Plane crash attributed to escaped crocodile on board: True or not?

by B. N. Sullivan

According to a story that has popped up on several news Web sites, a crocodile may have been instrumental in causing the fatal crash of a Let L-410 turboprop aircraft earlier this year.  The gist of the story is as follows:

• a passenger smuggled a crocodile on board in hand baggage
• the crocodile escaped from the bag as the aircraft was descending
• frightened at the sight of the reptile, the flight attendant and passengers rushed forward
• this altered the aircraft's center of gravity
• the crew lost control of the aircraft and it crashed

To be candid, I have some doubts about the veracity of these reports -- but then again, while the tale about the crocodile's role in the disaster seems far-fetched, I suppose it is not impossible.

What is certain is that the aircraft, operated by Filair, went down near Bandundu, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on August 25, 2010, killing 19 people, including the crew.  There was one survivor.  Some time later he, too, was reported to have died of his injuries, but not before he was able to give a statement about the accident to investigating authorities.

Within days of the accident, the Aviation Herald reported this account:

On Aug 27th Filair said the only survivor of the crash was able to provide testimony to investigators.  According to this statement the crew had been told to land on a "reserve strip" alongside the main runway.  The passengers noticed that the airplane was not heading for the runway 11/29 (1380 meters/4530 feet long) and began shouting, then rushed to the cockpit unbalancing the aircraft to a point, where control was lost.  Fuel exhaustion was not the problem, 150 liters of fuel were recovered from the wreckage.  The black boxes were recovered from the wreckage by the Civil Aviation Authority and are being analysed.

No mention of crocodiles at that time.

Here are links to two of the news stories featuring the crocodile version on Telegraph.co.uk and News.com.au.

So, what do you think?  Does the crocodile story sound plausible?  Or do you think this is a rumor turned legend-in-the-making?

[Image Source]

RELATED:  Fatal crash of Filair Let L-410 at Bandundu, DR Congo

Take your kid to work day -- on a live radio at an ATC tower??

by B. N. Sullivan

I'm not big on writing about scandals, but this item really bothers me. Boston's Fox 25 ran an article today about a child communicating instructions to aircraft over an air traffic control frequency at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Think I'm joking? Check out this audio clip:

Yes, it's authentic. Fox 25 reports:

The FAA is certainly taking the matter seriously.

They have confirmed for FOX 25 that the recording we have with a child directing airplanes is an authentic recording from the JFK tower and an investigation is now underway.

The Fox 25 piece points out that the child appears to be supervised (!!) and that "the pilots respond enthusiastically" to him. Indeed, the kid does sound cute and precocious, but it's just not funny.

At one point in the audio, an adult voice is heard to say, "That's what you get guys when the kids are out of school. (laugh)"

Um, no. Just because the pilots on the other side of the conversation were good-natured about it doesn't make it right.

Fox 25 published this statement from the FAA:

Pending the outcome of our investigation, the employees involved in this incident are not controlling air traffic. This behavior is not acceptable and does not demonstrate the kind of professionalism expected from all FAA employees.

And this one from 'the union that represents air traffic controllers' [presumably NATCA]:

We do not condone this type of behavior in any way, and it is not indicative of the highest professional standards that controllers set for themselves and exceed each and every day in the advancement of aviation safety.

Taking your kid to work is one thing. Letting your kid pose as an air traffic controller, even briefly, is quite another. I have a feeling that we may be hearing a lot more more about this incident.

UPDATE Mar. 3, 2010: The FAA addressed this incident this morning with the following statement, issued as a press release:

The Federal Aviation Administration announced today that two employees at John F. Kennedy Airport Tower are on administrative leave following an incident last month when a child was permitted to talk with pilots on an air traffic control frequency.

“This lapse in judgment not only violated FAA’s own policies, but common sense standards for professional conduct. These kinds of distractions are totally unacceptable,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “We have an incredible team of professionals who safely control our nation’s skies every single day. This kind of behavior does not reflect the true caliber of our workforce.”

The two JFK Tower employees, a supervisor and an air traffic controller, are on administrative leave pending the outcome of an official FAA investigation into the incident which is already underway.

In addition, all unofficial visits to FAA air traffic control operational areas, such as towers and radar rooms, will be suspended during the investigation. The FAA Administrator has directed a team to conduct a full-scale review of air traffic control policies and procedures related to facility visitors.

US Airways Flight 1549 anniversary - All's well that ends well

by B. N. Sullivan

Time sure flies: today was the one-year anniversary of the ditching of a US Airways A320 in the Hudson River. To mark the occasion, the crew and passengers of US Airways Flight 1549 had a reunion in New York, and even took a boat ride together on the Hudson to the place where the disabled aircraft touched down on January 15, 2009.

Around the same time a Piper PA-18 towing a banner appeared on the scene. According to several news reports, the banner-tow was intended to commemorate the first anniversary of what some pundits have called the 'splash landing' in the Hudson a year ago. Unfortunately the Piper experienced a mechanical problem and ended up making a forced landing in the Fresh Kills landfill on Staten Island. The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot was unharmed, but now that event is being referred to in some media reports as a 'trash landing'.

I kid you not! (I couldn't possibly make up something like this...)

You may be wondering what it said on that banner. According to My Fox New York, the banner said, "If you died today would you go to heaven or hell? John 14:6."

I promise, I am not making this up. Really! You can read about it here.

About the only thing I can offer as a comment -- in regard to both the Flight 1549 accident and today's 'trash landing' -- is, "all's well that ends well."

In-flight scuffle: Air India pilots and cabin crew 'get physical' at FL300

by B. N. Sullivan

This isn't the kind of story I usually write about here on Aircrew Buzz. Fortunately.

News media in India are reporting on a rather sensational story about a fight among several crew members during an Air India/Indian Airlines* flight. That's right, an in-flight fight -- an actual physical fight -- as in duking it out!

As best I can figure out from several news stories, the scuffle took place on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009 on board an Airbus A320 while the aircraft was in cruise at 30,000 ft over Pakistan. The incident happened on Indian Airlines Flight IC 884, a scheduled passenger flight from Sharjah to Delhi, with an intermediate stop at Lucknow. Reports say that there were seven crew members and 106 passengers on board the flight. Two crew members -- a pilot and a flight attendant -- were injured. No passengers were involved.

The physical fight is said to have taken place on the Sharjah to Lucknow leg of the trip, although at least one news story mentioned that the disagreement may have begun on the ground before departure from Sharjah. In any case, as The Times of India tells it, "two members of the cabin crew -- one male and one female -- slugged it out with the pilot and co-pilot," adding that they "came to blows in the cockpit and galley."

More from The Times of India:

No party denied that blows and abuses were exchanged as bewildered passengers looked on. Sources said that the female cabin crew member and the co-pilot sustained bruises.

Confirming the in-flight fight, Air India said it had ordered an inquiry and had grounded the staff members involved. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has also ordered a probe.

There were unconfirmed reports that at one stage the cockpit was unmanned, as the crew was busy fighting outside. Things allegedly degenerated to the point where the captain threatened to divert the plane to Karachi, likening the situation, sources said, to a "hijack".

Good grief!

Then we move along to a he said/she said account of what transpired. Cabin crew representatives told The Times that "when the woman crew member went into the cockpit, one of the pilots held her hand and then pushed her out of the cockpit," and that she "hit the cockpit door with such force that she started bleeding." At that point the male purser said he went to the cockpit to ask what was happening, but that the pilots "got abusive and started a fight with him."

In the pilots' version, the female flight attendant made a P.A. announcement that differed from what the captain had instructed her to say, so the pilot "scolded" her and called the purser to the cockpit. The pilots' representative said that the purser "became abusive, and tempers ran high in the cockpit." That's when the commander threatened to divert to Karachi. The source went on to explain that the woman crew member "got bruised when she entered the cockpit."

Yes, apparently she really was bruised, a fact confirmed when she visited a hospital after the flight. The woman also "has pressed charges of assault and sexual harassment against the commander and co-pilot," according to a story about the fracas on the ExpressIndia.com Web site.

ExpressIndia.com published a quote from the female crew member, who said, "The commander tried to physically abuse me. When I resisted, he pushed me outside the cockpit." She claimed she was touched at "inappropriate places."

Joint Commissioner (Operations) Satendra Garg said, "A case has been registered under Sections 354, 323 and 34 of IPC accusing the co-pilot and commander of molestation, passing derogatory remarks outraging modesty, and simple hurt. We have got the medical examination done and will take the version of the accused."

All four crew members have been derostered while an investigation of the incident is being carried out. Both the airline and India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) are looking into the matter.

*Note: Indian Airlines and Air India, India's two state-owned airlines, were merged into one entity in 2007. They operate as Air India, but I am told that certain flights are designated as Indian Airlines flights, and bear the 'IC' flight numbers.

Hijacking drama on Aeroméxico Boeing 737 ends safely in Mexico City

The attempted hijacking earlier today of an Aeroméxico Boeing 737-800 ended safely in Mexico City. The drama began shortly after Aeroméxico Flight AM 576 departed from Cancún en route to Mexico City. The hijackers, who were among the 100-plus passengers on the flight, claimed to have a bomb. News reports say the men threatened to blow up the plane unless they were allowed to speak to Mexico's president, Felipe Caldéron.

The hijackers never gained access to the flight deck. The aircraft continued on to Mexico City, where it landed safely and parked at a remote area of the airport. Passengers were allowed to deplane, although the crew were believed to have been held on board at first. Federal police and soldiers reportedly boarded the plane after the passengers had been released and took a number of men into custody.

There is still some confusion as to the exact number and nationality of purported hijackers -- various news media report as few as three and as many as nine. In any case, no explosive device was found on the aircraft, according to Mexico's Transport Minister Juan Molinar.

UPDATE: According to the Bloomberg news service, there was only one hijacker -- a Bolivian man identified by authorities as identified as Jose Marc Flores Pereira -- who said he was inspired by “divine revelation.” Flores reportedly told Mexican authorities that he "took action because today’s date, Sept. 9, 2009, represented an upside-down 666."

Hmmm.

Bloomberg reports:

Flores threatened the crew from Aeromexico flight 576 with a fake bomb about an hour after takeoff from Cancun, [Public Safety Minister] Garcia Luna said. The pilot informed authorities and later acted as interlocutor between Flores and authorities once the plane landed in Mexico City at about 1:40 p.m. local time

At least six other passengers had been removed from the plane in handcuffs, but police later concluded that they were not involved in the hijacking plot.

Alternative to the crash pad: Crews living in LAX parking lot

by B. N. Sullivan

I have to admit I was taken aback for a moment when I read a story in today's Los Angeles Times about some airline employees -- including pilots, flight attendants and mechanics -- who are living part-time in a parking lot at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Instead of opting for the usual crash pads, about 100 crew members from assorted carriers have chosen to park their RVs in a particular parking lot at LAX to use them as a home away from home.

They have formed something of a crew colony there, and they even have an unofficial 'mayor'. This is not done on the sly, but in a very organized way, sanctioned by the airport authority

According to the L. A. Times article:

For several years, clusters of RVs were scattered around the airport's parking lots until LAX officials decided to consolidate them in Lot B. Now operating as an organized camp overseen by the airport, it has an unofficial mayor, a code of conduct and residency requirements, including background checks, regular vehicle inspections and proof of employment at an air carrier.

"There might be a few other places like this nationally, but I think this is rather unique," said Michael Biagi, who heads the land-use division at Los Angeles World Airports.

Today, the colony has more than 100 residents -- mostly men -- from around the country, including captains, first officers, mechanics, flight attendants, support staff and employees of air cargo companies. There are at least two married couples, who work as flight attendants. About 10 people are on a waiting list.

Apparently the RVs used by these airline employees as parking lot crash pads range from relatively cushy motor homes to bare-bones campers on the backs of pick-up trucks.

This idea is a new one on me, but hey -- whatever works! (I'll give them extra points for being inventive, too.)

Here's a slide show about the LAX parking lot residents. Does anyone know of any similar RV camps near other airports?

[Photo Source]

AirTran pilot's puzzling suspension

Yesterday the AirTran Airways pilots' union issued a press release strongly condemning what they called the "wrongful suspension" of a pilot. The National Pilots Association (NPA), the independent union that represents AirTran pilots, also asked the public "to join them in demanding that [the suspended pilot] be reinstated immediately and paid in full." The suspended pilot's offense? --  appearing in uniform at a circus.

The NPA press release explains:

...[M]anagement's position is that the pilot was in violation of AirTran's flight operations manual and would face possible discipline for wearing his uniform while dropping off his wife and two young children at a circus in Atlanta on February 21, 2009. The NPA sponsored a family day at the circus, and the pilot was on his way to work when he stopped at Philips Arena to help his wife with their kids.

"He was wearing his uniform so that he could get to work on time," said First Officer Tim Baker, spokesman for the NPA. "The circus started at 3 p.m., and he had to be at work at 4:30 p.m. He was leaving on a four day trip and wanted to spend as much time with the kids as possible. He will soon be deployed overseas and is focused on spending time with his family. He only stayed at the circus for a few minutes. The rules even state that he can wear his uniform to and from work."

The press release went on to note that the man who was suspended also is a pilot in the Air Force Reserves, where he has served for thirteen years.

AirTran Airways shot back almost immediately with its own statement to the press:

The suspended pilot wore his uniform to a non-work, NPA union-sponsored event in clear violation of the Flight Operations Manual and the collective bargaining agreement.

This policy has been clearly communicated to the airline's 1,700 pilots and is standard practice throughout the aviation and other industries.

The NPA union leadership had the opportunity to avoid this suspension on several occasions, and they chose not to.

AirTran Airways is dedicated to dealing equitably with all Crew Members, and to exempt pilots from the policy would be unfair to our other hard-working Crew Members.

The airline has no further comment on this issue and will not conduct labor relations through the media.

NPA President Linden Hillman said, "It is intolerable for our pilots to be exposed to this type of intimidation. We have tried to resolve this issue directly with management. However, we continue to find management unreasonable. It would be nice to see management focused on returning to profitability, instead of threatening their hardworking crewmembers. You don't see other airlines treating their employees like this."

I have to admit, this is one of those stories that has me scratching my head. I can't help but think there are a few more pieces to this odd story that have not been revealed publicly.

Who 'told on' the pilot? Did someone take his picture in uniform at the circus (and pass it along to management)? Did he do something at the circus that reflected poorly on his employer?

And what about those "other hard-working Crew Members" mentioned in the airline's press statement? Who are they, and what was it about the pilot's brief appearance at the circus that was "unfair" to them?

Or is this just a power play?  After all, relations between AirTran Airways and its pilots have been anything but harmonious for quite some time.

Since 2004, the pilots have been in contract negotiations with AirTran. Those negotiations have proceeded -- if that is the right word -- in fits and starts and often have been contentious.

Meanwhile, the NPA leadership voted unanimously last month to approve a merger agreement with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). Voting on that measure by the full membership is currently underway, and is due to wind up by April 10. Should the membership approve the deal, the merger with ALPA would go into effect on May 1, 2009.

If the pilots become a part of ALPA, they will be able to draw upon ALPA's considerable resources during the next round of contract negotiations. So I'm wondering: is the suspension of the pilot who stopped by the circus in his uniform simply a move by AirTran to show some muscle?

If any readers would like to fill in the missing details of this story, or opine about the motivations behind this very public snit, you are welcome to leave a comment.

UPDATE Apr. 11, 2009:  AirTran pilots plan to picket on Monday, Apr. 13, 2009 outside the North Terminal of Atlanta’s airport in protest of what it claims is “a pattern of threats and intimidation” by the airline against the pilots, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, which reports:

The union said in a statement its members have been “energized by the recent suspension of one of our pilots” in what the union calls “a blatant attempt” to intimidate the pilots.

And by the way, the AirTran Airways pilots voted 'overwhelmingly' to merge their union with the Air Line Pilots Association.

India's Jet Airways sacks, then reinstates, hundreds of flight attendants

Put this one in the "truth is stranger than fiction" file.

First, India's Jet Airways decided to lay off hundreds of flight attendants, beginning this week, in order to cut costs. The Times of India reported that as many as 850 Jet Airways cabin crew would receive termination letters this week in what would be the largest layoff in the history of Indian aviation. Most of those who were to be let go have been working for the airline for less than a year and a half. An article on another news website, IndianExpress.com, said that the number of layoffs would be 600.

In addition, it was rumored that the round of terminations might  not be the end of the crew cutbacks at Jet Airways. The Times of India quoted an unnamed airline official who said, "The rumour doing the rounds here is that more cabin crew lay-offs are on their way. Even the people who de-rostered the crew today fear that they may soon be at the receiving end themselves."

The layoffs were announced with little advance warning to the flight attendants. From The Times of India:

The retrenched crew are said to have taken it very hard, particularly since they were given a verbal job assurance as recently as two months ago by the top management. Chief commercial officer Sudhir Raghavan in one of his weekly Friday interactions with the cabin crew had said that their jobs were insulated. "Irrespective of whatever cost cuts we make, Mr Goyal has told me not to touch the cabin crew, he had said," a crew member recalled Raghavan saying. "So no one pressed the panic button when Goyal and Mallya made the tie-up announcement," he adds.

"It's not just the junior staff, even experienced personnel like the crew and ground staff at Jet's San Francisco base will be laid off once the airline calls off its flights in January," the source said.

Jet Airways announced in a press release earlier this month that the Mumbai-Shanghai-San Francisco route will be discontinued effective January 13, 2009.

But now, in what has been described as a stunning reversal, Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal has announced the reinstatement of all employees sacked earlier this week, and has asked them to return to work tomorrow. According to The Times of India, Goyal claimed the airline's management had taken the decision to lay off hundreds of employees on the basis of economic conditions in the industry. He claimed he didn’t even know the number of employees who had been sacked.

From an article in The Times of India:

Apologizing for "the agony" that the staffers must have undergone, [Goyal] said, "The management might not like my decision but sometimes there are disagreements within the family and as the head of the family, I am taking this decision."

I'm glad to learn that the cabin crew and other employees who were dismissed without warning may not have lost their jobs after all, but something tells me that this drama may have more chapters to follow.


[Photo Source]

Sterling Airlines Boeing 737 ends up on its tail at Málaga

A strange incident in Spain turned a Boeing 737 aircraft into a tail dragger several days ago. The aircraft, operated by Copenhagen-based Sterling Airlines A/S, ended up perched on its tail on the ramp at Málaga, Spain after an unusual encounter with a jetbridge. The incident occurred on July 20, 2008, shortly after the aircraft arrived at Málaga. Details of exactly what happened are sketchy, but several news reports, including one on the Spanish language website 20minutos.es, say that after the jetbridge was attached to the aircraft at the gate, it somehow managed to lift the forward section of the aircraft completely off the ground, leaving it balanced on its tail. No one was injured, and passengers deplaned through an aft door. An investigation is underway to determine if the cause was human error or some mechanical fault.

Here is a YouTube video showing the precariously perched B737 on the ramp at Málaga:



(If the video does not play or display properly above, click here to view it on YouTube.)

NTSB photos and update on the incident involving Sen. Obama's plane

Yesterday, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued an advisory with updated information about the incident in which a chartered plane carrying U.S. Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama diverted to St. Louis due to a mechanical problem. The MD-81 aircraft, chartered from Midwest Airlines, was carrying Sen. Obama and his party from Chicago to Charlotte, NC, when it developed a "flight control anomaly." The plane diverted to St. Louis, where it landed safely. No one was injured.

Once the aircraft was on the ground at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, it was discovered that the escape slide within the tail cone of the aircraft had deployed in flight. Along with today's update on the incident, the NTSB provided two photos, republished here. The first photo shows the deployed tail cone evacuation slide from incident airplane; the second shows an undeployed tail cone evacuation slide as installed on another aircraft, for comparison. [Click on the photos for a larger view.]

The NTSB advisory issued on July 10, 2008 provides this additional information about the Board's investigation of this incident:

Preliminary findings reveal that the slide was partially inflated and the inflation bottle was empty. Examination of the hardware did not reveal any evidence of missing components, nor any evidence of tampering.

The slide and hardware were removed from the aircraft for examination. There was no evidence of any punctures in the slide; however, there were marks consistent with rubbing of elevator control cables. Additional evidence was found to indicate that a catwalk railing was broken and impinged upon elevator control cables. The slide and hardware will be sent to the manufacturer for detailed examinations supervised by the NTSB.

The flight recorders have been removed and are en route to NTSB headquarters for download and analysis. Flight crew statements indicate that the crew did not hear the slide deploy in flight nor did a mechanic who was seated in the rear of the airplane. The flight crew confirmed that they detected elevator control stiffness during the initial level off after departure from Chicago Midway Airport. Maintenance records have been secured for further examination.

Research has been initiated into the certification of the slide, its service history, and its design interface with the airplane.

The NTSB completed the on scene phase of the investigation on July 9, 2008.

[Photo Source]

Emergency diversion for Sen. Obama's chartered plane

A chartered MD-81 aircraft carrying U.S. Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, among others, diverted to St. Louis earlier today due to a mechanical problem that developed in flight. The aircraft (registration number N804ME), operated by Midwest Airlines, was en route to Charlotte, NC from Chicago when it developed a "flight control anomaly," according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The aircraft diverted to Lambert-St. Louis International Airport where it landed safely. There were no injuries to any of the 48 crew and passengers on board -- including Sen. Obama.

An NTSB Advisory about the incident says:

Post-flight inspection of the airplane revealed an in-flight deployment of the aft emergency exit slide within the tail cone.

Preliminary information indicate that the crew disconnected the autopilot during climbout from Chicago, while being vectored around thunderstorms, when they reportedly felt elevator control forces that were heavier than normal. They therefore elected to make a precautionary landing at St. Louis. After landing, it was learned that the aft emergency exit slide had deployed within the tail cone. The tail cone did not separate from the airplane.

Thank goodness the tail cone did not separate, but you have to admit, this was a very strange incident. I don't believe I've ever heard of an emergency slide spontaneously deploying inside a tail cone. If any readers know of a similar incident, please let me know.

For what it's worth, a source tells me that this particular aircraft (N804ME) is the oldest in the Midwest Airlines fleet, although this information has not been independently confirmed.

Here is an Associated Press video interview with Sen. Obama about the incident:



(If the video does not play or display properly above, click here to view it on YouTube.)

New Delhi's Airport: What a zoo!

How many times have you heard someone say, "It's a zoo!" to describe a busy airport scene? At New Delhi's Indira Ghandi International Airport (DEL) this week, that expression is close to being the literal truth.

It's the monsoon season in India, so it has been raining heavily lately. Problems such as torrential downpours and ponding on runways are frequent during this season, but according to a story in the Hindustan Times, there is an additional factor hindering traffic at the airport in New Delhi: animals on the runway. Lots of animals. Lots of kinds of animals.

Some 100 flights were delayed this past Monday when monitor lizards, jackals, and birds took over a runway, presumably seeking to a place to dry out and warm up after being drenched by the rains. In addition to these sunbathing critters, ponded water near the runways and taxiways attracts (are you ready for this?) ducks!

Animal welfare groups had to be called in to rescue the big monitor lizards and chase away the jackals and birds. The Hindustan Times article notes, "This is not the first time IGI airport authorities sought help from voluntary organisations to clear animals from the airport premises as monkeys, jackals and peacocks sometimes disrupt flights during the monsoons."

All of this animal control activity takes time. Meanwhile, many flights are canceled or delayed. The Hindustan Times adds:

But then flight delays are probably the good news. For a menagerie on the runway is one of the worst nightmares of pilots and ATCs. For instance, on its landing roll, it’s nearly impossible for a 747 to avoid an animal on the runway — a risk that is multiplied manifold if an engine sucks in a bird while taking off.

It is no use depending on surface-movement radar to detect small objects like cattle or birds on the runway. Airport authorities should work out plans to avoid animals incursions on runways. Tried-and-tested methods like deploying noisemakers or fireworks, along with fencing and animal population management will help them maintain clear safety zones at the airport.

Remember this if you are scheduled for a trip to DEL in the near future. It's a zoo. A real zoo.

[Photo Source]

Continental Airlines Boeing 737 has a 'close encounter' with -- a rocket?

Various news media are reporting on an incident in which the crew of a Continental Airlines Boeing 737 aircraft saw what appeared to be a rocket (or similar projectile) pass them shortly after departure from Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport. This may have been something serious, may have been a prank, or it may come to nothing much, but it certainly is interesting. The FAA and the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force think it's interesting, too: They are investigating the incident.

Here is a summary of what has been reported by the news media. On Monday, May 26, 2008, the crew of a Continental Airlines B737-800, operating as Flight COA1544 from Houston to Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport, reported to air traffic control that they saw an object with a flaming tail and a trail of smoke flying vertically near their aircraft. The Houston Chronicle, which had the most detailed article about the 'rocket incident', quoted an FAA official who said it was not yet known how close the object came to the aircraft, or what altitude it reached.

"We don't know for sure what the object was. But we think it might be somebody doing model rocketing," said Roland Herwig, an FAA spokesman. "The pilot saw the rocket and some people saw the rocket's trail (of smoke)."

A spokeswoman for Continental Airlines told the Houston Chronicle reporter that the crew made "no diversionary maneuvers," and added that the plane was not damaged, and nobody was injured.

The working assumption seems to be that the object was a model rocket. The Houston Chronicle quoted an FAA spokeswoman in Washington D.C. who said this would not be the first time a rocket had crossed paths with an airliner. "But so far, no plane has been hit by a launched model rocket." Yeah, so far, so good.

You're going to love this part, also from the Houston Chronicle article:

Robert Morehead, an engineer who is president of the Amateur Spaceflight Association in Houston, said the FAA would only need to be notified if a rocket would be entering controlled airspace.

He said the only danger to a plane might be if the rocket is ingested by a plane's engine.

"But their engines are designed to ingest birds and not come apart," said Morehead, who lives in Clear Lake. "The real question is if the rocket would tear up the engine instead of just shutting it off."

I beg your pardon?

At first this incident reminded me a bit of the another mystery last year, when a LAN Chile A340 en route from Santiago, Chile to Auckland, New Zealand had a close encounter somewhere over the Pacific Ocean with a fiery object falling from the sky above. In that case, what at first was believed to be debris from a Russian spacecraft was later thought to be a meteor. But it seems to me that there's a bit of a difference between a random fiery object falling from the sky, and one that intentionally shoots up from the ground into commercial airspace.

If any conclusions about this latest incident are reached and made public, I will certainly report those here on Aircrew Buzz.

[Photo Source]

The case of the traveling skull...?

No, more like the skull in the traveling case.

It was a dark and stormy night at Munich airport. Two women with a suitcase approached the security screening station. As the case passed through the X-ray machine, a skeleton appeared...

Okay, I'm hamming it up with the "dark and stormy night" part, but in fact security screeners in Munich did come across a skull and bones in a traveler's suitcase recently, and they did turn out to be human remains.

According to an item on the Reuters website, the skeletal remains were those of a man who had died in Brazil 11 years ago. His sister was transporting his bones in her luggage, from São Paulo Brazil to Naples -- via a stopover in Munich. She told the surprised officials at the airport that it had been her brother's wish to be buried in Italy.

"We questioned the women and they produced a valid death certificate showing he had died 11 years ago of natural causes. As they were not violating any German laws they were allowed to continue their journey to Italy," said [police spokesman Christian] Maier.

Just as well this happened in March, and not around Halloween.

[Clip art licensed from the Clip Art Gallery on DiscoverySchool.com]

Confiscated: One hot wallet!

We've all heard the expression about money burning a hole in one's pocket, but this is over the top. Last month a screener at an airport security checkpoint confiscated a flaming wallet from a passenger. No joke! That's it in the photo at right.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) website has a section where interesting stories about TSA employees are posted. That's where I found this tale about the Transportation Security Officer (TSO) who intercepted the flaming wallet.

As the TSA explains, Zigmund Piech, the Lead TSO at Burlington (VT) International Airport "observed a passenger with unusual bulges in his back pockets." During a pat-down it was discovered that the passenger was carrying two packs of playing cards and a wallet in his pockets.

Piech noticed a gasoline odor coming from the items, as did Supervisory TSO Cindy Bevins, who put the items through the X-ray. The wallet produced an unusual image and as they were examining it, burst into flames.

It turns out that the owner of the wallet claimed to be a magician, and said he uses the wallet in his act. Well, that magician is going to have to change his act, because law enforcement made the wallet disappear. That is, they confiscated it. (No surprise there!)

After the magician was relieved of the tools of his trade, he was allowed to board his flight and continue his journey. In that sense he was more fortunate than the man caught at LAX last year with a magnet in his rectum. Last I heard, that guy was facing deportation.

[Photo Source]

For the billionnaire who has everything - The Biz Blimp

While cruising around the aviation news websites this morning, I came upon an article about a curious new airship described as a 'Biz-Blimp' on Aero-News.net (ANN). The ANN story asks:

Are you a successful businessperson, who wants to travel in comfort... and make a statement like no other on the airport ramp? Perhaps, then, a business jet isn't for you; not even one of those new-fangled VLJs. No, what you may desire instead is a corporate airship.

Whoa!

So I clicked on through to the website of Worldwide Aeros Corporation (Aeros, for short), the company that is about to launch this airship as a specialized alternative to the business jet. The California-based company specializes in manufacturing FAA-certified lighter-than-air craft for many applications. One of those is the Aeroscraft ML866, pictured above.

Featuring a floor area of well over 5,000 square feet, the Aeroscraft ML866 can be customized to include amenities such as a gourmet galley, entertainment area and sleeping quarters with elegant washrooms and showers, according to the manufacturer. Alternatively, the airship could be configured as an Airborne Business Center:

Equipped with the latest state-of-the-art technology suite, the Aeroscraft ML866 can be configured to serve as a high-tech airborne conference center. Business amenities include the functionality of a Computerized Office; Video-Conferencing Capability; Communication Package; Conference Room; Transformable Interior; Personal State Room.

The imagination runs wild...

The airship is 210 ft long, and about 95ft wide. It can reach a maximum speed of 155mph, cruising at 0 - 120mph, and can operate at altitudes up to 12,000ft. Its maximum range is 3,100 miles.

The airship, billed as a 'private air yacht,' will be introduced next month at the National Business Aircraft Association (NBAA) 60th Annual Meeting and Convention in Atlanta. It's sure to be a top attention-getter at the NBAA event.

For more photos, visit the Aeroscraft ML866 Gallery on the manufacturer's website.


[Photo Source]

Lufthansa's economy 'Sleepers Class' idea for long-haul routes

Get a load of this: German flag carrier Lufthansa is exploring the idea of an all-sleeper configuration for economy-class cabins on long-haul flights, according to an article on FlightGlobal.com. The airline reportedly has sent an email survey to some customers asking their opinion about this concept:

The airline has generated a conceptual image of the proposed ‘Sleepers Class’ cabin, showing a possible arrangement featuring fully lie-flat bunks stacked three-high in a herringbone layout on either side of the cabin, with additional berths in a wide central aisle.

Star Alliance member Lufthansa is considering the sleeper-cabin for specific intercontinental services – possibly overnight flights, such as those to Johannesburg, Sao Paulo and Shanghai – although the carrier says that it has not progressed to the stage of examining potential specific routes.

Under the scheme a passenger would opt to book a bed for the flight rather than a regular economy-class seat. It is unclear whether the beds would convert from a seating layout.

A spokeswoman for Lufthansa confirms that the airline is formally looking into the idea, and running a customer survey, although she adds: “Of course there’s no final decision yet. There are, as such, no certain plans whether or not to realise an idea like this.”

Looks sorta like an airborne bunkhouse or hostel to me. Would passengers like to be stowed on multiple layers like that? It might add a whole new dimension to all the jokes about pax as 'SLF' (Self-Loading Freight).

I have to admit that one of the first thoughts that popped into my head when I saw the photo was what the implications would be for an emergency evacuation. Other safety-related questions come to mind as well. Do the berths convert to upright seats for takeoff and landing? And what if a passenger fell from an upper berth during turbulence?

What do you think?

[Photo Source]

It's a bird, it'a a plane, it's... a lawn chair?!

Think of stories about spectacular balloon flights and you probably think of Steve Fossett. Think again, and meet Kent Couch, a 47 year old gas station owner from Oregon. Last weekend he 'flew' a distance of 193 miles in nine hours in his lawn chair, which was attached to 105 helium-filled balloons.

I'm not making this up!

According to a story about the incredible flying lawn chair on CNN:

With instruments to measure his altitude and speed, a global positioning system device in his pocket, and about four plastic bags holding five gallons of water each to act as ballast -- he could turn a spigot, release water and rise -- Couch headed into the Oregon sky.

Nearly nine hours later, the 47-year-old gas station owner came back to earth in a farmer's field near Union, short of Idaho but about 193 miles from home.

This was Couch's second flying lawn chair adventure. Last September he made a six-hour flight. That time he used a BB gun to pop the balloons to control his ascent -- but ended up having to parachute to the ground. This time he tried a configuration that allowed him to release some helium from the balloons without resorting to shooting them!

Couch decided to stop when he was down to a gallon of water and just eight pounds of ballast. Concerned about the rugged terrain outside La Grande, including Hells Canyon, he decided it was time to land.

He popped enough balloons to set the craft down, although he suffered rope burns. But after he jumped out, the wind grabbed his chair, with his video recorder, and the remaining balloons and swept them away. He's hoping to get them back some day.

We do hope he gets the video recorder back. Meanwhile there is some photographic documentation of the flight: Brandon Wilcox, owner of Professional Air at the Bend airport, flew a plane nearby while Couch traveled and took photos of the flying lawn chair.

File this post under "aircraft: odd."

[Photo Source]

The Helo and the Great White Shark

This must be the week for stories about aircraft and marine life. Yesterday I wrote about the Aloha Airlines B737 painted with images of marine life. Today's tale comes to us from South Africa via the Aero-News Network(ANN).

ANN published a story about a sightseeing helicopter (with two honeymooners on board) that intervened between a Great White Shark and some unsuspecting surfers at South Africa's Plettenberg Bay.

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said pilot Glen Brown spotted a shark in the water while flying the couple and another passenger over the beach. It turned out to be a Great White shark measuring more than 11 feet long and it was headed for a group of unsuspecting surfers about 150 feet offshore, according to online news source, Earth Times.

Brown flew his Robertson 44 towards the surfers to try and warn them with hand gestures, but the surfers apparently thought the pilot was just being friendly and waved back.

But when the shark closed in to about 15 feet, Brown flew his aircraft between the shark and the surfers in an attempt to create a diversion and herd the shark away from the surfers. The danger was finally realized when the helicopter passengers also waved "like mad," said Craig Lambinon, NSRI spokesman. The surfers quickly and safely made it to shore.

"The shark then began swimming away ... The pilot said he continued to monitor the shark as it moved away until it was out of sight and lost beneath the sea surface," said Lambinon.

Here in Hawaii where I live, people who participate in ocean sports have a special hand signal to indicate "shark." I'm quite sure that divers and surfers elsewhere in the world know it as well. (See photo at right).

Maybe if the people on that helo made that sign to the surfers instead of waving, they'd have understood the message sooner! In any case, kudos to helo pilot Glen Brown for spotting the big critter and going out of his way to alert the surfers -- and for giving those honeymooners a truly memorable experience!

[Photo Source: Shark; Hand Signal]

Boeing 737 abandoned on Mumbai road

Last weekend, a decommissioned Air Sahara Boeing 737 -- minus its wings and tail section -- was supposed to be trucked from Mumbai to Delhi, reportedly to be used at a flight training academy. It didn't get very far.

BBC News is reporting that the B737 fuselage was being hauled through the streets of Mumbai when the driver apparently got lost. After taking a wrong turn, he came to an overpass that was too low for the plane to pass through.

The driver just bolted -- abandoned the truck with the plane, and disappeared. Ever since, the thing has been sitting where the driver left it.

The BBC says that it has become a bit of a tourist attraction, with people coming from all over the city just to have a look at it. But merchants and residents in the immediate area are not amused. Residents say they assumed that the 'authorities' would do something quickly to remove the huge roadblock, but so far it is not clear who is responsible for the aircraft. So it just sits there, immobile, blocking traffic and impeding local commerce.

One shopkeeper said, "I don't know how they are going to take it out because you can't reverse it, its too big, and you can't go further down the road."

I have a feeling that this fuselage eventually will be leaving the neighborhood in much smaller pieces. File this one under 'odd.'

[Photo Source]