The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has asked its team in Ecuador to look into the reasons behind the crash of a Dhruv helicopter during a military parade in Quito today in which two pilots were injured.
"Our team is stationed in Ecuador to support their Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) fleet and it is looking into the reasons behind the crash," HAL spokesperson Anantha Krishnan said over phone from Bengaluru.
"We don't have any further details of the incident," he added.
After the crash, Ecuadorian authorities grounded their fleet of the remaining six ALHs, a report from Ecuador said.
The chopper was destroyed in the accident and the crew members, who had trained in India, were injured, it added.
An ALH helicopter crashed before the start of the Aero India exhibition in 2007, killingpilot.
Ecuador had procured seven ALHs from India and one of them was being used in their Presidential fleet also.
In 2005, Indian armed forces had grounded the ALH fleet after one of the choppers made a forced landing due to problems in its tail rotors.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009
Air France 447 crashed with 228 people on board
An Air France plane with 228 people on board was presumed to have crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on Monday after hitting heavy turbulence on a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris.
Air France said the Airbus flew into stormy weather four hours after its scheduled take-off from the Brazilian city and shortly afterwards sent an automatic message reporting electrical faults.
Company spokesman Francois Brousse said several of the plane's mechanisms had malfunctioned, preventing it from making contact with air traffic controllers.
"It is probably a combination of circumstances that could have led to the crash," he said.
The airliner might have been hit by lightning, he said. The Brazilian air force said the plane was far out over the sea when it went missing. Military planes took off from both Brazil and Africa to hunt for it.
Flight AF 447 left Rio de Janeiro on Sunday at 7 p.m. (11 p.m. British time) and had been expected to land at Paris's Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport on Monday at 11:15 a.m. (10:15 a.m. British time).
The carrier said 216 passengers were on board, including seven children and one baby, and 12 crew members. Air France said the pilots were highly experienced.
Tearful relatives and friends were led away by airport staff after they arrived at Roissy expecting to greet the passengers.
About 20 relatives of passengers on board the flight arrived at Rio's Galeao airport on Monday morning seeking information after hearing news of its disappearance.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
EADS Reports 70% Operating Profit Down
Airbus parent EADS faces a "substantial" earnings hit this summer as it tries to salvage its delayed A400M military aircraft project, compounding concerns over the outlook for its civil plane business.
The prospect of a clear-cut charge to fix the delayed A400M -- which analysts said could be as high as EUR3 billion euros (USD$4.09 billion) -- rattled EADS shares, as the aerospace group also posted a worse-than-expected 70 percent drop in first-quarter operating profit.
But the company said it could give little indication how big the cost of the A400M troop transporter would ultimately be, nor how battered airline markets would evolve in coming months.
Dampened by Airbus, EADS group first-quarter earnings before interest and tax, or operating profit fell to EUR232 million from EUR769 million in the first quarter of last year.
Revenues fell 14 percent to EUR8.467 billion, and the Franco-German group's net profit fell 40 percent to EUR170 million.
EADS said underlying first-quarter operating profit before these items stood at EUR0.4 billion, down almost 50 percent.
Boeing said last month first-quarter profit halved to USD$610 million due to order deferrals by airlines, and cut its 2009 outlook.
The future of the A400M depends on talks with seven European NATO governments which have agreed a moratorium until July.
EADS said the talks on a revised industrial plan could lead to a "substantial" charge once the future of the project is clear and that this could happen with second-quarter earnings.
Finance Director Hans Peter Ring said the coming weeks would be decisive. "A400M is our top priority," he said.
EADS took an interim charge in the first quarter of EUR120 million for A400M costs that can be anticipated now, adding to EUR2.5 billion of provisions written off as the project ran into development problems in the past two years.
The aircraft is now three to four years late, provoking recent warnings from Britain and Germany that they might cut orders.
The A400M is Europe's biggest military project and seen as crucial to EADS's efforts to diversify further away from passenger jets as it approaches its 10th anniversary next year.
The prospect of a clear-cut charge to fix the delayed A400M -- which analysts said could be as high as EUR3 billion euros (USD$4.09 billion) -- rattled EADS shares, as the aerospace group also posted a worse-than-expected 70 percent drop in first-quarter operating profit.
But the company said it could give little indication how big the cost of the A400M troop transporter would ultimately be, nor how battered airline markets would evolve in coming months.
Dampened by Airbus, EADS group first-quarter earnings before interest and tax, or operating profit fell to EUR232 million from EUR769 million in the first quarter of last year.
Revenues fell 14 percent to EUR8.467 billion, and the Franco-German group's net profit fell 40 percent to EUR170 million.
EADS said underlying first-quarter operating profit before these items stood at EUR0.4 billion, down almost 50 percent.
Boeing said last month first-quarter profit halved to USD$610 million due to order deferrals by airlines, and cut its 2009 outlook.
The future of the A400M depends on talks with seven European NATO governments which have agreed a moratorium until July.
EADS said the talks on a revised industrial plan could lead to a "substantial" charge once the future of the project is clear and that this could happen with second-quarter earnings.
Finance Director Hans Peter Ring said the coming weeks would be decisive. "A400M is our top priority," he said.
EADS took an interim charge in the first quarter of EUR120 million for A400M costs that can be anticipated now, adding to EUR2.5 billion of provisions written off as the project ran into development problems in the past two years.
The aircraft is now three to four years late, provoking recent warnings from Britain and Germany that they might cut orders.
The A400M is Europe's biggest military project and seen as crucial to EADS's efforts to diversify further away from passenger jets as it approaches its 10th anniversary next year.
Wi-Fi on AirTran Airways Planes
AirTran Airways has tapped AirCell to offer passengers wireless, broadband Internet access on every flight starting mid-summer.
AirTran will have full inflight Internet service across its entire fleet of Boeing 737 and 717 aircraft. All 136 AirTran Airways jets will be fully outfitted with Gogo Inflight Internet service, which will be available to passengers for a fee based on the length of the flight, the Orlando, Fla.-based airline said.
"Installing Wi-Fi on every one of our aircraft is another great example of what sets AirTran Airways apart from our competitors," said Bob Fornaro, chairman, president and CEO of AirTran Airways, in a news release. "Giving business and leisure travelers a consistent, high-quality experience at a low price is a top priority. We feel that Wi-Fi on every flight gives us a distinct competitive advantage over other airlines."
AirTran will have full inflight Internet service across its entire fleet of Boeing 737 and 717 aircraft. All 136 AirTran Airways jets will be fully outfitted with Gogo Inflight Internet service, which will be available to passengers for a fee based on the length of the flight, the Orlando, Fla.-based airline said.
"Installing Wi-Fi on every one of our aircraft is another great example of what sets AirTran Airways apart from our competitors," said Bob Fornaro, chairman, president and CEO of AirTran Airways, in a news release. "Giving business and leisure travelers a consistent, high-quality experience at a low price is a top priority. We feel that Wi-Fi on every flight gives us a distinct competitive advantage over other airlines."
US Airways Nonstop service to Birmingham
Now on the US Airways customers will have a new United Kingdom option with nonstop service to Birmingham from the airline’s international gateway at Philadelphia International Airport. Birmingham is the first of three new US Airways offerings in 2009, preceding Oslo, Norway and Tel Aviv service to begin later this summer.
Senior Vice President, East Coast, International and Cargo Operations Suzanne Boda said, “We’re thrilled to expand our presence in the United Kingdom with new Birmingham flying. Our customers will have spectacular trans-Atlantic access via our international gateway at Philadelphia from London’s Heathrow and Gatwick Airports, Manchester and Glasgow, in addition to Birmingham. We appreciate the support and hard work of Birmingham officials as well as the continued partnership of the Philadelphia Division of Aviation.”
US Airways was America’s number one on-time airline in 2008 among the “Big Six” hub-and-spoke airlines according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) monthly Air Travel Consumer Report. US Airways, along with US Airways Shuttle and US Airways Express, operates more than 3,100 flights per day and serves more than 200 communities in the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America. The airline employs more than 33,000 aviation professionals worldwide and is a member of the Star Alliance network, which offers our customers more than 16,500 daily flights to 912 destinations in 159 countries worldwide. And for the eleventh consecutive year, the airline received a Diamond Award for maintenance training excellence from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its Charlotte, North Carolina hub line maintenance facility.
Senior Vice President, East Coast, International and Cargo Operations Suzanne Boda said, “We’re thrilled to expand our presence in the United Kingdom with new Birmingham flying. Our customers will have spectacular trans-Atlantic access via our international gateway at Philadelphia from London’s Heathrow and Gatwick Airports, Manchester and Glasgow, in addition to Birmingham. We appreciate the support and hard work of Birmingham officials as well as the continued partnership of the Philadelphia Division of Aviation.”
US Airways was America’s number one on-time airline in 2008 among the “Big Six” hub-and-spoke airlines according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) monthly Air Travel Consumer Report. US Airways, along with US Airways Shuttle and US Airways Express, operates more than 3,100 flights per day and serves more than 200 communities in the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America. The airline employs more than 33,000 aviation professionals worldwide and is a member of the Star Alliance network, which offers our customers more than 16,500 daily flights to 912 destinations in 159 countries worldwide. And for the eleventh consecutive year, the airline received a Diamond Award for maintenance training excellence from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its Charlotte, North Carolina hub line maintenance facility.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Virus - Airliners Cutting Services to Mexico
Continental Airlines Inc., the biggest U.S. carrier to Mexico, said it will cut by half the number of seats it sells to fly to Mexico beginning Monday. The Houston-based airline said it will work with travelers to get them where they need to go, although schedules and routes might change.
US Airways Group Inc., another major U.S. carrier to Mexico, said it would reduce its May and June departures to Mexico by 38 percent, beginning May 10.
Delta Air Lines Inc. also said it would reduce its Mexico service to match declining demand, but it didn't indicate how deep the cuts would be.
UAL Corp.'s United Airlines said it will cut its weekly flights to Mexico from 61 to 24 this month, beginning on Tuesday. Its June schedule will drop from 90 flights per week to 52. United said Mexico represents less than 2 percent of its overall capacity.
Southwest Airlines Co. doesn't fly to Mexico, but its chief executive said bookings within the U.S. may have softened in the past week in response to concern about flying.
"It's having an effect on air travel," Southwest CEO Gary Kelly told The Associated Press. "The bookings this week have been erratic at best ... it does seem like we're off-trend, and I just wouldn't be surprised at all if we find that our traffic is impacted over the next couple of weeks because of this concern."
Kelly didn't provide any numbers, but he said that as schools close -- Fort Worth became the first large U.S. district to shut all its campuses -- and large public events around the country are canceled to avoid spreading the virus, air traffic could fall.
Continental said it will reduce May flights to Mexico by about 40 percent and use smaller planes but will continue flying to all 29 Mexican cities it serves. It also extended its waiver policy to let customers with trips booked for Mexico change itineraries without penalty by the end of May.
Continental was running an average of 450 flights a week to Mexico, and the changes will cut its expected May capacity about 2 percent.
"We were already experiencing soft market conditions due to the economy, and now our Mexico routes in particular have extra weakness," said Larry Kellner, Continental's chairman and CEO.
US Airways said it would reduce its schedule by cutting the number of flights and by flying smaller planes, but that it wouldn't pull out of any Mexican cities altogether.
It also said it would reevaluate its July and August schedule in the next few weeks. It said it hopes to resume its normal schedule of flights to Mexico on July 2.
US Airways said the planned reductions amount to 0.5 percent of its systemwide departures.
Jim Corridore, an analyst for Standard & Poor's, said the reductions are an insignificant part of Continental's total capacity and revenue, and it's an even smaller problem for other airlines.
"If the main concern stays focused on Mexico, swine flu shouldn't have a big impact on the U.S. airline industry," he said. "I would expect that this would be a short-term issue."
Delta officials said they were reducing flight frequencies and switching to smaller jets on some flights to pare capacity to Mexico while still serving 11 Mexican cities. Atlanta-based Delta, which also operates Northwest Airlines, runs 350 flights a week to Mexico.
AirTran Airways, which operates only 16 weekly flights to the resort town of Cancun, will cut two of those flights. Spokesman Christopher White said the decision was based on demand over the past several weeks, not just since the flu epidemic hit.
JetBlue Airways Corp. canceled about a dozen flights over the next month to Cancun because they weren't full enough, said spokesman Bryan Baldwin.
American Airlines was monitoring travel demand to Mexico but hadn't canceled any flights by late afternoon, said spokesman Tim Smith. AMR Corp.'s American is the second-biggest U.S. carrier to Mexico.
Health authorities have confirmed 15 swine-flu deaths in Mexico and one in the U.S., a toddler from Mexico who died this week in Houston. There are more than 500 confirmed cases worldwide, including more than 300 in Mexico and more than 100 in the U.S.
A United Airlines ramp worker in Denver was among those confirmed with swine flu, said airline spokesman Rahsaan Johnson. The man last worked on April 23, and reported getting sick after that, Johnson said. There's been no indication that any of the man's co-workers have fallen ill, he said.
"We're all very happy that he is well. He is out of the hospital and recovering. We are looking forward to welcoming him back to work," Johnson said.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised against nonessential travel to Mexico, and European Union officials advised their citizens to postpone nonessential travel to parts of Mexico and the U.S. affected by swine flu.
A check by The Associated Press on Wednesday showed that some flights from the United States to Mexico had an unusually high number of empty seats. Flights heading north appeared to be fuller.
After a flap this week over comments by Vice President Joe Biden, who said he told family members to avoid airplanes, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood declared that air travel was safe and there was no reason to cancel flights.
Kelly, the CEO of Dallas-based Southwest, said air travel is safe but that his airline had instructed employees to be vigilant about washing hands, sanitizing aircraft and looking out for fellow workers or passengers who appeared ill.
Anyone who looks ill will be given a paper mask to wear during the flight, he said.
Alaska Airlines said it was removing pillows and blankets from all of its 114 planes, and would disinfect and sanitize all of its planes during overnight maintenance. It said crews were also doing an extra interior cleaning of planes arriving from Mexico in between flights.
Sabre, a major airline reservation and ticket-distribution company, said other than a decline in trips to Mexico, travel within the United States and to other parts of the world appeared to be holding steady
US Airways Group Inc., another major U.S. carrier to Mexico, said it would reduce its May and June departures to Mexico by 38 percent, beginning May 10.
Delta Air Lines Inc. also said it would reduce its Mexico service to match declining demand, but it didn't indicate how deep the cuts would be.
UAL Corp.'s United Airlines said it will cut its weekly flights to Mexico from 61 to 24 this month, beginning on Tuesday. Its June schedule will drop from 90 flights per week to 52. United said Mexico represents less than 2 percent of its overall capacity.
Southwest Airlines Co. doesn't fly to Mexico, but its chief executive said bookings within the U.S. may have softened in the past week in response to concern about flying.
"It's having an effect on air travel," Southwest CEO Gary Kelly told The Associated Press. "The bookings this week have been erratic at best ... it does seem like we're off-trend, and I just wouldn't be surprised at all if we find that our traffic is impacted over the next couple of weeks because of this concern."
Kelly didn't provide any numbers, but he said that as schools close -- Fort Worth became the first large U.S. district to shut all its campuses -- and large public events around the country are canceled to avoid spreading the virus, air traffic could fall.
Continental said it will reduce May flights to Mexico by about 40 percent and use smaller planes but will continue flying to all 29 Mexican cities it serves. It also extended its waiver policy to let customers with trips booked for Mexico change itineraries without penalty by the end of May.
Continental was running an average of 450 flights a week to Mexico, and the changes will cut its expected May capacity about 2 percent.
"We were already experiencing soft market conditions due to the economy, and now our Mexico routes in particular have extra weakness," said Larry Kellner, Continental's chairman and CEO.
US Airways said it would reduce its schedule by cutting the number of flights and by flying smaller planes, but that it wouldn't pull out of any Mexican cities altogether.
It also said it would reevaluate its July and August schedule in the next few weeks. It said it hopes to resume its normal schedule of flights to Mexico on July 2.
US Airways said the planned reductions amount to 0.5 percent of its systemwide departures.
Jim Corridore, an analyst for Standard & Poor's, said the reductions are an insignificant part of Continental's total capacity and revenue, and it's an even smaller problem for other airlines.
"If the main concern stays focused on Mexico, swine flu shouldn't have a big impact on the U.S. airline industry," he said. "I would expect that this would be a short-term issue."
Delta officials said they were reducing flight frequencies and switching to smaller jets on some flights to pare capacity to Mexico while still serving 11 Mexican cities. Atlanta-based Delta, which also operates Northwest Airlines, runs 350 flights a week to Mexico.
AirTran Airways, which operates only 16 weekly flights to the resort town of Cancun, will cut two of those flights. Spokesman Christopher White said the decision was based on demand over the past several weeks, not just since the flu epidemic hit.
JetBlue Airways Corp. canceled about a dozen flights over the next month to Cancun because they weren't full enough, said spokesman Bryan Baldwin.
American Airlines was monitoring travel demand to Mexico but hadn't canceled any flights by late afternoon, said spokesman Tim Smith. AMR Corp.'s American is the second-biggest U.S. carrier to Mexico.
Health authorities have confirmed 15 swine-flu deaths in Mexico and one in the U.S., a toddler from Mexico who died this week in Houston. There are more than 500 confirmed cases worldwide, including more than 300 in Mexico and more than 100 in the U.S.
A United Airlines ramp worker in Denver was among those confirmed with swine flu, said airline spokesman Rahsaan Johnson. The man last worked on April 23, and reported getting sick after that, Johnson said. There's been no indication that any of the man's co-workers have fallen ill, he said.
"We're all very happy that he is well. He is out of the hospital and recovering. We are looking forward to welcoming him back to work," Johnson said.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised against nonessential travel to Mexico, and European Union officials advised their citizens to postpone nonessential travel to parts of Mexico and the U.S. affected by swine flu.
A check by The Associated Press on Wednesday showed that some flights from the United States to Mexico had an unusually high number of empty seats. Flights heading north appeared to be fuller.
After a flap this week over comments by Vice President Joe Biden, who said he told family members to avoid airplanes, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood declared that air travel was safe and there was no reason to cancel flights.
Kelly, the CEO of Dallas-based Southwest, said air travel is safe but that his airline had instructed employees to be vigilant about washing hands, sanitizing aircraft and looking out for fellow workers or passengers who appeared ill.
Anyone who looks ill will be given a paper mask to wear during the flight, he said.
Alaska Airlines said it was removing pillows and blankets from all of its 114 planes, and would disinfect and sanitize all of its planes during overnight maintenance. It said crews were also doing an extra interior cleaning of planes arriving from Mexico in between flights.
Sabre, a major airline reservation and ticket-distribution company, said other than a decline in trips to Mexico, travel within the United States and to other parts of the world appeared to be holding steady
Friday, May 1, 2009
Continental Airlines Seasonal Service
Continental Airlines is launching seasonal daily non-stop service between its Cleveland hub and London's Heathrow Airport, effective May 2, 2009 (eastbound). The new route replaces the previous seasonal service between Cleveland and London/Gatwick Airport.
"The new flights give Cleveland travelers convenient access to Europe's most popular gateway airport for U.S. travelers," said Jim Compton, Continental's executive vice president marketing. "In addition to serving London, Heathrow will provide both business and leisure travelers numerous connections to cities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa."
The new Heathrow service will operate from May 2 through Sept. 26 (eastbound). Flights will depart Cleveland daily at 8:25 p.m. and arrive in London at 9:15 a.m. the next morning. The return flights will depart London daily at 11:40 a.m. and arrive in Cleveland at 3:30 p.m. the same day.
The service will be operated by Boeing 757 aircraft, seating 16 passengers in the award-winning BusinessFirst cabin and 159 passengers in economy.
Continental will continue to operate two daily flights to Heathrow from its Houston hub at Bush Intercontinental Airport in addition to three daily flights to Heathrow from its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport.
In addition to its Heathrow flights, Continental also operates easy connecting service from Cleveland through Newark Liberty to Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester, as well as Dublin and Shannon - offering trans-Atlantic service to more cities in the U.K. and Ireland than any other airline.
Continental Airlines is the world's fifth largest airline. Continental, together with Continental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 2,750 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 133 domestic and 132 international destinations. More than 750 additional points are served via current alliance partners. With more than 43,000 employees, Continental has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with its regional partners, carries approximately 67 million passengers per year.
Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, Continental consistently earns awards and critical acclaim for both its operation and its corporate culture. For the sixth consecutive year, FORTUNE magazine named Continental the No. 1 World's Most Admired Airline on its 2009 list of World's Most Admired Companies. For more company information, go to continental.com.
"The new flights give Cleveland travelers convenient access to Europe's most popular gateway airport for U.S. travelers," said Jim Compton, Continental's executive vice president marketing. "In addition to serving London, Heathrow will provide both business and leisure travelers numerous connections to cities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa."
The new Heathrow service will operate from May 2 through Sept. 26 (eastbound). Flights will depart Cleveland daily at 8:25 p.m. and arrive in London at 9:15 a.m. the next morning. The return flights will depart London daily at 11:40 a.m. and arrive in Cleveland at 3:30 p.m. the same day.
The service will be operated by Boeing 757 aircraft, seating 16 passengers in the award-winning BusinessFirst cabin and 159 passengers in economy.
Continental will continue to operate two daily flights to Heathrow from its Houston hub at Bush Intercontinental Airport in addition to three daily flights to Heathrow from its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport.
In addition to its Heathrow flights, Continental also operates easy connecting service from Cleveland through Newark Liberty to Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester, as well as Dublin and Shannon - offering trans-Atlantic service to more cities in the U.K. and Ireland than any other airline.
Continental Airlines is the world's fifth largest airline. Continental, together with Continental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 2,750 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 133 domestic and 132 international destinations. More than 750 additional points are served via current alliance partners. With more than 43,000 employees, Continental has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with its regional partners, carries approximately 67 million passengers per year.
Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, Continental consistently earns awards and critical acclaim for both its operation and its corporate culture. For the sixth consecutive year, FORTUNE magazine named Continental the No. 1 World's Most Admired Airline on its 2009 list of World's Most Admired Companies. For more company information, go to continental.com.
Monday, April 27, 2009
US Airways Charges an Extra $5 Baggage Fee
US Airways says it's going to begin charging passengers an extra $5 per bag to check luggage at the airport rather than online. The Tempe-based carrier currently charges $15 for the first checked bag and $25 for the second. But an extra $5 per bag now will be charged to passengers who pay those fees at the airport rather than prepay their baggage fees by checking in online.
The change applies with tickets booked today for flights beginning July 9th. US Airways says the new fee would encourage passengers to use self-service options.
The airline doesn't charge to check baggage for travelers with "preferred" status on its frequent-flier program, those flying across the Atlantic, and military personnel on active duty.
The change applies with tickets booked today for flights beginning July 9th. US Airways says the new fee would encourage passengers to use self-service options.
The airline doesn't charge to check baggage for travelers with "preferred" status on its frequent-flier program, those flying across the Atlantic, and military personnel on active duty.
Man Ran towards the Cockpit in Delta Airlines Flight
A Delta Air Lines flight from New York to Tel Aviv, Israel, has been diverted to Boston after an unruly passenger rushed the cockpit.
A 22-year-old Israeli man ran toward the cockpit and pounded on the door. The passengers are being held in Boston as investigators interview them and check their luggage. No other flights have been affected.
Flight 86 had 206 passengers and 11 crew members aboard when it landed Friday night at Logan Airport. The plane had left New York about two hours earlier.
A 22-year-old Israeli man ran toward the cockpit and pounded on the door. The passengers are being held in Boston as investigators interview them and check their luggage. No other flights have been affected.
Flight 86 had 206 passengers and 11 crew members aboard when it landed Friday night at Logan Airport. The plane had left New York about two hours earlier.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
American Airlines engine fire due to unapproved maintenance practices
Safety investigators traced a 2007 American Airlines engine fire to unapproved maintenance practices that eluded the carrier's quality-assurance auditors, the National Transportation Safety Board disclosed now.
The September fire happened shortly after American Airlines Flight 1400 departed Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. The pilots returned to the airport without injuries or fatalities to any of the plane's crew or 138 passengers.
Yet the pilots also prolonged the fire by failing to follow a checklist that leads them through steps during such an emergency, the safety board said. Accident investigators said the crew became distracted and failed to quickly shut off fuel to the damaged engine, causing a loss of hydraulic pressure. That led to problems deploying the front landing gear.
"It was a series of people taking shortcuts that accumulated on this particular day into what could have been a much more catastrophic incident," said board member Kitty Higgins.
American has been under closer regulatory scrutiny since last year, when it grounded hundreds of McDonnell Douglas MD-80 jets following federal safety audits. The Federal Aviation Administration last month started a three-month audit of American's safety procedures.
Safety board members said their review was limited to the engine fire, which occurred on an MD-82.
"There was a host of serious problems that ... when you added them all together could have been extremely catastrophic to the point where life could have been lost," acting board Chairman Mark V. Rosenker said.
During the week before the accident, the jet's left engine failed to start on multiple occasions, the board said. Mechanics repeatedly used an unapproved tool, such as a screwdriver, to open a valve that manually starts the engine, the board found. Boeing warned carriers in 1997 that using the wrong tool could deform a pin on the start valve. The damaged pin triggered a malfunction that sent sparks into the metal cover that contains the engine, where there was probably some kind of fuel leak, the board said.
The safety board determined that American mechanics replaced the start valve six times but missed the cause of the failed engine starts: a worn-out, stainless steel air filter. American's audit team also failed to identify the cause of the problem, the NTSB said.
"Where they have found deficiencies in how our personnel performed, we are going to strengthen our training," said Tim Wagner, an American spokesman.
American has started to replace components of the start valve on all MD-80s and plans to complete the work in 2010, Wagner said. The carrier has also increased staffing on its audit team to monitor more mechanical work.
The September fire happened shortly after American Airlines Flight 1400 departed Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. The pilots returned to the airport without injuries or fatalities to any of the plane's crew or 138 passengers.
Yet the pilots also prolonged the fire by failing to follow a checklist that leads them through steps during such an emergency, the safety board said. Accident investigators said the crew became distracted and failed to quickly shut off fuel to the damaged engine, causing a loss of hydraulic pressure. That led to problems deploying the front landing gear.
"It was a series of people taking shortcuts that accumulated on this particular day into what could have been a much more catastrophic incident," said board member Kitty Higgins.
American has been under closer regulatory scrutiny since last year, when it grounded hundreds of McDonnell Douglas MD-80 jets following federal safety audits. The Federal Aviation Administration last month started a three-month audit of American's safety procedures.
Safety board members said their review was limited to the engine fire, which occurred on an MD-82.
"There was a host of serious problems that ... when you added them all together could have been extremely catastrophic to the point where life could have been lost," acting board Chairman Mark V. Rosenker said.
During the week before the accident, the jet's left engine failed to start on multiple occasions, the board said. Mechanics repeatedly used an unapproved tool, such as a screwdriver, to open a valve that manually starts the engine, the board found. Boeing warned carriers in 1997 that using the wrong tool could deform a pin on the start valve. The damaged pin triggered a malfunction that sent sparks into the metal cover that contains the engine, where there was probably some kind of fuel leak, the board said.
The safety board determined that American mechanics replaced the start valve six times but missed the cause of the failed engine starts: a worn-out, stainless steel air filter. American's audit team also failed to identify the cause of the problem, the NTSB said.
"Where they have found deficiencies in how our personnel performed, we are going to strengthen our training," said Tim Wagner, an American spokesman.
American has started to replace components of the start valve on all MD-80s and plans to complete the work in 2010, Wagner said. The carrier has also increased staffing on its audit team to monitor more mechanical work.
Mid-Air bathroom emergency on Delta Airlines
A Passenger who allegedly twisted a flight attendant's arm in a bid to use an airline toilet is facing charges.
Joao Correa, 42, said he had “a bathroom emergency” onboard a Delta Airlines flight from Honduras to Atlanta. When attempting to access the bathroom, he found it was blocked by a beverage cart.
Mr Correa was then told he wasn’t allowed to use the business class toilet, due to Transportation Security Administration policy.
In his desperation Mr Correa ran to the business class bathroom but was blocked by a flight attendant’s arm, and said he was forced to grab it “to keep his balance”.
However the flight attendant alleges that Mr Correa grabbed her right arm and twisted it, authorities have reported.
Mr Correa was arrested when the plane landed in Atlanta and was charged with interference with a flight crew.
Joao Correa, 42, said he had “a bathroom emergency” onboard a Delta Airlines flight from Honduras to Atlanta. When attempting to access the bathroom, he found it was blocked by a beverage cart.
Mr Correa was then told he wasn’t allowed to use the business class toilet, due to Transportation Security Administration policy.
In his desperation Mr Correa ran to the business class bathroom but was blocked by a flight attendant’s arm, and said he was forced to grab it “to keep his balance”.
However the flight attendant alleges that Mr Correa grabbed her right arm and twisted it, authorities have reported.
Mr Correa was arrested when the plane landed in Atlanta and was charged with interference with a flight crew.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
American Airlines Landed Safely after Emergency
An American Airlines flight landed safely at Eppley Airfield after a scare in the air near Omaha.
Around 9:45 on Monday night, emergency crews at Eppley scrambled into place, after getting an alert that the flight was on its way. Flight 1708 was en-route from Las Vegas to Chicago, when it lost cabin pressure near Omaha.
American Airlines told that the pilot dropped the plane's altitude from 25,000 feet to 14,000 feet and dropped the oxygen masks in the cabin as a precaution. There were 140 passengers and five crew members on board.
The plane landed safely in Omaha just before ten o'clock on Monday night.
American Airlines moved the passengers to another available airplane at Eppley, and they continued on to Chicago. The airline will move another aircraft to Omaha in the morning to replace the one that headed to Chicago. By luck no one was hurt.
Around 9:45 on Monday night, emergency crews at Eppley scrambled into place, after getting an alert that the flight was on its way. Flight 1708 was en-route from Las Vegas to Chicago, when it lost cabin pressure near Omaha.
American Airlines told that the pilot dropped the plane's altitude from 25,000 feet to 14,000 feet and dropped the oxygen masks in the cabin as a precaution. There were 140 passengers and five crew members on board.
The plane landed safely in Omaha just before ten o'clock on Monday night.
American Airlines moved the passengers to another available airplane at Eppley, and they continued on to Chicago. The airline will move another aircraft to Omaha in the morning to replace the one that headed to Chicago. By luck no one was hurt.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Emergency Landing of MD-83
The engine of an American Airlines jet broke apart in midair and showered a Queens neighborhood with shards of turbine blades as it made an emergency landing Wednesday. Luckily, no one was hurt on the Chicago-bound plane or on the ground, though pieces of the MD-83 hit a warehouse and cracked the windshields of two parked cars in College Point.
"We heard a very loud explosion followed by 30 seconds of debris raining down," said Bob Bellini, who owns Varsity Plumbing and Heating Corp. on 123rd St.
The twin-engine plane, carrying 88 passengers and five crew members, took off from LaGuardia around 8 a.m. The pilot reported trouble with the right engine minutes later, reversed course and made a beeline for Kennedy Airport.
"Captain got on and said we lost an engine and would be doing an emergency landing at Kennedy Airport," one passenger told WNBC's "News 4 New York." "[I] thought about my wife and children and just was praying that we would land safely."
The engine turbine failed but the blades did not pierce the cowling, the metal covering around the engine, or the plane's fuselage, officials said.
The aircraft was built to spit out pieces of the blades during a failure and it appears that's what it did, said National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson.
A repair history for the plane, built in 1999, was not immediately available. The Federal Aviation Administration had no record of accidents, but the model was grounded last April because of hydraulic problems.
MD-83s are a newer version of the MD-80s. Queens Borough President Helen Marshall said the series is outdated, bad for the environment and potentially dangerous.
"We are lucky no one was hurt here," she said in College Point. "They certainly need to be taken out of operation."
American spokesman Tim Smith, however, defended the model. "These aircraft are fully safe," he said.
"We heard a very loud explosion followed by 30 seconds of debris raining down," said Bob Bellini, who owns Varsity Plumbing and Heating Corp. on 123rd St.
The twin-engine plane, carrying 88 passengers and five crew members, took off from LaGuardia around 8 a.m. The pilot reported trouble with the right engine minutes later, reversed course and made a beeline for Kennedy Airport.
"Captain got on and said we lost an engine and would be doing an emergency landing at Kennedy Airport," one passenger told WNBC's "News 4 New York." "[I] thought about my wife and children and just was praying that we would land safely."
The engine turbine failed but the blades did not pierce the cowling, the metal covering around the engine, or the plane's fuselage, officials said.
The aircraft was built to spit out pieces of the blades during a failure and it appears that's what it did, said National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson.
A repair history for the plane, built in 1999, was not immediately available. The Federal Aviation Administration had no record of accidents, but the model was grounded last April because of hydraulic problems.
MD-83s are a newer version of the MD-80s. Queens Borough President Helen Marshall said the series is outdated, bad for the environment and potentially dangerous.
"We are lucky no one was hurt here," she said in College Point. "They certainly need to be taken out of operation."
American spokesman Tim Smith, however, defended the model. "These aircraft are fully safe," he said.
Friday, March 6, 2009
SARAS Crash Claims the life of two IAF Pilots and one Flight Engineer
India's national pride and the second prototype of Saras, India's first indigenously designed civilian plane, crashed during a test flight on Friday killing all the three crew members on board at Bidadi near here in a "setback" to the project.
The NAL-built small prototype aircraft crashlanded in an open area at Sheshagirihalli at 3.45 PM and burst into flames. Charred bodies of Wing Commander Praveen, Wing Commander Shah and Squadron Leader Ilayaraja were retrieved from the wreckage of the aircraft which was completely destroyed in the accident. All the three crew members were experienced persons drawn from Air Force.
Saras is a twin turboprop powered multi-role aircraft. It is designed to take-off and land on short semi-prepared runways. Saras is capable of flying upto a maximum speed of 550 Km/ hour at a cruise altitude of 7.5 km.
According to an eye witnesses, people around the spot, where the incident took place, heard a loud sound and saw the air craft coming down. It fell on a vacant plot and burst into flames. The pieces of the charred aircraft were strewn around the area.
The army, police and the fire brigade are at the spot with a rescue chopper from the HAL.
This aircraft was second prototype of Saras and was on its test flight schedule.
The aircraft crash-landed near Bidadi. It is too early to say the reason for the crash of saras. The aircraft, which is eight to 14-seater, was on its 49th test flight.
This will create a major impact on the saras project.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Turkish Airlines crash that killed nine people and injured more than 100
Investigators are examining turbulence as one of the possible causes of the Turkish Airlines crash that killed nine people and injured more than 100 near Amsterdam's main airport, a spokesman said Saturday.
Fred Sanders, a spokesman for the Dutch Safety Authority investigation team, also said that the wreckage that has lain in a muddy field since it plunged out of the sky Wednesday one mile short of the runway could be moved Sunday evening.
A Turkish pilots' group claimed that turbulence from a large plane landing at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport shortly before the doomed flight, which was carrying 135 passengers and crew from Istanbul, may have caused the crash.
Turkey Airline Pilots' Association Secretary-General Savas Sen said late Friday that a large Boeing 757 had landed at Schiphol Airport two minutes earlier. Sen said that plane most likely created "wake turbulence" that hampered the Turkish aircraft's landing.
Wake turbulence forms behind an aircraft as it passes through the air. "All possible causes are (being) investigated and turbulence is known to have caused problems in the past, so you never know," Sanders said.
The investigators on Saturday continued to analyze flight data and cockpit recordings retrieved from the Boeing 737-800's "black boxes" and hope to be able to give a preliminary cause of the crash next week.
In Istanbul, the head of Turkish Airlines' board of directors paid tribute to pilots Hasan Tahsin Arisan, Olgay Ozgur and Murat Sezer and flight attendant Ulvi Murat Eskin at their funerals.
Candan Karlitekin said that, of the 135 people on board, 126 survived due to the pilots' skills. "It was a miracle but a sad miracle," Karlitekin said in a teary address. "They saved the lives of 126 people and made their families happy, but they died themselves."
Dozens of survivors remained hospitalized Saturday and one was still in critical condition, said Heske Pohlmann, a spokeswoman for Haarlemmermeer municipality.
Boeing Co. said late Friday that three of the American victims were its employees and a fourth Boeing worker remained hospitalized.
Boeing on Friday identified the dead men as Ronald A. Richey of Duvall, Wash.; John Salman of Kent, Wash., and Ricky E. Wilson of Clinton, Wash. A fourth Boeing employee on the flight, Michael T. Hemmer, of Federal Way, Wash., was injured and remained hospitalized, a Boeing statement said.
Boeing Saturday issued a statement on behalf of Hemmer's family that said Hemmer "continues to respond well to treatment in the hospital."
Authorities did not release the identity of the other American and Turk killed.
Pieter van Vollenhoven, head of the Dutch agency investigating the crash, has said that the plane fell almost vertically from the sky, which pointed toward its engines having stopped. He said a reason for that had not yet been established.
Other possible causes under investigation include weather-related factors, insufficient fuel, loss of fuel, navigational errors, pilot fatigue or bird strikes.
Witnesses on the ground said the plane dropped from about 300 feet. It smashed into three pieces as it skidded to a halt in the mud but there was no fire.
The airline also denied reports that the plane, which was built in 2002, had had technical problems in the days before the accident. The plane underwent routine maintenance Feb. 19, and had to delay a flight Feb. 23 - the day before the crash - to replace a faulty caution light.
Fred Sanders, a spokesman for the Dutch Safety Authority investigation team, also said that the wreckage that has lain in a muddy field since it plunged out of the sky Wednesday one mile short of the runway could be moved Sunday evening.
A Turkish pilots' group claimed that turbulence from a large plane landing at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport shortly before the doomed flight, which was carrying 135 passengers and crew from Istanbul, may have caused the crash.
Turkey Airline Pilots' Association Secretary-General Savas Sen said late Friday that a large Boeing 757 had landed at Schiphol Airport two minutes earlier. Sen said that plane most likely created "wake turbulence" that hampered the Turkish aircraft's landing.
Wake turbulence forms behind an aircraft as it passes through the air. "All possible causes are (being) investigated and turbulence is known to have caused problems in the past, so you never know," Sanders said.
The investigators on Saturday continued to analyze flight data and cockpit recordings retrieved from the Boeing 737-800's "black boxes" and hope to be able to give a preliminary cause of the crash next week.
In Istanbul, the head of Turkish Airlines' board of directors paid tribute to pilots Hasan Tahsin Arisan, Olgay Ozgur and Murat Sezer and flight attendant Ulvi Murat Eskin at their funerals.
Candan Karlitekin said that, of the 135 people on board, 126 survived due to the pilots' skills. "It was a miracle but a sad miracle," Karlitekin said in a teary address. "They saved the lives of 126 people and made their families happy, but they died themselves."
Dozens of survivors remained hospitalized Saturday and one was still in critical condition, said Heske Pohlmann, a spokeswoman for Haarlemmermeer municipality.
Boeing Co. said late Friday that three of the American victims were its employees and a fourth Boeing worker remained hospitalized.
Boeing on Friday identified the dead men as Ronald A. Richey of Duvall, Wash.; John Salman of Kent, Wash., and Ricky E. Wilson of Clinton, Wash. A fourth Boeing employee on the flight, Michael T. Hemmer, of Federal Way, Wash., was injured and remained hospitalized, a Boeing statement said.
Boeing Saturday issued a statement on behalf of Hemmer's family that said Hemmer "continues to respond well to treatment in the hospital."
Authorities did not release the identity of the other American and Turk killed.
Pieter van Vollenhoven, head of the Dutch agency investigating the crash, has said that the plane fell almost vertically from the sky, which pointed toward its engines having stopped. He said a reason for that had not yet been established.
Other possible causes under investigation include weather-related factors, insufficient fuel, loss of fuel, navigational errors, pilot fatigue or bird strikes.
Witnesses on the ground said the plane dropped from about 300 feet. It smashed into three pieces as it skidded to a halt in the mud but there was no fire.
The airline also denied reports that the plane, which was built in 2002, had had technical problems in the days before the accident. The plane underwent routine maintenance Feb. 19, and had to delay a flight Feb. 23 - the day before the crash - to replace a faulty caution light.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Sunday, January 4, 2009
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