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Showing posts with the label B-737

The Indian truth behind the ruins of Takshasila

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        The truth behind the ruins of Takshasila Takshasila (Taxila ) was a vital Buddhist centre from the fifth century B.C. to the Sixth Century A.D. Takshasila illustrates the different stages in the development of a city on the Indus. It included the ancient Neolithic Saraikala mound, the Sirkap fortification (2nd century B.C.) and the town of Sirsukh (1st century A.D.). Central Asian, Persian and Greek influence can be witnessed at Takshasila. (Centre, 2023). Ancient Takshasila was situated at the pivotal junction of South Asia and Central Asia. The common association of the Huns with Takshasila has been the destroyer of the Buddhist structures at Takshasila. The name “Huns” has been associated with atrocities committed against select groups and vandalism, especially by Attila  in Europe. However, no reliable evidence exists of the Alkhan carrying out such atrocities and destruction in the outgoing fourth century. New archaeological research has revealed that this image does not
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Tail of two aircraft, one struck while the other plucked

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In take-off, the aeroplane accelerates from zero ground speed (but not necessarily zero airspeeds!) to a speed at which it can lift itself from the ground. The thrust must exceed drag for acceleration to take place, and the lift won’t equal weight until the moment of lift­off. The plane may accelerate along the ground at a given angle of attack (or lift coefficient) until the speed reaches the point where the dynamic pressure combines with the lift coefficient to give lift equal to the weight, or it may accelerate at some angle of attack determined by its landing gear height until it reaches a speed which will give lift equals to weight when the aircraft is then rotated (tail down, nose up) to a higher angle of attack and lift coefficient. The takeoff speed calculations are based on the assumption that one of the two engines will be inoperative at the most critical stage of the takeoff roll. Therefore, we can assume that the takeoff performance calculation is based on a 50% reduction
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Air India Express accident at Calicut was facilitated by the regulator, how?

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  Air India Airbus Landing at Port Blair (Source Dr Puneet) Blaming the pilots alone for an accident is like addressing the symptom rather than the root cause. The root cause of the Calicut accident of IX1344 on 7th Aug 2020 is the poor safety culture prevalent in India and the ineffective regulatory oversight. This landing(YouTube video) can be categorized as a deliberate attempt to endanger the lives of passengers and crew. This is not the Calicut landing but a landing at another critical airport where most of the year the airport experiences tailwinds. Since the airport has a unidirectional runway ( landing from one direction only), the flight crew has no option but to land in tailwinds. The situation worsens during the monsoons when there is a tailwind and the runway is wet and braking action reduces. Action has not been taken either by the regulator or by the airline safety. Why? What is the role of the regulator? The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is the regulatory
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AirIndia Express Co-Pilot's life & others lost probably to a failed emergency response plan

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  The crash of the Boeing 777 on July 6th 2013, at San Francisco killed two and injured more than 180. The first police and fire personnel arrived at the crash scene in about two minutes, and local officials said brave rescue efforts and effective triage of the many wounded likely saved lives.  A stark contrast was the Air India Express IX1344 accident at Calicut airport where the aircraft plunged 35 meters killing 21 people including the pilots. The victims were transported to various hospitals in ambulances and private vehicles. While ambulances are equipped with life saving medical equipment, the Co-Pilot was rushed to a hospital 25km away an hours drive on the backseat of a private car thereby depriving him of the critical life saving equipment. While it was a helping gesture but who ever decided this inhumane treatment to the co-pilot did contribute to the sad demise of the young pilot. The airport emergency response plan which is mandatory and is rehearsed periodically failed mis
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Slippery runway & more so the safety area at Kozhikode may be a leading cause of the Air India Express crash

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RESA  The entire state machinery is on overdrive to defend the Calicut Airport stating that it was completely safe for flight operations. There are two significant points to focus on while determining the causes of the accident.  1. Previous safety audits have pointed to vegetation on the runway end safety area (RESA). 2. The rubber deposits at the ends of the runway may have been a contributory cause of the accident. Comparison A comparison of the runway friction values indicates a possibility of higher rubber deposits or poor runway friction levels at both ends of the runways. A friction level below 0.47 requires maintenance action as per the Indian Aeronautical Information Publication. The combination of runway friction and vegetation on the RESA may have been a significant factor that may have caused the Air India Express 1344 runway overrun at Kozhikode on 7th Aug 2020. Must note that the runway has a pronounced crown close to the middle and drops more than 25 feet on either side.
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Air Djibouti suffers landing gear collapse on landing, no injuries

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  Air Djibouti the African Airline, Boeing B-737 suffered a landing gear collapse on landing at Garowe airport, Somalia. No injuries have been reported. AvHerald reports: An Air Djibouti Boeing 737-500, registration EY-560 performing flight IV-206 from Hargeisa (Somaliland/Somalia) to Garowe (Puntland/Somalia) with 39 passengers and 5 crew, landed at Garowe (capital of Puntland) Airport's runway 04 at about 09:30L (06:30Z) but suffered the collapse of the right hand main gear at low speed. The aircraft veered to the right but came to a stop within the runway edge resting on right hand engine, left main and nose gear. There were no injuries, the passengers disembarked/evacuated onto the runway and were taken to the terminal. The flight had originated in Djibouti (Djibouti) and was destined for Mogadishu (Somalia) with intermediate stops in Hargeisa and Garowe. Garowe International Airport features an asphalt runway 04/22 of 2000 meters/6600 feet length. Local Media report the airpor
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Boeing risk assessment had predicted 15 B737 Max accidents & 2900 deaths, was it acceptable to the DGCA?

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  The final committee report prepared by the USA committee on transport and infrastructure has carried out a comprehensive study on the design development and certification of the Boeing 737 Max based on the facts & data when it was certified to fly for the first time. There were two tragic accidents which followed , in quick succession which everyone will remember, the Lion Air and the Ethiopian airways. The B737 Max fleet was grounded worldwide. There are a number of startling yet expected conclusions that the report draws but there is one which no one must ignore. "In December 2018, the FAA conducted a risk assessment based on its Transport Aircraft Risk Assessment Methodology (TARAM) and estimated that without a fix to MCAS, during the lifetime of the 737 MAX fleet, there could potentially be 15 additional fatal crashes resulting in over 2,900 deaths ." Read the full report here.. Slide 1 The obvious question, why weren't the aircrafts grounded? The Boeing officia
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FAA proposes draft B-737 Max Training only for US carriers & registered aircraft only

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B737 Max Flight Simulator  The FAA has released a f light standardisation board report relating to B-737 Max pilot training. Soon after, an addendum was issued too.  While FAA has clearly stated that the training required in the FSB is mandated for US air carriers & US registered aircrafts, other aviation authorities must take their own action for the return of the B-737 Max. Question, will the Indian regulator follow a systematic process of change management and not be rushed into the re-entry process? Will the FSB report adopted in toto and will the regulators draft training requirements be put out for public comments? The key highlights are quoted below from the FAA website as of 7th Oct 2020: While this is an important step, several key milestones remain: Final Design Documentation and Technical Advisory Board (TAB) Report  – The FAA will review Boeing’s final design documentation to evaluate compliance with all FAA regulations. The multi-agency TAB will also review the fi
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