is aviation. There are very few parts and components that are making big money. These include airports, and air navigation services, who do not make a profit, and do not cover their long-term capital costs.”
The delegate voting regarded Infrastructure challenges as the most serious issue being faced by the aviation industry today. The current investment in aviation infrastructure development projects vary a great deal from country to country. In some countries like China, big investments are being made for infrastructure development while in some other countries this trend is non-existent.
Trey Urbahn, the chief strategy officer of Azul Brazilian Airlines, said that the most pressing issue being faced by Brazilian aviation industry today is taxation. Giving example of Azul Brazilian Airlines, he said that 36% of the company’s profit go on taxes and that the company is working with the government to address this serious issue. He suggested that the taxation garnered should be re-invested for infrastructure development.
THY Turkish Airlines flight TK-709 made a safe landing at Ataturk International Airport, Istanbul, Turkey, on March 13.
The Boeing 737-800, flying from Karachi, Pakistan, to Istanbul was on approach to the runway when it ingested a bird, causing damage to the radome.
The plane landed safely.
All passengers on board remained unhurt.
What: UPS Cargo Airbus en route from Louisville to Tulsa
Where: Tulsa International Airport
When: May 22, 2012 5:40 a.m.
Who: 2 Crew
Why: En route, the plane flashed a landing gear warning.
Pilots made a safe landing in Tulsa but had to be towed. The runway was closed for thirty minutes.
Below see video of Airbus landing.
Aerolineas Argentinas flight AR-2714 had to make an emergency landing in Posadas, Argentina, on March 20th.
The Embraer ERJ-190 plane heading from Ministro Pistarini International Airport to Cataratas del Iguazu International Airport, Argentina, was diverted after the crew received indication of smoke in the cabin.
The plane landed uneventfully. All sixty-eight people aboard remained unharmed.
A US Airways Express jet made an emergency landing at Dayton International Airport in Ohio, on April 13.
The plane was en-route from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Milwaukee when the pilot requested an emergency landing due to a maintenance light indicator.
The plane landed uneventfully. There were 74 passengers and 4 crew members aboard at the time; all of them remained unharmed.
The flight was operated by a U.S. Airways subsidiary PSA Airlines.
Travel Service Polska flight QS-7222 had to return and make an emergency landing in Wroclaw, Poland, on September 23rd.
The plane took off for Bodrum, Turkey, but had to turn back due to an issue with the fuel system.
The plane landed safely. All passengers and crew members remained unharmed.
