External links

>> Tuesday, October 12, 2010

External links


# Aircraft Crashes Record Office based in Geneva, Switzerland
# Aviation Safety Network Established in 1996. The ASN Safety Database contains descriptions of over 12200 airliner, military and corporate jet aircraft accidents/incidents since 1943.
# National Transportation Safety Board Accident Database & Synopses
# Human Error Vs. Airborne Terrorism - editorial citing examples of most severe consequences of pilot error and other human error.
# Computer-Related Incidents with Commercial Aircraft: A Compendium of Resources, Reports, Research, Discussion and Commentary, compiled by Peter B. Ladkin et al.

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Aircraft Crashes Record Office (ACRO)

Statistics
Aircraft Crashes Record Office (ACRO)

The Geneva-based Aircraft Crashes Record Office (ACRO) compiles statistics on aviation accidents of aircraft capable of carrying more than six passengers, not including helicopters, balloons, or fighter airplanes. The ACRO announced that the year 2007 was the safest year in aviation since 1963 in terms of number of accidents.[7] There had been 136 accidents registered (compared to 164 in 2006), resulting in a total of 965 deaths (compared to 1,293 in 2006). 2004 was the year with the lowest number of fatalities since the end of World War II, with 771 deaths. The year with most fatalities was 1972, with 3,214 deaths.

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Main article: Air safety


Main article: Air safety

Aviation safety has come a long way in over one hundred years of implementation. In modern times, two major manufacturers still produce heavy passenger aircraft for the civilian market: Boeing in the United States of America and the European company Airbus. Both have placed huge emphasis on the use of aviation safety equipment, now a billion-dollar industry in its own right, and made safety a major selling point—realizing that a poor safety record in the aviation industry is a threat to corporate survival. Some major safety devices now required in commercial aircraft involve:

* Evacuation slides — aid rapid passenger exit from an aircraft in an emergency situation.
* Advanced avionics - Computerized auto-recovery and alert systems.
* Turbine engines - durability and failure containment improvements
* Landing gear - that can be lowered even after loss of power and hydraulics.

When measured on a passenger-distance calculation, air travel is the safest form of transportation available: these figures are the ones mentioned by the air industry when quoting statistics on air safety. A typical statement is this one by the BBC: "UK airline operations are among the safest anywhere. When compared against all other modes of transport on a fatality per mile basis air transport is the safest — six times safer than travelling by car and twice as safe as rail."[2]

However, when measured by fatalities per person transported, buses are the safest form of transportation and the number of air travel fatalities per person are surpassed only by bicycles and motorcycles. This statistic is the one used by the insurance industry when calculating insurance rates for air travel.[3]

For every billion kilometers traveled, trains have a fatality rate 12 times larger than air travel, while automobiles have a fatality rate 62 times larger. On the other hand, for every billion journeys, buses are the safest form of transportation. By the last measure air transportation is three times more dangerous than car transportation and almost 30 times more dangerous than bus.[4]
After the crash of Gol Transportes AĆ©reos Flight 1907, Brazilian Air Force personnel recover the flight data recorder of the flight.

A 2007 study by Popular Mechanics found that passengers sitting at the back of a plane are 40% more likely to survive a crash than those sitting in the front, although this article also quotes Boeing, the FAA and a website on aircraft safety, all claiming that there is no safest seat. The article studied 20 crashes, not taking in account the developments in safety after those accidents.[5] However, a flight data recorder is usually mounted in the aircraft's empennage (tail section), where it is more likely to survive a severe crash.

Over 95% of people in U.S. plane crashes between 1983 and 2000 survived.[6]

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Aviation accidents and incidents

Aviation accidents and incidents


An aviation accident is defined in the Convention on International Civil Aviation Annex 13 as an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft which takes place between the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight and all such persons have disembarked, in which a person is fatally or seriously injured, the aircraft sustains damage or structural failure or the aircraft is missing or is completely inaccessible.

An aviation incident is also defined there as an occurrence other than an accident, associated with the operation of an aircraft, which affects or could affect the safety of operations.

An accident in which the damage to the aircraft is such that it must be written off, or in which the plane is destroyed is called a hull loss accident.

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Major disasters


Major disasters

The deadliest aviation-related disaster of any kind, considering fatalities on both the aircraft and the ground, was the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001 with the intentional crashing of American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 by Al-Qaeda terrorists. The World Trade Center crashes killed 2,752, most of them occupants of the World Trade Center towers or emergency personnel responding to the disaster. In addition, 184 were killed when American Airlines Flight 77 was crashed into The Pentagon and 40 were killed when United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into a Pennsylvania field, bringing the total number of casualties of the September 11 attacks to 2,976 (excluding the 19 terrorist hijackers).

A CGI rendering of the two 747s that were destroyed in the Tenerife Disaster.

The March 27, 1977, Tenerife disaster remains the accident with the highest number of airliner passenger fatalities. In this disaster, 583 people died when a KLM Boeing 747 attempted take-off and collided with a taxiing Pan Am 747 at Los Rodeos Airport. Pilot error, Air Traffic Control error, communications problems, fog, and airfield congestion due to a bombing and a second bomb threat at another airport, which diverted air traffic to Los Rodeos, all contributed to this catastrophe.

The crash of Japan Airlines Flight 123 in 1985 is the single-aircraft disaster with the highest number of fatalities. In this crash, 520 died on board a Boeing 747. The aircraft suffered an explosive decompression from a failed pressure bulkhead repair, which destroyed its vertical stabilizer and severed hydraulic lines, making the 747 virtually uncontrollable.

The world's deadliest mid-air collision was the 1996 Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision involving Saudia Flight 763 and Air Kazakhstan Flight 1907 over Haryana, India. The crash was mainly the result of the Kazakh pilot flying lower than the altitude for which his aircraft was given clearance. Three hundred and forty-nine passengers and crew died from both aircraft. The Ramesh Chandra Lahoti Commission, empowered to study the causes, also recommended the creation of "air corridors" to prevent aircraft from flying in opposite directions at the same altitude.

On March 3, 1974, Turkish Airlines Flight 981, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10, crashed in a forest northeast of Paris, France. The destination was London but the plane crashed shortly after taking off from Orly airport. There were a total of 346 people on board; all of them perished in the crash. It was later determined that the cargo door had detached which caused an explosive decompression which in turn caused the floor just above to collapse. When the floor collapsed it severed the control cables, which left the pilots without control of the elevators, the rudder and the No. 2 engine. The plane entered a steep dive and crashed. It was the deadliest plane crash of all time until the Tenerife disaster in 1977.

On June 23, 1985, Air India Flight 182 crashed off the southwest coast of Ireland when a bomb exploded in the cargo hold. On board the Boeing 747-237B were 307 passengers and 22 crew members, all of whom were killed when the plane disintegrated. One passenger checked in as "M. Singh". He didn't board the flight but his suitcase that contained the bomb was loaded onto the plane. Mr. Singh was never identified and captured. It was later found out that Sikh extremists were behind the bombing and that it was a retaliation for the Indian government's attack on the sacred Golden Temple in the city of Amritsar, which is very important for the Sikhs. This was, at the time, the deadliest terrorist attack involving an airplane.

On September 1, 1983, a Soviet Sukhoi Su-15 shot down Korean Air Lines Flight 007 killing all 269 passengers and crew[1].

Iran Air Flight 655 was a civilian airliner shot down by US missiles on Sunday 3 July 1988, over the Strait of Hormuz killing all 290 passengers and crew aboard, including 66 children, ranking it seventh among the deadliest airline disasters.

Pan Am Flight 103 was a Boeing 747-121 that was destroyed by a terrorist bomb over the town of Lockerbie, Scotland on December 21, 1988. The crash killed all 243 passengers, all 16 crew and 11 people on the ground (all of whom were residents of Sherwood Crescent, Lockerbie), making it the worst terrorist attack involving an aircraft in the UK.

In August 1985 Delta Air Lines Flight 191 was brought down by a microburst in Dallas Texas. Flight 191 was arriving at DFW around 6 o'clock and entered a thunderstorm just north of DFW. The plane struck the ground the first time in a field just north of the airfield. The plane then bounced back in the air and came down a final time on highway 114. It struck a car killing its driver then went on to smash head on into two huge water tanks. n September 11, 2001 with the intentional crashing of American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 by Al-Qaeda terrorists. The World Trade Center crashes killed 2,752, most of them occupants of the World Trade Center towers or emergency personnel responding to the disaster. In addition, 184 were killed when American Airlines Flight 77 was crashed into The Pentagon and 40 were killed when United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into a Pennsylvania field, bringing the total number of casualties of the September 11 attacks to 2,976 (excluding the 19 terrorist hijackers).
A CGI rendering of the two 747s that were destroyed in the Tenerife Disaster.

The March 27, 1977, Tenerife disaster remains the accident with the highest number of airliner passenger fatalities. In this disaster, 583 people died when a KLM Boeing 747 attempted take-off and collided with a taxiing Pan Am 747 at Los Rodeos Airport. Pilot error, Air Traffic Control error, communications problems, fog, and airfield congestion due to a bombing and a second bomb threat at another airport, which diverted air traffic to Los Rodeos, all contributed to this catastrophe.

The crash of Japan Airlines Flight 123 in 1985 is the single-aircraft disaster with the highest number of fatalities. In this crash, 520 died on board a Boeing 747. The aircraft suffered an explosive decompression from a failed pressure bulkhead repair, which destroyed its vertical stabilizer and severed hydraulic lines, making the 747 virtually uncontrollable.
Turkish Airlines Flight 981

The world's deadliest mid-air collision was the 1996 Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision involving Saudia Flight 763 and Air Kazakhstan Flight 1907 over Haryana, India. The crash was mainly the result of the Kazakh pilot flying lower than the altitude for which his aircraft was given clearance. Three hundred and forty-nine passengers and crew died from both aircraft. The Ramesh Chandra Lahoti Commission, empowered to study the causes, also recommended the creation of "air corridors" to prevent aircraft from flying in opposite directions at the same altitude.

On March 3, 1974, Turkish Airlines Flight 981, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10, crashed in a forest northeast of Paris, France. The destination was London but the plane crashed shortly after taking off from Orly airport. There were a total of 346 people on board; all of them perished in the crash. It was later determined that the cargo door had detached which caused an explosive decompression which in turn caused the floor just above to collapse. When the floor collapsed it severed the control cables, which left the pilots without control of the elevators, the rudder and the No. 2 engine. The plane entered a steep dive and crashed. It was the deadliest plane crash of all time until the Tenerife disaster in 1977.

On June 23, 1985, Air India Flight 182 crashed off the southwest coast of Ireland when a bomb exploded in the cargo hold. On board the Boeing 747-237B were 307 passengers and 22 crew members, all of whom were killed when the plane disintegrated. One passenger checked in as "M. Singh". He didn't board the flight but his suitcase that contained the bomb was loaded onto the plane. Mr. Singh was never identified and captured. It was later found out that Sikh extremists were behind the bombing and that it was a retaliation for the Indian government's attack on the sacred Golden Temple in the city of Amritsar, which is very important for the Sikhs. This was, at the time, the deadliest terrorist attack involving an airplane.

On September 1, 1983, a Soviet Sukhoi Su-15 shot down Korean Air Lines Flight 007 killing all 269 passengers and crew[1].

Iran Air Flight 655 was a civilian airliner shot down by US missiles on Sunday 3 July 1988, over the Strait of Hormuz killing all 290 passengers and crew aboard, including 66 children, ranking it seventh among the deadliest airline disasters.

Pan Am Flight 103 was a Boeing 747-121 that was destroyed by a terrorist bomb over the town of Lockerbie, Scotland on December 21, 1988. The crash killed all 243 passengers, all 16 crew and 11 people on the ground (all of whom were residents of Sherwood Crescent, Lockerbie), making it the worst terrorist attack involving an aircraft in the UK.

In August 1985 Delta Air Lines Flight 191 was brought down by a microburst in Dallas Texas. Flight 191 was arriving at DFW around 6 o'clock and entered a thunderstorm just north of DFW. The plane struck the ground the first time in a field just north of the airfield. The plane then bounced back in the air and came down a final time on highway 114. It struck a car killing its driver then went on to smash head on into two huge water tanks.

Read more...


A picture of the Wright Brothers' Type B airplane flying over Fort Meyer, Virginia in 1908.

The Army''s first airplane, the Wright Type B, flies over Fort Meyer, VA in 1908. The plane is now in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.

(Photo: National Archives / Getty Images)

It had only been five years since Orville and Wilbur Wright made their famous flight at Kitty Hawk. By 1908, the Wright brothers were traveling across the United States and Europe in order to demonstrate their flying machine. Everything went well until that fateful day in September that began with a cheering crowd of 2,000 and ended with pilot Orville Wright severely injured and passenger Lieutenant Thomas Selfridge dead.

A Flight Exhibition

Orville Wright had done this before. He had taken his first official passenger, Lt. Frank P. Lahm, into the air on September 10 at Fort Myer, Virginia. Two days later, Orville took another passenger, Major George O. Squier, up in the Flyer for nine minutes.

These flights were part of an exhibition for the United States Army. The U.S. Army was considering purchasing the Wrights' aircraft for a new military airplane. To get this contract, Orville had to prove that the airplane could successfully carry passengers.

Though the first two trials had been successful, the third was to prove a catastrophe.

Lift Off!

Twenty-six year-old Lieutenant Thomas E. Selfridge volunteered to be a passenger. A member of the Aerial Experiment Association (an organization headed by Alexander Graham Bell and in direct competition with the Wrights), Lt. Selfridge was also on the Army board that was assessing the Wrights' Flyer at Fort Myers, Virginia.

It was just after 5 p.m. on September 17, 1908, when Orville and Lt. Selfridge got into the airplane. Lt. Selfridge was the Wrights' heaviest passenger thus far, weighing 175 pounds. Once the propellers were turned, Lt. Selfridge waved to the crowd. For this demonstration, approximately 2,000 people were present.

The weights were dropped and the airplane was off.

Out of Control

The Flyer was up in the air. Orville was keeping it very simple and had successfully flown three laps over the parade ground at an altitude of approximately 150 feet.

Then Orville heard light tapping. He turned and quickly looked behind him, but he didn't see anything wrong. Just to be safe, Orville thought he should turn off the engine and glide to the ground.

But before Orville could shut off the engine, he heard "two big thumps, which gave the machine a terrible shaking."1

The machine would not respond to the steering and lateral balancing levers, which produced a most peculiar feeling of helplessness.2

Something flew off the airplane. (It was later discovered to be a propeller.) Then the airplane suddenly veered right. Orville couldn't get the machine to respond. He shut off the engine. Yet he kept trying to regain control of the airplane.

. . . I continued to push the levers, when the machine suddenly turned to the left. I reversed the levers to stop the turning and to bring the wings on a level. Quick as a flash, the machine turned down in front and started straight for the ground.3

Throughout the flight, Lt. Selfridge had remained silent. A few times Lt. Selfridge had glanced at Orville to see Orville's reaction to the situation.

The airplane was about 75 feet in the air when it started a nose-dive to the ground. Lt. Selfridge let out a near inaudible "Oh! Oh!"

The Crash

Heading straight for the ground, Orville was not able to regain control. The Flyer hit the ground hard. The crowd was at first in silent shock. Then everyone ran over to the wreckage.

The crash created a cloud of dust. Orville and Lt. Selfridge were both pinned in the wreckage. They were able to disentangle Orville first. He was bloody, but conscious. It was harder to get Selfridge out. He too was bloody and had an injury to his head. Lt. Selfridge was unconscious.

The two men were taken by stretcher to the nearby post hospital. Doctors operated on Lt. Selfridge, but at 8:10 p.m., Lt. Selfridge died from a fractured skull, without ever regaining consciousness. Orville suffered a broken left leg, several broken ribs, cuts on his head, and many bruises.

Lt. Thomas Selfridge was buried with military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. He was the first man to die in an airplane.

Orville Wright was released from the Army hospital on October 31. Though he would walk and fly again, Orville continued to suffer from fractures in his hip that had gone unnoticed at the time. Orville later determined that the crash was caused by a stress crack in the propeller. The Wrights soon redesigned the Flyer to eliminate the flaws that led to this accident.

Notes

1. Orville Wright as quoted in Curtis Prendergast, The First Aviators (Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books, 1980) 58.
2. Orville Wright as quoted in Ibid 58.
3. Orville Wright as quoted in Ibid 58.

Bibliography

Howard, Fred. Wilbur and Orville: A Biography of the Wright Brothers. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1987.

Prendergast, Curtis. The First Aviators. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books, 1980.

Whitehouse, Arch. The Early Birds: The Wonders and Heroics of the First Decades of Flight. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, 1965.


"A picture of the Wright Brothers' Type B airplane flying over Fort Meyer, Virginia in 1908."

The Army''s first airplane, the Wright Type B, flies over Fort Meyer, VA in 1908. The plane is now in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.
(Photo: National Archives / Getty Images)
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It had only been five years since Orville and Wilbur Wright made their famous flight at Kitty Hawk. By 1908, the Wright brothers were traveling across the United States and Europe in order to demonstrate their flying machine. Everything went well until that fateful day in September that began with a cheering crowd of 2,000 and ended with pilot Orville Wright severely injured and passenger Lieutenant Thomas Selfridge dead.

A Flight Exhibition

Orville Wright had done this before. He had taken his first official passenger, Lt. Frank P. Lahm, into the air on September 10 at Fort Myer, Virginia. Two days later, Orville took another passenger, Major George O. Squier, up in the Flyer for nine minutes.

These flights were part of an exhibition for the United States Army. The U.S. Army was considering purchasing the Wrights' aircraft for a new military airplane. To get this contract, Orville had to prove that the airplane could successfully carry passengers.

Though the first two trials had been successful, the third was to prove a catastrophe.

Lift Off!

Twenty-six year-old Lieutenant Thomas E. Selfridge volunteered to be a passenger. A member of the Aerial Experiment Association (an organization headed by Alexander Graham Bell and in direct competition with the Wrights), Lt. Selfridge was also on the Army board that was assessing the Wrights' Flyer at Fort Myers, Virginia.

It was just after 5 p.m. on September 17, 1908, when Orville and Lt. Selfridge got into the airplane. Lt. Selfridge was the Wrights' heaviest passenger thus far, weighing 175 pounds. Once the propellers were turned, Lt. Selfridge waved to the crowd. For this demonstration, approximately 2,000 people were present.

The weights were dropped and the airplane was off.

Out of Control

The Flyer was up in the air. Orville was keeping it very simple and had successfully flown three laps over the parade ground at an altitude of approximately 150 feet.

Then Orville heard light tapping. He turned and quickly looked behind him, but he didn't see anything wrong. Just to be safe, Orville thought he should turn off the engine and glide to the ground.

But before Orville could shut off the engine, he heard "two big thumps, which gave the machine a terrible shaking."1

The machine would not respond to the steering and lateral balancing levers, which produced a most peculiar feeling of helplessness.2

Something flew off the airplane. (It was later discovered to be a propeller.) Then the airplane suddenly veered right. Orville couldn't get the machine to respond. He shut off the engine. Yet he kept trying to regain control of the airplane.

. . . I continued to push the levers, when the machine suddenly turned to the left. I reversed the levers to stop the turning and to bring the wings on a level. Quick as a flash, the machine turned down in front and started straight for the ground.3

Throughout the flight, Lt. Selfridge had remained silent. A few times Lt. Selfridge had glanced at Orville to see Orville's reaction to the situation.

The airplane was about 75 feet in the air when it started a nose-dive to the ground. Lt. Selfridge let out a near inaudible "Oh! Oh!"

The Crash

Heading straight for the ground, Orville was not able to regain control. The Flyer hit the ground hard. The crowd was at first in silent shock. Then everyone ran over to the wreckage.

The crash created a cloud of dust. Orville and Lt. Selfridge were both pinned in the wreckage. They were able to disentangle Orville first. He was bloody, but conscious. It was harder to get Selfridge out. He too was bloody and had an injury to his head. Lt. Selfridge was unconscious.

The two men were taken by stretcher to the nearby post hospital. Doctors operated on Lt. Selfridge, but at 8:10 p.m., Lt. Selfridge died from a fractured skull, without ever regaining consciousness. Orville suffered a broken left leg, several broken ribs, cuts on his head, and many bruises.

Lt. Thomas Selfridge was buried with military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. He was the first man to die in an airplane.

Orville Wright was released from the Army hospital on October 31. Though he would walk and fly again, Orville continued to suffer from fractures in his hip that had gone unnoticed at the time. Orville later determined that the crash was caused by a stress crack in the propeller. The Wrights soon redesigned the Flyer to eliminate the flaws that led to this accident.

Notes

1. Orville Wright as quoted in Curtis Prendergast, The First Aviators (Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books, 1980) 58.
2. Orville Wright as quoted in Ibid 58.
3. Orville Wright as quoted in Ibid 58.

Bibliography

Howard, Fred. Wilbur and Orville: A Biography of the Wright Brothers. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1987.

Prendergast, Curtis. The First Aviators. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books, 1980.

Whitehouse, Arch. The Early Birds: The Wonders and Heroics of the First Decades of Flight. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, 1965.

Read more...

ISLAMABAD

ISLAMABAD -- A passenger jet that officials suspect veered off course in monsoon rains and thick clouds crashed into hills overlooking Pakistan's capital Wednesday, killing all 152 people on board and scattering body parts and twisted metal far and wide.

The Airblue jet's crash was the deadliest ever in Pakistan, and just tPakistani army troops remove a piece of wreckage at the site of  Wednesday's deadly plane crash, in the mountains surrounding Islamabad, Pakistan on Thursday, July 29, 2010. The Airbus A321 operated by local carrier Airblue crashed into hills overlooking the country's capital, Islamabad, during stormy, monsoon weather, killing all 152 people on board. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed) slideshowhe latest tragedy to jolt a country that has suffered numerous deaths in recent years due to Al Qadea and Taliban attacks. At least two U.S. citizens were on the plane, which carried mostly Pakistanis.

The plane left the southern city of Karachi at 7:45 a.m. for a two-hour flight to Islamabad and was trying to land when it lost contact with the control tower, said Pervez George, a civil aviation official. Airblue is a private airline based in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city.

The aircraft, an Airbus A321, crashed some 15 kilometers from the airport, scorching a wide stretch of the Margalla Hills, including a section behind Faisal Mosque, one of Islamabad's most prominent landmarks. Twisted metal wreckage hung from trees and lay scattered across the ground. Smoke rose from the scene as helicopters hovered.

The exact cause of the crash was not immediately clear, and rescue workers were seeking the "black box" flight data recorder amid the wreckage. But Defense Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar said the government did not suspect terrorism.
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Passenger Jet Crashes in Pakistani Capital

Deadly passenger plane crash

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Rescue workers and citizen volunteers were hampered by the rain, mud and rugged terrain. The crash was so severe it would have been nearly impossible for any of the 146 passengers and six crew members to survive, rescue officials said.

"There is nothing left, just piles and bundles of flesh. There are just some belongings, like two or three traveling bags, some checkbooks, and I saw a picture of a young boy. Otherwise everything is burned," rescue worker Murtaza Khan said.

As the government declared Thursday would be a day of mourning and condolences poured in from the U.S., Britain and other nations, hundreds of people showed up at Islamabad's largest hospital and the airport seeking information on loved ones.

They swarmed ambulances reaching the hospital, but their hopes fell as rescue workers unloaded bags filled with body parts. A large cluster of people also surrounded a passenger list posted near the Airblue counter at the airport.

"We don't know who survived, who died, who is injured," said Zulfikar Ghazi, who lost four relatives. "We are in shock."

Mirza Ahmed Baig rushed to the hills after hearing that the plane carrying his brother had crashed. He wept amid the chilly weather, criticizing the rescue effort as too little and too lax.

"I'm not satisfied at all on the steps the government is taking," Baig said.

As of Wednesday night, when rescue work was suspended till the morning, 115 bodies had been recovered, federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said. DNA tests would be needed to identify most of them, he said.

U.S. Embassy spokesman Richard Snelsire confirmed that at least two American citizens were on board, but he declined to provide any further information on their identities or links to Pakistan.

In the U.S., Paulette Kirksey said that her godmother, Rosie Ahmed of Gadsden, Alabama, and her husband, Saleem Ahmed, were among those on the plane. Rose Ahmed was in Pakistan to make arrangements for him to move to the United States, Kirksey said. She said Rosie Ahmed was in her late 50s.

Witnesses said the plane appeared to be flying very low and that it seemed unsteady in the air.

"The plane had lost balance, and then we saw it going down," Saqlain Altaf, who was on a family outing in the hills when the crash occurred, told Pakistan's ARY news channel.

The Pakistan Airline Pilot Association said the plane may have strayed off course, possibly because of the poor weather. Several officials noted the plane seemed to be an unusual distance from the airport, which was some 9 1/2 miles (15 kilometers) away.

"It should not have gone so far," said Air Vice Marshal Riazul Haq, deputy chief of the Civil Aviation Authority. "We want to find out why it did."

Raheel Ahmed, a spokesman for the airline, said the cause of the crash would be investigated. The plane had no known technical issues, and the pilots did not send any emergency signals, Ahmed said. Airblue flies within Pakistan and to the United Arab Emirates, Oman and the United Kingdom.

Airbus said it would provide technical assistance to the crash investigators. The aircraft was initially delivered in 2000, and was leased to Airblue in January 2006. It accumulated about 34,000 flight hours during some 13,500 flights, it said.

The only previous recorded accident for Airblue, a carrier that began flying in 2004, was a tail-strike in May 2008 at Quetta airport by one of the airline's Airbus 321 jets. There were no casualties and damage was minimal, according to the U.S.-based Aviation Safety Network.

Other Pakistani airlines have come under international scrutiny due to safety concerns.

In 2007, the European Union temporarily banned flights in its airspace of most of the aircraft operated by Pakistan's national carrier, Pakistan International Airlines, because of concerns over the age of the aircraft and poor maintenance. The bloc lifted the ban later that year after the airline took action to comply with safety standards.

The last major plane crash in Pakistan was in July 2006 when a Fokker F-27 twin-engine aircraft operated by PIA slammed into a wheat field on the outskirts of the central Pakistani city of Multan, killing all 45 people on board.

In August 1989, another PIA Fokker, with 54 people onboard, went down in northern Pakistan on a domestic flight. The plane's wreckage was never found. In September 1992, a PIA Airbus A300 crashed into a mountain in Nepal, killing all 167 people on board.

The Airbus 320 family of medium-range jets, which includes the A321 model that crashed Wednesday, is one of the most popular in the world, with about 4,300 jets delivered since deliveries began in 1988.

Twenty-one of the aircraft have been lost in accidents since then, according to the Aviation Safety Network's database. The deadliest was a 2007 crash at landing in Sao Paolo by Brazil's TAM airline, in which all 187 people on board perished, along with 12 others on the ground.

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Not the real deal........

>> Monday, October 11, 2010

Not the real deal........

Airtourer ZK-XXI is captured on rotate off the grass vector at Tauranga this past weekend and gives the deceptive thought that it may once have been with the RNZAF as NZ1760, however it is in fact ex ZK-DSZ and changed its identity to ZK-XXI on 02 October 2008.
The true NZ1760 became ZK-JBX when it was retired from RNZAF service in April 1993 and ferried across the Tasman the same month to later become VH-AMX.

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Other Tauranga Bits


Other Tauranga Bits

Titan Mustang ZK-TVG returning after a brief local flight.


Grumman G164A ZK-RTA (nee ZK-MEX) awaits a willing customer for a ride over the scenic Bay of Plenty.

Zenair CH701 ZK-SCC undergoing a spring clean.

And Zenith CH601-XL ZK-SRF (apt registration for this surfing region) also undergoing a spring clean.

All photos Mike Condon mer for a ride over the scenic Bay of Plenty.

Zenair CH701 ZK-SCC undergoing a spring clean.

And Zenith CH601-XL ZK-SRF (apt registration for this surfing region) also undergoing a spring clean.

All photos Mike Condon

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Helicopters down !


Helicopters down !

It has not been a good couple of weeks in the south for helicopters.

Robinson R44 Astro ZK-IVP , c/n 0293 , was reportedly damaged near Queenstown on 04-10-2010.
ZK-IVP at Christchurch on 16-07-2010.
Robinson R22 ZK-IIL , c/n 4049 , which was only registered here on 26-08-2010 was damaged in the McQueens/Kaituna Valley area of Banks Peninsula on the morning of 05-10-2010. Reports mention that its legs have been splayed out and that the rotor and tail boon are bent.
ZK-IIL at Christchurch on 31-08-2010.

MD NOTAR ZK-HYY2 , c/n LN107 , crashed and burned near Mt Ajax in the Lake Sumner area on 27-09-2010.
ZK-HYY at Christchurch on 25-09-2008.

Also the Aerospatiale AS 350BA ZK-HBD4 , c/n 2473 , was damaged at Nokomai Station on 23-09-2010.
Robinson R44 Astro ZK-IVP , c/n 0293 , was reportedly damaged near Queenstown on 04-10-2010.
ZK-IVP at Christchurch on 16-07-2010.
Robinson R22 ZK-IIL , c/n 4049 , which was only registered here on 26-08-2010 was damaged in the McQueens/Kaituna Valley area of Banks Peninsula on the morning of 05-10-2010. Reports mention that its legs have been splayed out and that the rotor and tail boon are bent.
ZK-IIL at Christchurch on 31-08-2010.

MD NOTAR ZK-HYY2 , c/n LN107 , crashed and burned near Mt Ajax in the Lake Sumner area on 27-09-2010.
ZK-HYY at Christchurch on 25-09-2008.

Also the Aerospatiale AS 350BA ZK-HBD4 , c/n 2473 , was damaged at Nokomai Station on 23-09-2010.

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Clutton Tabenor FRED's of New Zealand



Clutton Tabenor FRED's of New Zealand

Following from my previous post on Luton Minors of New Zealand, my thoughts turned to another English parasol that in some ways is like a modern Luton Minor. That is the Clutton-Tabenor FRED. The FRED was designed and built by EW Sherry and Eric Clutton, and the prototype first flew in England on 2/11/63. FRED stands for Flying Recreational Experimetal Design. It is a bit heavier the the Luton Minor and it has a much thicker wing section which contains the fuel tank. The FRED is 17 feet long and has a wingspan of 22 feet 6 inches. It has a wing area of 111 square feet. Its empty weight is 550 lbs and MAUW is 800 lbs. It cruises at 70 mph behind a VW engine and its flying characteristics have been described as "slow but sure"!

There have been 3 FRED's in New Zealand. All of them are still with their original owners which may say something about owning a FRED?

The photos are from the Keith Morris collection unless otherwise noted.

The first FRED was ZK-FRD (c/n AACA 279), which was built by Alan and Evan Belworthy at Masterton in the late 1970's. It was registered to Evan Belworthy in 10/79 and has been owned by him ever since. The Belworthy's left the Wairarapa and moved to Cust in Canterbury where ZK-FRD is still active. The above photo was taken at Masterton in 1981.

This photo of ZK-FRD was taken at the 1987 AACA fly-in at Omaka, and it now features wheel spats and Fred Flintstone on the tail.

And this photo of ZK-FRD was taken at the fogged out AACA fly-in at Rangiora in 1983.

Our next FRED was ZL-ELJ (c/n AACA 361), which was built by Alex Armstrong of Dunedin, and was first registered on 9/9/80. This photo of it was taken at Tairei in 1981.

ZK-ELJ was re-registered as ZK-LXA on 15/6/88 when ownership transferred to the Armstrong Family Trust of Dunedin. It is photographed here in a hangar at Tairei on 25/3/81. Alex Armstrong went on to built Sisler Cygnet ZK-LXB and Vans RV-4 ZK-LXC, all of which are owned by the Armstrong Family Trust. I don't think ZK-LXA is currently active as it was photographed by Blue Bus partly dismantled in a hangar at Tairei in October 2008. Thanks to Blue Bus for this photo.

And our final FRED is ZK-RSJ (c/n PFA 028-10753) which was imported into New Zealand and first registered on 24/11/00 by Mr RF Jopling of Barnard Castle, UK. ZK-RSJ was registered G-BSSJ in the UK. It is still owned by Mr Jopling although it is based at Ashburton where Blue Bus took this photo on 2/2/01.
Following from my previous post on Luton Minors of New Zealand, my thoughts turned to another English parasol that in some ways is like a modern Luton Minor. That is the Clutton-Tabenor FRED. The FRED was designed and built by EW Sherry and Eric Clutton, and the prototype first flew in England on 2/11/63. FRED stands for Flying Recreational Experimetal Design. It is a bit heavier the the Luton Minor and it has a much thicker wing section which contains the fuel tank. The FRED is 17 feet long and has a wingspan of 22 feet 6 inches. It has a wing area of 111 square feet. Its empty weight is 550 lbs and MAUW is 800 lbs. It cruises at 70 mph behind a VW engine and its flying characteristics have been described as "slow but sure"!

There have been 3 FRED's in New Zealand. All of them are still with their original owners which may say something about owning a FRED?

The photos are from the Keith Morris collection unless otherwise noted.

The first FRED was ZK-FRD (c/n AACA 279), which was built by Alan and Evan Belworthy at Masterton in the late 1970's. It was registered to Evan Belworthy in 10/79 and has been owned by him ever since. The Belworthy's left the Wairarapa and moved to Cust in Canterbury where ZK-FRD is still active. The above photo was taken at Masterton in 1981.
This photo of ZK-FRD was taken at the 1987 AACA fly-in at Omaka, and it now features wheel spats and Fred Flintstone on the tail.

And this photo of ZK-FRD was taken at the fogged out AACA fly-in at Rangiora in 1983.

Our next FRED was ZL-ELJ (c/n AACA 361), which was built by Alex Armstrong of Dunedin, and was first registered on 9/9/80. This photo of it was taken at Tairei in 1981.

ZK-ELJ was re-registered as ZK-LXA on 15/6/88 when ownership transferred to the Armstrong Family Trust of Dunedin. It is photographed here in a hangar at Tairei on 25/3/81. Alex Armstrong went on to built Sisler Cygnet ZK-LXB and Vans RV-4 ZK-LXC, all of which are owned by the Armstrong Family Trust. I don't think ZK-LXA is currently active as it was photographed by Blue Bus partly dismantled in a hangar at Tairei in October 2008. Thanks to Blue Bus for this photo.

And our final FRED is ZK-RSJ (c/n PFA 028-10753) which was imported into New Zealand and first registered on 24/11/00 by Mr RF Jopling of Barnard Castle, UK. ZK-RSJ was registered G-BSSJ in the UK. It is still owned by Mr Jopling although it is based at Ashburton where Blue Bus took this photo on 2/2/01.

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Question time # 115. Answer.


Question time # 115. Answer.

The engine is a General Electric T58 and was noted in a real JET BOAT at Pacific Aircraft Services at Christchurch the other day. I am told it is from a Bell UH-1 Huey (F or P model).

So Anonymous gets pretty close with P Huey and PAS.
Gnome was getting close.
So Anonymous gets pretty close with P Huey and PAS.
Gnome was getting close.

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Ultralight Flying In Europe


Ultralight Flying In Europe

How popular is ultralight flying in your area? As I am in Europe, I can mostly speak about it here. In Europe the most popular destination for ultralight flying is the United Kingdom. People in UK have a lot of flying clubs, a good market for used ultralight aircraft and a lot of traditions.

The South Europe countries also have some ultralight aviation traditions. Span for example offers very good climate and long season appropriate for ultralight flying.

I was a bit surprised to discover that there are many aviation enthusiasts in Turkey, which is not known to be a country addicted to ultralight flying.

The people in North Europe countries have less interest in ultralight flying as the climate there allows such activities only in a short period of time.

Now ultralight aviaiton just becomes popular in East Europe. As the economy situation improved there, more people started looking for adventure and leisure activities. Currently paragliding is far more popular but I am starting to see new aviation clubs to appear in East Europe so I expect to have more ultralight pilots there soon.

If you are in Europe, please share in which country you are and what are your impressions about the ultralight aviation in it.

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How do ultralight gliders acually fly?


How do ultralight gliders acually fly?

There are two major types of glider flying - the firts is when your glider is drawn from a powered airplane. At some time the rope connecting both aircraft gets released and the glider can start it's engine less fly.

The other method is through winch and tower. The glider is connected to the winch throught a rope. The winch starts rotating thus pulling the glider. Once the glider gains enough attitude the rope can be released.

One ultralight glider can fly for many hours without engine and can raise quite a good speed.

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Who else wants an ultralight glider?

Who else wants an ultralight glider?
Flying without engine gets very compelling nowadays with the all time high fuel prices. Fortunately its not only possible but pretty affordable - the ultralight gliders are invented exactly for this purpose.

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Ultralight Amphibious and Floats

Ultralight Amphibious and Floats
Isn't it exciting to have an airplane and a boat at the same time? Sure it is. But it would be not only expensive - you will need to have place for both. And not only that - think about the support cosrs, license fees, insurance and so on. It's not very wise idea to buy both an airplane and a boat unless you are really going to use them actively.

Well, there is a solution for this problem - the flying boats, called also float and ultralightb amphibians. And as you will see below, the solution is pretty simple and straightforward.

The goiod news about ultralight flying boats is that they do not cost much more thna the other ultralight airplanes and trikes. Of course, some ultralight aircraft has the floats as an option for which you have to pay more.

What's the point to have an amphibian except what was said above? Well, you can land not only on the ground, but also on water. Landing on water is an advanced procedure and only experienced pilots should try it.

Now if you are sitll unclear what exactly a flying boat (they are also called floats), I can recommend you to wantch this cool Youtube video:



If you feel excited about having an ultralight amphibious, make sure to check the license requirements in your country. In most cases you the floats will be classifieds as ultralights/microlights or experimental

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Electric Rc Airplanes


Electric Rc Airplanes
Welcome to the exciting world of electric rc airplanes. If your like me, the first time you see one in action, you'll be hooked. If you like to learn more about them and read some of my funny flying stories along the way, then please stick around and buckle your seat belt, because will be flying in no time.

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My First Experience with Electric Rc Airplanes

My First Experience with Electric Rc Airplanes

I remember it like it wasy yesterday. It was a Saturday afternoon and my dad was telling me about a guy he had met a couple of days ago named Barnard. He said Barnard has a couple of electric rc airplanes he flies at the elementary school down the road and that if we wanted to we could come out and watch him. I didn't have anything else to do, so I agreeed to go.

Prior to this, I didn't know much about electric rc airplanes. My dad bought me one several years ago from Toys R Us, but I could never get it to fly. I would hand toss it and it would immediately go into a nosedive and crash into the ground. So I wasn't expecting much from Barnard's planes.

We arrived at the school and I met Barnard and he showed us this beaten up little plane he had. If I recall, it was called the Fire Bird. It was a fierce name for a plane that looked so beaten up. The tail wing had been replaced and was remade out of ballace wood. The nose had dents on the sides indicating it had crashed on several occassions. The wingspan was about 2 feet long and it had a funny looking propeller behind the wings. From the sight of it, I didn't think the plane would ever leave the ground.

Barnard talked to us about the electric rc airplanes he had for a few minutes and from his enthusiasm, you knew he loved flying them. Shortly after that he started the propeller and hand tossed the plane a couple of seconds later. I couldn't believe my eyes; this little beaten up plane was actually flying. At first, it was about 20 feet off the ground and it was circling us overhead, but a short time later, it was towering above the treetops. I thought this was the coolest thing ever. This little plane is actually flying. Unfortunately, after a couple of minutes of flight time, the plane crashed into a tree branch and got stuck. We had a heck of a time getting it down. We spent more time trying to get the plane out of the tree, then the plane had been in the air. But I didn't care, I was hooked. I remeber thinking these electric rc airplanes are amazing.

I knew at that moment I had to have one. I figured they must be expensive, after all, I've had rc cars that once they've gone 20 feet away from you, they no longer respond to the remote control. There's no way that electric rc airplanes that can fly as high as the treetops and 300 yards away from you are going to be cheap.

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GET STARTED WITH ELECTRIC RC AIRPLAN

GET STARTED WITH ELECTRIC RC AIRPLAN

bought cost $99.00. I haven't done much research, but I don't think you'll find one much cheaper than that. But it was $99.00 well spent. My first plane had a range of half a mile. Imagine being able to fly a plane a half a mile away from you. It also had a computer chip inside it that would level out the plane if it entered a steep dive preventing it from crashing. That's an excellent feature to have for beginners.

Never buy electric rc airplanes from a toy store. Always buy them from a hobby shop. If your local hobby shop doesn't carry them, they can also be bought online.

Ready to fly electric rc airplanes are a great choice to start out with. They call them ready to fly because they come with everything you need to get started: the plane, remote control, charger, and batteries. Another nice thing about them, is ready to fly electric rc airplanes only take about 5 minutes to put together.

Its best to start out with a two-channel plane. Electric rc airplanes come in three channels, two channel, three channel, and four channel. Three channel and four channel planes give you more control and you can perform acrobatic maneuvers with them like barrel rolls and loops, but there more difficult to fly. The are best left to more experienced flyers.

When you buy your first plane, you may want to consider getting a second battery pack. Flight times vary depending on the type of plane you buy, but usually the batteries only last about 12-18 minutes.

One more thing, always fly your plane in an open field. The reason is, while your learning to fly you will crash many many many times. It's not a question of if, but when. At least in an open field you don't have to worry about crashing into rooftops, tree branches, or into the pavement. Electric rc airplanes are designed to withstand crashes, but they can only take so much. This can be an expensive hobby when you don't fly in open fields. I find that soccer fields, football fields, schoolyards and even your local park make ideal flying places.

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Flight Story that Ended in Tragedy.

Flight Story that Ended in Tragedy.


Last weekend I took my aerobird challenger out flying. The weather conditions were perfect. I have two aerobird challengers and I couldn't get one to fly. I spent about 20 minutes trying to figure out whats wrong with it, but it never left the ground.

I got out the other plane and it took off immediately. I must of had that plane close to 100 yards in the air above me. I was flying it in circles, but when you get up that high its hard to tell what the planes doing. It could have been flying upside down for all I knew.

Then it happened. For about 5 seconds, I noticed the plane was not responding to my controls. And then it went into a nose dive and came crashing into the ground. The impact was so loud, I think the neighbors across the street probably heard it.

I figured out the battery pack went dead and of course when that happens the propellar stops spinning and you have no control over the steering functions.

Needless to say, it was a spectacular site. It stinks that I have to get a new plane, but I'll just take it as a lessoned learned the hard way.

Tip: Carry a stop watch with when your flying. If your battery pack only last about 12
minutes, bring your plane down soon after 10.

Never fly to high where you can't see what the planes doing very well.

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Flying Tips for Electric Rc Airplanes.



Flying Tips for Electric Rc Airplanes.

I've been flying electric rc airplanes for awhile now and there's one thing a beginner pilot can always count on, you will crash many many many times. Its not a question of if, but when. In order to save you a lot of money in repairs or replacement planes, here are some flying tips I've found useful.

1. Always fly in an open field. Soccer fields, football fields, school yards and your local park are great places to fly. When you don't fly in open fields you risk crashing into tree branches, buildings, on rooftops and even the pavement. All of those things are very unforgiving to a plastic airplane.

2. Never fly on windy days. The best days to fly are when there's no wind or very little. The bigger the plane you have, the more stable it will be. The wind can knock around smaller planes more easily than larger ones.

3. Never fly into the sun. You'll almost always lose sight of your airplane.

4. Wait until you've climbed a good 40-50 feet before executing turns. Sometimes when you turn, the plane will lose altitude, execute a turn to low and you may not be able to pull it up in time.

5. Try not to fly your plane over rooftops or trees until you become more experienced. Often times you'll think your high enough to pass over them, but your not. The farther your flying away from you, the harder it is to gage how high you are.

6. Flying electric rc airplanes is a lot like driving rc cars, but a little more difficult. Often times when your trying to turn, the plane doesn't respond right away. Give it a second or two and then it should start to turn.

7. Give yourself plenty of distance for take offs and landings. It takes time for a plane to climb and descend..

8. Flying electric rc airplanes is a lot of fun, but its difficult to learn on your own. If you want to get good fast, take lessons from an instructor. Most clubs have experienced flyers that are more than delighted to help out beginners.

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Gas Rc Airplanes Gas Rc Airplanes The Pros and Cons of Gas rc airplanes by Michael Cottier

Gas Rc Airplanes

Gas Rc Airplanes

The Pros and Cons of Gas rc airplanes by Michael Cottier

Gas rc airplanes, also known as nitro planes, are very realistic and are the most popular type of airplane amongst remote control hobbyist. The only problem is that many beginners buy one without ever having a clue to what work is really involved with a fuel powered RC airplane.
First off beginners need to know that owning gas rc airplanes is actually like owning a real airplane. You have to maintain it, refuel it, keep its oil clean and adjust certain parts to achieve the best possible flight. Some may be turned off when they hear that, thinking that is too much work for a hobby!

Well the fact is some people actually like that and they enjoy taking care of an rc airplane. You may even be one of those people and don't even know it.

It is enjoying too get your hands dirty and actually build and repair something. That is why many people get into hobbies, to build things. But then again, it is also nice to just go to a park, or your backyard, and have a quick flight without the hassle that comes with fuel powered engines. Electric powered rc airplanes don't require much work at all, and will have you flying in minutes, so that is the best alternative.

There are many ups and downs to gas powered rc airplanes, so let's discus them now, starting with the bad side to them. First off they are noisy, which can actually be a problem for some people who live in an area where noise is a concern.

The next bad thing about nitro planes is they cost more to buy and keep operational compared to electric rc airplanes. Finally, another con to gas rc airplanes is that they take a much longer time to construct and put together. Sometimes they can come with just balsa wood, and you have to cut out each piece yourself. Some people will actually not even be able to do this because of lack of tools and skills.

Now let's talk about the good side to gas rc airplanes and why they can be a good choice for some beginner pilot's. The best thing, in my opinion, about nitro planes is that they can fly for a much longer time then an electric engine that is powered by a battery. This is ideal for people who want to spend hours flying, not just fifteen or twenty minutes.

The next best thing is the authenticity that comes with a gas powered engine and plane. If you are one of those people who want the most realistic experience possible, then you definitely want a gas rc airplane. Not only do they sound authentic, but they also fly and operate like a real airplane does. Unfortunately it also comes with the maintenance like a real plane does, but like I said before, some people find that enjoyable.

Last but not least, gas rc airplanes have much more speed and torque then a measly electric engine ever could have. This makes it ideal for pilot racers or people who just want a fast airplane. I have even seen some gas rc airplanes before that actually could go hundreds of miler per hour, and even required real jet fuel!

Now I will end this discussion with some final words of wisdom that I hope every pilot will take into consideration. Make sure you keep your gas plane and engine as clean as possible, and properly maintained before and after every flight. You also need to remember to keep the oil changed so your engine stays clean on the inside. Proper tuning is also very important to make sure that your engine runs at maximum speed and uses as little fuel as possible, plus it needs to have the proper fuel and air mixture.

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Gas Rc Airplanes

Gas Rc Airplanes

RC Jet Information for Beginner Pilots by Michael Cottier

RC jets are by far the most exciting and exhilarating of any remote control airplane that a person can fly. Radio controlled jets come in many different sizes, engine types and shapes. The most amazing thing about these toy jets are that they can reach speeds of up to 100 miles per hour! Of course that isn't the average speed for all remote control jets, but it does give you an idea of what you can do in the future when you get to be a more experienced pilot.

So you want to fly RC jets? Well then I can help you by teaching you the basics that you need to know too get started. First off, you need to learn about the different types of RC jets that exist on the market, and what type of engine powers them.

Ducted fan jets are the most popular among hobbyist, and are very easy to fly also. Plus, they are a lot less dangerous, since the propeller and engine is located inside of a duct, which protects adults and children from it. Ducted fan jets also are very quiet and operate smoothly, requiring very little maintenance and fine tuning.

The next type of jet is called pusher jets, and they are much easier, slower and inexpensive then ducted fan jets are. RC pusher jets have a propeller dead center in the back of them that just pushes it along through the air. Plus, with an aerodynamic design, it gives the jet that extra speed and maneuverability that we all love about them.

Last but not least we will talk about turbine ducted powered RC jets, which are as close as you can come to owning a real jet. Turbine ducted engines use real jet fuel and run just like a real jet engine does. For hobbyists who want the realistic jet flying experience, this type of R/C jet is for you. Of course, you need experience flying and operating remote control airplanes before you progress to turbine ducted jets.

The speeds of turbine engines are very fast and can actually turn your model jet into a lethal weapon if you can't fly it properly. This means that you could get seriously injured if you don't know what you are doing. So if you are going to get into remote control jets, start with a pusher, then progress to a ducted fan jet. After you have gained experience from those crafts, then you should move onto turbine ducted engines.

The next important thing to discuss is about RC jet maintenance and what you need to do too take care of your jet properly. You should always use a good, high quality, fuel that has the right amount of oil in it. Also, make sure turbine ducted engines have the proper fuel and air mixture going through its engine.

Another good maintenance tip is to keep your engine properly tuned if it is a fuel powered turbine jet, but if it is electric, just make sure that you keep it in a cool dry place so the motor will stay operational.

Remote control jets can be so fun sometimes that it is scary, but every flyer needs to always keep in mind that it can be dangerous if flown near people, because of the speed of them. Also, remember that jet engines, electric or gas, operate at very high speeds, so to much use in one flight can cause your engine or motor to overheat and fail.

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