Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Jonathan Rankin
What: Jetstar Airbus A320-200 en route from Christchurch to Sydney
Where: Sydney
When: Oct 19th 2010
Who: 118 passengers
Why: While en route, passengers reported hearing a bang and seeing black smoke coming from an engine.
The pilot shut down that engine, and made a safe landing in Sydney. Maintenance confirmed that the engine seized.
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Contact photographer Alasdair Mulhern
What: British Airways Boeing 747-400 en route from London to Los Angeles
Where: over Scotland
When: Aug 7th 2010
Why: While en route, the British Airways plane developed a problem with the fuel system, dumped the fuel while at sea and returned to Heathrow. No injuries. Safe landing.
The event has received significant coverage, chiefly because Victoria Beckham was aboard the flight, and managed a wardrobe change–and photos of both outfits have been published online.
Rossiya Airlines flight FV-6483 made an emergency landing at Vnukovo International Airport in Moscow, Russia, on July 18th.
The Boeing 777-300 plane took off for Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia, but had to turn back due to an issue with landing gear.
The plane landed safely. Everyone aboard remained unharmed.
The airline arranged a replacement plane for the passengers.
UPDATE: 11:40pm EDT: The French government has requested assistance from the US in hopes that US spy satellites and listening stations could help find the aircraft.
George’s Point of View
June 30 1994 was a red letter day for the A330. It’s only fatality occurred on June 30 1994 when pilot error and faulty autopilot systems killed three pilots, two engineers and two observers on board a test flight.
So we can hope that today–June 1 2009–does not become another red letter day in A330 history. The last communication from the flight was an automatic report of an electrical short circuit and the loss of cabin pressure.
The A330:
-6,750 nautical mile range
-seats up to 335 passengers
-600 in service with 82 airlines
-300 on order
-38% more fuel efficient than the DC-10
-choice of GE, Pratt & Whitney, or Rolls Royce engines
-Variants:
A330-200 A330-300 A330-200FOur thoughts are with all on board and families.
Youtube text follows:
PARIS, France (CNN — An Air France plane missing over the Atlantic with 228 people aboard reported electrical problems before it lost contact, the airline said Monday.
The incident involves an Air France Airbus A330-200.
The Airbus A330-200 jet had experienced turbulence during the 11-hour flight from Rio de Janeiro to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, the spokesman said.
Brazil’s air force has launched a search near the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha in the Atlantic Ocean, 365 km (226 miles) from Brazil’s coast, a spokesman for the air force told CNN.
Two Brazilian squadrons are searching for the plane, although it disappeared after it left the country’s radar space, said the officer, who declined to be named.
The flight, AF 447, took off shortly after 7 p.m. Sunday local time (6 p.m. Sunday ET) for the 11-hour flight, with 216 passengers and 12 crew members. It was scheduled to land in Paris at 11:15 a.m. local time (5:15 a.m. ET).
The last known contact with the plane was at 1:33 a.m. GMT (8:33 p.m. Sunday night ET), the Brazilian Air Force spokesman said.
Air France said it could not confirm reports of a short circuit on board the aircraft.
The airline said it “shared the emotion and the concern of the families concerned” adding that friends and relatives waiting at the airport would be taken to a special area.
A crisis center is being set up at Charles de Gaulle where the plane had been due to land at 11.15 a.m. local time.
Agence France-Presse quoted France’s Environment Minister Jean Louis Borloo saying that it was extremely unlikely the plane had been hijacked.
“We are very worried,” an aviation official told AFP. “The plane disappeared from the screens several hours ago. It could be a transponder problem, but this kind of fault is very rare and the plane did not land when expected.”
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Contact photographer Bruno Bevivino – Roma Spotters Club
What: Delta Airlines Airbus A330-200 en route from Portland, OR to Amsterdam
Where: Atlantic Ocean
When: Jul 6th 2010
Who: 236 passengers
Why: While en route south of Greenland, the plane’s pressurization system developed problems, and the pilot decided to divert to Goose Bay, landing safely at Goose Bay about an hour before their scheduled landing in Amsterdam. A replacement jet (Boeing) was provided for the passengers so that 22 hours later, they arrived in Amsterdam safely. The original Airbus was relegated to maintenance and repaired.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Joachim Eichner
What: Ryanair Boeing 737-800 en route from Bristol to Reus
Where: Barcelona
When: Sept 15, 2012
Who: 171
Why: On Sept 15, the Bristol-Reus flight diverted to Barcelona after developing an engine problem. Passengers disembarked in Barcelona and were provided alternative transportation.
This is one of the events that caught the eye of Spanish and Irish aviation bodies. They are initializing an investigation into Ryanair after a number of diversions occurred recently in Spanish airspace.
The investigation was initiated after a diversion to Madrid during a Paris-tenerife flight, and three landings in Valencia on July 26.
There are fears that Ryanair is courting disaster by flying with minimal fuel requirements.
Read the official statement below:
Air Astana flight KC-672 made an emergency landing in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on March 7th.
The Boeing 757-200 plane was flying from Astana, Kazakhstan, when the crew needed to shut down one of the engines due to a technical problem.
The plane continued for a safe landing. All 69 passengers and 8 crew members remained unharmed.