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.

NTSB final report on US Airways Flight 1549 Hudson River accident

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on the now-famous ditching of a US Airways Airbus A320 in the Hudson River on January 15, 2009.  Readers will recall that US Airways Flight 1549 lost power in both engines due to a multiple bird strike while climbing out from New York's La Guardia Airport.  All 155 crew and passengers on board survived.

If you are interested in having a look at the final report, here is the link: NTSB Report AAR10-03.  Warning: this is a hefty document in the form of a 213 page 'pdf' file, so it may take quite awhile to download.

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

Near midair collision between US Airways A319 and Cargolux B747 at Anchorage

by B. N. Sullivan

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced today that it has begun an investigation into a near midair collision between a commercial airliner and a widebody cargo plane at Anchorage a week ago. The incident involved an Airbus A319-100 operated by US Airways, and a Boeing B747-400 freighter operated by Cargolux. The A319 had 138 people on board; the freighter had a crew of two. No one was injured.

According to the NTSB, the incident occurred shortly after midnight on May 21, 2010. US Airways flight USA140 was arriving at Anchorage International Airport (ANC) from Phoenix, and Cargolux Airlines International flight CLX658 was departing ANC for Chicago-O'Hare. The US Airways plane was on approach to runway 14 at ANC when the crew executed a go-around. The Cargolux freighter was departing runway 25R. The NTSB says the two aircraft "came within an estimated 100 feet vertically and a .33 mile lateral separation."

From the NTSB statement announcing the investigation of the incident:

According to the TCAS report from the A319 crew, that aircraft was approaching ANC when, because of the effects of tailwinds on the aircraft's approach path, the crew initiated a missed approach and requested new instructions from air traffic control. The tower controller instructed the A319 to turn right heading 300 and report the departing B747 in sight.

After the A319 crew reported the B747 in sight, the controller instructed the A319 to maintain visual separation from the B747, climb to 3000 feet, and turn right heading 320. The A319 crew refused the right turn because the turn would have put their flight in direct conflict with the B747.

The A319 crew then received a resolution advisory to "monitor vertical speed" and the crew complied with the descent command. During the descent, the A319 crew lost sight of the B747. At about 1700 feet above ground level, the A319 crew received a "clear of conflict" aural command.

The NTSB notes that the incident occurred in night visual meteorological conditions with 10 miles of visibility.

UPS pilot furloughs begin, despite union efforts to save jobs

by B. N. Sullivan

Today, 54 UPS pilots were furloughed -- the first of at least 300 pilots slated to be laid off by the carrier in coming months. The furloughs were announced in February of this year, and are the first ever for UPS.

"At a time when the number one issue for most Americans is creating jobs, UPS is creating unemployment," said Captain Robert Thrush, President of the Independent Pilots Association (IPA).

The IPA, which represents the 2,800 UPS pilots, had worked with the company during the past year to save $117 million via a Voluntary Jobs Protection Program. According to the union, the UPS pilots were able to generate cost savings for UPS by: taking reductions in flight pay guarantees; taking unpaid leaves of absence; participating in job sharing; taking military leave; contributing unused sick bank time; and taking early retirement. The IPA said in a press release that the savings created by the program should have been "enough to keep these 300 pilots employed well into 2011."

Captain Thrush said, "This all came to a crashing halt on January 11 when UPS pulled a bait and switch. They told us that they now needed $244 million in savings through 2015, and that its preference was for 'compulsory savings' – UPS speak for furlough.

"While we were taken back by UPS almost doubling its original request and tacking on an additional four years, our pilots didn’t flinch. They were more than willing to step-up, extend and expand the Voluntary Jobs Protection Program to cover UPS's demands, and keep the 300 employed," Thrush continued.

Nevertheless, in February UPS told the IPA that the company was unwilling to continue the voluntary savings program or anything similar. Instead, the coming furloughs were announced.

At that time, UPS Airlines President Bob Lekites said in a press release, "This is a painful decision for our people, but one that is right for the on-going health of our business."

Then Lekites went on to say, "Companywide, we will continue to evaluate all opportunities and make adjustments as necessary to ensure our company is well-positioned to emerge stronger than ever as the economy continues to recover. We applaud our pilots for the way they've joined with UPS in trying to tackle this problem and hope we can identify a mutually beneficial outcome."

Those statements did not sit well with the pilots' union.

Says Captain Thrush, "What I find the most galling are the disingenuous statements in the UPS press release. They mockingly hold out hope that the furloughs may be mitigated, averted, or eliminated; and shamefully attempt to place blame on the pilots for somehow failing to act.

"At a time when unions are being excoriated, and blamed for a litany of economic ills it's important to remember that one union covered the cost to save 300 jobs – instead UPS chose to create unemployment and add to local, county, state and federal unemployment and social services rolls."

ATSB: Preliminary report on the Airnorth Embraer 120 crash at Darwin

by B. N. Sullivan

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has issued a preliminary factual report concerning the crash of an Airnorth EMB-120ER at Darwin, Australia earlier this year. The accident happened as the aircraft (registration VH-ANB) was departing from runway 29 at the Darwin Airport on the morning of March 22, 2010. Both pilots were killed; there were no passengers on board.

The new ATSB report confirms that the accident flight was a training flight. Quoting from the report's abstract:

The training captain advised the aerodrome controller that the departure would incorporate asymmetric flight (simulated engine failure) and was approved by the controller to perform the manoeuvre.

After becoming airborne, witnesses reported seeing the aircraft roll and diverge left from its take-off path. They watched as the aircraft continued rolling left, and entered a steep nose-down attitude. It disappeared into trees south of the runway threshold from where a column of black smoke was seen shortly afterwards.

Aerodrome rescue and fire fighting services were in attendance very shortly thereafter and extinguished the fire. Both pilots were fatally injured and the aircraft was seriously damaged due to impact forces and an intense post-impact fire.

The report says that both the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) were located in the aircraft's tail section, and had sustained minor damage.

The CVR's 30-minute recording "covered cockpit preparation, engine start, taxiing and the flight. Prior to departure the crew's conversation included briefing for the simulated engine failure exercise and subsequent training manoeuvre." The FDR "contained 25 hours of aircraft operation covering the accident flight and 15 previous flights."

The CVR and FDR information showed that a simulated left engine failure exercise was conducted during the accident flight. The simulated left engine failure commenced about 1 second after the aircraft became airborne.

Analysis of the CVR and FDR data is ongoing.

The ATSB report noted that the crew consisted of a supervisory pilot/training captain and another captain who was undergoing a check for the renewal of his command instrument rating (CIR). Planned for the training flight were "a number of emergency training manoeuvres, including a simulated engine failure at takeoff, known as a 'V1-cut'."

As a result of the investigation, to date, the ATSB has identified safety issues that "should be addressed by the relevant organisations," including fleet inspection and "the use of aircraft simulators for asymmetric and other high risk training."

Here is the link to the report: ATSB Preliminary - VH-ANB (7-page 'pdf' file)

Earlier posts on AircrewBuzz.com about this accident:

• Fatal training accident for Australia's Airnorth - March 21, 2010
• Update on the Airnorth crash at Darwin - March 23, 2010

[Photo Source]

Air India Express Boeing 737-800 accident at Mangalore

by B. N. Sullivan

An Air India Express Boeing 737-800 aircraft (registration VT-AXV) has crashed at Mangalore, India. The aircraft, operating as Air India Express flight IX812, was arriving at Mangalore (IXE) from Dubai (DXB) at the time of the accident. Early reports say the aircraft overran the runway after landing. The aircraft was completely destroyed, and there was a post-crash fire. The accident happened on May 22,2010 shortly at approximately 06:30 AM local time.

News reports from India say there were more than 160 people on board. Media reports also say that up to eight survivors may have been rescued from the crash site and taken to hospitals. Their condition is unknown at this time.

A brief video of the Air India Express crash site has been posted on the BBC News website.

Condolences to the families and friends of the crew members and passengers who lost their lives in this accident.

More to follow as additional information becomes available.

UPDATE: At a press conference, an Air India official confirmed that there were six crew members and 160 passengers on board Air India Express flight IX812. He confirmed that eight survivors had been rescued.

UPDATE May 22, 2010: An Air India official, quoted in several press reports, said that all passengers on Air India Express Flight IX812 were Indian nationals.

Also today: The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced it is sending a team to assist India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) with its investigation of this accident. The NTSB team will include a flight operations specialist, an aircraft systems specialist, and technical advisors from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing.

FedEx subject to $1.55 Million fine for violation of FAA regulations

by B. N. Sullivan

Today the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that it has proposed a $1.55 million civil penalty against Federal Express (FedEx). The FAA alleges that FedEx failed to revise its Continuous Airworthiness Maintenance Program in accordance with FAA regulations.

Specifically, the FAA alleges that FedEx "failed to ensure that the air carrier used approved standards, inspections, and time limitations for 14 cargo Unit Load Devices (ULDs) used on the company’s airplanes beginning in early 2008."

In its announcement of the proposed fine, the FAA explained:

During a routine surveillance from March 14-20, 2008, FAA inspectors determined that Federal Express had failed to incorporate Technical Standard Orders (TSOs) into its Continued Airworthiness Maintenance Program for 14 cargo ULDs. The TSOs contain specific maintenance instructions for the ULD smoke detector, power distribution feed, and batteries. Federal Express could not ensure that it used approved maintenance standards for the 14 newly installed ULDs because the company failed to make the necessary revisions to its program for overhauling and inspecting the devices.

On March 20, 2008, Federal Express was notified of the problem by the FAA but did not make the necessary revisions to its Continuous Airworthiness Maintenance Program until April 17, 2008.

The FAA says that the civil penalty addresses 124 flights from March 20 to April 17, 2008.

FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said, “When it comes to maintenance, it’s unacceptable for any air carrier not to meet the FAA’s standards.”

FedEx has 30 days to respond to the FAA.

Fire in the cockpit causes United Airlines Boeing 757 diversion

by B. N. Sullivan

Last night, May 16, 2010, United Airlines flight UAL 27 from New York-JFK to Los Angeles diverted to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) after a fire broke out in the cockpit. According to press reports, the fire may have originated in a windshield heater on the Boeing 757-200 aircraft (registration N510UA). The incident began about 30 minutes into the flight. The aircraft diverted to IAD where it landed safely. No injuries were reported.

In its account of the incident, FlightGlobal.com reports that the pilots "noted the faint smell of smoke before hearing a 'sizzle' and seeing flames coming from a phenolic block that holds wires that carry power to the windshield heaters."

After donning oxygen masks, the crew extinguished the fire with a halon fire extinguisher, declared an emergency and diverted to Dulles.

Inbound to Dulles at approximately 500ft altitude on the final approach to Runway 19L, the Boeing 757's left front windshield apparently shattered with a "boom", according to a report from the crew. Despite the disruption, the pilots landed the aircraft without incident as fire and rescue crews looked on.

A preliminary report posted this morning on the FAA website said only that the aircraft diverted to IAD after reporting fire in the cockpit. No further details about the incident were provided.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has opened an investigation.

UPDATE May 21, 2010: In a press release today, the NTSB provided the following factual information about this incident:

On Sunday, May 16, 2010, about 9:17 pm (EDT) the pilots on United Airlines flight 27, a Boeing 757, N510UA, noted a strong acrid smell and observed smoke from the Captain's lower front windshield. The incident occurred about 30 minutes into the flight while the aircraft was level at 36,000 feet MSL. On board the aircraft were 7 crew members and 105 passengers.

The Captain and First Officer reported that they donned their oxygen masks and smoke goggles immediately after observing the smoke and fire. The Captain then gave control of the airplane to the First Officer and discharged a halon fire extinguisher. The smoke and fire dissipated but then re-ignited. The Captain obtained a second bottle from the Purser. The fire remained extinguished after this second bottle was discharged. At approximately 500 feet MSL on final approach to Runway19L at IAD, the Captain’s windshield cracked. The landing was uneventful. The airplane cleared the runway, after which ARFF (Aircraft Rescue Firefighting) entered the aircraft to check for residual heat and fire. None was found and the airplane was towed to the gate for deplaning. There were no evacuation and no injuries to the flight crew or passengers.

Preliminary examination of the cockpit area revealed that the inner pane of the Captain’s windshield had cracked. One of the five terminal blocks attached to the inside of the lower left windshield was consumed by fire and the portion of the wire harness associated with this terminal block was significantly damaged by fire. There was significant sooting and paint peeling to the left hand side of the windshield air frame support.

The Captain’s windshield was moved and will be examined by Board investigators at the manufacturer.

Two previous windshield fire events on B757-200 aircraft prompted the NTSB to issue Safety Recommendation A-07-50 http://www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/2007/A07_49_50.pdf. The Safety Board investigators will look closely at the recovered hardware to determine if this latest event is related.

[Photo Source]