Recent ASN Accident Digest

The ASN Accident Digest is provided by Aviation Safety Network at aviation-safety.net. For more information, visit their website.



Date: 11 APR 2008
Type: Antonov 32
Operator: Kata Transportation
Registration: ST-AZL
Total: Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 8
Location: Chisinau Airport (KIV) (Moldova)
Narrative:
The An-32 took off from the Chisinau International Airport at 22:02, bound for Sudan. A problem developed, forcing the crew to return to the airport. The airplane crashed on finals and burned out.
more


Date: 09 APR 2008
Type: Swearingen SA.227AC Metro III
Operator: Avtex Air Services
Registration: VH-OZA
Total: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Location: 8 km E off Bundeena (Australia)
Narrative:
On departure, the aircraft was observed to turn contrary to a control instruction. When queried the pilot reported having a minor technical problem. Shortly after the query, the aircraft vanished from radar. The Metro crashed into the sea.
more

Date: 03 APR 2008
Type: Antonov 28
Operator: Blue Wing Airlines
Registration: PZ-TSO
Total: Fatalities: 19 / Occupants: 19
Location: Lawa-Antino Airport (Suriname)
Narrative:
Flew into a wooded hillside while attempting to land. Reports are that there was another aircraft on the runway at the time. The An-28 apparently aborted the approach but crashed while executing a go around.
more

First 767-300BCF Takes Flight

Boeing and ANA celebrated the inaugural flight of the first 767-300 Boeing Converted Freighter (JA8286) this week, as well as completion of the airplane’s journey to Seattle on the airplane’s second flight. The home city of Boeing Commercial Airplanes will be the base for the 767-300BCF’s flight test and certification activities that will take place over the next few months.
After a first flight of just more than three hours April 9, the airplane departed for Seattle April 10, from the ST Aviation Services Co. (SASCO) facility at Paya Lebar airport in Singapore, where the conversion from a passenger jet to a freighter took place. The 50-tonne-capacity freighter flew nonstop to Seattle, in a 14-hour, 51-minute flight.
Boeing Flight Operations pilots stationed in Seattle will conduct the flight test program. Delivery and certification of the freighter are expected in June.

ANA 767-300 BCF (Boeing Converted Freighter)

The airplane is painted in the livery of Japan-based ANA, the launch customer for the 767-300BCF, and the livery of ALLEX, a joint venture between ANA, Nippon Express and Kintestsu World Express.

Source: Boeing
Photo Credit: Boeing

Aer Lingus orders A350-900s and more A330-300s

Airbus announced that Aer Lingus has become the latest airline to place a firm order for the all-new A350 XWB. In its biggest ever acquisition for long-haul aircraft, the Irish airline has received shareholder approval to purchase six A350-900s, along with six additional A330-300s, confirming its earlier placed contract. This latest contract brings total firm orders for the A350 XWB to 362 from 22 customers.

Aer Lingus Airbus A350 XWB

Aer Lingus’ new A350-900s will be deployed on the airline’s growing long haul network to the United States and on other new long-range routes that are being considered for the future. The additional six new A330-300s will replace some of its earlier A330s, and will provide further growth opportunities in the short term until the first of the A350-900s are delivered. Both the A350-900s and the A330-300s will be in a two-class configuration, featuring Aer Lingus’ new premier class product. The aircraft will join Aer Lingus’ all Airbus fleet, currently comprising 32 A320 Family aircraft and nine A330s.

Source: Airbus
Image Credit: Airbus

Picture – First Boeing 777 Freighter Enters Final Assembly

Mechanics at The Boeing Company began final assembly work on the first 777 Freighter at the company’s Everett, Wash., facility this week. The new cargo airplane will roll out of the factory later this month, and work will begin to prepare the airplane for flight test this summer.
Boeing will deliver the first 777 Freighter to its launch customer Air France in the fourth quarter of 2008. The 777 Freighter is based on the 777-200LR Worldliner passenger airplane and is built using the same production line as all other models of the 777. Eleven customers around the world have ordered 78 777 Freighters.

Air France Boeing 777 Freighter Final Assembly
First Boeing 777 Freighter Final Assembly

Photo Credit: Boeing
Source: Boeing

Safety Report – 04/10/2008


Date & Time: 04/09/2008 10:00
Location: Norfolk, VA
Aircraft Type: Airbus A319-114 Registration: N302NB
Operator: Northwest Airlines Flight: 1449
Phase: Other
Damage: Minor
Injuries & Fatalities: None
Description: While being pushed back from the gate for departure, came in contact with a parked Bombardier CRJ.


Date & Time: 04/10/2008 00:55
Location: Seattle, WA
Aircraft Type: Boeing 747-267B Registration: N787RR
Operator: Rolls-Royce – Trent 1000 Test Aircraft
Phase: Taxi
Damage: Minor
Injuries & Fatalities: None
Description: Aircraft engine struck directional signs on taxiway – damage reported to the cowling – Boeing Field, Seattle

Date & Time: 04/09/2008 18:50
Location: Norfolk, VA
Aircraft Type: Boeing 737 Registration: Unknown
Operator: Southwest Airlines Flight: 204
Phase: Standing
Damage: Unknown
Injuries & Fatalities: 1 minor injury
Description: While in the ramp area, aircraft was struck by a baggage vehicle. There were no persons on board, the driver of the vehicle received minor injuries, damage to the aircraft is unknown.

Source: FAA
Correctness of this posting is not guaranteed & completeness not intended. This posting is just for informational purpose.

Further 787 Delays Announced

Boeing LogoBoeing today announced further delays on the 787 Dreamliner program.

While significant progress has been made assembling Airplane #1, first flight is being rescheduled due to slower than expected completion of work that traveled from supplier facilities into Boeing’s final assembly line, unanticipated rework, and the addition of margin into the testing schedule. The new delivery schedule is based on a more conservative production plan developed with the 787 partner team.

First flight of the 787 will move into the fourth quarter of 2008 rather than the end of the second quarter, and first delivery is now planned for the third quarter of 2009 instead of first quarter.
The new schedule now targets approximately 25 deliveries in 2009.

Pat Shanahan, 787 vice president and program manager said: “The work that remains to be done on Airplane #1 is well defined, and we can see our way to — and have confidence in — the new milestones we have set for it. We have addressed the major challenges that slowed our progress while trying to complete the primary structure — the parts shortages, engineering changes, and manufacturing changes — and we are well into the systems installation that is the precursor to putting power on the airplane for the first time. We have also worked closely with our partners to achieve higher levels of completion of their parts of subsequent airplanes, and we will continue to drive improvements in the supply chain and production system performance.”

For tracking program progress, a series of milestones will occur before June 30: 787 static and fatigue structural test airplanes will move to their testing locations; Airplanes #3 and #4 will enter final assembly; hardware airworthiness qualifications will be complete; and power on will be achieved.
Shanahan also said the program has changed the timing of the introduction of two 787 derivatives. The 787-9, a larger variant of the airplane, will be the first derivative of the baseline 787 with delivery planned for early 2012. The 787-3, a shorter-range model previously slated to deliver in 2010, will now become the second derivative of the airplane family.

Source: Boeing

Russian Space Shuttle Buran Transported to German Museum

Currently the Soviet Space Shuttle Buran 002 is being transported to the German Sinsheim Technology Museum, where it will become the world’s first genuine space shuttle to be exhibited to the general public. (scroll down for photos) The Russian orbiter, one of only a few built, was acquired by the “Technik Museums Sinsheim and Speyer” in cooperation with an Australian consortium of volunteers and honorary members.

After more than 10 years of observation and 4 years of law suit with a business man from Singapore, the spacecraft is finally on its way to find its place in one of the most renowned museums in Germany.

On Thursday, 6 March 2008, the space shuttle was loaded from a storage site on a ship in Manama/Bahrain. The route was then leading via the Arabian Gulf, the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea, Suez Channel, the Mediterranean Sea with course to the Straits of Gibraltar. Thereafter it passed Portugal and France en route to the English Channel and on to Rotterdam.
In Rotterdam the shuttle was prepared for land transport and loaded onto a pontoon-boat, going down the river Rhine in a tug formation from Rotterdam to Speyer (100km south of Frankfurt/Main), today.

The Technik Museums Sinsheim and Speyer are being supported by a non-profit-making organization with more than 2.000 members worldwide. It is the goal of this organization to preserve technological cultural assets for posterity and to support and encourage the interest in technological developments.
The museums are being financed exclusively from the admission charges paid by visitors as well as from donations and membership subscriptions.

The Technik MUSEUM SPEYER is currently building a new museum hall with a height of 22 meters and an exhibition area of 9000 m². As soon the hall has been completed the Russian space shuttle will be placed into the new hall to have its wings, landing gear, instruments and rudder re-attached in order to make everything fit for exhibition.

The Museum is planning to have everything ready by mid-summer.

Photos:
Actually there are tons of photos from enthusiastic watchers at Flickr.
Here I present you a little selection. Please note, every image will lead to a separate image gallery containing many more photos!
Buran in Rotterdam 5. April 2008 (23) Space Shuttle Buran _DSC0339 Buran in Duesseldorf 02 Buran on Rhine 8 Buran 3 dsc04062.jpg Buran Buran (on Rhine) Remagen #2

Links:
Technik Museum Speyer: The whole story about acquiring and transporting the Buran
Technik Museum Speyer
Wikipedia: Buran Spacecraft

Boeing Sponsors Flight of Historic Airplanes Over Washington DC

Boeing LogoThe Boeing Company today announced that it is sponsoring a flyover of four historic military airplanes in honor of U.S. airmen who died during World War II and in subsequent conflicts.
The event will take place on Thursday, April 10, at 1:15 p.m. The airplanes will take off from Andrews Air Force Base, will cross the airspace around Ronald Reagan National Airport (which will close briefly to accommodate the event) and will circle the Air Force Memorial before returning to Andrews. Spectators will be able to view the flyover from the grounds of the memorial (accessed by car via I-395 and Columbia Pike) as well as from multiple points along the Potomac River in Arlington and Washington, D.C.
The American Air Museum (AAM) in Duxford, England, organized the flyover, which features a B-17 Flying Fortress (made by Boeing), a P-51D Mustang (made by North American Aviation, now a part of Boeing), a P-40 Kittyhawk (made by Curtiss Wright), and a Spitfire (made by Vickers Armstrong).
Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Squire, president of the AAM and chairman of the Imperial War Museum in the United Kingdom, will preside over the event and pay tribute to the thousands of airmen who sacrificed their lives in defense of freedom. Joining him for the ceremony at the memorial will be former British Prime Minister (and honored guest) Sir John Major; Lt. Gen. John Bradley, commander, U.S. Air Force Reserve Command; and Richard Ashton, executive vice president, AAM.

Source: Boeing

PIA Takes Delivery of 9th Boeing 777

This week PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) took delivery of the carrier’s 9th 777. PIA’s newest airplane, a Boeing 777-300ER (AP-BID), features a tail design representing Pakistan’s Northwest Frontier. Two previous 777-300ERs have been delivered to the airline with similar themed tail designs in honor of the country’s Punjab and Sind provinces.

PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) Boeing 777-300ER (AP-BID)
PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) Boeing 777-300ER Tail Design

Source: Boeing
Photo Credit: Boeing

ANA Increases 767-300BCF Order

Boeing and Tokyo-based ANA (All Nippon Airways) this week announced that the airline exercised options for two more 767-300 Boeing Converted Freighters.
Previously, ANA launched the 767-300BCF program with a 2005 order for three conversions and four options. In 2006, ANA exercised two of the options and this agreement to exercise the last of the 2005 options brings the airline’s firm order total to seven of the passenger-to-freighter conversions.
The first of ANA’s newly converted freighters is nearing completion at Singapore Technologies Aerospace (SASCO) and is expected to make its first flight in April. After flight testing and certification, the redelivery of the first ANA 767-300BCF is planned for June at the SASCO facility in Singapore.

Boeing 767-300 Boeing Converted Freighter

Source: Boeing
Image Credit: Boeing