AF447 (Merged)

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18 years 3 months

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The rain or hail flooding the engines is also unlikely. Engines are now tested for this and a truly enormous amount of water is run through them on a test rig, apparently its much more than they would ever likely see in flight even in the worst conditions.

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The rain or hail flooding the engines is also unlikely. Engines are now tested for this and a truly enormous amount of water is run through them on a test rig, apparently its much more than they would ever likely see in flight even in the worst conditions.

Correct.
And, rain and hail are by default below the clouds. The sort of clouds at 30k are made of tiny ice crystals which do not form together to make bigger ice crystals.

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17 years 2 months

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I am not speculating, but seeking knowledge. I believe two German Air Force Tornados crashed as a result of flying too close to a commercial radio transmitter. Given the intensity of the lightening in this area does anyone know of the possible EMP effect of severe lightning discharges either +ve or -ve. Has any research ever been carried out into this possible phenomenon? I understand that EMP protection is a major concern with the military versions of the A330 currently under development.
Thanks in anticipation for your time and trouble,
Be lucky
David

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Reading one of the dailys seem that AFR recivied a Bomb Threat to this Flight only 4 days ago and one of AFR Pilots has been quoted as saying for so many failures to be record at the same time It could only point to a bomb

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16 years 2 months

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Reading one of the dailys seem that AFR recivied a Bomb Threat to this Flight only 4 days ago

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that flight was from Buenos Aires. The only link was it was an Air France plane running a south america - CDG route. It was discussed briefly a few pages back.

Still, I think it is a definite line of enquiry for the AAIB (or whatever the French version is).

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19 years 11 months

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that flight was from Buenos Aires.

You are entirely correct.

A different flight from a different country. South America is a big place.

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20 years 6 months

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Are all the Airbus air-crafts un-flyble in the event of a total electrical failure (due to the loss of fly-by-wire mechanism).

Is'nt the fly-by-wire system in modern airliners just for pilot-aid (keeping the AC with in boundaries of safe maneuvering). It's failure should not render the AC in-operable per se.

Whats the difference between B747 and modern aircraft in this regard ?

Member for

16 years 4 months

Posts: 2,101

I am not speculating, but seeking knowledge. I believe two German Air Force Tornados crashed as a result of flying too close to a commercial radio transmitter. Given the intensity of the lightening in this area does anyone know of the possible EMP effect of severe lightning discharges either +ve or -ve. Has any research ever been carried out into this possible phenomenon? I understand that EMP protection is a major concern with the military versions of the A330 currently under development.
Thanks in anticipation for your time and trouble,
Be lucky
David

The sort of EMP the military are worried about on A330 is from a whizz-bang nuke detonation.

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20 years 5 months

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Are all the Airbus air-crafts un-flyble in the event of a total electrical failure (due to the loss of fly-by-wire mechanism).

Is'nt the fly-by-wire system in modern airliners just for pilot-aid (keeping the AC with in boundaries of safe maneuvering). It's failure should not render the AC in-operable per se.

Whats the difference between B747 and modern aircraft in this regard ?


A ram air turbine should deploy upon loss of all power to provide enough power for the flight controls and essential systems.

From what I understand, there is no mechanical linkage between the pilots and the control surfaces on the A320/A330/A340/A380.

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19 years 11 months

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From what I understand, there is no mechanical linkage between the pilots and the control surfaces on the A320/A330/A340/A380.

Sandy is correct.

I think the same is true of the B777 and the B787, though I'm happy to be corrected.

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20 years 6 months

Posts: 291


From what I understand, there is no mechanical linkage between the pilots and the control surfaces on the A320/A330/A340/A380.

Is it safe ? A hydraulic mechanical mechanism with a "completely" independent power source should be there.

By independent power mechanism, I mean a small power generator (with its own fuel tank).

I understand that there is a secondary APU for power generation, but there should be 3 layers of protection.

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Sandy is correct.
I think the same is true of the B777 and the B787, though I'm happy to be corrected.

I think the 777 still has cables, as a last ditch back up.
The 787 I think will be completely cableless

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Is it safe ?

For fear of a flame war, I'm biting my tongue!

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19 years 11 months

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I think the 777 still has cables, as a last ditch back up.
The 787 I think will be completely cableless

Oh, right.

I was under the impression that the B777 had a completely electronic FBW system with a manual over-ride, but no mechanical back-up.

Boeing seem to under a similar impression. (Third bullet point up from the bottom)

Is it safe ?

Depends on what you mean.

If you mean "Is there a 100% guarantee that there are no circumstances, forseeable or otherwise, in which this triple-redundant system will ever fail?" then the answer is "No", just as it is for every single system or mechanism conceived and built by the mind and hand of Man.

If, on the other hand, you mean "Is there, statistically speaking, considerably more chance of me reaching my destination safe and sound in one of these aircraft than in a car or in a train?" then the answer is "Yes".

Mechanically-controlled aircraft crash all the time, you know.

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20 years 6 months

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For fear of a flame war, I'm biting my tongue!

strange.........

Is there something wrong with giving one's honest opinion, especially when it is a matter of human safety.

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20 years 5 months

Posts: 10,625

Oh, right.

I was under the impression that the B777 had a completely electronic FBW system with a manual over-ride, but no mechanical back-up.

Boeing seem to under a similar impression. (Third bullet point up from the bottom)

I did say "I think" ;)
Obviously I thought incorrectly.

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19 years 11 months

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I did say "I think" ;)
Obviously I thought incorrectly.

Happens to the best of us, mate. :)

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20 years 5 months

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strange.........

Is there something wrong with giving one's honest opinion, especially when it is a matter of human safety.


Let's just say I'm not entirely convinced that A320 crash at Habsheim was solely down to the pilot.

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Moderator Message

We are not opening that can of worms again here!

Somehow it just doesn't seem right when 228 people have just lost their lives.

GA

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19 years 9 months

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whilst at the everett plant we were told it would be a will FBW system for both T7 and The 787 , same with the new generation 737, as it is now a very hard task to get control cabels for the older 737 ie 300,400 and 500 series