Latest news with #AhmedabadAirIndia
Time of India
19 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Flight safety code breakdown: Mayday, Pan-Pan and more explained; understanding aviation emergency language
Representative image (AI) There are many more communication codes besides 'mayday' that pilots and cabin crew members use both on and off the ground while communicating with the ATC in flight operations. One of the most searched words in days following the Ahmedabad Air India crash was 'mayday'.' The word was part of a distress call transmitted by one of the pilots on the plane to the air traffic controller (ATC), implying a life threatening emergency. Pilots and cabin crew use a wide range of communication codes beyond just "MAYDAY" during flight operations, both in the air and on the ground, when interacting with air traffic control (ATC). Here are some of the codes used with their meanings as listed in an ET report - Mayday: The term is repeated three times to signal to ATC on the ground that the aircraft is facing some kind of life-threatening emergency and requires immediate assistance. PAN-PAN: It is used by pilots when requesting assistance from ATC during an onboard emergency, though it doesn't necessarily imply an immediate life-threatening situation. GPWS: It refers toa cockpit alert which is used to warn the pilot of an imminent danger of collision with the ground or an object. Arming the door: this signals activating the emergency escape slides so they deploy automatically when the door is opened during an emergency, facilitating faster passenger evacuation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If you have a mouse, play this game for 1 minute Navy Quest Undo Disarming the door: it is used when deactivating the automatic deployment of emergency slides when the door is opened. NOTAM : Stands for Notice to Airmen, an official alert from aviation authorities informing pilots and staff about temporary or urgent changes impacting flight safety or operations. Go around: Also called a missed approach; occurs when an aircraft aborts its final landing attempt, climbs back, and either tries to land again or diverts to another airport. Aborted or rejected take-off: When a take-off is stopped during the roll, bringing the aircraft to a complete halt on the runway. V1: it is the takeoff decision speed, if once reached, the pilot must continue the takeoff. In case of an issue after V1, the aircraft must get airborne first before returning to land in an emergency. V2: The speed at which the aircraft becomes airborne. Runway incursion: Entry of an aircraft, vehicle, or person onto a designated runway area without clearance. Runway excursion: When an aircraft veers off or overruns the runway surface. CAT III : An instrument landing system (ILS) category that permits landings in very low visibility conditions (fog, rain, snow) with runway visual range (RVR) between 50 and 200 meters. CAT II: A precision instrument approach allowing landings with a minimum RVR of 350 meters. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
The Hindu
a day ago
- General
- The Hindu
Investigation into South Korea's Jeju Air crash hints at pilot error, angering families
The initial results of an investigation into December's devastating Jeju Air crash in South Korea showed that, while the plane's both engines sustained bird strikes, its pilots turned off the less-damaged one just before its crash-landing. The finding, which implied human errors, drew quick, vehement protests from bereaved families and fellow pilots who accused authorities of trying to shift responsibility for the disaster to the dead pilots. South Korea's Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board initially planned to publicise the results of an investigation of the plane's engines on Saturday. But it was forced to cancel its press briefing in the face of strong protests by relatives of crash victims who were informed of the findings earlier in the day, according to government officials and bereaved families. Also Read | Ahmedabad Air India flight crash: Fuel control switches 'transitioned' to cutoff position after take off, says interim probe 'If they want to say their investigation was done in a reliable, independent manner, they should have come up with evidence that backs up their explanation,' said Kim Yu-jin, head of an association of bereaved families. 'None of us resent the pilots.' The Boeing 737-800 operated by Jeju Air landed on its belly without its landing gear deployed at South Korea's southern Muan International Airport on Dec 29. It overshot a runaway, slammed into a concrete structure and burst into flames. It was the deadliest disaster in South Korea's aviation history in decades, killing all but two of the 181 people on board. Investigation signals pilots turned off the wrong engine According to a copy of an unpublished briefing report obtained by The Associated Press, a South Korean-led multilateral investigation team said it found no defects in the plane's engines built by France's Safran and GE. The report said thorough examinations of the engines found the plane's right engine suffered more serious internal damage following bird strikes as it was engulfed with big fires and black smoke. But the pilots switched off the plane's left engine, the report said citing probes on the cockpit voice recorder, the flight data recorder and the engines examinations. Officials earlier said the black boxes of the Boeing jetliner stopped recording about four minutes before the accident, complicating investigations into the cause of the disaster. The cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder cited in the briefing report refers to data stored before the recording stopped. The report didn't say why the pilots shut off the less-damaged engine and stopped short of saying whether it was an error by the pilots. Bereaved families, fellow pilots slam the probe Bereaved families and pilots at Jeju Air and other airlines lambasted the investigation findings, saying authorities must disclose the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder. 'We, the 6,500 pilots at civilian airlines, can't contain our seething anger against the preposterous argument by the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board that lost neutrality,' the Korean Pilot Unions Alliance said in a statement Tuesday. Unionized pilots at Jeju Air also issued a statement urging authorities to present scientific evidence to show the plane should have landed normally if it flew with the less-damaged engine. The latest report focused only on engine issues and didn't mention other factors that could also be blamed for the crash. Among them is the concrete structure the plane crashed into. It housed a set of antennas called localizers designed to guide aircraft safely during landings, and many analysts say it should have been made with more easily breakable materials. Some pilots say they suspect the government wouldn't want to mainly and prominently blame the localizers or bird strikes for mass deaths as the Muan airport is under direct management of the Transport Ministry. The Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board and the Transport Ministry have offered no public response to the criticism. They said they also won't publicly discuss the engine investigation to respect demands by bereaved families. A person familiar with the investigation told the AP that authorities are looking at the localizers and other issues, like whether air traffic controllers relayed the danger of bird strikes to the pilots swiftly enough and what emergency training Jeju Air offered to pilots. The person, who requested anonymity citing the sensitive nature of the investigation, said authorities earlier planned to publicise the results of probes after reviewing various issues, but changed the plan and tried to release the outcome of the engine investigation at the request of bereaved families. He said authorities don't intend to place the responsibility for the disaster to the pilots. Authorities aim to publish the investigation's final results by next June, the person said. Kwon Bo Hun, dean of Aeronautics College at the Far East University in South Korea, called the engine investigation report 'clumsy' because it didn't disclose evidence that supported its finding on the pilots. He said it only irritated 'emotional parts of us" as the investigation raised suspicions that it puts the whole blame on the dead pilots. A former Transport Ministry-turned-university professor reached by the AP said the engine investigation report must be 'reliable' as it's based on an analysis of cockpit voice and flight data recorders that 'don't lie.' He spoke on condition of anonymity citing the delicate nature of the issue.
Arabian Post
4 days ago
- Business
- Arabian Post
Wall Street Journal's Ahmedabad Crash Report May Well Be A Plant
By K Raveendran The Wall Street Journal's report on the Ahmedabad Air India crash has triggered a storm of controversy not only for what it suggests but also for what it deliberately avoids. The claim that the crash, which took 260 lives, may have been caused by the senior pilot unintentionally or mistakenly putting the fuel control switch in the cut-off position is presented as a finding from preliminary investigations. Yet the entire report is predicated on anonymous sources, vague phrasing, and an overall speculative tone that raises more questions than it answers. In a case of such magnitude and human tragedy, a claim of this nature carries heavy implications—not least because it seems to absolve the aircraft manufacturer, Boeing, of any blame. And that is precisely where the unease lies. At face value, the report offers no hard evidence, no black box transcript, and no direct statements from investigating authorities to support its most consequential insinuation. It is speculative by admission and selectively sourced, quoting individuals purportedly 'familiar with the probe.' In the world of aviation reporting, particularly in the context of post-crash assessments, this kind of journalistic hedging can often be more strategic than informative. The timing, anonymity, and framing of the article all suggest that it may serve a public relations purpose more than it serves public interest. The possibility that the story is a planted narrative cannot be dismissed lightly, especially given the track record of how Boeing and other aviation corporations have navigated crises in the past. Media placement is a subtle but potent weapon in the realm of crisis management, and Boeing is no stranger to this strategy. Following the two catastrophic crashes involving the 737 MAX aircraft in 2018 and 2019, the company was initially quick to point to pilot training and operational errors. Only under mounting international pressure and meticulous investigative scrutiny did Boeing concede to software flaws and systemic safety issues in the MCAS system, which were ultimately found to be central to the crashes. Given that history, the suggestion that the Ahmedabad crash report may be part of a broader attempt to refocus blame is not a wild conspiracy theory, but a plausible continuation of an established pattern. In this case, the framing of the WSJ article effectively shifts the lens away from mechanical, software, or design faults that could potentially point back to Boeing, and instead plants the seed of human error, specifically that of the pilot. The pilot, of course, is not here to defend himself. Nor are the 259 other lives lost in the tragedy able to provide context or counterpoint. The tactic of blaming pilot error is particularly insidious because it operates on multiple psychological levels. For one, it exploits the public's general lack of technical understanding about aircraft systems. To the layperson, the idea that a pilot 'mistakenly flipped a switch' seems like a tragic but understandable human slip. It plays into a narrative of fallibility and distraction, steering the emotional focus away from mechanical flaws, production shortcuts, or system design oversights. At the same time, it serves the institutional interest of the aircraft manufacturer, which has billions of dollars at stake in current and future contracts, not to mention shareholder confidence. There is a grim irony in how the narrative around pilot error is often deployed. Pilots are among the most highly trained professionals in any field. Their every move is subjected to simulation, testing, review, and regulation. While human error is never out of the question, it is seldom the sole or primary cause of major aviation disasters—especially when it comes to systemic failures or design flaws that lie hidden beneath layers of operational complexity. The attempt to scapegoat a pilot in the immediate aftermath of a crash—before full data from black boxes is made public, before the investigation is complete—should always raise red flags. Moreover, the involvement of a US media outlet, particularly one with the stature of The Wall Street Journal, adds a significant dimension of corporate intrigue. Boeing, as one of America's flagship manufacturing giants, has deep roots not just in commerce but in politics and international diplomacy. It is a major defence contractor and a symbol of American industrial power. That reality brings with it a strong motivation—if not outright pressure—to protect the company's reputation in global markets. Favourable media coverage, carefully curated leaks, and selectively attributed information are all part of the playbook when a company of Boeing's stature is under scrutiny. This is not to argue that media organizations are complicit in misinformation, but it does highlight how strategic narratives can be embedded in seemingly routine reporting. Especially in crisis situations, the distinction between a leak and a plant is often only a matter of motive and timing. For a company under the shadow of past failures, a well-placed article can serve as a preemptive shield, setting the stage for public perception before the official facts are fully established. It is crucial that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) release their findings in a manner that is not only scientifically robust but also publicly transparent. Leaks through foreign media should not be allowed to shape the early narrative of a tragedy that occurred on Indian soil and involved Indian carriers and passengers. The families of the victims deserve nothing less than an unambiguous and fact-based explanation for what went wrong. (IPA Service)
News18
14-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
News18 Evening Digest: Jaishankar Meets Chinese Counterpart, Owaisi Rules Out Alliance With INDIA Bloc For Bihar Polls & Other Top Stories
Last Updated: In today's evening digest, News18 brings you the latest updates on EAM S Jaishankar meeting his Chinese counterpart, Bihar assembly elections and other top stories. In today's evening digest, News18 brings you the latest updates on External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar meeting his Chinese counterpart, Bihar assembly elections and other top stories. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing, where he highlighted India's zero-tolerance approach against terrorism. Read more 'Switching Off Fuel Is SOP During Engine Failures; AI-171 Crash Report Laughable': Pilot Body Chief Seventy-two hours after the preliminary report on the Ahmedabad Air India plane crash, the outcry over what really went wrong continues. While the western media blames the deceased pilots, the Pilot Association in India has condemned the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) for suggesting that the pilots of Flight AI-171 were responsible for cutting off the fuel to the engine. Read more Pakistan and Turkey or Türkiye are set to enter a new era of security arrangements, defence deals, intelligence sharing and strategic partnership to do jihad against India, according to a top military official. Read more Ahead of the inauguration of infrastructure projects in Karnataka's Shivamogga, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari wrote two letters to the chief minister urging him to join physically or through video. Earlier in the day, Siddaramaiah said he was not consulted before finalising the Shivamogga National Highway projects' dedication and foundation ceremony on July 14, despite his name being included. Read more Did Aggression Get the Better Of Shubman Gill At Lord's? 'Virat Performed Better…' Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has said that captain Shubman Gill looked tentative after he was sledged constantly by the England players on Day 4 of the Lord's Test, especially after his fiery interaction with them at the end of Day 3, comparing it with Virat Kohli's improved performance while being 'angry'. Read more view comments First Published: July 14, 2025, 17:04 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Hindu
02-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Ahmedabad plane crash: Grief in two acts for Kutch family
For the Khimani family in Gujarat's Kutch district, bereavement struck twice — first, when they performed last rites for their son without his remains, and again, when his partially recovered body was returned days later, identified through DNA analysis. Anil Laljibhai Khimani (35), a mason from Dahisara village in Bhuj, was confirmed as the last victim of the June 12 Ahmedabad Air India crash through DNA testing. The Gujarat government had reported the death toll at 260, which included 241 of the 242 persons on board the Boeing Dreamliner aircraft. The remaining casualties occurred on the ground. Mr. Khimani was en route to London to visit relatives. He is survived by his wife and two young daughters. The family held a symbolic cremation ceremony on June 26 in their native village, uncertain whether they would receive his remains. A second and final ceremony was conducted on June 28, following the formal identification of his body by Civil Hospital authorities a day earlier. Villagers, unaware that DNA confirmation was still pending, had participated in the first ceremony. 'We brought the body back to our native Dahisara and performed the last rites in the presence of our relatives and many well-wishers. It took over two weeks for the identification, but we are grateful that we could finally give him a dignified farewell,' said Laljibhai Khimani, Anil's father. Recounting the delay, he said, 'I gave my DNA sample first, but later we were told another would be needed. My wife then gave her sample. Since then, we were anxiously waiting for confirmation.' The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into a residential area shortly after takeoff from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. Mr. Khimani's death was among the last to be formally confirmed through DNA. The earlier ceremony, Mr. Khimani's father said, was an emotional attempt to bring closure amid the uncertainty.
