A bird struck a Southwest Airlines 737 landing at Sacramento International Airport Thursday night, becoming lodged in the plane's right wing flap.
An airport source said the cockpit crew was unaware of the bird strike until after the plane was safely on the ground and the aircraft underwent a routine post-flight inspection.
Southwest Airlines flight 2983 from Burbank arrived at 7:19 p.m.
The source said supervisors were examining the wing to see if it was safe to keep the aircraft in service.
The blood pattern in this photograph of the bird strike obtained by News10 suggested the bird hit the right wing flap when the flaps were deployed during the final approach to the airport, then was pinched in the hinge when the pilot retracted the flaps after touchdown.
On Wednesday, a departing Southwest Airlines flight was forced to return to Sacramento International Airport following a bird strike.
Sacramento International Airport lies within the Pacific Flyway and experiences more bird strikes than any other airport on the West Coast.
The FAA has given their final approval for iPads to be used in the cockpits of American Airlines aircraft during all phases of flight. Using iPads as electronic chart and digital flight manual readers means increased safety and efficiency on the flight deck.
The existing paper manuals and charts weigh in around 35 pounds, so with an iPad being closer to 1.2 pounds there will be a significant savings not only in the shoulder strain of the pilots who need to cart those things around but will result in an estimated $1.2 million dollars less fuel per year as well!
American Airlines will begin the transition by replacing existing materials with iPads on all B-777 aircraft. This will then systematically extend to all of their other fleets.
Using digital readers makes good sense. Not only can they be indexed allowing for quick information location and retrieval, they can also be updated much easier and are not as cumbersome as large binders and loose papers. (not to mention the benefit for the environment with so much less paper and fuel being consumed)
To receive full FAA approval, American Airlines conducted a 6 month test that included thousands of hours evaluating the iPad as a replacement. Currently their approval extends to both the iPad 1 and iPad 2 models of the device.
Other airlines are currently testing and evaluating the iPad as well, though we suspect many are looking toward American Airlines as the guinea pigs allowing them to work out all of the bugs and kinks that are inevitable during a large-scale transition such as this.
An engine shut down on a United Airlines jetliner earlier today, forcing it to make an emergency landing in western Colorado with 125 passengers and crew on board.
The Boeing 757 was flying from Denver to Los Angeles when one of its two engines shut down, and the flight was diverted to Grand Junction Regional Airport, typically a landing spot for smaller aircraft. Passenger Jim Schreckengast said ground crews at first had trouble finding stairs high enough to reach the door of the 757. The plane landed safely at about 11:44 a.m., Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said. No injuries were reported. United spokesman Charlie Hobart said he didn't know the nature of the problem, or whether the crew shut down the engine or it stopped on its own.
Amy Jordan, deputy director at Grand Junction airport, news officials that "the engine had problems shortly after takeoff. "Schreckengast, of Fort Collins, Colo., told The Associated Press that the pilot announced over the public address speakers that the engine had lost oil volume. Schreckengast said passengers remained calm and no one appeared to be afraid. "There was some applause when we landed," he said. "I think the crew handled it very well." United Airlines sent another plane from Denver to pick up the passengers in Grand Junction and take them on to Los Angeles.
On 24 November 2001, Crossair Flight LX 3597 crashed into a hill after aborting their landing into Zurich. 28 passengers and 5 crew members were aboard, but only 9 survived. The cause was the pilot descending below the minimum safe altitude for the approach.
Nissans Marketing team released this ad just a few weeks ago for their new 2012 Nissan Frontier. We find it quite hilarious and creative. Unfortunately because of safety regulations, the world may never see an attempt to bust this myth on an episode of MythBusters, or will we.
With its brand new fuselage cross section, the A350 XWB provides passengers with superior comfort in all classes. The combination of cabin spaciousness, wide seats, and innovative moodlighting creates a unique feeling of well-being and ensures that all passengers arrive refreshed and relaxed.
Passenger experience is further enhanced by the next generation HD in-flight entertainment, wireless internet and Smartphone connectivity available on the A350 XWB.
How long before an electric Cessna 172 is available for flight training? That is the question, and the wait isnt as long as we think..
Cessna Aircraft, ever the leader in general aviation innovation is working with Bye Energy to design a proof-of-concept Cessna 172 aircraft powered by an electric powerplant. You may wonder if this is a serious effort, or some strange turn has been taken at Cessna.
Well, consider this: Another aviation pioneer Burt Rutan and dreamer addressed the World Electric Symposium at the Experimental Aircraft Association museum during last years AirVenture 2010 where he speculated about the possibilities of self-launching electric sailplanes, and conventional aircraft with backup electrical propulsion systems to amazing electrical powered aerobatic airplanes.
If Burt Rutan is dreaming of these things, who amongst us can question that these ideas are part of the future of aviation. And, why not! Aviation has always been a leader in technological advancements, ever since that fateful day in December when the Wright Brothers flew the world’s first heavier-than-air powered aircraft carrying man, the Wright Flyer.
Throughout the years incredible advances in technology have improved the lives of humans, and when the space age dawned those advance accelerated producing many of the things we take for granted as every day things today: computers, microwave ovens, cell phones and more.
Imagine an aircraft with an electrical emergency power plant which could provide just enough energy to an approach or go-around if the primary engine were to fail.
And Cessna has delivered over 43,000 Cessna 172s, the aircraft I learned to fly in. Bye Energy envisions an APU (auxiliary power unit) fueled by jet fuel driving an electric motor which powers the electric Skyhawk. George Bye, chairman, president and CEO of Bye Energy, explained the future of the electric aircraft in more detail. He noted the rapid progress of the project, moving from early concept to power-up during 2010. Taxi tests were said to be the next step for the Electric Cessna 172 Skyhawk, but things have been quiet so far in 2011. There's no question it will be a few more years before electric aircraft become a common site at small general aviation airports
What do you think about electrically powered aircraft?
A Red Arrows jet with its cockpit covered at RAF Scampton. Photograph: Rui Vieira/PA
Ambulance crews were called to the scene at RAF Scampton shortly after 11am this morning, after an incident involving one of the squadron's Hawk jets.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the aircraft was not airborne at the time although reports suggested the accident was “serious”.
The pilot was taken to Lincoln County Hospital.
An MoD spokesman said: "I can confirm there has been an incident at RAF Scampton. The RAF are investigating and will provide more details when they are available."
He later confirmed that the pilot had died from multiple injuries sustained during the accident, thought to have involved his being ejected from the cockpit while his jet was still on the ground, before his parachute failed to deploy.
A jet with a smashed front canopy could be seen on the tarmac outside the RAF hangar at the base, it was claimed.
The incident followed the death of Red Arrows pilot Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging, 33, who was killed in an air show crash near Bournemouth Airport in Dorset in August.
Flt Lt Egging's wife, Dr Emma Egging, watched her husband perform with the Red Arrows just minutes before the accident.
Eyewitnesses described seeing the aircraft flying low before smashing into a field and coming to a standstill with its nose in the River Stour near the village of Throop.
The RAF temporarily halted flying of all 126 of its Hawk T1 training jets while preliminary investigations were carried out into the cause of the tragedy.
Hundreds of RAF servicemen and women joined Flt Lt Egging's family and friends at a packed memorial service for the popular pilot in Lincoln Cathedral last week.
The Red Arrows have used the dual control BAE Systems Hawk T1, which has a top speed of Mach 1.2, since 1979.
Hawk T1s are also used for training fast-jet pilots at RAF Valley in Anglesey, North Wales, and RAF Leeming, near Northallerton, North Yorkshire.
The Red Arrows completed their final display of the season in September and are currently carrying out their winter training at RAF Scampton, during which each pilot flies three times a day, five days a week, beginning with small formations of three or four aircraft.
Every sortie is filmed from the ground and discussed in great detail once the pilots are back on the ground.
The Red Bull Air race is starting to show signs of a return to the international stage. Officials of the Red Bull Air Race met with the Tourism Minister of India last week to make a presentation on the race being held in Mumbai to boost the country 's tourism sector. The delegation, which also included the organisers Red Bull, explained in detail about the race to the Mayor of Mumbai.
The races are planned in ten cities across the world with Mumbai on the list. As many as 24 pilots will participate in the races in ten cities around the world.
Swissair Flight 111, a codeshare flight with Delta Airlines which crashed into the Atlantic and disintegrated just short of its intended destination, Halifax International Airport.
The Boeing 767-300 with 220 passengers aboard touching down with no
landing gear as emergency crews await
The LOT Airlines plane was carrying 230 people when it was forced to make a crash landing in Warsaw after an electrical failure meant the landing gear could not be deployed, TVN24 reported.
Video footage showed the plane touching down without landing gear. It slid along the runway on its belly before grinding to a halt. Emergency services rushed to put out a small fire, the report said. The plane circled over the airport in the Polish capital for more than an hour but could not get the landing gear to work due to the fault. The pilot then dumped fuel before warning passengers to prepare for an emergency landing. Passengers have spoken of their relief after the landing. "I was praying for the pilot not to lose control because we started to make circles over the airport. It was terrible," passenger Teresa Kowalik told the Daily Mail. Another passenger Joanna Dabrowska, 29 revealed how some of the passengers apparently feared the worst. "People were saying their final farewells to each other and some were sobbing," she said.
All aircraft due to land were diverted to other airports, and emergency vehicles prepared for the landing. Some roads around the airport were closed. The Boeing 767-300 with 220 passengers aboard travelling from Newark (in the United States) made a successful emergency landing after its landing gear failed to deploy. The plane landed safely on its belly on the runway which had been sprayed with special fire retardant substances to prevent sparks on touchdown. All the passengers disembarked, no one was injured," Chorzewski added. After the plane stopped, passengers exited the plane using inflatable emergency slides to the runway where emergency crews were waiting for them. Poland's President Bronislaw Komorowski thanked the crew, particularly the pilot, for the safe landing and hailed passengers for their "efficient co-operation at a very difficult moment". The pilot, identified as Tadeusz Wrona, had 20 years of flight experience on Boeings in addition to his background as a flight planner. "He managed the landing perfectly," LOT chairman Marcin Pirog said. Wrona circled the aircraft near Warsaw for more than an hour, to burn off excess fuel stocks before the landing. Two Polish F-16 military fighter jets escorted the plane in line with routine procedures, an air force spokesperson told the Polish PAP news agency. Warsaw airport has suspended all flights until Wednesday morning in connection with the incident. An Iran Air Boeing 727 arriving from Moscow made a similar emergency landing on October 18 in Tehran after a landing gear failure. None of the 116 passengers were hurt.
In what is being hailed as a "miraculous" landing, an experienced pilot successfully landed a Boeing 727 aircraft with 113 people on board after the landing gear in the nose jammed on approach. The crew did not receive a down and locked indication for the nose gear and aborted the approach. Following unsuccessful troubleshooting the crew decided to divert to Tehran's Mehrabad Airport where a low approach confirmed the nose gear was not extended.
Pilot Hooshang Shahbazi managed to keep the nose of the plane tilted upwards as it cruised down the runway before gently setting it down once the plane had lost enough speed, ultimately saving the 94 passengers and 19 crew members on board the flight that originated from Moscow. However, instead of accolades from his superiors, Tehranian officials grounded him for two months pending an investigation.
Authorities, wary of drawing attention to the condition of their aging fleet, have allegedly tried to keep the incident under the radar to avoid international scrutiny despite the heroic outcome. The decision to ground the pilot is clearly not properly justified.
Boeing has unveiled the new 737 MAX, a new engine variant of the market-leading 737. Powered by CFM-International LEAP 1-B engines . The 737 MAX will offer max efficiency, max reliability, max passenger appeal, strengthening its position as world's most popular single aisle airplane.
ABC’s high-flying period piece debuted early September 2011. Lots of mixed reviews so far, overall it’s a show that many will enjoy. But does Pan Am capture the glamor and romance of jet age travel, or simply imitate the success of a certain other 60′s shows?
Pan Amfollows the lives of four stewardesses (not flight attendants) and one pilot, all crewing a brand new jetliner in 1963. Pan American is the biggest airline in the United States, the pilots are gods among men and the stewardesses are icons of freedom and grace. Behind the veil of marketing, the women are subjected to supermodel standards of beauty, which combine with a difficult and nerve-wracking career to set them all on edge. In reality, the pilots… are basically extremely well-trained playboys.
The government is trying to modernize the nation's air traffic control system, but cost overruns, software problems and management concerns are making some wonder whether the so-called "Next Generation" system may take another generation to complete.
FAA Video of the NexGen Air Traffic System
The radar screens in the nation's aircraft control towers are based on technology dating to World War II. Many of the routes airliners fly were laid out at a time pilots followed bonfires for navigation at night.
"You will appreciate the increased safety, environmental benefits and reduced delays as the Next Generation Air Transportation System is adopted," the video says.
What sounds so whizzbang in the video isn't really all that different from the satellite-based GPS navigation systems many Americans have in their cars, but adopting that technology to the airline industry has been a challenge.
The Transportation Department's inspector general reported that one of the key software components of the system is running more than $300 million over budget and might not be fully phased in for another five years.
Airlines, too, have been investing in elements of the new system. One, in particular, would enable aircraft to land in a more efficient, fuel-saving manner — better than the way planes land now.
"You can actually feel it, where a plane will lose altitude and it will drop, say 5,000 feet, and then it will stay steady for a while at the same altitude and then it will drop again," says Steve Lott with the Air Transport Association, the airline industry lobbying group. "It's this stepped landing approach that is not particularly efficient, and using satellite technology, we can have a smoother landing."
Lott says the airline industry wants the FAA to allow more use of the advanced navigation procedure, for which many aircraft are now equipped. The deputy administrator of the FAA, Michael Huerta, told a congressional panel recently the agency is working on making that happen.
"In the year ahead, what we really want to do is focus on how can we improve the quality of these procedures, and how can we see the very real benefits associated with reduced fuel consumption, reduced time and corresponding environmental benefits as well," he says.
But Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says until Congress approves a long-term bill for the FAA, the NextGen program will remain in a holding pattern.
"We're stuck in mid-air because of the fact that Congress won't pass an FAA bill. As soon as they pass a bill, we've got a big, bold vision for Next Generation technology," he says.
The government's share of the NextGen program is estimated to be more than $20 billion. That's another big concern of its supporters — coming up with that cash at the same time the government is desperately looking for ways to cut spending.
The EuroProp International TP400-D6 is the all-new powerplant for the Airbus Military A400M, when it enters service it will be the most powerful turboprop in the Western world.(approx.11,000 brake horse power.) This video made at Istres, France shows the engine at a test run.
In 2006 Snecma launched a technology validation program to pave the way for a new generation of business jet engines, Silvercrest, intended for mid- and high-end bizjets. Building on the excellent results of initial core testing, Snecma continues to develop this engine, rated at 9,500 to 12,000 lb of thrust, by working closely with aircraft manufacturers to gear up for the next generation of large, long-range business jets.
Aloha Airlines Flight 243 is en route from Hilo to Honolulu in Hawaii with 95 passengers and crew. Fuselage skin lap joints, badly damaged by corrosion resulting from a fault at manufacture, and by metal fatigue, give way and a section of the roof between the cockpit and the leading edges of the wings is torn off. The aircraft manages an emergency landing at Kahului, Maui. A flight attendant blown out of the cabin is the only fatality. Hanging By A Thread Part 1
