Video – Sikorsky Piasecki X-49A Speedhawk Test Flight

This Sikorsky Piasecki X-49A “Speedhawk” flight test video has emerged on YouTube. Piasecki Aircraft is near the end of its initial test run of the X-49A vectored thrust-ducted propeller (VDTP) compound helicopter, a modified Sikorsky H-60. By late October the Sikorsky Piasecki X-49A “Speedhawk” did 24 test flights with a total of 19 hours flight time. [Source]

Link: More information about the Sikorsky Piasecki X-49A Speedhawk

It will be interesting to see if and how the US Army will use this strange ugly bird. Maybe it will be used for some MEDEVAC missions. It will be difficult to fly for sure, with this heavy propeller engine mounted on its tail.

LAN Airlines Complete Deal for 32 787s and 4 777 Freighters

Boeing announced that Chile’s LAN Airlines will receive 32 787 Dreamliners, marking the largest 787 acquisition to date for Latin America. The Santiago-based carrier has ordered 26 airplanes from Boeing, and will lease an additional six 787-9s from International Lease Finance Corp.
In addition to the Dreamliner order, Boeing said LAN also has committed to acquiring four 777 Freighters – two from Boeing and two to be leased from GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS).

Lan Chile Boeing 787 Dreamliner and 777-200LR Freighter

The order for 26 Dreamliners, consisting of a mix of 787-8s and 787-9s, is worth approximately $ 4.5 billion at published list prices. The two 777 Freighters are similarly valued at approximately $ 500 million. The two direct-purchase 777 Freighters were previously attributed to an unidentified customer on Boeing’s orders and deliveries Web site.
“This order reaffirms support for Boeing’s Dreamliner from the largest and one of the most profitable airlines in Latin America,” said John Wojick, Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president, Sales, Latin America and the Caribbean. “With the 787, LAN will be able to provide its passengers with the very best in long-range air travel, including larger windows, higher cabin humidity, more space and a lower cabin altitude.
“In addition, LAN’s long-haul cargo operations will gain unmatched efficiency with the 777 Freighter, which offers more capacity and greater range than any other twin-engine freighter,” Wojick said.
Thus far, two other Latin American carriers have committed to the 787 Dreamliner: Aeromexico, with three leased, two purchased, and Colombia’s Avianca, which has ordered 10.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, scheduled for entry into service in 2008. Thus far, 51 airlines have logged 736 orders, making the Dreamliner the most successful commercial airplane launch in history.
The 777 Freighter is the sixth and newest member of the 777 family of airplanes and builds upon the family’s extensive use of advanced technologies. The 777 Freighter is based on the 777-200LR passenger model and is designed to facilitate easy interlining with the Boeing 747 freighter fleet. Eleven customers have ordered 82 777 Freighters, which are scheduled to enter service beginning in the fourth quarter of 2008.

FAA Report – 11/5/2007

Date & Time: 11/02/2007 11:47
Location: Wichita, KS
Aircraft Type: McDonnell Douglas DC-8-71(F) Registration: N/A
Airline: United Parcel Service – UPS
Phase: Cruise
Damage: Unknown
Injuries & Fatalities: 0
Description: UPS flight 918 declared an emergency and diverted to Wichita – Mid-Continent (ICT / KICT) due to fire in the lavatory. Aircraft landed without incident.

Preliminary Investigation Report – SAS DHC8-Q400 LN-RDI Accident

Denmark’s Accident Investigation Board reported that the landing gear accident of SAS Dash 8 – Q400 LN-RDI at 27.10.2007 in Copenhagen was caused by a piece of rubber O-Ring trapped in the landing gear, preventing it from extending accurately.
This cause is not related to the two previous accidents which occurred in September 2007. According to the preliminary investigation report, this accident might have happened because of a fault by maintenance personnel and not because of a possible design fault of Bombardier’s Q400.

Summary
During the examination of the retraction/extension actuator assembly from the right main landing gear of the occurrence aircraft, an O-Ring was found blocking the orifice in the restrictor valve.
The blocked orifice within the actuator assembly prevented the normal extension of the right main landing gear.
The O-Ring was similar to that O-Ring for the door solenoid sequence valve (SSV). The only component in the landing gear system that incorporated this O-Ring was the SSV.
An SSV on the right main landing gear system had been replaced on 16 October 2007.
In the past occurrences, O-Rings (situated adjacent to the filter) from the SSV´s are not known to have migrated into the landing gear hydraulic system.
The O-ring found blocking the right main landing gear actuator restrictor valve, was from the SSV that was previously installed on the occurrence aircraft.
The rogue O-Ring could not have traveled from the SSV to its final location in the right main landing gear retraction/extension actuator restrictor valve.
The MSV of the right main landing gear was replaced on 22 October 2007.
According to the maintenance records, the replacement MSV, was initially configured for installation into the nose landing gear hydraulic system. Prior to installation on the occurrence aircraft, the supplied MSV was reconfigured by maintenance personnel. To make it compatible with the installation requirements for the main landing gear, the unions from the replaced MSV were used.
During the replacement of the MSV, the rogue O-Ring could have unknowingly been transferred from one side of the MSV to the other side by maintenance personnel.
Following a possible transfer of the O-Ring, it could travel through the hydraulic lines towards the main landing gear retraction/extension actuator restrictor valve causing the blockage of the valve.

Source:
Preliminary Investigation Report PDF
Technical drawing

Video – Japanese F-2 Crash during Takeoff

This Japanese F-2 fighter jet burst into flames just after takeoff in Nagoya, central Japan, on 31 October, but its two pilots managed to escape with minor injuries.
The plane was about to start its first test flight since it was docked for regular check-ups at the domestic airport of Nagoya.
It nosedived immediately after takeoff at the airport and glided on its tail over the runway before swerving off into the grass.

“We failed on takeoff and the fuselage plunged almost vertically from a height of 50 meters,” one of the pilots said.
The cause of the accident is not known yet.

Kingfisher to start international service early 2008

Indian carrier Kingfisher Airlines, together with its low-fare airline Deccan, plans to fly directly to dozens of destinations outside India as part of an ambitious launch of international operations that are scheduled for early next year. The first international flight is planned to start between Bangalore and San Francisco by April.
Kingfisher is customer of 5 Airbus A380 (+5 options), with first delivery expected in 2011 and 20 Airbus A350-800 XWB (+10 options), with first delivery expected in 2013.

The scheduled flight plan as follows:

1 flight
China – Hong Kong/Guangzhou/Beijing/Shanghai; Canada – Vancouver/Toronto; Switzerland – Zürich/Geneva; USA – San Francisco; Kuwait – Kuwait City; Germany – Düsseldorf; Australia – Sydney; South Africa – Johannesburg; Nepal – Kathmandu

2 flights
USA – New York; UK – London; Qatar – Doha; Sri Lanka – Colombo

4 flights
Oman – Muscat; Bahrain – Manama; UAE – Sharjah

5 flights
Thailand – Bangkok; Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur

7 flights
UAE – Dubai

Full article at source: http://www.livemint.com/2007/11/02235607/Kingfisher-readies-mega-overse.html

Both Pilots Asleep While Approaching Denver

Lawmakers meeting about airline safety Wednesday heard about a government report that described a commercial pilot and his first officer falling asleep at the wheel 60 miles outside from Denver, and careening toward the airport at twice the speed allowed.

A commercial pilot had recently switched schedules to flying three “red eyes” in a row between Denver and Baltimore with only one hour in between flights. On March 4, 2004, during the third late-night flight, the pilot and his first officer were approaching Denver in an Airbus A319 and they were fast asleep.

“LAST 45 MINS OF FLT I FELL ASLEEP AND SO DID THE FO,”
“MISSED ALL CALLS FROM ATC,” the report continues, saying that the plane was supposed to be traveling at less than 290 mph, but they were moving at a clip of about 590 mph.

“I WOKE UP, WHY I DON’T KNOW, AND HEARD FRANTIC CALLS FROM ATC. … I ANSWERED ATC AND ABIDED BY ALL INSTRUCTIONS TO GET DOWN. WOKE FO UP,” the report says, adding that he then followed all the controller’s instructions, “AND LANDED WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENTS.”

Continue at source: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,307019,00.html

Official ASRS Narrative:
HAD BEEN DOING 4 MONTHS OF STAND-UP’S. LATE RPT, FLY TO DFW ARRIVE AT XA30 AND GO TO MOTEL AND REST APPROX 8 HRS. SHOW AT XH00, FLY BACK TO DEN. FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH, HAD A SCHEDULE CHANGE TO ‘RED EYES,’ WHICH CONSISTS OF LEAVING DEN AT XA50, FLY TO BWI AND 1 HR TURN-BACK TO DEN. NO REST, JUST STRAIGHT 7 HRS 55 MINS FLT TO BALTIMORE AND BACK. ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY (MAR/THU/04) AFTER 2 PREVIOUS RED EYES, THIS BEING THIRD RED EYE IN A ROW, LAST 45 MINS OF FLT I FELL ASLEEP AND SO DID THE FO. MISSED ALL CALLS FROM ATC TO MEET XING RESTR AT DANDD INTXN IN THE SE CORRIDOR TO DEN. THE XING RESTR BEING DANDD AT FL190 AND 250 KTS. INSTEAD, WE CROSSED DANDD AT FL350 AND MACH .82. I WOKE UP, WHY I DON’T KNOW, AND HEARD FRANTIC CALLS FROM ATC APPROX 5 DME INSIDE OF DANDD. I ANSWERED ATC AND ABIDED BY ALL INSTRUCTIONS TO GET DOWN. WOKE FO UP, STARTED DOWN TO FL220 AS INSTRUCTED, EXPEDITING TO FL220 AND THEN TO 14000 FT WITH TURNS TO 360 DEGS AND THEN TO 180 DEGS. FINISHED ALL CHKLISTS AND LANDED IN DEN WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENTS. WAS NOT TOLD TO CALL ATC, BUT DID FILE RPT WITH COMPANY. ATTRIBUTE INCIDENT TO PLT FATIGUE, AND HOPEFULLY COMPANY IS IN PROCESS OF CHANGING THESE TRIP PAIRINGS.