Latest news with #Bubb
New York Post
30-06-2025
- General
- New York Post
What happens if a plane's emergency exit door is opened midair? A pilot reveals the truth
Is it opening the door to disaster? Bum-rushing the emergency exit on a plane has seemingly become a go-to move among those looking to make trouble at 30,000 feet. Now, air experts are weighing in on what happens when mile-high hellions attempt to activate the doorway to heaven — and the outcome is not so good. Dan Bubb, Ph.D., a former airline pilot and current aviation safety expert, explained that opening the emergency exit — which he noted is for evacuations — on the ground will cause the door to open and an inflatable slide to deploy, Reader's Digest reported. Advertisement That is because the air pressure in both the cabin and outside is equal, thereby allowing passengers to disengage the locking mechanism. 3 American Airlines First Officer Steve Scheibner explained that to open the emergency door mid-flight, one would need to be able to lift 25,000 pounds Media_Works – While generally activated by a flight attendant during an emergency, the escape chute has notably been deployed by bozo passengers and crew members during non-emergencies as well. Advertisement In December, a flight in Spain had to be evacuated after a panicky male passenger released the emergency slide while the plane was idling on the runway in stifling heat. A month later, a bumbling British Airways crew member cost the airline $122,000 after accidentally deploying the safety ramp. And in perhaps the most infamous example in 2010, then-JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater announced he was quitting, grabbed two beers from the drinks cart, opened the door and disappeared down the slide. 3 If someone did manage to breach the hatch inflight, 'it would create a decompression situation where the oxygen masks would fall from the ceiling, and the pilot would have to put the plane in a dive to an altitude of 14,000 feet within four minutes,' Bubb explained. GDM photo and video – Advertisement But what happens when someone tries to pull the same trick in the sky? Absolutely nothing. That phenomenon is due to the high pressure differential between the inside and outside of the aircraft — which effectively seals the plug-style doors in place. 'The air pressure inside of the plane is much greater than the pressure outside of the plane,' explained Budd. 'This makes it exceedingly difficult to open the door.' Advertisement American Airlines First Officer Steve Scheibner explained that to open the emergency door midflight, one would need to be able to lift 25,000 pounds, Travel + Leisure magazine reported. 'Once this door gets pressurized in flight, it's nine pounds per square inch,' the flyboy — who goes by Captain Steeeve on TikTok — said. If someone did manage to breach the hatch inflight, 'it would create a decompression situation where the oxygen masks would fall from the ceiling, and the pilot would have to put the plane in a dive to an altitude of 14,000 feet within four minutes,' Bubb explained. Also preventing a midair evacuation is the door's locking mechanism, which engages on the runway when the airplane has attained a speed of 92 miles per hour, according to Scheibner. It's then virtually impossible to manually unlock the door until the aircraft slows down again. Coincidentally, the Federal Aviation Administration started requiring passenger aircraft to come equipped with this safety mechanism in 1972 in response to a spate of airplane hijackings in the 1960s and 1970s. 3 Those who attempt to open a hatch in-flight will be subject to arrest. luengo_ua – However, that safeguard hasn't stopped bozos from attempting to monkey with the airlock inflight. Advertisement Last month, an out-of-control passenger aboard a flight from Tokyo to Houston allegedly tried to open a cabin door midair, forcing panicked travelers to restrain him as the plane made an emergency landing. Despite the difficulty of budging the seemingly impregnable sky portal, at least one passenger appears to have succeeded. In 2023, an Asiana Airlines passenger opened an emergency door moments before the plane landed in Daegu, South Korea, sparking panic among the 194 flyers in the wind-swept cabin. Advertisement Thankfully, the plane was able to touch down safely, and no one was seriously injured, although a dozen were taken to the hospital and treated for hyperventilation. Geoffrey Thomas, an aviation expert with Airline Ratings, described the incident as 'very bizarre' because 'technically, it's not possible to open those doors in flight.' In most cases, attempting to open the escape hatch can result in a flight diversion and the arrest of the passenger responsible. Advertisement In 2024, a flight attendant broke their leg while attempting to restrain a passenger who attempted to open a door midflight. In light of the crewmember's injury, the man was charged with a federal crime, and, if convicted, could face 20 years in prison. At the very least, those attempting an unauthorized evacuation will likely earn themselves a nonstop trip onto a no-fly list.
Newsweek
12-06-2025
- General
- Newsweek
Air India Flight 171 Crash: Veteran Pilots on What Could Have Gone Wrong
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The fiery crash of Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner carrying 242 people, shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport in western India has stunned aviation experts and ignited scrutiny over possible mechanical or procedural causes with an aircraft known for its advanced technology and safety record. At least 290 people are believed dead in the crash, which marks the first fatal incident involving a Boeing 787 aircraft since the model entered service in 2011. There is one known survivor. Why It Matters Air India said the flight bound for London Gatwick Airport was carrying 242 passengers and crew, with 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese and one Canadian aboard. The Boeing 787-8 crashed into a residential area called Meghani Nagar five minutes after taking off at 1:38 p.m. This is the first crash of a Dreamliner, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. The Dreamliner is widely considered the "crown jewel" of Boeing's beleaguered commercial fleet, with more than 1,000 in service today. Boeing said it was "working to gather more information." The tail of Air India 171 sticks out of a building after it crashed in India's northwestern city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, Thursday, June 12, 2025. The tail of Air India 171 sticks out of a building after it crashed in India's northwestern city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, Thursday, June 12, 2025. associated press What To Know The jet barely reached 625 feet in altitude before descending rapidly and crashing into a nearby medical building. The disaster, which unfolded in clear weather conditions, raises significant questions about the aircraft's configuration, the airline's procedures, and the potential for unforeseen failure modes in one of the world's most advanced commercial jets. While the official investigation is still underway, early video and expert reviews have pointed to a few main theories. Dan Bubb, a longtime pilot and now airline historian at the University of Nevada - Las Vegas, told Newsweek what might have gone wrong. Flap Misconfiguration or Malfunction Multiple aviation analysts believe the aircraft's wing flaps were not correctly deployed at the time of takeoff. The flaps, which are essential for creating lift at low speeds, appeared to remain retracted, based on early video analysis. "It looked like the jet struggled to maintain lift," said Bubb in an interview with Newsweek. "Some pilots have speculated that the flaps may not have been set to the takeoff position. Historically, there have been crashes when flaps weren't properly configured." Alastair Rosenschein, a former British Airways pilot, told Sky News the footage suggested the flaps were not extended, and "the aircraft would not have been able to maintain flight" under those conditions. He also noted the landing gear remained down, further impairing the aircraft's aerodynamics. Captain Summeet Sabharwal, who was commanding the flight, had more than 8,200 hours of flying experience. Experts say that level of experience makes it less likely the flaps or gear configuration were overlooked due to a procedural mistake, but do not rule such catastrophic pilot error out entirely. "It may not have been set properly. If that is the case, that is definitely human error," said Bubb emphasizing that flap settings are a crucial part of the pre-takeoff checklist. "That's why pilots use checklists and double verification to ensure flap settings are correct before takeoff. It's an essential safety step, especially on heavy planes like the Dreamliner." People stand around debris at the site of an airplane that crashed in India's northwestern city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, Thursday, June 12, 2025. People stand around debris at the site of an airplane that crashed in India's northwestern city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, Thursday, June 12, 2025. AP Photo/Ajit Solanki Bird Strike and Double Engine Failure The theory that a bird strike caused a dual engine failure has also gained traction. The aircraft crashed shortly after liftoff, a critical portion of flight when bird activity near airports can pose serious risks. "Bird strikes can be very challenging," Bubb said. "Especially if an engine ingests birds and fails, as happened in the [2009] US Airways Hudson River landing." Dr. Jason Knight, a lecturer at the University of Portsmouth, told Sky that the most likely cause of a double engine failure at low altitude would be a bird strike. "Because the altitude was so low, the pilot would have had very little time to do an emergency landing," he said. Saurabh Bhatnagar, another former pilot speaking to NDTV in India, said the aircraft appeared to lose power "short of taking the gear up," which can happen "only in case the engine loses power or the aircraft stops developing lift." Ahmedabad airport is known for its bird strike hazard. According to The Telegraph, it had the second-highest number of reported bird strikes in India in 2023, despite operating significantly fewer flights than major hubs like Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. Landing Gear Remained Deployed A recurring point in expert analysis is the plane's failure to retract its landing gear. Typically, pilots raise the gear within seconds of a positive rate of climb. In this case, the gear was still extended when the aircraft went down. "There are two things that are needed for an aircraft take-off. One is adequate airspeed and the other one is a rate of climb," said Paul Edwards, aviation security analyst and fellow at the Royal Aeronautical Society, in an interview with Sky. "And that had neither." Ahmedabad: Firefighting team at the spot after an Air India plane crashed moments after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport, Thursday, June 12, 2025. (PTI via AP) Ahmedabad: Firefighting team at the spot after an Air India plane crashed moments after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport, Thursday, June 12, 2025. (PTI via AP) AP "It could have been he [the pilot] just didn't have time, or it could be that perhaps he thought he could control it, go round again and land or even land straight ahead," Edwards added. "So that remains, if you like, a mystery." Dan Bubb explained that gear retraction and flap extension are both critical for lift and speed. "If the flaps malfunctioned, or if the pilot was unaware they hadn't extended, it becomes very difficult to control the aircraft safely," he said. Runway Length and Heat Radar data reviewed by Newsweek indicates the pilots may also not have used the full length of the runway. On a hot day in Ahmedabad, where temperatures reached 40°C (104°F), a heavy aircraft requires more distance to reach liftoff speed due to reduced air density. "If a plane tries to lift off too early without enough speed or lift, it could crash into a nearby obstacle or fail to get airborne," said Bubb. Unverified data suggests Flight 171 may have used as little as 1,900 meters of runway, below the 2,500 meters generally recommended under those conditions. Bubb acknowledged the challenge: "The Dreamliner is a heavy jet, used for long international flights, carrying many passengers and fuel, so it can struggle if something's off." Mechanical Failure and Boeing's Role The crash has renewed scrutiny on Boeing, which has faced multiple safety controversies in recent years. While the 787 has a strong safety record, it is also a highly complex aircraft reliant on computerized systems and advanced materials. A policeman and medics transfer bodies of victims onto an ambulance after Air India Flight 171 crashed in a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025. A policeman and medics transfer bodies of victims onto an ambulance after Air India Flight 171 crashed in a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025. SAM PANTHAKY/AFP via Getty "The SOS indicates something definitely went wrong," Bubb said. "If there was a mechanical defect, responsibility may extend beyond Boeing because airlines are responsible for maintaining their planes. Investigators will look closely at Air India's maintenance records." Robert A. Clifford, founder and senior partner of Clifford Law Offices in Chicago and lead counsel in the Boeing 737 MAX8 crash in Ethiopia, also weighed in. "Review of available video and eyewitness information indicate some form of power or flight control loss," Clifford told Newsweek in a statement. "The Indian government investigators should have flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder information within a couple of days that will provide vital information to try to get to the bottom of this deadly tragedy." What Happens Next Air India's chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, said that at the moment "our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families." One of the two "black box" flight recorders has been recovered, while investigators are still searching for the other. No data from the recovered recorder has yet been shared.
Scotsman
26-04-2025
- Scotsman
I tried £2m "destination" spa in historic Scottish hotel - and there's a surprising whisky link
A new Scottish spa, located in a historic hotel, has won multiple awards recently. Rosalind Erskine visited for a surprising whisky-related treatment. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... There's nothing better than a spa day. Time to relax and unwind, usually with friends or sometimes family and, thankfully, Scotland has an array of luxury spas - usually attached to the best hotels - in which to do so. Well established names such as the Old Course, Cameron House and Gleneagles are all home to top spas, but there's a new addition to the health and wellness scene in Scottish hospitality, the Cairndale Hotel and Spa in Dumfries. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad I visited over a weekend in April to try the spa and spend a couple of nights in this family-owned hotel and was surprised (and delighted) to find a whisky-themed treatment was available. Cairndale Hotel & Spa Budget or boutique? This 86-bedroom hotel, which has been owned by the Wallace family for 40 years, has a boutique feel, with prices starting at £120 per night for bed and breakfast. Dogs are allowed in some rooms, and the charge is £15 per dog per night. Room service The hotel has had some serious money spent on it in recent times, including the £2m spa development. The reception area and lobby bar and restaurant are all very modern with colourful feature wallpaper, a striking mural on the stairs and on-trend colour palettes of greens with metallic accessories. Upstairs is a more muted affair and our four poster bedroom was spacious and light, with neutral decor and - as the name suggested - a four poster bed, seating area and en suite with bath. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Wining and dining The hotel's lounge bar and restaurant is currently all that's open for food and drinks at this time, as work is still being done on The Oak restaurant, located downstairs by the spa. The stylish lounge is comfortable and has an eclectic menu of small plates that double as starters and include tempura cod fillet and grilled hispi cabbage and mains that range from pub classics such as a beef or chicken burger, fish and chips and a club sandwich to far flung dishes such as chicken or prawn pad Thai. There's a good selection of drinks and cocktails - the negroni and non alcoholic summery strawberry smash mocktail were both delicious - as well as a decent wine list. The champagne, by the glass, was a lovely way to end a day in the spa. Cairndale Hotel Worth getting out of bed for The main attraction in the hotel is the new spa, which has recently won multiple awards including a five Bubble Luxury accreditation from The Good Spa Guide and winning Scotland's Best New Spa. The facilities include a thermal pool with jets, water blades and airbeds, Mud Rasul, herbal steam room, Himalayan salt and infrared saunas, ice bath, Double Hammam, private bathing suite, herbal lounge with wooden swings, six treatment rooms and a dedicated café and juice bar. It's worth noting that even as a hotel guest there's a £50 per person charge to use the facilities (you also need to pay this if you're going for a treatment unless you book a package). Treatments include facials, massages, holistic spa therapies using crystals and foot rituals. I opted for an exclusive Angels Share massage, which has been created for the hotel in partnership with local distillery Annandale . This full body signature massage uses the whisky and vanilla scented Cairndale x Annandale Collection Angels' Share Balm to relax muscles and relieve tension. After a welcome drink, the treatment started with a foot massage before a back, neck, shoulders, legs, arms and hands massage. A bit like a classic aromatherapy massage, this treatment consisted of low, rhythmic, and long strokes,with a mix of pressures and all with the lovely scented balm. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Cairndale Hotel It'd be easy to spend all day in the spa but Dumfries has some great walks and attractions including the Solway Coast, Mostly Ghostly Tours and Robert Burns House. Whisky fans can visit Annadale distillery, which is a 25 minute drive away or head to the historic Globe Inn for a delicious lunch or dinner and tour. Little extras The room had a Nespresso machine, Borders biscuits and Noble Isle toiletries as well as robes and slippers. Spa guests get a branded tote with a super soft green robe and matching slippers to use during their time in the spa. The staff were excellent, so friendly and helpful and Archie, my dog , was treated like a minor celebrity. Our room also had treats, dog beer and a bowl for Archie as well as a book or local dog walks and info. I also appreciated a delivery of a Saturday Scotsman to my room during the stay. Guestbook comments Cairndale's new spa really is a luxury destination - a bright, spacious and modern addition to this historic Dumfries Hotel. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad An ideal escape for a girls spa day or celebration, it's up there with some of the best, established spas in Scotland. The hotel staff are wonderful, and with a new restaurant set to open, I am sure more and more people will be visiting Cairndale. The Cairndale Hotel & Spa 132-136 English St, Dumfries DG1 2DF
The Guardian
12-03-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Delays and uncertainty dog Intel's dream of Rust belt manufacturing hub
When moving massive metal structures from the Ohio river to its Ohio One Campus semiconductor plant 140 miles to the north, Intel took every minute detail into account. Local school bus timetables were found and worked around. Teams of linemen in white crane trucks lined up to move traffic lights out of the way of the cargo, which measured up to three-quarters the length of a football field. In 37 deliveries over the past 11 months, Intel had planned everything to a T, the final superload landing last month in Licking county at the first greenfield site the company has opened for 40 years. Since the $28bn project was announced in September 2022, construction crews have logged more than 6.4m work hours on the site and seas of concrete have been poured. But while Intel has succeeded in the world of logistics, as a company, it's hanging on by a thread. Intel shares fell by 60% last year, with the company besieged by competition from Nvidia and problems emerging around its advanced 18A artificial intelligence chips. In November, it lost its spot on the Dow Jones Industrial Average after vowing in August to cut 15,000 jobs or 15% of its global workforce. Lawsuits and accusations of complacency at what was at one time a world leader in chip manufacturing have shaken the company to its foundations. Rumors abound that the company may be broken up and sold to its rivals. Now, that instability is being keenly felt here in Ohio. Construction on the first of its two fabrication plants, meant to herald a new manufacturing age for the so-called Rust belt region, was supposed to finish later this year, but last year, that was pushed back to 2026-27. Then on 28 February, the dates were put back again, this time to 2030-31. While that may be bad news for Intel investors and stockholders, it's equally troubling for residents and community leaders in Licking county, who are set to find themselves dealing with construction works for another five years. 'Number one, Intel generally has been a good neighbor, so we're not in any way anti-Intel,' says the Licking county commissioner Tim Bubb. '[But] a lot of promises were made that were very bold. These delays … that's the frustration for local officials. Promises were made to try to jumpstart the process and yet at the same time Intel is struggling with the technology of the new generation of chips and trying to get in the game. Their competitors are not standing still.' Bubb says that some locals are concerned because what could happen at the plant next 'is a complete unknown'. Intel executives say the delays are due to 'broader market demand'. In November, Intel received $1.5bn in Chips Act funding for the project, a move that was seen as cementing the future of the company in Ohio, despite the delays. But its competitors' advancements in the industry have shifted the ground under Intel. On 3 March, the Trump administration announced a $100bn investment in Arizona-based semiconductor manufacturing plants for the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), despite it facing similar delay issues. In his 4 March speech to Congress, Trump called the Chips Act funding that, among other projects, brought Intel to Ohio a 'horrible, horrible thing'. The enormous site, about a thousand acres, or an area larger than New York City's Central Park, is today still a hive of activity. Street sweepers clear mud from freshly laid asphalt and the hum of generators and heavy machinery fill the early spring air. Traffic on the single-lane rural roads around what has been labelled Ohio's largest-ever project is heavy. Tellingly, however, 'For sale'' signs in front of homes and on farmland dot the landscape around the site. 'None of us are happy about them taking away our country living,' says Robert V who asked not to be fully identified and whose home, built almost 40 years ago less than a hundred feet from the site, has today a large 'for sale' sign in its front yard. 'We built our home from bare land and have it exactly how we want it. We just dumped $250,000 in add-ons and remodeling. No, we are not happy and would love for it to go back to how it was.' Intel also appears to be losing the race to meet a critical construction deadline. The Columbus Dispatch reports that the state of Ohio offered the company $300m in grants 'to help with the construction of each factory', in return for finishing the building work by the end of 2028. But with its most recent announcement stating construction won't be finished until 2030 at the earliest, that funding may be in jeopardy. An Intel spokesperson said: '2029 is still several years away and as Naga [Chandrasekaran, the head of Intel Foundry's global manufacturing operations] states in his message, Intel is 'maintaining the flexibility to accelerate work and the start of operations if customer demand warrants.' For Donny Barnard, the mayor of Johnstown, a town of 5,000 people two miles from the site, the repeated delays have been a good thing. 'I'm not sure what it's like for [Intel] but I look at this rollback as a godsend. You only get one chance to develop your town and do it right. For us this is our opportunity,' he says, adding that Intel took the time to tell city leaders of the latest delay in advance of its public statement on 28 February. 'I do believe there will be a microchip plant there. Whose name is on it I don't know. That's not something I can control. I believe it would be hard to walk away from what they've done already.' Others, however, say the delays have created major uncertainty in what was a rural, largely farming area that in recent years has been gearing up for a major economic transition. Bubb says that Licking county officials were told repeatedly by state officials that offshoot and secondary businesses would relocate to be close to Intel. 'We were preparing for companies to come,' he says. 'But here's the deal: some companies have done some looking but none have pulled the trigger.'
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Yahoo
Aviation expert weighs in on Washington D.C. crash; staffing issues cited in North Las Vegas collision in 2022
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – The investigation into Wednesday's devastating crash between an American Airlines jet and an army helicopter in Washington, D.C is just beginning, but already, many are wondering about the role of air traffic control. 'I think that is going to be the center of focus,' aviation expert Dr. Dan Bubb told 8 News Now of the National Transportation Safety Board investigation. 'Did the pilot of the Black Hawk helicopter make contact with air traffic control?' FAA staffing issues blamed for fatal crash at North Las Vegas Airport: 'Everyone on the team was exhausted' Sources told CBS News one air traffic controller was doing a job normally done by two people when the crash happened at Reagan National Airport. 8 News Now asked Dr. Bubb if this could have contributed to the incident. He said he was unable to answer this question until more information was provided. 'I would encourage everybody to wait until we get the NTSB report,' Dr. Bubb said Thursday. 'They have access to the technology, the cockpit voice recorder, the black box.' 'We call it the flight data recorder,' Dr. Bubb continued. 'And they are going to take a good look at that and do a forensic analysis to see what happened.' In Southern Nevada, the final NTSB report on a deadly mid-air collision in 2022 was released this month. On July 17, 2022, two planes – a Piper PA-46 and a Cessna 172N — collided about a quarter-mile from the end of a runway in North Las Vegas as both approached parallel runways, documents said. The report said an air traffic controller used 'poor judgment' when he did not monitor the landings. Documents claimed pilot error as the main cause of the crash, which killed four people, but also cited air traffic control staffing issues, stating 'everyone was exhausted.' Both cases were tragic and unexpected, Dr. Bubb called the most recent incident in Washington, D.C. and the 67 lives lost a devastating blow to the aviation community. 'It's been rough,' he concluded. 'No doubt about it, our hearts go out to everybody.' Dr. Bubb told 8 News Now the NTSB investigation into Wednesday's crash at Reagan National Airport could take anywhere from 30 days to a year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
