Ilyushin 76TD Crashed in Pakistan (Video)

One more of those fantastic Ilyushin 76s got lost 🙁 According to ASN an Ilyushin 76TD operated by Sun Way crashed shortly after take-off from Karachi-Jinnah International Airport (KHI), Pakistan. The flight was bound for Khartoum, Sudan. No one of the 8 crew members survived.

Video

Photos: http://en.rian.ru/world/20101128/161533955.html

NASA Sponsors Advanced Aircraft Concepts Study

Last week NASA has awarded two contracts for studies designed to identify advanced concepts for commercial airliners that could enter service in 2025. Main goal of the new airliners is that they need to be quieter, greener and more fuel-efficient.

Lockheed Martin (Skunk Works) was selected for a contract worth $2.99 million.
Northrop Grumman was selected for a contract worth $2.65 million.

Both teams will define a preferred system concept for an aircraft that can fly up to 85 percent of the speed of sound; cover a range of approximately 7,000 miles; and carry between 50,000 and 100,000 pounds of payload, either passengers or cargo.
Both contracts have a performance period of 12 months, beginning in November.

MIT Future Aircraft Concept

The NASA project is working to develop technology that would enable future aircraft to burn 50 percent less fuel than current models; reduce harmful emissions by 50 percent; and shrink the geographic areas affected by objectionable airport noise by 83 percent.

Earlier this year MIT already presented its own vision of future commercial planes to NASA. This research contract was sponsored by NASA with $2.1 million.

Source: NASA
Image: MIT/Aurora Flight Sciences

Boeing Modifications on 787

After investigation of the onboard electrical fire on ZA002, earlier this month, Boeing now is in need to make changes to its 787 design. Boeing is developing design changes to power distribution panels on the 787 and updates to the systems software that manages and protects power distribution on the airplane.

Engineers have determined that the fault began as either a short circuit or an electrical arc in the P100 power distribution panel, most likely caused by the presence of foreign debris. The design changes will improve the protection within the panel. Software changes also will be implemented to further improve fault protection.

The P100 panel is one of five major power distribution panels on the 787. It receives power from the left engine and distributes it to an array of systems.

A revised 787 program schedule is expected in a few weeks.

Source: Boeing

Video – Boeing 737 Performance Improvements

Last week an improved Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 successfully completed its first test flight. Aerodynamic and engine changes included in the package will reduce fuel consumption by 2 percent. Boeing is phasing the changes into production mid-2011 through early 2012.
One percent of the savings comes from reducing resistance as air flows around the airplane. The upper and lower anti-collision lights change from round to a more aerodynamic teardrop shape. Wheel-well fairings are re-contoured to smooth the air flow near the main landing gear. A redesign of the environmental control system, exhaust vent and streamlined wing slat and spoiler trailing edges round out the aerodynamic changes.


Video

Source: Boeing

EASA Airworthiness Directive for Rolls-Royce Trent 900 Engines

Referring to the uncontained engine failure of an Qantas Airbus A380 on November 4, the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) today issued an Airworthiness Directive for all Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines.
This applys to RB211 Trent 900 series engines, variants RB211 Trent 970-84, RB211 Trent 970B-84, RB211 Trent 972-84, RB211 Trent 972B-84, RB211 Trent 977-84, RB211 Trent 977B-84 and RB211 Trent 980-84, all serial numbers.

According to EASA, analysis of the preliminary elements from the incident investigation shows that an oil fire in the HP/IP structure cavity may have caused the failure of the Intermediate Pressure Turbine (IPT) Disc.
This airworthiness directive requires repetitive inspections of the Low PressureTurbine (LPT) stage 1 blades and case drain, HP/IP structure air buffer cavity and oil service tubes in order to detect any abnormal oil leakage, and if any discrepancy is found, to prohibit further engine operation.

While Qantas is committed to bringing its A380s back into service as soon as possible, the Australien flag carrier updated its schedule for its international network to ensure minimum disruption to passengers after the grounding of its Airbus A380 fleet.
Boeing 747s have been replaced by Airbus A330s on the Sydney to Narita route and A330s have been replaced by B767s on Perth to Singapore services. B747s have also been replaced by A330s on the Sydney to Hong Kong route. These changes will enable Qantas to operate 747s on long-haul international services previously operated by the A380.

Sources: EASA, Qantas

Boeing 787s Grounded

After a fire on one of the 787 Dreamliner test planes, Boeing has grounded all 787s until they investigated the cause of the incident.

On Tuesday a Boeing 787 test flight was forced to do an emergency landing at Laredo, Texas after a fire broke out in the electrical-equipment bay, which is located underneath the passenger cabin. The plane, Dreamliner No.2 (ZA002), was evacuated via emergency slides, nobody was injured.
According to Seattle Times, the fire affected the cockpit controls – the plane lost its primary flight displays and its auto-throttle.
Update: Boeing today confirmed that the plane lost its primary electrical power as a result of the fire. The Ram Air Turbine (RAT) has been successfully deployed.

It’s not known how long the suspension will last.
The Boeing 787 program is already three years behind schedule.

Source: Seattle Times

Update November 12 2010:
Boeing today released further information about this incident. Investigation has determined that a failure in the P100 panel led to a fire involving an insulation blanket. The insulation self-extinguished once the fault in the P100 panel cleared. The P100 panel on ZA002 has been removed and a replacement unit is being shipped to Laredo. The insulation material near the unit also has been removed.
Damage to the ZA002 P100 panel is significant. Initial inspections, however, do not show extensive damage to the surrounding structure or other systems.
The P100 panel is one of several power panels in the aft electronics bay. It receives power from the left engine and distributes it to an array of systems. In the event of a failure of the P100 panel, backup power sources – including power from the right engine, the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), the auxiliary power unit (APU) or the battery – are designed to automatically engage to ensure that those systems needed for continued safe operation of the airplane are powered.

Source: Boeing

Qantas’ A380s Still Grounded

Qantas today announced that their Airbus A380 fleet remains grounded for at least another 72 hours and will not return to service until the engine issues have been identified and resolved.

Qantas is continuing an intensive inspection program on all Rolls-Royce engines in its A380 fleet. As part of their investigation, Qantas engineers have removed a number of engines to undertake further examination. The focus of the investigation has been narrowed to the possibility of an oil leakage in the relevant turbine area.

Qantas Airbus A380 Engine Inspection

These inspections are taking place in Sydney and Los Angeles with Qantas engineers working closely with Rolls-Royce, as well as Airbus and Australian regulators.

Qantas has scheduled extra services from Los Angeles to ensure passengers affected by the suspension of A380 operations are returned to Australia as soon as possible.

The backlog of passengers in Los Angeles is expected to be cleared by last departure from Los Angeles on 8 November with all passengers accommodated on specially chartered relief flights and across scheduled services. A Special Assistance Team has been deployed to Los Angeles to assist.

Hotel accommodation, meals and international phone calls have been provided for passengers impacted by the A380 disruptions. Qantas will provide compensation for customers who have experienced delays.

Related: Photos & Videos – Qantas A380 Uncontained Engine Failure

Source & Photo: Qantas

Photos – Qantas A380 Engine Failure

Today Qantas flight QF32, an Airbus A380-842, experienced an uncontained engine failure after take-off from Singapore. It performed a turn back and landed safely back in Singapore Changi. Parts of debris of affected engine number 2 punctured the left wing. The plane landed with opened landing gear doors as well as undeployed leading edge flaps – suggesting an emergency deployment of the landing gear or some kind of hydraulic or electrical issue caused by debris. According to sources engine No1 was producing significant thrust after the plane stopped and was not controllable from the cockpit.

The plane involved is VH-OQA, MSN 14. It was delivered to Qantas on 19th September 2008 and had logged around 8165 flight hours and 831 flight cycles as of today. It is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines.

Qantas grounded its A380 fleet until sufficient information has been obtained about what occurred on QF32. Rolls-Royce has recommended immediate checks of its Trent 900 engines. Singapore Airlines, another operator of the Trent 900 engine, have announced that their A380 flights will be delayed as result of these inspections. Lufthansa sees no impact on its A380 flight schedule.

Update: In-flight passenger video below

Photos
Qantas Airbus A380 Uncontained Engine Failure in Singapore
Photo: AP

Qantas Airbus A380 Engine Failure Details
Photo: Reuters

Qantas Airbus A380 Engine Failure
Photo: AP

Qantas Airbus A380 Engine Failure Punctured Wing
Photo: AP

Videos – In-flight footage from passenger view

Source: Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa