Tale of the Arab Aircrew
Oct 15th 2008, 9:11 pm
#1
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 68,280
Tale of the Arab Aircrew
Bloody Hell!! Good reason to stick with BA, KLM, Air France etc !!!!
The brand new Airbus 340-600, one of the largest passenger aircraft ever built,
sat in its hangar inToulouse, France without a single hour of airtime.
Enter the Arab flight crew of Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies (ADAT) to conduct pre-delivery tests on the ground,
such as engine runups, prior to delivery to Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi .
The ADAT crew taxied the A340-600 to the run-up area.
Then they took all four engines to takeoff power with a virtually empty aircraft.
Not having read the run-up manuals, they had no clue just how light an empty A340-600 really is.
The takeoff warning horn was blaring away in the cockpit because they had all 4 engines at full power.
The aircraft computers thought they were trying to take off but it had not been configured properly (flaps/slats, etc.)
Then one of the ADAT crew decided to pull the circuit breaker on the Ground Proximity Sensor to silence the alarm.
This fools the aircraft into thinking it is in the air.
The computers automatically released the brakes.
The ADAT crew had no idea that this is a safety feature designed to prevent pilots landing with the brakes on.
In the raidly accelarating empty aircraft, not one member of the seven-man Arab crew,
was smart enough to throttle back the engines from their max power setting,
so the $200 million brand-new aircraft crashed into a blast barrier, writing it off.
The extent of injuries to the crew is unknown,
for there has been a news blackout in the major media in France and elsewhere.
Coverage of the story was deemed insulting to Moslem Arabs.
Finally, the photos are starting to leak out -
Airbus $200 million aircraft meets blast wall and the wall wins....
( Truth ...no idea)
The brand new Airbus 340-600, one of the largest passenger aircraft ever built,
sat in its hangar inToulouse, France without a single hour of airtime.
Enter the Arab flight crew of Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies (ADAT) to conduct pre-delivery tests on the ground,
such as engine runups, prior to delivery to Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi .
The ADAT crew taxied the A340-600 to the run-up area.
Then they took all four engines to takeoff power with a virtually empty aircraft.
Not having read the run-up manuals, they had no clue just how light an empty A340-600 really is.
The takeoff warning horn was blaring away in the cockpit because they had all 4 engines at full power.
The aircraft computers thought they were trying to take off but it had not been configured properly (flaps/slats, etc.)
Then one of the ADAT crew decided to pull the circuit breaker on the Ground Proximity Sensor to silence the alarm.
This fools the aircraft into thinking it is in the air.
The computers automatically released the brakes.
The ADAT crew had no idea that this is a safety feature designed to prevent pilots landing with the brakes on.
In the raidly accelarating empty aircraft, not one member of the seven-man Arab crew,
was smart enough to throttle back the engines from their max power setting,
so the $200 million brand-new aircraft crashed into a blast barrier, writing it off.
The extent of injuries to the crew is unknown,
for there has been a news blackout in the major media in France and elsewhere.
Coverage of the story was deemed insulting to Moslem Arabs.
Finally, the photos are starting to leak out -
Airbus $200 million aircraft meets blast wall and the wall wins....
( Truth ...no idea)
Oct 15th 2008, 9:23 pm
#2
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 68,280
Re: Tale of the Arab Aircrew
Oct 15th 2008, 9:37 pm
#3
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Posts: 183
Re: Tale of the Arab Aircrew
Oct 16th 2008, 2:54 am
#4
Truth is the safest lie.
Joined: Jul 2008
Location: @ the beach.
Posts: 7,240
Re: Tale of the Arab Aircrew
No one would be that inept would they? 
It'll be interesting to see what happens when they publish an official account. Hopefully it's not an RTFM problem.
ETA: "The insurance company will never believe this!"
It'll be interesting to see what happens when they publish an official account. Hopefully it's not an RTFM problem.
ETA: "The insurance company will never believe this!"
Last edited by Charismatic; Oct 16th 2008 at 3:16 am.
Oct 16th 2008, 7:47 am
#5
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Posts: 535
Re: Tale of the Arab Aircrew
If you google, the story is carried by several 'reputable' news agencies, including the BBC.
Looking at the photos, it is hard to see how major injuries were not suffered.
A detailed accident report by the French aviation authorities will need to be prepared - although these are not beyond political manipulation, especially where large orders are concerned.
Looking at the photos, it is hard to see how major injuries were not suffered.
A detailed accident report by the French aviation authorities will need to be prepared - although these are not beyond political manipulation, especially where large orders are concerned.
Oct 16th 2008, 7:55 am
#6
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 168
Re: Tale of the Arab Aircrew
Omg lol that's funny. I don't consider it insulting. Why would it be insulting? The whole country here can't drive cars properly let alone planes lmao.
lol you know the other day they did an interview with two UAE girls who happen to be the first two women pilots from the UAE, I think this incident is very related to what I read lol (j/k).
lol you know the other day they did an interview with two UAE girls who happen to be the first two women pilots from the UAE, I think this incident is very related to what I read lol (j/k).
Last edited by Simao; Oct 16th 2008 at 7:59 am.
Oct 16th 2008, 8:08 am
#7
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Posts: 6,262
Re: Tale of the Arab Aircrew
If Etihad crew were conducting pre-delivery ground tests, then Airbus pilots/trainers/engineers would definitely have been on board in a supervisory role. In fact, two were present on board.
Pre-delivery means that the cheque to Airbus has not yet been cashed, that is, it's still their property. I doubt Airbus Industries would allow the Etihad pilots or any other purchasing airline pilots free rein of the cockpit. I think there's more to it than has been revealed thu sfar
The accident inquiry will be interesting to read, though.
Pre-delivery means that the cheque to Airbus has not yet been cashed, that is, it's still their property. I doubt Airbus Industries would allow the Etihad pilots or any other purchasing airline pilots free rein of the cockpit. I think there's more to it than has been revealed thu sfar
The accident inquiry will be interesting to read, though.
Oct 16th 2008, 8:30 am
#8
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Tale of the Arab Aircrew
As far as I remember, the Airbus people were carrying out remote tests (ie - powering engines up without pilot being on board).
But this happened ages ago
But this happened ages ago
Oct 16th 2008, 8:46 am
#9
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Re: Tale of the Arab Aircrew
As the 'plane was in Etihad strip, it made a good 'stupid natives' story for those numpty leprechauns that believe in all things internet.
Oct 16th 2008, 10:04 am
#10
Truth is the safest lie.
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Posts: 7,240
Oct 16th 2008, 10:27 am
#12
Lost in BE Cyberspace
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Posts: 13,553
Re: Tale of the Arab Aircrew
You think the plane was badly damaged???
You should see the stewardess's drinks trolley..........
You should see the stewardess's drinks trolley..........
Oct 16th 2008, 10:41 am
#13
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Posts: 6,262
Re: Tale of the Arab Aircrew
He/she couldn't move his/her trolley and someone up front shouted out loudly "For God's sake, take the brakes off" !
Last edited by MacScot; Oct 16th 2008 at 11:00 am.
Oct 16th 2008, 10:50 am
#14
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Re: Tale of the Arab Aircrew
Oct 16th 2008, 10:51 am
#15
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Re: Tale of the Arab Aircrew
It would be very interesting to know how many arab pilots does Etihad actually have...