Aug 21
This Avro Vulcan (HX558) bomber has been incredibly brought to flying condition and is now performing at airshows in Great Britain. The Vulcan was a sub-sonic nuclear capable jet bomber which operated from 1953-1984 in the RAF service.
To put the effort involved in getting this flying, it would be the approximate equivalent of a group of US volunteers coming together, acquiring, restoring, and funding a Boeing B-47 Stratojet to display and fly at airshows.
The NTSB has launched an investigation to determine why a commercial jetliner and a small light airplane came within an estimated 300 feet of colliding over San Francisco on Saturday.
Aeronca N9270E Suspected Near Mid-Air
At about 11:15 a.m. PDT on March 27, the crew of United Airlines Flight 889, a B777-222 (N216UA) destined for Beijing, China, carrying 251 passengers and a crew of 17, was cleared to takeoff from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on runway 28L and climb to an initial altitude of 3,000 feet.
The first officer, who was flying the aircraft, reported that after the landing gear was retracted and the jet was at an altitude of about 1,100 feet, the tower controller reported traffic at his 1 o’clock position. Immediately following the controller’s advisory, the airplane’s traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) issued an audible alert of “TRAFFIC TRAFFIC.”
The pilots saw a light high wing airplane, an Aeronca 11AC (N9270E), in a hard left turn traveling from their 1 o’clock to 3 o’clock position. The first officer pushed the control column forward to level the airplane. Both crew members reported seeing only the underside of the Aeronca as it passed to within an estimated 200-300 feet of the 777.
TCAS then issued an “ADJUST VERTICAL SPEED” alert, followed by a “DESCEND, DESCEND” alert. The first officer complied and the flight continued to Beijing without further incident.
NTSB investigator Scott Dunham is traveling to San Francisco to begin the investigation.
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NTSB Media Contact: Peter Knudson
(202) 314-6100
peter.knudson@ntsb.gov
The National Transportation Safety Board is sending a team to investigate the crash of an emergency medical services (EMS) helicopter this morning in Brownsville, Tennessee, about 55 miles northeast of Memphis. Three crewmembers were killed in the accident; there was no patient onboard at the time of the crash.
NTSB Air Safety Investigator Ralph Hicks has been designated
as Investigator-in-Charge and is traveling to the scene from
the Safety Board’s regional office in Atlanta. NTSB Chairman
Deborah A.P. Hersman will serve as principal spokesman
during the on-scene investigation.
Improving the Safety of (EMS) flight operations has been on
the NTSB’s Most Wanted List of Safety Improvements since
2008:
http://www.ntsb.gov/Recs/mostwanted/aviation_improvesafety_e
ms_flights.html
Peter Knudson will be the press officer on-scene. Mr. Knudson may be reached on his cell phone (202-557-1350) when
he arrives in Tennessee this afternoon.
EFIS Primary Flight Display
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued a press release announcing that it is conducting a study of the effects of EFIS cockpits in today’s light planes in regards to safety March 9th in Washington D.C. This is a good first step.
Hopefully they will include the concerns posted in this Pilotbug post on whether EFIS, or glass cockpits, have a deteriorating effect on the scans of pilots who transition to a “Six Pack” type cockpit display.
The National Transportation Safety Board has transferred control of the investigation into yesterday’s crash of a small aircraft into an office building in Austin, Texas to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On the morning of February 18, 2010, a Piper PA-28 struck a 7-story building housing federal offices in Austin, Texas. The NTSB immediately initiated an investigation and dispatched a team of investigators to the scene.
Information developed about the circumstances of the crash since that time point toward an intentional act rather than an accident.
Last night, NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman consulted with the United States Attorney General, Eric Holder. They agreed that given the apparent criminal nature of the event, the primacy of this investigation should be transferred to the FBI. NTSB investigators will remain at the scene to assist the FBI.
All inquiries about the progress of the investigation should be directed to the FBI office in San Antonio at (210) 225-6741.
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NTSB Media Contact: Peter Knudson
(202) 557-1350
Washington Office
(202) 314-6100