Trivia 2017 (miscellaneous news)

[sn26567]

Harrison Ford in near miss with passenger plane at LA Airport

Actor Harrison Ford was involved in a potentially serious incident on Monday as he was piloting his private plane, a single engine Husky.

Ford, an experienced pilot who collects vintage planes, had been instructed to land on runway 20-L at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California but mistakenly aimed for a taxiway instead. His plane passed over the top of an American Airlines 737 loaded with 110 passengers and a six-person crew.

Ford, 74, was captured on air traffic control recordings asking, "Was that airliner meant to be underneath me?"

Air traffic controllers then informed Ford that he had landed on a taxiway rather than the runway.

Landing on a taxiway is a violation of Federal Aviation Administration safety rules.

The FAA said that controllers gave Ford the proper landing instructions and that he read them back.

The incident has prompted an FAA investigation — which could result in anything from a simple warning letter to a suspension of Ford's pilot's license.

Full story: http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/har ... rt-n720826

[Homo Aeroportus]

Yeah sure NBCNews, let’s all blame the pilot.

I flew KSNA and know the ground ops there and honestly always took this for a single-runway airport. So I went to look on Google Earth for this parallel runway.

Well, well. This tiny 20L has no Threshold markings (piano keys), no Aiming Point / Fixed Distance Marks, no Touchdown marking stripes. A runway that doesn’t look to be one, that does not differentiate from a taxiway at first sight.
Note this GE view is from the top; it will look even less obvious when seen from a 3° approach angle.
Still want to blame the pilot ?

“Confirmation bias” syndrome :
I am cleared to land on RWY 20L and I am aligned with a straight piece of pavement that is on the left of the main 20R. Is there anything that draws my attention that I may not be where I should? I have landed here before and I know 20L is narrow and shows no runway markings.
Is there any signal strong enough to take me out of my mindset? Even after landing, Harrison Ford expressed surprise "Was that airliner meant to be underneath me?" that shows he had no doubt not to have landed on the RWY.

Traffic was landing on the main RWY 20R. FR24 does not show Harrison Ford’s aircraft but he may have been kept away from the big birds’ wake so probably vectored towards the West until turning left to intercept the extended RWY 20L centreline. This would make the Taxiway Charlie to appear first as an invitation to align with.
The incident was just after 12:00L apparently (ATD of AA flight). At that time the sun was in Ford’s front sector at 180° azimuth and 40° elevation.

Still want to blame the pilot ?

I don’t consider this to be a pilot error. I see a human who fell into a trap.

This TWY/RWY or RWY/RWY confusion happens way too often. I seem to recall last year a similar event at KSEA landing on wrong parallel RWY.
And the Luftie Otto Pilots landing on the runway under construction at Katowice, low-sun approach on a bright visible RWY staggered with the active and closer to them when turning on Base, no clear “X” markings indicating the RYW is WIP and closed.
And at LFML Marseille some 6-8 years ago landing at night on the “principale” for mistaking a “runway closed = no runway lights” and not seeing the too low intensity “secondaire”, going for a head-on with a Peugeot … checking the lit runway lights.

Fact : Harrison Ford was cleared to land on 20L and he did not. But what did KSNA / Orange County / FAA do to mitigate the risk?
Others have identified the risk and came with this :

LCPH RWY 11.png (581.47 KiB) Viewed 4226 times

LCPH Paphos in Cyprus.

Non-conventional markings? Not in the book? Correct !
So what? Wait for the FAA to amend AC150/5340-1 say 5 years after the NTSB has submitted their final report on the crash that killed +100 ?

Thanks for bringing this one up André. I have been advocating preventive measures like these for years and no, nobody peed in my cornflakes this morning.


H.A.

[sn26567]

Thanks for your comments, H.A., and especially for the pics. The runways and taxiways of Orange County are indeed very confusing. But John Wayne airport is for cowboys, isn't it?

[jan_olieslagers]

Thanks H.A. - it is good to see someone thinking independently. Still
* in a legal sense, the PIC is responsible for her/his mistakes, even if external factors were adverse;
* the non-standard markings seem a very good idea, but something tells me an aerodrome operator is legally disallowed to apply them.

[Passenger]

A deer strike during take off run for AA-5320 (CRJ-700) at Charlotte, USA:

http://avherald.com/h?article=4a4f4037&opt=0

[luchtzak]

Prague airport terminal 2 shortly evacuated this evening after fake bomb alert.

[Homo Aeroportus]

Thanks H.A. - it is good to see someone thinking independently. Still
* in a legal sense, the PIC is responsible for her/his mistakes, even if external factors were adverse;
* the non-standard markings seem a very good idea, but something tells me an aerodrome operator is legally disallowed to apply them.

Agreed Jan_O, the PIC remains fully responsible in a legal sense but I don't like the standard scenario :
- Breaking News : 150 people die in an air crash.
- NTSB report : the pilot did not follow instructions on landing.
- Pass me the biscuits please.

Very unfortunately, it is often AFTER an accident that the regulators revise and amend the directives to avoid / reduce the risk of occurrence and I agree that it is sometime difficult to apprehend.
For example after the Tenerife crash when such trap was discovered following a very detailed study on phraseology that brought to light the risk of confusion for non-native speakers between the English "to be at (take-off)" and the Dutch "ik ben aan ..."

In the present case of incorrect identification of the runway, the problem is known and incidents are reported too frequently. I am not anymore in such ICAO working group but I can only hope that they are actively working on a solution. However, even if an amended measure is taken tomorrow it will take years to be promulgated and become compulsory.
On the other hand, although an airport operator is obliged through the national regulator to apply the correct markings, nothing prevents it to ADD non-conventional markings or signage (for as long as they do not interfere and render illegible).
But yeah, I realize that it'll take a brave young engineer to tell his boss at the airport : "next time you meet with the CAA could you suggest that ..."

H.A.

[Magiktrix]

The Swiss Air Force PC-7 team was involved in a very unusual incident. One off the PC-7 plane clipped a television camera cable suspended above the finish lines at the skiing world championships in St Moritz on Friday 17. Luckily it was between the 2 runs so no one was injured and the plane landed safely.

Video :
http://www.francetvinfo.fr/sports/video ... 64317.html

[luchtzak]

Jet Airways loses communications with ATC above Germany, intercepted by German Air Force

[Magiktrix]

Jet Airways loses communications with ATC above Germany, intercepted by German Air Force

I replay the flight on FR24. Here are my 2 cents. Prague ATC was most probably using 131.390 MHZ. Prague forgot to transfer them to Rhein (Germany). The pilots never realise contact was lost because of the chatting on the frequency never stops. The problem is that Reims (France) is also using 131.390 MHZ. So when out of range to Prague the aircraft entered the range of Reims and the chatting continue. The only clue is the different accent of the ATCO. Just don't ask me why i know that

[luchtzak]

VIM Airlines Boeing 737 off the runway at Riga airport. Passengers and crew unharmed, aircraft damaged. Airport closed for 2 hours.

https://www.aviation24.be/airlines/vim-air ... a-airport/

http://avherald.com/h?article=4a508815

https://youtu.be/lwYCJeMDP4w

[sn26567]

Queen Mathilde flew to Laos with scheduled Thai flights, not on a BAF aircraft.

[sn26567]

BREAKING: Small plane crashes into mall near Essendon airport in Melbourne, Australia; no word on casualties

http://bit.ly/2lAhVQ7


Source: BNO News (Australia)

[Passenger]

BREAKING: Small plane crashes into mall near Essendon airport in Melbourne, Australia; no word on casualties
http://bit.ly/2lAhVQ7
Source: BNO News (Australia)

"...Victoria Police Minister Lisa Neville said 5 people were on board the Beechcraft Super King Air aircraft, which crashed while attempting to take off for a flight to King Island. It was not immediately known whether anyone survived or if anyone on the ground had been injured..."

Apparently an air ambulance.

[Passenger]

King Air B200 crash:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Esse ... _Air_crash

http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/inv ... -2017-024/

[sn26567]

Meanwhile, somewhere in China...

[sn26567]

A Boeing company, Inventory Locator Service, yesterday posted an Evolution of Boeing graphic on its website that traces key points in Boeing’s history.

There was a problem, however: the airplane at the top of the graphic, which was photo-shopped with Boeing 737 identification, was an Airbus A321.

The A321 wasn’t the only problem. A 747-8 was used to represent the first flight of the 747-100. A 737NG freighter represented the first flight of the 737, which was the -100 series. A 787–which didn’t even exist at the time–was used to represent the 1997 merger with McDonnell Douglas. And a 777F was used to represent the first flight of the 787.



Source: https://leehamnews.com/2017/02/23/boein ... ite-promo/

[Boeing767copilot]

Emirates Recruits Pilots in Brussels

Emirates, a global connector of people, places and experiences, will hold a Pilot Roadshow to recruit experienced and technically proficient commercial pilots in Brussels to fly its extensive network of international routes. The roadshow offers a great opportunity for interested pilots to learn more about the recruitment and talk to Emirates' staff about the benefits of living and working in Dubai.

The Pilot Roadshow will be held near Brussels Airport, on Saturday 10 and 11 March 2017, at 10am and 2pm at the Crowne Plaza Brussels Airport hotel, Leonardo Da Vincilaan 4 / 1831 Diegem Belgium. Prior registration is not required to participate in the event. If shortlisted, Emirates will offer candidates the possibility of completing their initial interview and ability assessment from the comfort of their homes at any time of their convenience through an online selection process.

Pilots unable to attend the roadshow, but interested in working with Emirates can also create an online application at www.emirates.com/pilots

Emirates is one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, operating one of the largest fleets in the world with over 250 wide-bodied aircraft, across a global network of 154 destinations in 83 countries across six continents. With over 220 technically advanced aircraft on order from Airbus and Boeing, Emirates will continue to increase its fleet size and extend its network and services.

The position offers an excellent opportunity to fly with one of the fastest growing and the most profitable award-winning airline in the world. Emirates pilots enjoy a competitive tax free salary, medical and dental insurance, annual leave and company accommodations of living in one of the most desirable locations in the world - Dubai.

For more information about the recruitment process and eligibility requirements for pilots, please visit: www.emirates.com/pilots

[Passenger]

One of the many O'Leary press statements, only ment to get free publicity through news headlines, has become reality. PIA (Pakistan) has realized stand-up seats:

http://avherald.com/h?article=4a55f544&opt=0

Moved by modedator.

[DIBO]

Flying in circles

http://www.nieuwsblad.be/sportwereld/li ... nen/257096