When American Airlines Flight 1900 could not raise the tower at Reagan International Airport, the controller at the Potomac Terminal Radar Approach tries to help.
Here are some highlights....
Potomac: “Just so you’re aware, the tower is apparently not manned. We’ve made a few phone calls. No one’s answered. … So you can expect to go in as an uncontrolled airport.”
American 1900: “Is there a reason it’s not manned?”
Potomac: “I’m going to take a guess and say that the controller got locked out. I’ve heard of this happening before.”
Two airliners had to conduct unassisted landings because the only person pulling the over night shift in the tower has fallen asleep. Authorities have suspended the controller (a supervisor) while the incident is investigated.
Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Randy Babbitt said.
"As a former airline pilot, I am personally outraged that this controller did not meet his responsibility to help land these two airplanes,. I am determined to get to the bottom of this situation for the safety of the traveling public."
On Wednesday, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood directed FAA to launch a nationwide study of airport tower staffing. He also directed that at least two controllers be on duty at night at Reagan, which is located just across the Potomac River from Washington in Northern Virginia.
"It is not acceptable to have just one controller in the tower managing air traffic in this critical air space," LaHood said.
The head of the union that represents air traffic controllers praised LaHood's actions, saying changes in staffing are needed.
Although it was cool with his airline, it wasn't with the TSA. A pilot who videoed security gaps at San Francisco airport has had his Federal Deputy status revoked and his federally provided side arm confiscated by the six agents that came to his house when he posted his video to YouTube.
This comes as no surprise to me. When I worked as a baggage handler we had to removed our SECURITY BADGE before going through the metal detectors on our way back from lunch. If we were in a hurry, we could duck into one office, go through the office and out by another door that was on the other side of the screening. Sometimes if the screener was rude we'd wave from inside the security zone.
While waiting to park a jet we were relaxing under the jetway (that ramp thingy that you walk through to board) when two guys in suits walked out of a crew door looked around and when back into the crew offices. After playing a short round of hide and seek in the hallways we confronted them and asked to see their security badges.
"We don't have badges son," the older of the two said as he opened his sports coat, "we have one of these."
My eyes focused on the big black Glock he had in a shoulder holster.
"Not the gun, son. Look at the badge."
They were Secret Service and had been inspecting security of the terminal. The Vice-President's wife was coming to our fair city in the near future. They had roamed around for about a half an hour before we jacked them for badges. We were the only ones to challenge them. We were given $100 ($50 for each agent) by the company for our alert action.
An Elemendorf AFB, Alaska F-22A Raptor disappeared during routine training mission at 1940 Hours, 16 November 2010. After two days of searching, the crash site has been located 100 miles north of Elemendorf AFB, Alaska.
A recovery crew has been dispatched to the site. The pilot is feared dead. The cause of the crash has not been determined.
Fifteen minutes into a Quantas airline flight Qf34 from Singapore to Sidney, the number two engine exploded. Trailing flame and debris, the aircraft landed safely back in Singapore. Though shaken, none of the 459 passengers were harmed in the mishap. Quantas continues to have an unblemished record of having never injured a passenger.
The investigation continues as Quantas announced that the cause of the explosion was yet to be determined. This is the third engine malfunction for the A380. In September last year another Rolls Royce powered A380, this time operated by Singapore Airlines, was forced to turn back two hours and 45 minutes after leaving Paris on a flight to the Far East, because of an engine malfunction. In August a Lufthansa A380 flying from Tokyo to Frankfurt was forced to shut down one of its four Trent 900 engines shortly before landing, after crew detected a change in oil pressure.
