All Ops & safety articles – Page 35
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NewsLondon Heathrow operations trimmed to limit disturbance during Queen’s funeral
Flight operations at London Heathrow are being cut back to avoid noise disruption during the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. The airport’s operator says operations on the day, 19 September, will be “subject to appropriate changes” to prevent disturbance. According to a NOTAM, a demand-and-capacity balancing is being implemented ...
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NewsFAA and EASA approve Gulfstream’s G500/G600 software fix
The fix addresses a problem that has prevented G500s and G600s from landing if wind gusts exceed 5kt.
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NewsA350-1000 software update follows analysis of rudder oscillatory-failure risk
Airbus A350-1000 operators are set to be told to install updated flight-control and avionics software to reduce risk associated with oscillatory failure cases affecting the rudder. Oscillatory failure cases result from malfunctions in servo systems coupled to flight-control surfaces. The situation triggers control-surface oscillations which can then lead to excessive ...
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NewsEASA examines system to maintain flight-guidance while airspeed unreliable
European safety regulators have been assessing a request to implement a system on a large aircraft which will maintain flight-guidance functions despite the unavailability of reliable airspeed data. Unreliable airspeed typically results in the disconnection of the autopilot, autothrust and flight-directors. The system under consideration will have three operating modes, ...
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News‘Inappropriate’ autobrake use led to China Eastern A321 runway excursion in Hong Kong
Hong Kong investigators have found that the “inappropriate” use of autobrake mode of a China Eastern Airlines Airbus A321 - coupled with inclement weather - led to the aircraft veering off the runway after landing.
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NewsAn-24 wing-strike probe warns over pressing approaches in poor weather
Russian investigators have established that an Antonov An-24B which landed at Ust-Kut with a damaged wing had been attempting a non-precision approach in poor weather before sustaining a serious left-hand wing-strike. The Angara Airlines aircraft (RA-47848) had been conducting a second approach to runway 30, following a go-around initiated by ...
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NewsQatar on verge of opening its own airspace
Operational processes for establishing a separate Qatari airspace are set to commence after the signing of a multinational agreement between the emirate and several Gulf states. The Qatari civil aviation authority has signed the pact with representatives of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. It says the activation ...
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NewsGuinean authority confirms two fatalities after TAP Airbus hits motorcycle at Conakry
Guinea’s government has confirmed two fatalities after a motorcycle was hit by a TAP Air Portugal aircraft as it landed at Conakry, the West African state’s capital airport. According to the Guinean civil aviation authority, the accident occurred on 2 September at around 23:40. The aircraft – an Airbus A320neo ...
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NewsRadio-silent Citation II crashes in Baltic Sea after flying far beyond destination
Latvian authorities have confirmed that a Cessna Citation II crashed off the country’s coast after continuing to fly out-of-contact for some 2h beyond its destination. The country’s civil aviation agency says the aircraft was originally planned to operate from Spain to Cologne but “changed its flight route” while airborne. “Air ...
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NewsTrent 1000 engine-control update to counter 787 fuel-ice risk
Boeing and Rolls-Royce are updating Trent 1000 electronic engine-control software to reduce the risk of loose ice blocking fuel lines on Boeing 787 twinjets. Rolls-Royce analysis has determined that there is a possibility of ice build-up in the engine fuel-feed system which, if released, could constrict the flow of fuel ...
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NewsTwin Otter on approach conflicted with opposite-direction departure at PNG airport
Investigators in Papua New Guinea are probing a serious incident in which an aircraft departing Kagamuga airport near Mount Hagen came into conflict with a flight on approach to the same runway from the opposite direction. Kagamuga airport is some 500km north-west of the capital, Port Moresby, and has a ...
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NewsPilots' failures and fatigue caused 2019 Convair 440 crash in Ohio: NTSB
The September 2019 stall and crash of a Convair 440 cargo aircraft near Toledo resulted from oversight by the aircraft’s two fatigued pilots.
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NewsEASA backs postponement of distress-tracking installation deadline
European safety regulators are backing a postponement of requirements for aircraft to carry equipment to transmit position information autonomously if the flight is in distress, citing the impact of the pandemic on deliveries. Under ICAO standards this equipment – known as an emergency locator transmitter and distress tracker – will ...
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NewsWake and tailwind led to Beech 18 wing-strike and excursion at air show
French investigators believe the pilot of a vintage Beech 18S lost control during a take-off in tailwinds, exacerbated by wake turbulence from a formation of other aircraft departing the same runway. The Beech, built in 1958, was participating in the Air Legends air show at Melun on 11 September last ...
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NewsWrong head-up display mode cited after CRJ700 strayed over parallel runway in fog
French investigators suspect a head-up guidance mode discrepancy following an incident in which a Hop Bombardier CRJ700 deviated from flightpath, and overflew Lyon airport at low level, while conducting a Category IIIa landing. The aircraft had descended from 3,000ft towards runway 35R, in darkness and freezing fog on 23 January ...
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NewsWizz Air sets up new committee to assist with safety compliance oversight
Budget carrier Wizz Air is setting up a new internal committee intended to support oversight of practices and performance relating to safety and security. The airline says the new safety, security and operational compliance committee will be chaired by Charlotte Pedersen. Pedersen, a non-executive director who has been on the ...
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NewsHalf of Boeing self-certification staff see improvement on improper company interference
Employees within Boeing’s self-certification division are split nearly evenly on whether the company has made progress in addressing the problem of improper interference into certification matters.
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NewsCrew of fuel-leak A330 did not shut down engine before suboptimal diversion
French investigators have found that an Air France Airbus A330-200 crew did not follow standard procedures for a fuel leak, choosing not to shut down the affected engine before diverting to an airport with a shortened runway and suboptimal weather conditions. The aircraft had departed Brazzaville for Paris Charles de ...
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NewsBrussels Airlines studies options for expansion as it reinforces winter staffing
Brussels Airlines is analysing a number of development paths to expand its fleet and staff base, as passenger demand returns and it looks to capitalise on its restructuring initiative. The carrier has been implementing a restructuring programme, known as ‘Reboot Plus’ and says it has achieved a “very strong and ...
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NewsCargojet 767 freighter dodged glider on approach to Hamilton
Canadian investigators have disclosed that a Boeing 767-300ER freighter took evasive action to avoid a glider during its approach to Hamilton. The incident occurred on 12 August, says a bulletin from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. It states that the Cargojet aircraft had been operating from Vancouver and was ...