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Aviation History
1985
1985 - 2476.PDF
WORLD NEWS "No evidence of corrosion" says Boeing TOKYO Parts of the rear pressure- dome bulkhead found at the JAL 747 crash site "show no evidence of corrosion", according to Boeing. The manufacturer has been responding to reports that corrosion may have caused a rupture of the bulkhead, caus ing compressed air to enter the fin and burst it (see pages 4 and 5). Hiroaki Kohno, JAL's gen eral manager maintenance planning, has calculated that the pressure of cabin air escaping into the fin could blow the leading edge off the front spar web. The section of fin which was blown off and recovered from the sea is reported to include parts of the spar itself, indicating the possibility of a force greater than escaping cabin air. Kohno wonders whether air turbulence could have con tributed to the failure. Limited release of cockpit voice recorder playback indi cates that the crew reported loss of hydraulic pressure and control problems. Capt Mas- ami Takahama is said by JAL to have been familiar with engine-only pitch control of the 747. An experienced 747 pilot tells Flight that such control is limited, more so than on a trijet (an American Airlines DC-10 captain main tained pitch control using the centre engine). It is unlikely that Capt Takahama would have made a Vm„ emergency descent, given his suspicion of a structural problem. Airworthiness and airline engineers familiar with 747 design tell Flight that sever ance of the rudder hydraulic lines could cause a gradual loss of hydraulic pressure in the elevator lines. All hydrau lic lines to the tail pass together through the lower pressure-dome bulkhead. Repairs to JA8119 by Boe ing after the tail-scrape land ing in 1978 included replace ment of the lower half of the pressure dome. The tailplane was replaced but not, Boeing confirms the vertical stabi liser. Investigators examine a 65lb piece of ducting from the auxiliary power unit of the JAL 747SR. The ducting was recovered from Sagami Bay, south of Tokyo, some 95 miles from the crash site Spain nears EFA decision MADRID After two days of talks between France and Spain the two countries have reportedly reached a deadlock over the European Fighter Aircraft (see story, page 9). As we go to press the Span ish Government says that a promised communique will not now be released, but Flight understands that Spain is likely to join Britain, Italy, and West Germany in EFA, and has asked France to change tack and join the project. France is understood to have refused. TWA battle rages WASHINGTON D.C. ~ Texas Air is mounting a last- ditch effort to defeat New York financier Carl Icahn's effort to take control of TWA. Despite criticism from pilots, mechanics, and other TWA employees, as well as from some stockholders, the air line's management seems anxious to help Texas Air in its efforts to frustrate Icahn. One scheme under consid eration involves issuing addi tional shares in TWA, in the hope that the shares can be issued faster than Icahn can buy them. Another involves selling off TWA's trans atlantic routes in the belief that, without the overseas routes, Icahn will not want the airline. Texas Air has also upped its offer to $26 a share. Icahn's latest offer was $24 a share in cash and stock, up from his early bid of $18 per share. But in a letter late last week Icahn warned the TWA board that his offer would be withdrawn if Texas Air was given options to buy TWA assets. FAA calls safety meeting WASHINGTON D.C. ~ The US Federal Aviation Administration, still smarting over criticism of its decision to allow overwing exits on Boe ing 747s to be sealed off so that airlines can put more seats in, has called a public conference on emergency evacuation of aircraft. The conference is scheduled to be held on September 3-6 at the Seattle Sheraton Hotel, Washington. Registration will begin at 1300hr, and the con ference could be extended to as late as September 7 if attendance and discussion requires it. Twin Otter cracks found OTTAWA ~ Wing cracks on ten out of 12 de Havilland Twin Otters operated by Norwegian air line Wideroe Flyveselskap prompted Transport Canada " to issue an airworthiness directive to all 265 Twin Otter operators, civil and military, early last week. Pilgrim Air lines of the USA had also reported the same condition. The two airlines had dis covered cracks on the frpnt wing attachment adaptors installed on the Twin Otter's •> wing root ribs. They grounded the affected aircraft and immediately set about repair.' The bulletin, ADCF85-12, requests all operators tOs remove the wing root fairings and inspect the wing front attachment adaptors. Puma/757 incident "a non-event" LONDON The Royal Air Force says that an alleged airmiss between an RAF Puma and a British Air-> ways 757 was a non-event as far as the Service is con cerned. The Odiham-based Puma was taking Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to Heath row's south side, where she was to board an RAF VC10 for a trip to the USA. The Puma was cleared to cross the active runways at 800ft heading north to south. As its approached the take-off run way at 800ft, the tower cleared the BA 757 for take off, and' then rescinded the clearance. The BA 757 aborted the take off well before Vi was attained, and taxiied back in for a brake inspection and fuel* top-off. The RAF says: "there was^ no conflict at all, the Puma was where he was supposed to be, as was the 757. There r appears to have been some confusion in the tower, which k gave the 757 clearance to take off then rescinded the clear ance. We are not aware that/ the Puma, or the 757, did any thing wrong. As far as we are concerned there was no '* incident". 2 FLIGHT International, 24 August 198&
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