Apparently the flares were fired automatically on impact of the helicopter with the water.

(Written on 2020/05/01)(Permalink)

What is worrying is that there apparently was no distress call (though, as usual, the reporters were not asking the right questions at the briefings)so the failure must have been catastrophic. We should have the answer soon from the FDR.

(Written on 2020/05/01)(Permalink)

The previous flight of the Lion Air 610 machine was from Bali (not China) to Jakarta. The stick shaker activated only on the captain's side and the captain correctly identified the cause as information-related, not indicative of an actual impending stall.The co-pilot manually flew the aircraft to Jakarta. Due to installation on the left side of a faulty AOA sensor in Bali, MCAS did cut in, resulting in repeated bursts of nose-down trim but luckily an off-duty captain in the jump seat advised manually switching off the electric trim. After arrival in Jakarta, for some reason, the various faults were not followed up by the maintenance staff and the aircraft was cleared for flight. Thus the crew of Flt 610 was at an enormous disadvantage.

(Written on 2020/04/24)(Permalink)

It's always a red-letter day when Air Canada rolls out a modern aircraft to replace their usual 25 year-old A320s or the 30 year-old B767s still toiling away on overseas routes.

(Written on 2020/03/06)(Permalink)

That's a relief. Tom

(Written on 2020/01/31)(Permalink)

and what about the landing?

(Written on 2020/01/31)(Permalink)

And the loutish Trump doesn't lift a finger against the mainland Chinese. All he cares about are his stupid tariffs.

(Written on 2019/12/20)(Permalink)

If this aircraft hadn't existed, this flight wouldn't have happened. Well, that certainly is true.

(Written on 2019/10/11)(Permalink)

Right on, Patrick. I'd even rather ride on one of Air Canada's creaky, 31 year-old 767s. Give me wide-body every time!

(Written on 2019/10/11)(Permalink)

That debris from MH370 has been recovered is not unexpected and it's likely more will be found - all dependent on the ocean currents and the chances of discovery. Several large pieces of AF447 were found floating in the sea and that aircraft (an A330) hit the sea with both engines going full-throttle. By the time MH370 came down its engines were no longer turning due to fuel exhaustion so likely its velocity at impact was lower but doubtless it shattered into a million pieces.

(Written on 2019/07/07)(Permalink)