Video: Two years after ditching in the Hudson River, 'Sully' reflects

by B. N. Sullivan

Tomorrow is the second anniversary of the historic, successful ditching of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River.  Now retired, Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who was in command of that Airbus A320 on January 15, 2009, reflects on what he calls the "experience of a lifetime."



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

Thanks to the Associated Press for posting the video on YouTube.

Click here to view all the posts about US Airways Flight 1549 on Aircrew Buzz.

Ilyushin IL-76 freighter crash at Karachi

by B. N. Sullivan

An Ilyushin IL-76 freighter has crashed shortly after takeoff from Karachi, Pakistan.   The aircraft, operating as Sun Way  flight MGC-4412, had just departed Karachi, bound for Khartoum, Sudan.  It crashed into a residential area and burned. Local authorities say that there were no survivors among the eight crew members on board.  Fatalities and injuries on the ground also have been reported, although the number of casualties has not been determined.

The accident happened just before 02:00 AM local time, on November 28, 2010.  Eyewitness reports suggest an engine may have been on fire prior to the crash, and that the aircraft may have been attempting to return to the airport.   The engine fire has not been confirmed by official sources.

Geo News reports that the accident site is "near Dalmia area in Gulistan-e-Johar locality."  News media say that the aircraft crashed into a building that was under construction, near residential apartments housing Pakistani Navy officers.  The crash sparked what has been described as a massive blaze.

A dramatic photo of the crash site has been posted to the MSNBC.com Photo Blog.  Geo TV aired live streaming video of the burning accident site, some of which was also broadcast by CNN.  RTVCHD posted this video on YouTube:



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

Music video: 'Ooo I wanna get you out of Teterboro...'

by B. N. Sullivan

A pilot in my family turned me on to this terrific music video -- written, performed and produced by his friend,  Mike Wagner.  The catchy lyrics are set to an old Beach Boys song, and the video is very entertaining.

Out in New Jersey(s)
There’s a place called Teterboro
That’s where everybody goes
To be a part of it all

Lots of jets on the ramp
Loaded up waiting to start engines
They’ll be there for an hour
Before they even have the chance
Down in Teterboro

You can find the rest of the Teterboro lyrics on Mike's blog, and you can find a link to download an audio-only version there, too.



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

Kudos to Mike Wagner for doing such a great job with the video, and thanks to Pat Sullivan for sending it to me.

Cebu Pacific: How to get passengers to pay attention to the safety briefing

by B. N. Sullivan

Cebu Pacific Air flight attendants demonstrate a novel way to get passengers to pay attention to the safety briefing:



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

RELATED: Southwest Airlines' rapping flight attendant

Henan Airlines Embraer 190 crash at Yichun City, China

by B. N. Sullivan

An Embraer E190 aircraft (registration B-3130) operated by Henan Airlines has crashed at Yichun City, in northeastern China.  The accident happened late in the evening of August 24, 2010, as the aircraft, operating as Henan Flight VD8387, was landing at Yichun following a scheduled flight from Harbin, China.

Early reports about the accident suggest a runway excursion during the landing roll.  There was a post-crash fire.  China's Xinhua news agency reports 91 souls on board, and some survivors, but no further details at this point. [Edit: Later reports mention five crew and 91 passengers, for a total of 96 on board.]

There was some initial confusion among Western media sources about the name of the airline.  Henan Airlines is a regional Chinese carrier based in northern China.  Henan Airlines was formerly known as Kunpeng Airlines.  The name was changed to Henan Airlines in 2009.   This is not the same as Hainan Airlines, which is a much larger Chinese carrier, based at Haikou, Hainan.

At one point, Mesa Air Group was a financial partner in the carrier (when it was called Kunpeng Airlines), but Mesa sold its shares in mid-2009.

UPDATE: China's Xinhua news agency is now reporting that  this accident resulted in 43 fatalities.   Xinhua also reports that 53 injured survivors have been hospitalized.  Xinhua says the time of the accident was 21:36L.

UPDATE Aug 25, 2010: It has been reported that the captain of this flight is among the survivors, although he is reported to be seriously injured.

The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR) have been recovered from the wreckage.

Readers may be interested in the Aviation Herald's report on this accident, which includes some details about the weather at the time of the crash; METARs; and some still photos of the crash site.

Here is some video footage of the crash site, shot by news organizations:

Video: 42 die in plane crash in Yichun CCTV News - CNTV English

AP Raw Video (Chinese narration):



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

On a lighter note: Pillow fight aboard a Lufthansa aircraft

by B. N. Sullivan

This video was posted to YouTube in June with the tongue-in-cheek title, "The endless dispute between the French and the Germans." The blurb that was posted beneath the video explains:

LH687 from Tel-Aviv to Frankfurt. Economy class is occupied with a few dozens of French tourists. Suddenly they start a 'pillow war' inside the cabin.

Lufthansa flights attendant seems to take active part in the war.

Clearly, this was a good-natured "war" -- and everyone applauded at the end!



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

Hat tips to YouTube user voerman19, who posted the video, and to Twitter user @Aife_Earthstone, who told me about it.

You know you're a flight attendant if...

NOTE: The post below was originally published three years ago on Cabin Crew News, where it became a perennial favorite. It's just as relevant and funny today as it was in 2007, so when I merged the Cabin Crew News archive into this blog, I decided to move this item up and publish it anew.

---

This list came to me as an email pass-around, and to be honest, it's the second or third time I've seen it. Nevertheless, I thought it would be fun to post here. I wonder which of these would seem mysterious to people outside of aviation? Probably the same ones that make flight attendants laugh the most!

You know you're a flight attendant if...........

• You never unpack
• You look to the ceiling when your doorbell chimes
• You wish you had jet engines mounted in your bedroom so you could fall asleep faster
• You don't ever write a full city name (and it bugs your non-aviation friends): DTW MCO FCO BOM
• You get excited over certain types of ice
• You silently curse every Bose headset-wearing dude -- ("Yes, the electronic device announcement means you, sir.")
• You know how to look fresh in 5 day old clothes
• No matter how many times you clean out your suitcase you still find ancient hidden treasures in there
• You HATE boarding
• You LOVE deplaning
• You have figured out that turbulence is not caused by clouds but by the initial movement of all meal carts
• You can't believe that people let their babies and toddlers play on the floor of the aircraft cabin -- ewww, nasty
• You remember the passengers with great manners (that's sad)
• You can't remember when UM's actually became bigger than you
• You love foreigners because they can't adequately complain in English
• You have to turn your head when you see a passenger in stocking feet enter a lavatory
• You secretly cheer when another flight attendant has to deal with the medical emergency
• You HATE on board duty free
• You can't stand the frequent flyer who says "I fly more than you..." (yeah, right)
• You hate running into your passengers at your layover hotel
• Blankety-blank tray stackers!
• You hate when the heavy drinkers start flirting and calling you by name
• You long for the days when it was easy to rig the TV for free movies
• You want to smack the nail clipping -- finger nail polishing -- nose picking -- snoring passengers
• You want no passengers talking to you while you are non-revving
• Even when you are not working a flight, you travel in uniform for the liquids, creams and gels exemption
• If passengers can't find the flush to the toilet -- they should stay in there till they do!
• You wish you had a button to press that would announce, "No I don't have a pen"
• You are excited to find a can of different soda that is not supposed to be on your airline
• You could scream when people use an empty seat to change their baby's diaper, and don't even put a blanket underneath the little one -- worse yet, they ask if they can change the baby on the floor of the galley!
• You know a meaning for "crop-dusting" that has nothing to do with agriculture
• You cruise the aircraft after all the passengers have deplaned to find the discarded magazines and paperback novels before the cleaners get them
• You can spot the cover of a new crossword or sudoku book on an airport newsstand rack from 50 feet away
• You hate early morning departures -- Who in the hell HAS to fly at 6 AM?
• You wish every airline manager actually WAS a flight attendant at one point in their life (this goes double for flight attendant supervisors)
• You can't believe the senior F/A at your airline is in their 80's (doesn't matter what airline they all have them)
• You try not to go to the bathroom on the plane but you sure can catch a good nap in there
• You hate that passengers think they can hear you without taking off their headsets
• You are glad there are no hidden cameras in the galley
• Your non-aviation friends truly don't get the commuting part: "So you have to fly when and your trip starts where??"
• YES, "Remain seated for the duration of our flight" DOES mean YOU
• You can't figure out why your manager is not held accountable for the same things you are
• Your jumpseat partner knows more about you than your spouse or life partner
• You have at least 6 items of your own you could add to this list
• You had a memory for all of these, and understood every one.

And you can identify with this Nicoderm Commercial:



If you have any more items to add to the list above, you're welcome to post them in the comments.

Happy landings!

Airblue Airbus A321 crash at Islamabad, Pakistan

by B. N. Sullivan

An Airbus A321-200 aircraft operated by Pakistani carrier Airblue crashed in the hills outside Islamabad earlier this week, killing all on board.  Airblue Flt ED 202 was inbound to Islamabad (ISB) from Karachi (KHI) at the time of the accident, which happened on July 28, 2010 at about 09:45 AM local time.

According to Airblue, the aircraft (registration AP-BJB) was preparing to land at Islamabad (ISB) "during poor weather and thick fog."   The aircraft impacted terrain in an area known as the Margalla Hills, north of Islamabad. There were no survivors among the six crew members and 146 passengers on board.

A statement on the Airbus website provided these details about the aircraft:

The aircraft involved in the accident, registered under AP-BJB, was MSN (Manufacturer Serial Number) 1218, initially delivered from the production line in 2000. The aircraft is leased to airblue in January 2006. The aircraft had accumulated approximately 34,000 flight hours in some 13,500 flights. It was powered by IAE V2533 engines. At this time no further factual information is available.

Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority has announced that the flight data recorders have been recovered from the aircraft wreckage.

Condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in this accident.

Here is a video clip about the accident from ITN News [Note: This video was produced before it was known that there were no survivors.]



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

Supersonic Shockwave Phenomena, Breaking the Sound Barrier, Sonic Boom, High-Subsonic Flight

Thanks to AVweb.com for posting this video on YouTube and providing this explanation:

Sound travels at about 760 miles per hour, or 340 meters per second and about 661 knots on an average day at sea level. And sometimes, you can almost see it. Going close to that speed through air can cause some unusual visual effects. This compiled footage includes F-14s, standard and Blue Angels F-18s, plus the SR-71 and an Atlas Rocket launch. AVweb contacted sources at NASA to research the phenomena.

Enjoy!

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

Afriqiyah Airways Airbus A330-200 crashes in Libya

by B. N. Sullivan

An Afriqiyah Airways Airbus A330-200 passenger aircraft has crashed in Libya. According to a statement issued by the Libyan carrier, the accident occurred as the aircraft (registration 5A-ONG) was landing at Tripoli International airport, at 04:00 UTC (06:00 AM Tripoli time) on Wednesday May 12, 2010. The aircraft, operating as Afriqiyah Flight 8U-771, was arriving at Tripoli from Johannesburg, South Africa. The airline states that there were 11 crew members and 93 passengers on board.

Early news reports say that more than 100 may have perished in the accident, but this has not been officially confirmed. More to follow as reliable information becomes available.

UPDATE May 12, 2010: Afriqiyah Airways officially confirmed today that 103 passengers and crew on board Flight 8U-771 perished in the crash. There was only one survivor -- a Dutch child.

Airbus, the manufacturer of the accident aircraft, also released a statement, which said in part:

The aircraft involved in the accident, registered as 5A-ONG, was MSN (Manufacturer Serial Number) 1024, delivered from the production line in September 2009. The aircraft had accumulated approximately 1600 flight hours in some 420 flights. It was powered by General Electric CF6-80E1 engines. At this time no further factual information is available.

Preliminary reports indicate that the aircraft crashed short of the runway threshold during approach. According to available information there were 93 passengers and 11 crew on board.

In line with ICAO Annex 13 international convention Airbus is dispatching a team of technical advisors to support the investigation authorities and the Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses (BEA) as accredited representative.

Condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of all those who lost their lives in this terrible accident.

[Photo Source]

Video of the accident site, showing a debris field and what appears to be a flight data recorder:

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

Connecting flight: Red Bull Skydiver moves from one glider to another in mid-air

by B. N. Sullivan

This video brings a whole new meaning to the term "connecting flight," and includes some spectacular air-to-air videography of an amazing stunt involving two gliders and a skydiver.

The skydiver, Paul Steiner of the Red Bull Skydive Team, moves from one Blanik glider to the other during flight, and then reaches up from one glider to touch the rudder of another during mirrorflight. All this takes place about 2,100 meters (about 6,890 ft) above the ground.

Bravo to the skydiver, kudos to the videographer -- and let's have a big round of applause for those Blanix Team glider pilots, too!

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

Polish president and many VIPs die in Tu-154 crash at Smolensk, Russia

by B. N. Sullivan

A Tupolev Tu-154 operated by the Polish Air Force crashed this morning while attempting to land at Smolensk Airport (XUBS) in western Russia. On board the aircraft were the President of Poland, his wife, and many other Polish VIPs, including high-ranking government and military officials. The exact number of souls on board is still unclear at this time, but early reports range from 88 to 132. There were no survivors.

Weather was said to be very foggy. Early (though unofficial) reports say that the accident happened after a missed approach. The aircraft reportedly hit trees while attempting a go-around. Photos of the accident scene show the aircraft wreckage in many pieces.

President Lech Kaczynski and a large delegation were traveling from Warsaw to Russia to participate in events commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Katyn masssacre near the city of Smolensk.

This is a huge tragedy for the people of Poland, and I offer them my sincere condolences.

UPDATE: FlightGlobal.com reports that Russia's Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK) has confirmed the identity of the aircraft, as follows:

The Tu-154, serial number 90A-837, is aircraft 101 of the Polish air force presidential division, 36 Specjalny Pulk Lotnictwa Transportowego (36 SPLT).

The progression of events directly preceding the accident are still uncertain. The Aviation Herald reports the following:

There are conflicting reports, that the airplane may have gone around three times with the crew considering to divert to Minsk (Belarus, 170nm west of Smolensk) or Moscow (Russia, 200nm east of Smolensk) before attempting their fatal 4th approach. Other reports say, that the crew was adivsed by air traffic control in Belarus to not continue to Smolensk due to fog, but to divert to Minsk and later, after hand off to Russian ATC, Russian Air Traffic Controllers recommended to divert to Moscow, the crew however continued to Smolensk. Other reports say, that the airplane was holding over Smolensk which was mistaken as attempts to approach the airfield and go-arounds.

Russian authorities have said that the aircraft's flight data recorders have been recovered from the wreckage.

NYCAviation.com has posted several photos of the accident aircraft "taken in happier times."

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

Aviastar-TU Tupolev Tu-204 crashes on approach to Moscow, eight crew injured

by B. N. Sullivan

A Tupolev TU-204-100 passenger aircraft operated by Russian carrier Aviastar-TU crashed early today while on approach to Moscow Domodedovo Airport, destroying the aircraft. All eight crew members who were on board the ferry flight from Hurghada, Egypt have survived, although all were said to be injured.

The accident occurred on Mar. 22, 2010 at about 02:35 AM local time. At the time of the accident, the aircraft (registration RA-64011) was on approach to Runway 14R at Domodedovo when it "disappeared from radar."

According to a FlightGlobal.com article about the accident, the aircraft "came down about 1km from the runway, while attempting to land at night in fog and poor visibility."

Flight Global.com also reported that the cloud base was down to 60m and runway visibility was variable, at 450-700m, but the runway lighting was functioning normally.

There was no post-crash fire. The flight data recorders have been recovered and turned over to MAK, the Russian accident investigation committee, for analysis. Russian aviation authorities have banned Aviastar-TU from carrying out passenger operations while the investigation is underway.

RussiaToday posted this video of the crash site on YouTube:

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

Sully retires from US Airways

by B. N. Sullivan

Captain Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III, the US Airways pilot who successfully ditched an Airbus A320 in the Hudson River on January 15, 2009, has retired after 30 years service with the airline. He flew his last commercial leg yesterday: US Airways Flight 1167 from Fort Lauderdale to Charlotte. In the right seat was First Officer Jeffrey Skiles, who had also been Sully's co-pilot on US Airways Flight 1549. The aircraft was greeted at Charlotte Douglas International Airport by a spray-over from four water cannons.

In a statement to the press about his retirement, Captain Sullenberger said, "I have been fortunate to have followed my passion for most of my life, working in a profession I dearly love, side by side with thousands of wonderful colleagues, including the man flying my final flight with me, Jeff Skiles."

Sully says he plans to continue to serve as an advocate for aviation safety, and for the airline piloting profession. We all wish him well.

Here is a slide show of Flight 1167's arrival at CLT, from WCNC.com. Below is a news video about the event, from FoxProvidence.com.

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

Big day for Boeing: The B787 Dreamliner flies!

by B. N. Sullivan

Today, December 15, 2009, was historic. I don't know about you, but I spent hours watching TV and live webcasts earlier today as the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner took off for the very first time. While the world watched, the Dreamliner began its takeoff roll at Paine Field in Everett, WA. I have to admit that I got a bit choked up as Boeing's newest commercial aircraft rotated and lifted off the runway for the first time. The time was 10:27 AM local time.

The weather was not the best -- drizzly and overcast -- but the graceful looking aircraft climbed out as if it were a sunny day, carried out its long-anticipated maiden flight, and returned to earth for a picture perfect landing at Seattle's Boeing Field at 13:33 local time.

From the Boeing press release about the event:

787 Chief Pilot Mike Carriker and Capt. Randy Neville tested some of the airplane's systems and structures, as on-board equipment recorded and transmitted real-time data to a flight-test team at Boeing Field.

After takeoff from Everett, the airplane followed a route over the east end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Capts. Carriker and Neville took the airplane to an altitude of 15,000 feet (4,572 meters) and an air speed of 180 knots, or about 207 miles (333 kilometers) per hour, customary on a first flight.

According to Boeing, the first Boeing 787, which is powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines, will be joined in the flight test program in the coming weeks and months by five other 787s, including two that will be powered by General Electric GEnx engines.

Congratulations to Boeing and all those involved with the 787 Dreamliner program on the successful first flight of this beautiful new airplane.

In case you missed the live event, here is a video of the Boeing 787's first takeoff from Paine Field (video provided by AirlineReporter):

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

RELATED:

• The test pilots who flew Boeing's 787 Dreamliner on her maiden flight - AircrewBuzz.com, Dec. 17, 2009
• Photo: Boeing 787-8 in flight over Seattle - AircrewBuzz.com, Jan. 6, 2010

Taxiway collision at Salt Lake City: Southwest Airlines B737 and FedEx DC-10

by B. N. Sullivan

A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 (registration N925WN) and a FedEx DC-10 (registration N318FE) were involved in a taxiway collision at Salt Lake City International Airport yesterday afternoon, November 29, 2009. The Southwest plane was pushing back from a gate in preparation for departure to Albuquerque when its wingtip was struck by that of the FedEx aircraft, which was taxiing. Passengers were evacuated from the Southwest aircraft. There were no injuries.

According to preliminary reports posted to the FAA Web site this morning, both aircraft sustained what the agency described as "minor" damage. Photos taken at the scene show the Southwest aircraft's right wing missing its winglet. (See this article and video clip from KOB.com in Albuquerque, and the one below, from KSL.com in Salt Lake City.)

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

If the video does not play or display properly above, click here to view it on KSL.com.

Hat tip to the reader who alerted me to this accident.

Video: US Airways Flight 1549 flight attendants recall Hudson River ditching

by B .N. Sullivan

Donna Dent and Sheila Dail -- two of the three flight attendants who evacuated US Airways Flight 1549 after it was ditched in the Hudson River on January 15, 2009 -- were interviewed recently by David Learmount, operations and safety editor of Flight International. The occasion was the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators annual awards banquet on October 29, 2009, which took place in England at the Guildhall in the City of London. (The third flight attendant from Flight 1549, Doreen Welsh, was unable to attend the banquet.)

In the interview, the flight attendants recount their impressions of the water landing and the subsequent evacuation of the aircraft. Here is a video clip of that interview, first posted on Mr. Learmount's blog, Operationally Speaking.

RELATED: Click here to view all posts about US Airways Flt 1549 on Aircrew Buzz.

Video: Gulfstream G650 Roll-out at Savannah

Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation's new Gulfstream G650 ultra-large-cabin, ultra-long-range business jet rolled out of the hangar under its own power on September 29, 2009 at Gulfstream's Savannah, Ga., headquarters.

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

Hat tip to YouTube user AvionicsVideos for posting the G650 video.

Video: Gear-up landing at Stuttgart by Contact Air Fokker 100

by B. N. Sullivan

This morning a Fokker 100 aircraft operated by Contact Air made a gear-up landing on Runway 07 at Stuttgart Airport, Germany. The aircraft (registration D-AFKE), operating as Flight 288 from Berlin-Tegel to Stuttgart, had five crew members and 73 passengers on board, all of whom evacuated on the runway using emergency slides. One minor injury was reported.

News reports about the incident say that the crew were unable to lower the main landing gear during approach to Stuttgart. They orbited the airport for more than an hour while trying to correct the problem, but were unsuccessful in doing so. The crew declared an emergency and landed the aircraft on its belly on a foam-covered runway.

Following the emergency, Runway 07 at Stuttgart had to be closed for about eight hours, during which time en route aircraft were diverted to other airports, and many departures from Stuttgart were canceled.

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

Evergreen International's fire-fighting Boeing 747-100 Supertanker

You may have seen news clips on TV about the Very Large Aerial Tanker (VLAT) aircraft that are currently in use to fight the wildfires that are raging in California. These DC-10 and B-747 aircraft, operating under a supplemental type certificate, drop fire retardant material to assist in controlling large fires. They are operated by private companies under contract to the U.S. Forest Service.

One of those aircraft is the Boeing 747-100 Supertanker operated by Evergreen International. According to information provided by the company:

The multi-role B747 Supertanker is the largest tanker aircraft available today. With a payload of more than 20,000 gallons and a response time of 600 mph, it has more than eight times the drop capability and twice the speed of any other federal air tanker currently fighting fires. The Supertanker’s patented pressurized system has the capability to disperse product at high pressure for an overwhelming response, or disperse at the speed of falling rain in a single or several segmented drops. This pressurized system will also allow for drops at higher altitudes, creating a significant safety buffer and enabling the Supertanker to fight fires during the day and at night, when they are most vulnerable.

The video below shows some demonstration flights of Evergreen International's B747-100 Supertanker.

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

For more detailed information about both the B-747 and DC-10 tanker aircraft and their use in aerial fire suppression, see USFS Very Large Aerial Tanker Operational Test and Evaluation, a 24-page report ('pdf' file).