Jan
26th
The Airbus A300-600ST Beluga - Massive Transport Airplane...
By Sandeep Kumar
The Airbus A300-600ST
Beluga - Massive Transport Airplane...
Sep
20th
Difficult Landing Airports
By Sandeep Kumar
Difficult Landing
Airports
The area is really beautiful! The wonderful blue & green landscapes, colors of emerald and kiwi. What you could do in such a splendid place? Summer’s approaching… and this is a very charming place for a holiday. Peace, quiet, lonely beaches, great place to dive; we hear only the birds… and some aircraft… Hmm, seeing this airports… maybe it’s still better to spend the holiday at home in the bath!
Sep
7th
Mangalore crash: Hearing reveals huge safety lapses
By Sandeep KumarMangalore Public Notification
COURT OF INQUIRY INTO THE CAUSE OF ACCIDENT TO B737-800
AIRCRAFT VT-AXV ON 22.05.2010 AT MANGALORE
AIRPORT
An Air India Express Boeing 737-800 aircraft VT-AXV met with an accident at Bajpe Airport, Mangalore on 22nd May 2010, while operating a scheduled flight IX-812 from Dubai to Mangalore, resulting in tragic death of 152 passengers and 6 crew members.
A Court of Inquiry has been ordered by the Government of India, vide Notification No AV.15013/02/2010-DG dated 3rd June, 2010. As per the notification, the Headquarters of the Court of Inquiry will be at New Delhi. The court is required to submit its report by 31st August, 2010.
Constitution of the Court of Inquiry: –
The court consists of the following: –
(a) Air Marshal (Retd) BN Gokhale : Chairman
(b) Capt Ron Nagar : Assessor
(c) Shri SS Nat : Assessor
(d) Shri Babu Peter : Assessor
(e) Shri Gurcharan Bhatura : Assessor
(f) Shri SN Dwivedi :Secretary to the Court
A brief Bio-data of each member of the Court of Inquiry is given below: –
Air Marshal BN Gokhale
Air Marshal BN Gokhale PVSM AVSM VM (Retd) was commissioned
into the Indian Air Force in June 1968. He has flown over 3500
hours on various fighter and trainer aircraft and has taken
active part in 1971 operations. He is a Qualified Flying
Instructor and a Fighter Combat Leader from the prestigious
Tactics and Combat Development Establishment. During his
illustrious career, he has held several operational and staff
appointments, He has commanded a frontline
fighter squadron during the Siachen Operations. He has been
Chief Operations Officer of an operational base and has also
commanded a premier air base. Air Marshal Gokhale has been an
Instructor at the Defence Services Staff College and Inspector
at Directorate of Air Staff Inspection. He has had assignments
abroad which include Flying Instructor in Iraq and Indian
Defence Advisor in Embassy of India, Cairo. Apart from being a
graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, he is an
Alumnus of Air War College, USA and a Fellow of Aeronautical
Society of India.
He has served as Air Advisor to the Chief of Air Staff, Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Operations) and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of IAF Training Command, Bengaluru, prior to taking over as the Vice Chief of Air Staff. On retirement as the VCAS in Dec 2007 he has been appointed as Scientific Consultant to the Principal Scientific Advisor to Govt of India. He is also appointed as Consultant to DRDO and National Security Council.
Captain Ron Nagar
Capt Ron Nagar is the Senior Vice President (Flight Operations and Training) with King Fisher Airlines Pvt. Ltd.
He is an accomplished pilot with 37 years of experience in Flight Operations wherein he has been Executive Director (Safety) and Chief Executive (Training) at Indian Airlines. He has been a Training Captain for 30 years, a TRE (Examiner) on Boeing 737,Airbus A320 family and HS 748.
He has participated in several international seminars and
training courses, related Human Factors, Aviation Security,
IOSA awareness, Aircraft accident prevention, Emergency
Response and Crisis communication. He was also a Simulator
instructor and has evaluated Simulators.
Shri SS Nat
Shri SS Nat, Deputy Director General of Civil Aviation, India (Retd) is a Type-rated Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licence holder with rich experience in Civil Aviation. He has successfully completed DGCA approved Maintenance Training on Heavy Aircraft and Jet Engines.
He has worked for about 30 years in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India in various capacities and retired as Deputy Director General in 2006. He was Head of Airworthiness Wing of DGCA from 1996 to 2004. He has been associated in the formation of various Civil Aviation Requirements during his tenure with DGCA.
He has also carried out Audits, Surveillance inspections and Surprise Checks on Scheduled, Charter and General Aviation operators during his tenure with DGCA to ensure compliance of regulatory requirements.
He was a member of the initial stage accident investigation
Team for the crash of Alliance Air’s Boeing 737 aircraft at
Patna on 17 July 2000.
Shri Babu Peter
He is a graduate of Electrical Engineering from Regional
Engineering College Calicut, Kerala. He joined Air India as a
Graduate Engineer in 1971, and has worked as a Licensed
Aircraft Maintenance
Engineer over 25 years. He holds valid licenses on several
Boeing and Airbus aircraft and their Engines.
He was the Director of Engineering Air India from 2002 to 2004 and the Director of Engine Overhaul in Air India from 2004 to 2005. He later moved over to Indian Airlines as Functional Director and Board Member and retired from Indian Airlines in 2006.
He is presently working as Executive Vice President Engineering in GoAir. He is also a Fellow of Aeronautical Society of India and was the Chairman of Academic Committee in the year 2008-09. In the past he has also been Assessor to the Court of Inquiry in to two aircraft accidents in the past. Boeing 737 accident at Palam, in 1995 and Dornier 228 accident in Kochi.
Shri Gurcharan Bhatura
Shri Gurcharan Bhatura specializes in Air Traffic Management and Airport Operations. After completing the ab-initio programme for Air Traffic Controller, he started his career at Delhi airport and acquired all the possible ratings. Director General Civil Aviation appreciated his services when he saved a Boeing 747 aircraft from landing on a wrong runway at Delhi Airport. Subsequently he specialised in airport operations and held the position of Airport Director at Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai airports. He is also recognized for his analytical abilities and management skills. Prior to his retirement in 2005, he was Executive Director in AAI.
A fellow of the Aeronautical Society of India and Chartered
Institute of Logistics and Transport, he is presently Director
General of Foundation for Aviation and Sustainable Tourism – a
think tank in Civil Aviation. With 42 year long association
with Civil Aviation Industry, he has written several
well-researched articles on related subjects.
Shri SN Dwivedi
Shri S N Dwivedi is Graduate in Electrical Engineering and Post Graduate in Management. Presently, he is working as Director of Airworthiness at DGCA Hqrs., New Delhi and has vast experience in Civil Aviation Department since 1986 till date. During his service in Civil Aviation Department, he has completed the various professional and technical courses covering Heavy Aircraft and Jet Engines including Boeing 737 and Airbus A – 320 aircraft.
Shri S N Dwivedi has been involved in Court of Inquiries for investigation of the following aircraft accidents:
? Indian Airlines Boeing 737-200 Aircraft VT-ECS accident on 2nd December, 1995 at IGI Airport, Palam, New Delhi, headed by Air Marshal (Retd.) JK Seth, PVSM, AVSM, VM.
? Archana Airways LET – 410 Aircraft VTC accident on 11th July, 1996 at Kullu, headed by Air Marshal (Retd.) S Ramdas, PVSM, AVSM, VM.
? High level inquiry committee into escalator accident on 13th December, 1999 at IGI Airport, Palam, New Delhi, headed by Shri RC Jain, IAS (Retd.)
? Alliance Air Boeing 737-200 Aircraft VT-EGD accident on 17th July, 2000 at Patna Airport, headed by Air Marshal P Rajkumar, PVSM, AVSM, VM.
Convening of the Court:
On the very next day of the Government Notification, the court convened on 4th June, 2010. The Court took stock of the situation and available information. The Chairman along with all the members met the officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation regarding some of the administrative arrangements.
Investigation Process:
In an accident of such a nature, the DGCA appoints an Inspector of Accident immediately. This is done to take stock of all the activities relating to accident till the Court of Inquiry is instituted by the Government of India. The Inspector of Accident is required to submit his reports giving his observations / findings to the Court of Inquiry constituted by the Government of India. Thereafter, the Court of Inquiry takes over the charge of accident investigation.
Senior officers of DGCA reached Mangalore on 22nd May, 2010 itself for a first hand appraisal. The search for Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) known as ‘Black Box’ was initiated. CVR records the conversation of the flight crew among themselves and with ATC including any sound in the cockpit. DFDR records various parameters of the aircraft, engines and their systems. CVR and DFDR were recovered from the wreckage with the outer casing damaged due to heavy fire and impact during accident. However, the data storage module appeared to be intact. Since suitable facility to retrieve the data from partially damaged CVR and DFDR do not exist in our country, the Court of Inquiry decided to carry out decoding of these recorders at the facility of M/s National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Washington DC, USA.
Visit to the Accident Site:
The members of the Court of Inquiry visited Mangalore airport and the accident site from 7th to 9th June, 2010. The members of the court observed two minutes silence to pray for the departed souls at the crash site.
The members of the Court of Inquiry met with Emergency Response
Team which took part in the post crash Search and Rescue (SAR)
operation; and heard their observations of the fateful day. The
court visited ATC Tower, Area Control, Fire Station, and
Meteorological Office and met the personnel who were on duty on
the day of the accident. The court also met and interacted with
the officials of District
Civil Administration, City Police, City Fire Service, District
Health Administration and Air India Express personnel at the
airport, who were involved in the post accident search and
rescue operation.
The Court also visited the city hospitals where two of the eight survivors are undergoing treatment. The Court interacted with the team of doctors treating them in the hospitals. The survivors narrated their experiences to the Court.
Interaction with Key personnel of M/s Air India Express:
The Court visited the facilities of M/s Air India Express at Mumbai and met its key officials in the evening of 9th June, 2010. The Air India Express officials made presentations regarding their Organisational Structure, Flight Operations, Maintenance and other facilities including Emergency Response Plans.
Brief of Boeing 737-800 aircraft:
Boeing 737-800 aircraft is an upgraded version of Boeing 737 aircraft family. The passenger seating capacity of this aircraft is 186 and is manned by 2 operating and 4 cabin crew. Its maximum take off weight is 77110 Kg. The aircraft is powered with two CFM-56 Jet Engines. The Manufacturer’s Serial Number (MSN) of the ill-fated aircraft is 36333, Line No. 2481 and it was manufactured during the year 2008. This Boeing 737-800 aircraft was delivered to Air India Express during January, 2008. This aircraft had accumulated 7189 Flight Hours and 2829 Landings, till the date of accident.
Brief of the Crew-members:
The Commander of the ill-fated aircraft was Capt Glusica Zlatko , of Serbian origin and British Nationality paired with First Officer HS Ahluwalia, an Indian National, as co-pilot. There were four cabin crew members namely Miss Sujata Survase, Miss Tejal Anil Kumar Kamulkar, Mr Yugantar Rana and Mr Mohammad Ali.
Capt Glusica Zlatko had a total experience of about 10,200 Flying Hours, out of which, he had total Command Experience of about 7630 Flying Hours. He had flown about 2770 Flying Hours as Pilot-in-Command (PIC) on Boeing 737 aircraft. He was examined by the DGCA and issued with authorization called Foreign Aircrew Temporary Authorization (FATA) to operate Indian registered aircraft.
First Officer HS Ahluwalia had a total flying experience of about 3650 hours. He had flown about 3350 hours as Co-pilot on Boeing 737 aircraft and operated 66 flights to Mangalore Airport.
Synopsis of the accident:
Air India Express Boeing 737-800 aircraft VT-AXV was operating scheduled Flight No IX-812 from Dubai to Mangalore on 22nd May, 2010 with 160 passengers and 6 crew members on board. This aircraft was given clearance to land on runway 24 by the Mangalore Air Traffic Control (ATC) Tower. However, during landing, the aircraft departed the paved surface including the Runway End Safety Area (RESA). The right wing impacted the localizer structure at the end of the RESA. Thereafter, the aircraft hit the boundary fence, fell into the gorge and caught fire. Due to impact and fire, the aircraft was destroyed. In this tragic accident, 152 passengers and 6 crew members lost their lives. Seven passengers sustained serious injuries and one person escaped with minor bruises.
Rescue Operations:
The rescue operation was initiated by the officials of Airport Authority of India (AAI). AAI and Air India Express were assisted by the officials of District Administration. Local population was involved in the rescue operation In full force and their involvement was appreciated by all concerned. The survivors were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment. Thereafter, Volunteers of Air India Emergency Response Team, commonly known as Air India Angels, worked tirelessly to provide succour to the injured and to the bereaved families.
Analysis of CVR and DFDR:
A team consisting of three members of the Court of Inquiry left for Washington DC, USA from 21st to 25th June, 2010 for analysis and decoding of the CVR and DFDR at the facilities of M/s National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Government of United States of America. All the activities were carried out under strict supervision of the Court of Inquiry.
The data recovered from these Recorders is being analysed by the Court along with other material evidence.
Notification:
A notification is being published in the News Papers inviting any information or evidence on this accident. Such information should reach the court by 20th July 2010 by Post, Fax or e-mail as per the details given below:
Shri SN Dwivedi
The Secretary to the Court of Inquiry – Boeing 737-800 aircraft
VT- AXV accident at Mangalore
Office of DGCA, Technical Centre,
Opposite Safdarjung Airport,
New Delhi 110003
Tel. 011 24611357
Fax. 011 24692374
e-mail coi.voml@gmail.com
coivoml.moca@nic.in
sndwivedi@hotmail.com
Public Hearing:
The Court also plans to hold Public Hearings at Mangalore and Delhi for the convenience of those who wish to participate in the deliberations. Dates and Venue of these Public Hearings will be notified at a later date.
Jul
28th
Major plane crash near Islamabad; 152 feared dead
By Sandeep Kumar
Major plane crash
near Islamabad; 152 feared dead
Major plane crash in...
Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority Spokesman Pervez George said that 146 passengers and a six-member crew were on board the plane. Islamabad has been hit by heavy rains for the past few days and the city was covered by fog and low-lying clouds.
Civil aviation officials said the aircraft had disappeared from radar screens shortly before the crash was reported.
The crash occurred in an area that is not accessible by roads or trials. Rescue workers said they were facing problems in approaching the crash site.
The heavy rains too were hampering rescue efforts, they said. Footage aired on TV news channels showed white smoke rising from the thick forests in the Margalla Hills.
Witnesses said they had seen flames in the wreckage of the aircraft.
Mar
28th
ARTIFICIAL STABILITY & FLY-BY-WIRE CONTROL
By Sandeep Kumar|
ARTIFICIAL STABILITY & FLY-BY-WIRE CONTROL |
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Aircraft control systems have undergone considerable development in the last seventy years and the end of that path of development is by no means in clear sight. The primary function of any control system is to convey instructions, in an aircraft, from the pilot to the vehicle. Aside from several not so conventional instances, such as the Harrier in hover or the Space Shuttle in orbit, this is achieved aerodynamically, by means of control surfaces. In a modern aircraft this becomes a very complex design problem, the system must enable the pilot to retain full control in a speed range starting around 100 kts and extending to Mach 2 plus, including the transonic region with all of its characteristic properties; a modern fighter must also be capable of flight at large (positive and negative) angles of attack. Aside from the aerodynamic complexities involved, there are also the aspects of lifetime, reliability, maintainability and ability to withstand damage. The lifetime and reliability of a system are factors which go hand-in-hand. Fatigue and, to a lesser extent, wear are the basic causes of the majority of failures experienced. A control system's ability to withstand combat damage is one of the crucial considerations in current air warfare, as the Americans learned in Viet-Nam, the hard way. The problem, aside from the issue of surviving SAM/AAM hits, which tend to inflict heavier damage, can be the case of the after effects of insidious small arms fire. SAM/radar sites can be spoofed or busted by Wild Weasels, just as flak emplacements can be, however it's improbable that anyone will ever find an absolute means of eliminating the omnipresent infantry-man with his AK47 (or M16, for that). The obvious solution to this problem is to provide the aircraft with redundant backup systems, which is exactly what's being done. On the other hand, the more systems, the more maintenance and in effect, the lesser the reliability, as the probability of components failing is n-times the probability of one component failing. Weight is another factor to bear in mind, the effect of multiplying systems is obvious here. Cost likewise. The conclusions which can be drawn are:
Aircraft, such as the F-14, satisfy 1.,2.,4. however they lag in 3. and definitely fail in 5.. The basic cause is that they employ conventional mechanical/hydraulic systems, which, in spite of their conceptual simplicity, become enormously complex in these instances. The only current system which satisfies 1. to 5. adequately is fly-by-wire control. Fly-by-wire Control Systems. As the name implies, fly-by-wire employs electrical signals to transmit information from the cockpit to the control actuators. Control elements, e.g. control stick, rudder pedals, are fitted with mechanical / electrical transducers - either force (F-16) or position sensing devices, which generate electrical signals corresponding to the given command. Here is where we must make the distinction between analogue and digital systems. Analogue systems operate with electrical analogues to real quantities. An example would be a device transmitting a quantity from 0 to 100% with an electrical voltage output of 0 to 10 Volts. A value of 15% would generate an output of 1.5 Volts. The number of ways in which analog information can be encoded is virtually unlimited. Information can be coded into voltage, frequency, phase or combinations of these, it can also be compressed prior to encoding, enabling more of it to be transmitted at once. Digital systems operate in binary. The binary number system (as compared to the decimal system we use) has only two values, 1 and 0. 2 forms a unit analogous to 10, 4 to 100, 8 to 1000, hence we can express a number such as six (6) as 110. 1,2,3... corresponds to 1, 10, 11.... Any number can be converted into binary, a digital device can then generate an output with only two states, on and off, corresponding to 1 and 0. All digital computers employ binary. Analog and digital systems both have advantages and disadvantages. Analog systems are, generally, simpler and less demanding in component parameters, such as speed. On the other hand, they are more susceptible to induced noise and interference, as the information content is carried within fine variations of some signal parameter. A digital system need only discriminate between on and off, the information being carried by sequences of binary numbers. Digital systems may be easily reconfigured by changes in software, whereas an analog system, hardwired, would require rebuilding. When analog systems fail, they often merely degrade in performance, a failure of a similar type could completely disable a digital device. The signals generated by the control elements are then used to control the control surface actuators. However, the raw output of a cockpit control element is hardly enough for that. It is modified by a stability augmentation computer. The computer compares the aircraft's actual motion, as sensed by gyros and accelerometers, and corrects it to a control law, improving the aircraft's handling. This type of system is used by the Tornado GR.1/F.2, which employs triplex control output sensing and computing, and quadruple electric control of the hydraulic control surface actuators. Further safety is provided by a mechanical backup for pitch/roll control. A similar approach was used in the YC-15 AMST STOL transport, which uses blown flaps to enhance short field performance. Variations in engine thrust can cause additional moments in roll and pitch, which would complicate the handling of such an aircraft.
Aircraft configured for direct force control featuring variable incidence wings, beavertail elevator and control surfaces beneath nose. DSF - direct side force, VLF - vectored lift force. (Carlo Kopp)
These tiny robot-like units are actually intricate components - subminiature gyroscopes used to guide aircraft, ships, missiles and torpedoes. The finished GR-G5 rate gyros, built by Northrop, are only two inches long and weigh less than five ounces. The GR-G5 is the most widely used rate gyroscope in the world, and is used in a quadruple-redundant system in the F-16 fly-by-wire flight control system. (Northrop) In either instance the fly-by-wire system, aside from improving reliability and its associated factors, is used to modify the response of the aircraft. This is, by no means, full utilization of the potential offered by electronic flight control. |
Feb
23rd
Tuvie design of Future.
By Sandeep KumarAre you tired of the same mode of transportation and want something exciting, then look out for The- Jet by Cirrus. This jet is unique and cannot be compared with other light weight jets like Cessna and eclipse 500. The jet has created its own category in terms of style and comfort. The best thing about this futuristic innovative jet is that this jet sets its own standards, this jet is powered by one engine only.
This jet, crafted out of alloys and composite materials can accommodate seven people and can provide an additional seat in case the limit is exceeded. The eighth seat can be opted between the second and the third row. The special features ofthe jet include 2 door facility along with a parachute located in what you call the nose of the plane, in case if there is an emergency situation. The cockpit is made of glass and is ahead of all other cockpits in terms of technology.
Oct
16th
Qatar Airways GTL flight makes history
By Sandeep Kumar
Qatar Airways GTL flight makes history
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| Qatar Airways has achieved a world first by operating an Airbus A340-600 on a commercial flight powered by gas-to-liquid (GTL) kerosene | ||
A Qatar Airways
aircraft made history yesterday evening when it completed
the world’s first commercial passenger flight powered by
a fuel made from natural gas. |
Oct
9th
Aircraft Navigation Lights
By Sandeep KumarAircraft Navigation Lights
The external lights on aircraft fall into two
general categories. The first isnavigation
lights orbeaconsthat are always
illuminated while the aircraft is in operation. A second type
includes takeoff and landing lights that are used to improve
visibility when the plane is close to or on the ground. Several
of these lights are discussed in greater detail below.
NAVIGATION LIGHTS
All aircraft are equipped with a steady light near the leading edge of each wingtip. When facing forward from the perspective of the pilot, the light on the right wingtip is green while that on the left wing is red. The different colors make it possible for an outside observer, such as the pilot of another aircraft, to determine which direction the plane is flying. These navigation lights are most useful at night when it is more difficult to tell the direction the plane is going without them.
NAVIGATION OR POSITION LIGHTS
In addition to the red and green lights,
most planes are also fitted with other steady white navigation
lights in various locations. Large airliners, in particular, will
often have such lighting on the trailing edge of each wingtip.
These lights are also sometimes placed along the trailing edges
of the horizontal tail. Another popular location is at the very
aft end of the fuselage or at the top of the vertical tail. One
of these latter lights placed along the aircraft centerline is
especially common on smaller airliners and commuter planes.
Whatever the location, the purpose of these steady white lights
is to improve the plane’s visibility from behind the aircraft.
ANTI-COLLISION BEACON LIGHTS
Two beacon lights are fitted to aircraft near the center of the fuselage. One is located on top of the fuselage and the other on the bottom. These lights are colored reddish orange and rotate to produce a flashing effect. The beacons are turned on just before the engines are started and they remain active until the last engine is shut down. The beacons help to serve as a safety warning to ground personnel that the engines are operational.
STROBE LIGHTS
High-intensity strobe lights that flash a white-colored light are located on each wingtip. Most smaller planes are only equipped with one of these strobes near the leading edge just behind the red or green navigation light. Larger airliners may be equipped with an additional strobe at the trailing edge as well. These flashing lights are very bright and intended to attract attention during flight. They are sometimes also used on the runway and during taxi to make the plane more conspicuous.
LOGO LIGHTS
These lights are not required but are common on most commercial aircraft. The lights are usually located on the surface of or at the tips of the horizontal stabilizer. The steady white lights are used to illuminate the company’s logo painted on the vertical tail. While useful for advertising, the primary purpose of these lights is safety since the bright lights help to make the plane more visible.
EXPLANATION OF THE LIGHTS USED ON THE MD-11
Wing lights: Many airliners feature lights along the root of the wing leading edge that can be used to illuminate the wing and engine pylons in flight. These lights may be used to make the plane more visible during takeoff and landing or to inspect the wings for damage in flight. Pilots can also use the wing lights to inspect the wings and slats for any ice accretion that might build up when flying through clouds.
Taxi lights: A bright white lamp is located on the nose landing gear strut of most planes. This light is typically turned on whenever the aircraft is in motion on the ground for greater visibility during taxi, takeoff, and landing.
Landing lights: Bright white landing lights are usually fitted to most planes for enhanced visibility during the landing approach. These lights can also be used to illuminate the runway at poorly lit airports. They are often required for night landings but also commonly used during the day as well to make the plane more noticeable. While the usage of these lights is common, their location can vary from plane to plane. Landing lights may be located in the wing root, in the outboard wing, or somewhere along the forward fuselage. Some aircraft are equipped with multiple sets of landing lights in more than one of these locations. The 737, for example, has inboard landing lights located in the wing root as well as outboard landing lights in the outboard flap fairings.
Runway Turnoff lights: Usually located in the leading edge of the wing root, these bright white lamps are intended to provide side and forward lighting during taxi and when turning off the runway. These lights are most useful at poorly lit airports but are usually unnecessary. The lights can also be used in flight if greater visibility is required.
Wheel Well lights: Some planes are equipped with additional lights in the nose and main gear wheel wells. These lights are provided primarily to assist ground personnel in making pre-flight inspections of a plane at night.
Oct
5th
Airbus A320
By Sandeep KumarAirbus A320
The Airbus
A320 is a short to medium range commercial
passenger aircraft manufactured byAirbus. It was
the first airliner with a digital fly-by-wire flight control
system, where the pilot controls flight surfaces through the use
of electronic signals rather than mechanically with pulleys and
hydraulic systems.
HISTORY
The first Airbus 320 family variant, the A320-100, was launched in 1984 and entered service in 1988, with the winglet equipped A320-200 taking over production at aircraft #22. Some A320-100s were retrofitted to -200 specification excluding winglets. The A321 entered service in 1994, the A319 in 1996, and the A318 in 2003.
The initial Air France
A320 crashed during an airshow in Habsheim, France,
killing three passengers. While the crash was caused by pilot
error in using the novel fly-by-wire system, a few more early
incidents are also attributed to pilot errors. The most common
pilot errors include flying it purely through the
"seat-of-the-pants" approach. As the airplane matured and pilots
became better trained and more experienced with fly-by-wire
airliners, the incidence of such accidents diminished and seems
to have had no impact on the aircraft’s huge popularity.
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