Heathrow collision prompts call
Heathrow collision prompts call
Air accident investigators have called for a tightening of procedures at London’s Heathrow Airport following a collision on the ground between two packed wide-bodied passenger planes.
The runway incident involved a taxiing SriLankan Airlines’ Airbus A340 plane with 286 passengers on board and a stationary British Airways’ Boeing 747 which was carrying 328 passengers.
Air accident investigators have called for a tightening of procedures at Heathrow Airport
Attempting to get past the Boeing plane in the dark, the right wingtip of the Airbus aircraft struck, and knocked off, the BA plane’s winglet – an extension to the wingtip, a report today by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said.
No-one was hurt in the incident at 10.13pm on October 15 2007 but passengers on both aircraft had to be taken off and flown on to their destinations later.
Today’s report said the crew of the A340 had “incorrectly believed” that air traffic control had issued the instruction to follow the green centreline lights to a holding point (holding point A2) on the basis that there was nothing to impede their progress.
The AAIB said the crew was aware of the Boeing 747 on the adjacent taxiway “but had assessed that they had sufficient room to pass”.
The report went on: “The commander (captain) of the A340 was seated in a position that placed him furthest away from the Boeing 747 and was unable to make an accurate assessment of the clearance between the two aircraft as they drew level.
“He therefore relied on guidance from two co-pilots, neither of whom had direct experience of taxi-ing large aircraft.”
The AAIB said a review of earlier AAIB reports had identified nine previous ground collisions between taxiing aircraft at Heathrow since 1975 – all involving a wide-bodied aircraft trying to pass a stationary plane waiting at a holding position.
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How to Pick the Perfect Airline Miles Credit Card
Airline credit cards earn for you, points or credits whenever you use them. To choose a right card is not a hard task, if you travel frequently via airways. Individuals using multiple airlines need to choose airline credit cards, which offer much flexibility in their reward and redemption systems. Airline cards are also most suitable for businesspersons, who take to traveling via air frequently.
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Do Research:
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Tags: Airline, Card, Credit, Miles, Perfect, PickRelated posts
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan – Small Airline with a Big Frequent Flyer Program
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