Tag Archives: AF447

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New Sikorsky Marine One helicopters damage the White House lawn, the airports renamed for U.S. presidents, airline consolidation, DCA crash safety recommendations, controversy over ADS-B In regulations, Air France and Airbus manslaughter verdict, passengers sue Delta over turbulence injuries, a Ryanair window ruptures, and a seaplane makes a hard landing in New York’s East River. Also, interviews from the Spurwink Farm fly-in.

Aviation News

Lockheed Martin Is Covering the Cost of Trump’s White House Helipad

President Trump said that Sikorsky, part of Lockheed Martin, would cover the cost of building a new helipad at the White House. Lockheed Martin confirmed the report. Sikorsky helicopters have been used to transport the president since the 1970s. 

The new VH-92A Patriot helicopter has propulsion exhaust vents located toward the rear of the airframe and pointed downward, unlike the VH-3D’s configuration. Also, with much more powerful engines, the VH-92A generates significantly more downwash than the VH-3D. The hot exhaust gets combined with the intense rotor downwash at touchdown, and the combined heat-and-airflow effect scorches the turf and can physically rip sod loose.

Airline consolidation now rules the skies. Has it been good for passengers?

Continental Airlines, Northwest Airlines, and US Airways are gone. Spirit Airlines is gone as well. Now, the Big Four U.S. airlines control roughly three-quarters of the U.S. market. Has this been good for the flying public? It depends on who you ask.

Former governor Chris Sununu, now the head of Airlines for America, said at a Capitol Hill hearing, “We have more competition per route than ever before. When I go to buy a ticket, I have four, five, or six carriers going from Wichita to Dallas. So now they’re all competing on that exact same route.”

There are six airlines serving Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, but there’s only one that flies nonstop to Dallas. Past guest Ganesh Sitaraman, a professor at Vanderbilt Law School and the author of the book Why Flying Is Miserable and How to Fix It said, “From the airlines’ perspective, it makes sense. Bigger is better, and it’ll be more efficient for them, even if there’s a lot of drawbacks for communities and passengers.”

A Florida airport is officially renamed for Trump. What does he stand to gain?

Chart showing U.S. airports that were renamed for presidents.

FAA Details First Official Response to DC Crash Safety Recommendations

After the January 2025 midair collision near Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people, the NTSB issued nearly three dozen recommendations. As is always the case, the FAA is not obligated to implement the NTSB’s recommendations. Earlier this year, the FAA said it had fully addressed seven of the recommendations and that it would evaluate the others, with further updates to come by May 31, 2027.

The Air Current reported that the FAA indicated it is evaluating whether the number of arrivals permitted per hour at DCA is appropriate. This is a key metric that the NTSB said contributed to the airport’s congestion at the time of the crash. Also, any adjustments will be determined after an official analysis in 2027.

This $50,000 Safety Fix Is Dividing the Aviation Industry and Washington

This could be characterized as a conference-committee fight over how strong an ADS-B In mandate should be, not whether there will be one. ALPA and NTSB are on one side (ROTOR Act), and industry groups like A4A/AOPA/NBAA on the other (ALERT) side. 

Senate: ROTOR Act (Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform Act)

  • Would require all aircraft to be equipped with ADS-B In and repeal certain military exemptions from the technology requirements.
  • Passed the Senate by unanimous consent in December, with strong support, including from ALPA.
  • The House rejected it on February 24, 2026, falling one vote short of the two-thirds majority needed after the Defense Department raised national security concerns

House: ALERT Act (Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency Act)

  • House lawmakers revised the bill to explicitly include an ADS-B In mandate after the earlier version was criticized for failing to clearly require it.
  • The updated version requires that aircraft carry both ADS-B In and ACAS X (Airborne Collision Avoidance System X), integrated so ADS-B In data feeds the alerting function.
  • Opposition: ALPA doesn’t endorse it, arguing that ACAS Xa (the large-commercial-aircraft variant) isn’t yet commercialized, that no integration standards exist, and that the system suppresses alerts below 1,000 feet when situational awareness matters most.
  • The NTSB also declined to support it, saying it falls short of requiring ADS-B In for all aircraft operating in airspace where ADS-B Out is already required, even though it allows compliance via portable receivers with line-of-sight limitations.

Air France and Airbus found guilty of manslaughter over 2009 plane crash

A Paris Appeals Court found Air France and Airbus “solely and entirely responsible” for the 2009 AF447 accident, which killed 228 people when it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. The companies were cleared in April 2023 but were found guilty after an eight-week trial. Both Air France and Airbus have denied the charges and say they will appeal. In 2012, French investigators found a combination of technical failure involving ice in the pitot tubes and pilot confusion over faulty air-speed readings. Pilot training has since been modified, and pitot tube sensors have been replaced.

20 Sue Delta Over 2.5 Minutes of Terror on Flight Out of Utah

A lawsuit has been filed against Delta Air Lines on behalf of 20 passengers of Delta Flight 56, claiming that pilots “recklessly flew” too close to thunderstorms, where severe turbulence caused multiple injuries. The turbulence lasted 2 1/2 minutes over Wyoming, and the flight was diverted to Minnesota. Twenty-five people were transported to local hospitals.

The NTSB said the pilots were caught by surprise. In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs allege that the National Weather Service issued an advisory warning that turbulent conditions were present in the mountains east of Salt Lake City and that thunderstorms were present along portions of the flight path.

Apparent engine fan blade failure preceded rupture of Ryanair 737 window

The Air Current reports that the rupture of a Ryanair Boeing 737-800 window resulted from a fan blade failure on the right CFM56-7B engine. Fan blade failures are serious but rare. Aircraft engines are designed to contain fan blade failures and are tested during the certification process. 

The FAA issued airworthiness directives to mitigate the risk of fan blade failure through inspections and an engine inlet redesign to ensure containment. The FAA set a July 31, 2028, deadline for compliance.

Small plane makes hard landing into New York’s East River, officials say

A Kodiak 100 seaplane with eight people on board made a hard landing in the East River between Brooklyn and Manhattan. There was “substantial damage” to the plane, but there were no injuries. The plane bounced three times, and the pilot subsequently told the passengers that a pontoon had broken.

A pattern of progressive porpoise leading to structural failure appears in NTSB seaplane accident reports across various types, including Cessna 206 and 208 Caravan floatplanes, de Havilland Beavers, and Twin Otters on floats.

A few East River/urban seaplane-specific factors that might be in play:

  • Wake and chop from harbor traffic (ferries, tour boats) create a much less predictable water surface than open lake/bay operations.
  • Confined approach corridors near Skyport limit go-around and abort options if the pilot senses a bad touchdown developing.
  • The area has had at least one other recent seaplane mishap (a two-seater damaged by a wave three weeks prior), suggesting water-surface conditions have been a recurring operational challenge this season.

The NTSB and FAA will be looking at whether this was primarily a pilot technique issue (porpoise recovery), an environmental factor (wake/wave state at touchdown), or a mechanical issue in the float attachment itself.

Spurwink Farm International Fly-In

From the fly-in, Micah brings us interviews with Spurwink Farm Manager Christina Mitchell, listener Tad Yergey, and Cessna 185 Floatplane Pilot John Hartz.

John Hartz, in front of his Cessna 185.
John Hartz, one and a half of his children, and his Cessna 185.
Micah at the Spurwink Farm Fly-In,
Micah at the Spurwink Farm Fly-In,

Mentioned

Ever wonder if pilots become frightened during an emergency? In the Stories About Flying podcast, Rob looks at the topic through the lens of a near catastrophe: “Aircraft Emergencies and the Saga of Speedbird 009.”

NightSide with Dan Rea, WBZ NewsRadion, Not Just A Plane Topic.

Hosts this Episode

Max Flight, our Main(e) Man Micah, David Vanderhoof, and Erin Applebaum.

746 Live ATC Transmissions

Live and recorded ATC transmissions from LiveATC.net. In the news, the FAA Acting Administrator is stepping down, Airbus and Air France are cleared in the Air France Flight 447 accident, the FAA has some advice for terrain avoidance and warning systems, and ADs for Boeing 747-8s and B-17s.

Guest

Dave Pasco, founder and CEO of LiveATC.net.

Dave Pascoe is the founder and CEO of LiveATC.net, the world’s largest aviation radio voice data collection. Dave has had a life-long obsession with radio and technology, which led him to an MSEE degree and a career that spans RF technology to large-scale IT systems management.

Dave made a few minor detours along the way. One of those detours turned into LiveATC.net, which Dave started in late 2002. The service hosts live audio streams and archived voice data from over 3,000 channels of air traffic radio transmissions at over 1,400 airports and ATC control areas. Dave is also an active instrument-rated private pilot and avid ham radio operator.

Dave describes how the service is used by pilots, student pilots, CFIs, flight schools, aircraft operators, FBOs, the NTSB, and more. Volunteers capture the transmissions, often with a simple Raspberry Pi and a software defined radio. In addition, Dave often supports events such as EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, Sun ‘N Fun, and the Air Race Classic.

Aviation News

FAA Acting Administrator Billy Nolen To Depart Agency

Nolen announced he’d be leaving the FAA to spend more time with his family. He became Acting Administrator in April 2022 when former FAA Administrator Steve Dickson stepped down before his term was finished.

Air France and Airbus cleared over fatal 2009 Rio-Paris crash

Air France Flight 447, an A330, crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on June 1, 2009, killing all 228 people on board. A French court has determined that a causal link between any possible errors made and the crash could not be proved. “A probable causal link isn’t sufficient to characterize an offense,” the judge said in her statement. Families of the victims were shocked and angered by the finding.

FAA Issues Notice Warning Pilots Not To Silence TAWS Alerts

A terrain avoidance and warning system (TAWS) seeks to avoid controlled flight into terrain accidents. TAWS is the generic term for a ground proximity warning system (GPWS). According to the notice, “Alerts from TAWS can become a nuisance or a distraction to pilots when flying at altitudes below the alerting threshold of the system. This may result in the pilot’s decision to inhibit the system. Inhibiting warning systems and ignoring warnings, combined with deteriorating weather conditions leading to loss of visual surface reference and situational awareness, has been found to be the cause of some CFIT [controlled flight into terrain] accidents.”

FAA Proposes New Airworthiness Directive For Boeing 747-8 Aircraft

The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) concerning “cracks in stringers, common to the end fittings, forward and aft of the pressure bulkhead at station (STA) 2360 at multiple stringer locations” on 747-8i and 747–8F series aircraft. The proposed AD would require repetitive inspections of stringer sidewalls and certain stringer assemblies.

In its investigation, the FAA determined that during assembly, un-shimmed or incorrectly shimmed gaps larger than what is required caused “excessive and sustained internal tensile stresses and resulted in stress corrosion cracking in the stringers.”

See also: AD Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (AD NPRM) – FAA-2023-0657

Coming Airworthiness Directive Expected to Ground All Airworthy B-17s

The FAA is preparing to issue an AD that will likely ground all B-17 aircraft due to “wing spar issues.” The Yankee Air Museum has already grounded its Boeing B-17G (“Yankee Lady”) in anticipation of the AD. The upcoming AD may be a result of wing spar issues found in the EAA’s B-17 “Aluminum Overcast.” That plane has been grounded since April 2021.

GlobalAir.com says in Rumors fly of AD that will ground all B-17 aircraft that Hangar Thirteen is restoring a B-17 and posted on Facebook about the Yankee Lady. The post noted that wing spars are a common issue within the B-17 community, citing a 2001 AD from the FAA concerning cracking and corrosion of the wing spar chords, bolts and bolt holes of the spar chords and wing terminals, and a correction of any problems found during inspections.”

According to Aero Vintage, there are now only four operational B-17s left. While there may be 46 total complete airframes and 18 registered in the U.S., many are currently being restored or used as display pieces.

Australia News Desk

Aviation pioneer Max Hazelton sadly passed away shortly before his 96th birthday after quite the career. Max was the founder of Hazelton Airlines which became a subsidiary of Ansett Airlines and then merged with Kendell Airlines to become Regional Express (aka REX) after Ansett went under in September 2001.

Vale Max Hazelton

Speaking of REX, they’ve taken a financial stake in a local electric propulsion company.

Rex Takes Stake In New Technology Electric Aircraft

Meanwhile, Qantas’ bid to take over Alliance Airlines is blocked by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) and Qantas are not happy about it.

Qantas’ Purchase of Alliance Blocked

Finally, a former RAF Mustang arrives at the Hunter Fighter Collection in Scone where it was reassembled to static display in just three days.

Ex-RAF Museum P-51D Arrives in Australia

Hosts this Episode

Max Flight, Rob Mark, David Vanderhoof, and Max Trescott. Contributions by Grant McHerron and Steve Visscher.

AirplaneGeeks 270 – Understanding Air France 447

Air France A330-200 F-GZCP lands at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport by Pawel Kierzkowski.

Guest Bill Palmer is an A330 captain for a major international airline, and author of “Understanding Air France 447,” available in paperback and as an eBook.

Bill was a member the A330 development team introducing the airplane to his airline’s fleet, and was lead author and editor for the airline’s A330 systems manual. He’s also written many A330 training publications, served as an airplane and simulator instructor, check airman, and designated examiner.

Bill is an Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University graduate, holds a BS in Aeronautical Science, and an ATP with type ratings in A320, A330, B757/767, B777, DC10, and commercial glider and flight engineer-turbojet ratings.

We talk about the facts of the Air France 447 accident, including the events in the cockpit, the difficulty locating the flight recorders, and the messages sent from the maintenance computer.

Bill describes “automation addiction,” a tired flight crew, and the “startle factor” at play here. We talk about high altitude stall training, practice with the flight director automation turned off, and of course lessons learned and changes that resulted from the investigation.

You can get Understanding Air France 447 in paperback or as an eBook through Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, the Apple bookstore, and at the book’s companion website: UnderstandingAF447.com. Bill’s personal blog is Trend Vector and you can follow him on Twitter as @wfpalmer.

Photo credit: Air France A330-200 F-GZCP lands at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport by Pawel Kierzkowski.

The Week’s Aviation News:

1957 Vickers Armstrong V745D Viscount

1957 Vickers Armstrong V745D “Viscount” Serial 233 N7471 of the Mid Atlantic Air Museum (www.MAAM.org)

David Vanderhoof’s Aircraft of the Week: The Vickers Viscount, reported by listener Ray Williams.

Jetstar 787-8

Jetstar 787-8, VH-VKA, on short final for runway 34 at Melbourne on October 9th (Image by Steven Pam – www.smartshots.com.au )

In this week’s Australia Desk:

Steve and Grant were on hand at Melbourne International Airport for this report as Jetstar’s first Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, VH-VKA (c/n 36227), arrived at the end of her delivery flight from the USA.  Although not the first Dreamliner to operate commercially in Australia (that honour went to Air India), VKA is the first of type on the Australian civil aircraft register and the first of 14 being delivered to Jetstar over the next two years.  Qantas will also be taking delivery of 787-9 aircraft in coming years. 

The aircraft touched down smoothly on runway 34, despite very high winds, and was welcomed with a traditional water cannon salute before making its way to the Qantas Maintenance Centre for a more formal ceremony with Qantas and Jetstar management, local and federal politicians, and a large group of staff in attendance.

In this report, we speak to Jetstar Australia/New Zealand CEO David Hall about his vision for the this new aircraft type, and the process the airline went through to have it certified for Australian commercial use.

See also:

AGA-33

In this week’s Across the Pond segment:

Pieter Johnson talks to Francois De Watteville, a design engineer who created the AGA-33 and presented it to the Paris Air Show. Francois is not an aircraft designer but turned his hand to aircraft design for the purposes of creating an airliner after travelling regularly across the Atlantic, that was efficient. Find out why and how you may be able to help prove the concept.

Mentioned:

Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at www.brotherloverocks.com.

Episode 240 – Jack Pelton

Jack Pelton's Cessna 195Jack Pelton’s Cessna 195

Guest Jack Pelton is with Aviation Alliance LLC, a new venture created to remanufacture Cessna 421s as the Aviation Alliance Excalibur. He’s the retired Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer for Cessna Aircraft Company. Currently, Jack is serving as Chairman of the Board and acting President/CEO for the Experimental Aircraft Association.

We talk with Jack about remanufacturing aircraft and how older airplanes like the 421 could be victims if 100LL goes away, and how Aviation Alliance has set up the business to utilize the services of other companies.

Also we discuss the numnber of open leadership positions at aviation associations, lithium ion batteries, how AirVenture is looking for this year, the effects of sequestration, current drivers for business aviation, and even Jack’s antique airplane collection.

The week’s aviation news:

In this week’s Australia Desk:

Airport news from Australia: a new airport, a new runway, and a new lounge. Also attendance at the Avalon airshow.

Find more from Grant and Steve at the Plane Crazy Down Under podcast, and follow the show on Twitter at @pcdu. Steve’s at @stevevisscher and Grant at @falcon124. Australia Desk archives can be found at www.australiadesk.net.

Mentions:

Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at www.brotherloverocks.com.

Episode 205 – A Little Something About the Geeks

A400M at RIAT 2012 by Seb Spencer

Max, Rob, and David field questions from listeners who want to learn just a little bit more about us Airplane Geeks. We also talk about the BEA’s final report on the Air France Flight 447 crash, the Airbus plan to open an A320 final assembly facility in Mississippi, issues with the Airbus A400M engines, and how the heat affects airliners, at least in Washington, D.C.

With the 2012 Farnborough International Airshow underway, you might want to check out the Farnborough Air Show 2012 Micro-News Site Coverage List at Jet City Star – a great resource.

We also mention Seb’s photos from RIAT 2012
Rob’s video from his A380 flight, and
Ryan Hothersall’s list of models.

The week’s aviation news:

A U.S. Army Air Force Waco CG-4A-GN glider (s/n 45-27948) at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, at Dayton, Ohio (USA).

David’s Aircraft of the Week is the Waco CG-4A glider, the Hadrian.

In this week’s Australia Desk report:

Grant gets his Private Hot Air Balloon Certificate! He tells us about the process over the past week, including his first solo flight. Congratulations Grant!!

In the news, Virgin Australia announces an order for 23 737MAX8 aircraft, arriving on our shores from 2019. Virgin also plans to defer some additional 737-800 orders until after 2016, but will retire its entire -700 fleet by the end of 2013.

Find more from Grant and Steve at the Plane Crazy Down Under podcast, and follow the show on Twitter at @pcdu Steve’s at @stevevisscher and Grant at @falcon124. Australia Desk archives can be found at www.australiadesk.net.

Opening and closing music is provided by Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at www.brotherloverocks.com.

Episode 171 – A Playground for Pilots

Mark Jones is an experimental test pilot and statistical consultant to aerospace leaders, and a part-time T-6 instructor pilot in the USAF Reserves. Mark has flown a wide variety of military aircraft and just recently separated from active duty in the regular Air Force as chief C-17 test pilot. He’s also a regular contributor at PlaneConversations.com, and Mark is a husband and father.

We talk about some of the flying Mark has done and how he got into the Air Force Academy. Also, flying the C-17 Globemaster III and training pilots in the T-6. Mark relates the details behind the July 2010 crash of a C-17 on Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska and talks about how the military conducts accident investigations. hear his thoughts on the AF447 accident, ejection seats, and NextGen ATC.

The week’s aviation news:

This week’s Australia Desk report, recorded before the Government tribunal terminated the protected industrial action by the unions, covers the grounding of Qantas by it’s board. Ben Sandilands (@planetalking on Twitter) contributes.

Find the boys down under at the Plane Crazy Down Under podcast, and follow the show on Twitter at @pcdu. Steve’s at @stevevisscher and Grant at @falcon124.

This week on Across the Pond, Pieter talks to Matt Falcus about the USA Airport Spotting Guide. Learn where the best spots for photographing aircraft in the USA are situated and what hotel room allows you to watch endless arrivals and departures. Matt can be found on Twitter @Airportspotting and at www.destinworld.com and www.airportspotting.com.

Follow the @AirplaneGeeks on Twitter and on Facebook, send us email at thegeeks@airplanegeeks.com, or leave a message on our listener line: (361) GEEKS01.

Opening and closing music is provided by Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at http://www.brotherloverocks.com/.

Episode 169 – Martin Rottler

200 person jump at Perris Valley Airport by Stephen Tornblom

Martin Rottler returns as our guest. Martin is now an Aviation Lecturer at the Center for Aviation Studies at The Ohio State University. He recently completed an internship with Korean Air in Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA), and participated in a summer program through Korea Aerospace University. We talk about NextGen, pilot training in the modern age, what gets trained in simulators and what doesn’t, cockpit management, industry networking as a component of your career development, and other topics.

Find Martin on Twitter as MartinRottler, or on his new webpage at martinrottler.net. The Center for Aviation Studies tweets as cas_osu and can also be found on Facebook.

The week’s aviation news:

In this week’s Australia Desk Report, Grant talks about CASA audits and what DAMP means, Qantas dispute worsens with five airplanes grounded due to industrial action, Jetstar staff also taking industrial action, and Virgin Australia happy to take the surplus pax from Qantas.

Find the boys down under at the Plane Crazy Down Under podcast, and follow the show on Twitter at @pcdu. Steve’s at @stevevisscher and Grant at @falcon124.

This week on Across the Pond, Pieter talks to Jelle Hieminga from the popular VC10 segment. Jelle is a Qualified Flight Instructor with a frozen ATPL License and talks to us about the general aviation scene in Holland and what its like to fly in Dutch airspace. Jell can be found at www.vc10.net.

On this week’s Grill the Geeks segment, Rob nails the listener questions.

Mentions:

Follow the @AirplaneGeeks on Twitter and on Facebook, send us email at thegeeks@airplanegeeks.com, or leave a message on our listener line: (361) GEEKS01.

Opening and closing music is provided by Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at http://www.brotherloverocks.com/.