All Ops & safety articles – Page 18
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NewsFirst Russian-built collision-avoidance system to be fitted on Superjet
Russian avionics specialist Navigator is aiming to deliver the country’s first domestically-built collision-avoidance system later this year. Navigator says the system – known as SPSV – has passed the third of four certification stages for aviation equipment under Russian standards. The fourth stage will finalise the process and confirm that ...
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NewsShimmy dampers examined after Red Air MD-82 gear collapse
US investigators have been scrutinising shimmy damper mechanisms from a Red Air Boeing MD-82 which suffered a main landing-gear collapse and runway excursion after touching down at Miami. The aircraft – arriving from Santo Domingo on 21 June last year – touched down on runway 09 but, some 1,300ft into ...
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NewsSafran chief reveals previous CFM engine issue with contaminated powder metal
Safran chief Olivier Andries has disclosed that its CFM International engine venture experienced its own issue with powder metal contamination two years ago. Andries mentioned the situation during a half-year briefing on 27 July, days after rival Pratt & Whitney’s parent company revealed a powder metal contamination problem affecting in-service ...
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NewsITA and MedSky A320 flights mark reinstatement of Italy-Libya air links
Italian and Libyan carriers have conducted services between their countries’ respective capitals, to mark a reinstatement of air links absent for a decade. ITA Airways operated the Rome Fiumicino-Tripoli route with an Airbus A320 on 24 July, while Libya’s MedSky Airways carried out a reciprocal service on the same day, ...
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NewsTurbulence during cruise jolts Jazz Dash 8 pilots from seats
Canadian investigators have disclosed that both pilots of a De Havilland Dash 8-400 were jolted from their seats during a severe turbulence incident en route to Windsor. The incident involved an Air Canada Express service – operated by Jazz, with 50 passengers and four crew members – from Toronto on ...
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NewsHong Kong probes Cathay 777 aborted take-off, landing gear fire
Hong Kong authorities have opened an investigation into an aborted take-off involving a Cathay Pacific Boeing 777-300ER, which subsequently led to a fire in the aircraft’s main landing gear.
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NewsRussia arrests intelligence officer convicted in MH17 downing
Igor Girkin, a former military commander convicted of involvement in the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight 17, was arrested in Moscow on 21 July – but not for his role in the deaths of 298 air travelers.
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NewsNigeria’s Max Air and fuel supplier clash over contamination allegations
Nigerian operator Max Air is claiming it was supplied with contaminated fuel before the suspension of its Boeing 737 operations, a claim which fuel provider Octavus is firmly denying. Max Air says it conducted an internal investigation which revealed the carrier was supplied with “adulterated fuel”, prompting an in-house audit. ...
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NewsInfluential US senator proposes adding more requirements to pilot training rule
The US Congress’ tussle over the 1,500h pilot-training rule took an interesting turn on 18 July when a senator proposed requiring that new airline pilots have hundreds of hours in specific aircraft classes and in specific flying conditions.
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NewsCatania airport faces traffic constraints after terminal fire
Operations at Catania airport are likely to be constrained for several days after a fire at Terminal A forced a reduction in services. Terminal A is likely to remain closed for another five days, following the fire on the evening of 16 July, according to Italian civil aviation regulator ENAC. ...
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NewsIATA slams North American air traffic control chaos
The International Air Transport Association has slammed North American aviation regulators for dragging their feet on increasing staffing at air traffic control centres.
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NewsLondon Heathrow to replace and enhance virtual back-up control tower
London Heathrow is to establish a new back-up control tower which will become operational in 2025, and replace an older facility. The airport already has an off-site virtual tower back-up – implemented in 2009 – which serves to recreate the hub’s main control tower, and provide operations up to 70% ...
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NewsLoose pin caused 767 gear-up landing in 2020
Failure of hardware inside a FedEx Boeing 767-300ER Freighter’s left-side main landing gear prevented the gear from extending during an August 2020 flight, leading to a gear-up landing at Los Angeles.
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NewsChinese Y-12F commuter turboprop secures European certification
Chinese manufacturer Harbin Aircraft’s Y-12F commuter transport has secured European certification, seven years after obtaining US approval. The Y-12F is a 19-seat high-wing twin-turboprop, a development of the Y-12 which first flew over four decades ago – although the latest variant differs substantially from the original. It is powered by ...
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NewsUnited Airlines Boeing 767 loses evacuation slide prior to landing in Chicago
A United Airlines flight arriving from Zurich apparently lost an inflatable emergency evacuation slide pack just before landing at Chicago’s O’Hare International airport.
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NewsNigerian regulator urges tighter refuelling procedures after water-contamination incidents
Nigerian regulators are urging tighter adherence to refuelling procedures, over concerns centred on water contamination incidents. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority states that it has been receiving mandatory occurrence reports from carriers relating to water being found in fuel tanks. These include a “recent” event in which a “significant amount” ...
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NewsCleared-to-land Ryanair 737 crew warned tower about occupied Porto runway
Portuguese investigators have disclosed that a Ryanair Boeing 737-800 crew on approach to Porto warned air traffic control that the runway was still occupied despite having received landing clearance. The incident on 26 June occurred after an Azores Airlines Airbus A321neo was authorised to line up, behind landing traffic on ...
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NewsNigeria’s Max Air forced to suspend 737 operations pending safety audit
Nigerian authorities have suspended the Boeing 737 operations of Max Air over safety concerns with the carrier. The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority says the suspension takes “immediate effect”. Max Air’s fleet includes six 737s – a mix of -300s and -400s – alongside Boeing 747-400s and a 777-200, according to ...
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NewsEASA highlights importance of operator data to check crew response assumptions
Europe’s safety regulator is stressing the need to strengthen operators’ systematic reporting to aircraft manufacturers, or other design approval holders, regarding occurrences involving human intervention. Airframers make assumptions about expected crew behaviour in order to demonstrate compliance with certification criteria, says the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. But in order ...
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NewsThunderstorms and heavy rain present during LATAM A321 excursion in Brazil
Brazilian investigators are probing a runway excursion involving a LATAM Airlines Airbus A321 during landing at Florianopolis on 12 July. The aircraft, operated by LATAM’s Brazilian division, had been conducting the LA3300 service from Sao Paulo but suffered a “lateral deviation” after landing on runway 32, according to the airline. ...