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London - Alarm over Airbus, Jets Grounding Demanded |
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A London law firm representing passengers in the June 1 Air France Flight 447 disaster over the South Atlantic has suggested that long-range Airbuses be grounded until the crashes are fully probed -- but no such action has been taken.
Airbus' older models have much higher crash rates than its newer, more computerized jets, according to data from Airbus' main competitor, Boeing.
Model A310s, such as the one flown as Yemenia Flight 626 when it crashed June 30 off the Comoros Islands, had a crash rate of 1.89 per million commercial flights from their introduction in 1983 through December 2007, Boeing statistics show.
Boeing's 737/300, 400 and 500 models, introduced around the same time, had a crash rate of 0.5 per million flights.
The highly computerized Airbus A330 has a far better record. From its introduction in 1994 until the Flight 447 catastrophe, its commercial crash rate was zero. The only previous fatal A330 crash was a 1994 test flight that isn't counted in Boeing's data.
Airbus' double disaster last month is likely just bad luck, say experts.
"The only thing they have in common is that they are both Airbus products, and they both went into water," said Bill Waldock, a professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's campus in Arizona.
Maintenance, dubious airline policies and bad weather seem to be the main issues in the crash of Yemenia's 19-year-old A310 as it was about to land in the Comoros in stormy nighttime conditions.
French authorities considered the crashed plane so unsafe, it was banned from landing in their country in 2007.
Experts worry Airbus' modern cockpit automation systems can lull pilots into a sense of complacency.
"Airplanes with these computers are flying without people. Their pilots are just system monitors," said Justin Green, a pilot and lawyer with the Manhattan firm Kreindler & Kreindler.
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Read Comments (12) — Post Yours »
1
Jul 06, 2009 at 12:00 PM Anonymous Says:
Those airbuses should have been grounded immediately !!
2
Jul 06, 2009 at 12:33 PM Boeing Says:
“ Those airbuses should have been grounded immediately !! ”
Anyway stick to Boeing it's American
3
Jul 06, 2009 at 01:06 PM frequent flyer Says:
“ Anyway stick to Boeing it's American ”
like you really have a choice!?!? its not like u own the airline anyway.
4
Jul 06, 2009 at 01:00 PM Monsey Man Says:
Airbus was created with only evil intentions and through evil methods. The "company" was created by a consortium of European nations for the sole purpose of competing with Boeing in a effort to reduce American dominance in that field. The "company" is run by European governments, not by free market industry. It was funded by further taxing te already overtaxed EU citizens. Just as the evil Brithish lost their de Havelland brand after a series of deadly aircrashes, so too may the evil EU lose their Airbus brand; with no further loss of life.
5
Jul 06, 2009 at 02:50 PM anonymous Says:
I don't know the intentions but competition is part of the free market and that which buried GM. I do know that the airbus is the most computerized airplane on the market. Those who work with computers know that software has glitches and for this reason the pilot relies on a machine which is less in his control
6
Jul 06, 2009 at 02:48 PM Boeing is going Says:
Pilots always prefer Boeing, the saying is something like "boeing is going".
It seems the Airbus engineers worked on minimizing weight and cost and did not allow for abnormal loads that should not happen. It was a Boeing 727 that once went supersonic in a storm. It landed safely and had no damage. I will bet that quality would have saved the lives of the Air France victims.
PS: I choose my flights based on planned equipment.
7
Jul 06, 2009 at 02:15 PM DealBoy Says:
“ like you really have a choice!?!? its not like u own the airline anyway.
”
You sorta kinda have a choice
many airlines stick to one of the two companies for there big jets
jetblue=airbus
AA= Boeing
delta was Boeing and they bought northwest who was airbus so you are correct sometimes with some airlines
but where it's a "life and death" situation for you to only fly Boeing, it's possible to avoid the airbus by finding it out
8
Jul 06, 2009 at 03:59 PM Frequent Flyer Says:
“ Airbus was created with only evil intentions and through evil methods. The "company" was created by a consortium of European nations for the sole purpose of competing with Boeing in a effort to reduce American dominance in that field. The "company" is run by European governments, not by free market industry. It was funded by further taxing te already overtaxed EU citizens. Just as the evil Brithish lost their de Havelland brand after a series of deadly aircrashes, so too may the evil EU lose their Airbus brand; with no further loss of life. ”
"The "company" is run by European governments, not by free market industry. It was funded by further taxing te already overtaxed EU citizens."
Oh, I get it!! You mean like Obama taking over the US car companies, banks, and anything else he could get his grubby fingers on?? And how we in the USA are gonna be taxed to death for all his wasteful spending??? Uh huh, sure.
As far as the de Havilland Aircraft Company comment, you dont know this but the Canadian subsidiary is doing well in the "regional" jet / turboprop area.
9
Jul 06, 2009 at 03:48 PM Frequent Flyer Says:
“ You sorta kinda have a choice
many airlines stick to one of the two companies for there big jets
jetblue=airbus
AA= Boeing
delta was Boeing and they bought northwest who was airbus so you are correct sometimes with some airlines
but where it's a "life and death" situation for you to only fly Boeing, it's possible to avoid the airbus by finding it out ”
so considering most DOMESTIC flights are on "regional" jets or turboprops, those of which Boeing doesn't produce?????
I rest my case.
10
Jul 06, 2009 at 06:30 PM Jets Says:
Does anyone know what those lines are high high up in the sky following some planes?
Why is it only on some planes?
11
Jul 06, 2009 at 11:45 PM Anonymous Says:
“ Does anyone know what those lines are high high up in the sky following some planes?
Why is it only on some planes? ”
They are called "contrails". Basically, when jet fuel burns lots of water vapor is produced. When the vapor hits the super-cold air of the upper atmosphere it turns to ice crystals Hence the appearance of linear white clouds behind the plane. This only happens when the aircraft flies high enough and the air is cold enough.
12
Jul 13, 2009 at 09:41 PM Anonymous Says:
There is a defenite pattern with all the incidents of the Airbuses.
The tail is plastic and will fail in severe weather.
They all should be grounded, the tail parts inspected with ultrasonoic equibment, and replaced if potentially defective.