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Chicago Tribune
6 hours ago
- Automotive
- Chicago Tribune
Sheldon H. Jacobson: Commercial airplane jet engine problems are more common than many realize
Speculation abounds as to the cause of the Air India airplane crash on June 12. One explanation so far is that both engines of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner failed, a highly unlikely event. Jet engine failures have been making the news this year. A Delta Airlines Airbus A330 engine caught fire on April 21 while taxiing from its gate for departure. This followed an American Airlines Boeing 737-800 engine catching fire at Denver International Airport in March while taxiing to its gate during a precautionary diversion. In February, a United Airlines Airbus A319 experienced an engine fire out of Houston's airport, resulting in an aborted takeoff. Clearly, no airline is immune. So how frequently do engine failures occur and is this a concern? Airplane engine shutdowns are dangerous, particularly during takeoff. Commercial pilots are trained to deal with engine shutdowns while in flight. Given that commercial airplanes have two engines, losing one engine is rarely catastrophic because all such airplanes are capable of flying with one engine. A list compiled by Boeing of commercial jet airplane accidents from 1959 through 2022 illustrates how safe air travel has been for decades. Based on publicly available data, the recent spate of engine shutdowns is not that surprising. A jet engine fails around once every 375,000 hours of flight time. This means that a single jet engine operating continuously would fail approximately once every 43 years. But jet engines do not operate continuously, making this figure uninformative, perhaps even misleading. Airplanes, including their jet engines, go through rigorous regular maintenance designed to keep them at peak reliability on every flight. Moreover, each airplane is in use several times per day, so each flight is not made on a unique airplane. For example, Southwest executes over 4,000 flights per day with a fleet of just over 800 airplanes, or around five flights per day per airplane. Since not all airplanes are in service every day, each airplane in service likely executes even more flights per day. Jet engine overhauls are part of the heavy maintenance check. Given that the lifespan of an airplane is captured in flight cycles (a takeoff and landing), engines undergo a complete overhaul anywhere between 4,000 flight cycles to as many as 50,000 flight cycles, depending on the type of airplane, the age of the engines and how the airplane is used (long-haul versus short-haul flights). This means that all the maintenance attention paid to jet engines ensures that the risk of an engine failure in-flight is exceedingly low. But low is not zero, given the volume of flights. In the United States, more than 27,000 flights operate every day, with each airplane equipped with two jet engines. If each such flight lasts two hours on average, then jet engines are operating around 108,000 hours per day. This means that a jet engine should be failing approximately once every three or four days, which seems like an absurdly high rate. Or is it? The Federal Aviation Administration newsroom reports a daily list of airplane incidents. From Jan. 1 to June 17, a total of 17 incidents explicitly noted engine issues on commercial flights, or approximately 1 every 10 days, which is on the same order of magnitude as what we would expect. However, from May 1 to Dec. 31, 2024, 17 incidents noted engine issues, or around 1 every 2 weeks, which is 30% lower than the more recent rate. Though this data represents a very small sample size, and the rates are exceedingly low given the number of flights each day, it does beg the question: Are there components of commercial airplane jet engines that have changed over time causing this elevated risk? Of course, a jet engine failing does not automatically translate into an airplane accident. The risk to passengers is reduced given that each airplane has two jet engines. Since all commercial jets can fly with a single engine, the risk of losing both engines on a single flight is astronomically low. Yet such rare events do occur, as the Air India flight demonstrated. Another example occurred in January 2009, when US Airways Flight 1549 lost power to both its engines when a swarm of Canada geese overwhelmed the engines, causing damage that made them inoperable. The experience and heroics of Capt. Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger and the ground support people resulted in the airplane gliding down to a safe landing in the Hudson River, effectively saving hundreds of people's lives on the airplane — and on the ground, if the airplane had been forced down in a residential or urban area. The maintenance attention paid to commercial jet engines, and to the entire airplane for that matter, ensures that every time a passenger boards an airplane, mechanical failure and engine fires are low on the spectrum of risks. The most common cause of airplane accidents is pilot error, which is why the FAA requires pilots to undergo thorough and regular training to keep their skills at the highest level. They also mandate pilot flying hour and on-duty limitations to ensure that fatigue issues are minimized. Air traffic control also manages flights with an eye to keeping airplanes out of harm's way from each other as well as from inclement weather. Air travel continues to be one of the safest modes of transportation over extended distances. Once the root cause of the Air India crash becomes known, such information can only make air travel even safer in the future. Indeed, the biggest risk faced by travelers is not during their flight, but on their drive to and from the airport. Sheldon H. Jacobson, Ph.D., is a professor in the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He uses his expertise in risk-based analytics to address problems in public policy.
Barnama
8 hours ago
- Business
- Barnama
Cambodia Airways Launches Phnom Penh-Penang Flight To Spur Visit Malaysia 2026
Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing delivering his speech at the launching of Visit Malaysia 2026 in Phnom Penh. By Vijian Paramasivam PHNOM PENH, June 20 (Bernama) -- Cambodia Airways's inaugural direct flight from Phnom Penh to Penang, set to take off on June 26, is poised to boost tourist flow in tandem with the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign. Malaysia's Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing when launching the flight on Thursday in Phnom Penh said the move dovetails with Tourism Malaysia's efforts to prioritise improved connectivity between the two countries as part of its strategy to position Malaysia as a key tourism destination in ASEAN. bootstrap slideshow 'This important milestone will significantly enhance connectivity between our two countries and open new opportunities for tourism, business and cultural exchange,' he said at the launch held in conjunction with the Visit Malaysia 2026 and Malaysia My Second Home campaigns in Phnom Penh. Cambodian Tourism Minister Huot Hak was the special guest at the event. An Airbus A319 aircraft with a capacity of 150 seats will ply the route twice weekly, on Thursdays and Sundays, catering to tourists and business travellers from Malaysia, Cambodia and other nations. Tiong said the event was a renewed promise to work hand in hand with Cambodian partners, building a bridge of opportunity for travellers, businesses, and communities across both nations. 'We are not just promoting destinations. We are co-creating experiences that are authentic, accessible and inclusive, and we see Cambodia as a vital part of that journey. 'Malaysia and Cambodia share more than just geography. We are linked by history, culture and the common aspiration to grow sustainably through tourism.
The Hindu
11 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Air India warned by DGCA for flying Airbus planes with unchecked escape slides
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has warned Air India for breaching safety rules after three of its Airbus planes flew despite being overdue for checks on emergency equipment, and for being slow to address the issue, according to government documents. The warning notices and an investigation report — both reviewed by Reuters — were not in any way related to last week's crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 plane that killed all but one of the 242 people onboard, and were sent days before that incident. In the report, the said spot checks in May on three Air India Airbus planes found that they were operated despite mandatory inspections being overdue on the "critical emergency equipment" of escape slides. In one case, the watchdog found that the inspection of an Airbus A320 jet was delayed by more than a month before being carried out on May 15. AirNav Radar data shows that during the delay the plane flew to international destinations such as Dubai, Riyadh and Jeddah. Another case, involving an Airbus A319 used on domestic routes, showed checks were over three months late, while a third showed an inspection was two days late. "The above cases indicate that aircraft were operated with expired or unverified emergency equipment, which is a violation of standard airworthiness and safety requirements," the DGCA report said. 'Weak procedural control' Air India "failed to submit timely compliance responses" to deficiencies raised by the DGCA, "further evidencing weak procedural control and oversight," it added. Air India, which was taken over by the Tata Group in 2022 from the government, said in statement that it was "accelerating" verification of all maintenance records, including dates of the escape slides, and would complete the process in the coming days. In one of the cases, Air India said, the issue came to light when an engineer from AI Engineering Services "inadvertently deployed an escape slide during maintenance". The DGCA and Airbus did not respond to Reuters queries. 'Very serious issue' Checks on escape slides are "a very serious issue. In case of accident, if they don't open, it can lead to serious injuries," said Vibhuti Singh, a former legal expert at the government's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. The DGCA said in its report that the certificates of airworthiness for aircraft that miss mandatory checks were "deemed suspended". The warning notices and the report were sent by Animesh Garg, a deputy director of airworthiness in the Government, to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson as well as the airline's continuing airworthiness manager, quality manager and head of planning, the documents showed. An aviation lawyer said such breaches typically attract monetary and civil penalties on both individual executives and the airline. Mr. Wilson told Reuters last year that global parts shortages were affecting most airlines, but the problem was "more acute" for Air India as its "product is obviously a lot more dated", with many planes not refreshed since they were delivered in 2010-2011. 'Systemic control failure' The air regulator, like many abroad, often fines airlines for compliance lapses. The junior aviation minister in February told Parliament that authorities had warned or fined airlines in 23 instances for safety violations last year. Around half of them — 12 — involved Air India and Air India Express, including in one case for "unauthorised entry into the cockpit". The biggest fine was ₹1.1 crore on Air India for "insufficient oxygen on board" during a flight to San Francisco. Last week's crash, the causes of which are still being investigated, will further challenge Air India's attempts to rebuild its image, after years of criticism from travellers for poor service. Air India's Chairman N. Chandrasekaran on Monday told staff the crash should be a catalyst to build a safer airline, urging employees to stay resolute amid any criticism. In its report, the DGCA also said several Air India aircraft checked by officials had outdated registration paperwork. Air India told Reuters all but one aircraft complied with such requirements and this "poses no impact" to safety. The DGCA investigation report pulled up the airline for what it described as "inadequate internal oversight." "Despite prior notifications and identified deficiencies, the organisation's internal quality and planning departments failed to implement effective corrective action, indicating systemic control failure," it said.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Days before Ahmedabad crash, DGCA had warned Air India over safety lapses in Airbus fleet
Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had issued a stern warning to Air India for serious safety violations involving delayed inspections on emergency equipment in three of its Airbus aircraft, said a Reuters report on Thursday. According to Reuters, it has reviewed government documents — warning notices and an investigation report — which showed that the DGCA had found that the aircraft were operated without timely checks on critical escape slides. However, the DGCA report was not related to the aircraft that crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12. The DGCA investigation report revealed that three Airbus aircraft operated by Air India were flown despite mandatory safety inspections being overdue. The checks focused on critical emergency escape slides, and in one case involving an Airbus A320 jet, the inspection was delayed by over a month and only completed on May 15. The Reuters said according to AirNav Radar, the aircraft flew internationally to Dubai, Riyadh, and Jeddah during this period. Another case involved an Airbus A319 on domestic routes, where the required check was more than three months overdue. A third aircraft inspection was delayed by two days. 'The above cases indicate that aircraft were operated with expired or unverified emergency equipment, which is a violation of standard airworthiness and safety requirements,' the DGCA report quoted by Reuters stated. The report criticised Air India for its slow response to the deficiencies flagged by the regulator. 'Air India failed to submit timely compliance responses… further evidencing weak procedural control and oversight,' the DGCA reportedly noted in the investigation report. In one case, the issue came to light after an engineer from AI Engineering Services 'inadvertently deployed an escape slide during maintenance.' Highlighting broader concerns, the DGCA said certificates of airworthiness for aircraft that missed mandatory checks were 'deemed suspended.' Additionally, officials discovered outdated registration paperwork on several Air India aircraft. While the airline claimed that only one aircraft remained non-compliant and that the issue 'poses no impact' to safety, the regulator flagged the lapses as signs of 'inadequate internal oversight,' the Reuters reported. 'Despite prior notifications and identified deficiencies, the organization's internal quality and planning departments failed to implement effective corrective action, indicating systemic control failure,' the DGCA report read, Reuters said. Air India, which was taken over by the Tata Group in 2022, responded by stating it is 'accelerating' verification of all maintenance records, including escape slide inspection dates, and plans to complete the process in the coming days. The warnings and investigation findings were sent by Animesh Garg, Deputy Director of Airworthiness, to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson, as well as the airline's heads of planning, airworthiness, and quality, the Reuters report said. The DGCA and Airbus declined to comment. The aviation watchdog's scrutiny comes at a time of heightened focus on safety compliance. Earlier this year, India's junior aviation minister had informed Parliament that 23 safety violation cases had been flagged in 2023. Of these, 12 involved Air India and Air India Express. Notably, the airline was fined $127,000 for 'insufficient oxygen on board' during a San Francisco-bound flight, while another case involved 'unauthorised entry into cockpit.' In light of last week's Boeing 787-8 crash that killed all but one of the 242 people on board, Air India faces fresh challenges to restore its reputation. Although the crash is unrelated to the current safety warnings, it has intensified scrutiny on the airline's safety practices. Chairman N Chandrasekaran addressed employees on Monday, urging them to view the tragedy as a turning point. He called on staff to stay resilient and work toward building a safer airline amid any criticism.
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First Post
a day ago
- Business
- First Post
DGCA warns Air India for flying planes with overdue emergency equipment checks
India's aviation regulator has warned Air India for breaching safety rules after three of its Airbus planes flew despite being overdue checks on emergency equipment, and for being slow to address the issue, government documents show. read more India's aviation regulator has warned Air India for breaching safety rules after three of its Airbus planes flew despite being overdue checks on emergency equipment, and for being slow to address the issue, government documents show. The warning notices and an investigation report – both reviewed by Reuters – were not in any way related to last week's crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 plane that killed all but one of the 242 people onboard, and were sent days before that incident. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In the report, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said spot checks in May on three Air India Airbus planes found that they were operated despite mandatory inspections being overdue on the 'critical emergency equipment' of escape slides. In one case, the watchdog found that the inspection of an Airbus A320 jet was delayed by more than a month before being carried out on May 15. AirNav Radar data shows that during the delay the plane flew to international destinations such as Dubai, Riyadh and Jeddah. Another case, involving an Airbus A319 used on domestic routes, showed checks were over three months late, while a third showed an inspection was two days late. 'The above cases indicate that aircraft were operated with expired or unverified emergency equipment, which is a violation of standard airworthiness and safety requirements,' the DGCA report said. Air India 'failed to submit timely compliance responses' to deficiencies raised by the DGCA, 'further evidencing weak procedural control and oversight,' it added. Air India, which was taken over by the Tata Group in 2022 from the government, said in statement that it was 'accelerating' verification of all maintenance records, including dates of the escape slides, and would complete the process in the coming days. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In one of the cases, Air India said, the issue came to light when an engineer from AI Engineering Services 'inadvertently deployed an escape slide during maintenance'. The DGCA and Airbus did not respond to Reuters queries. Checks on escape slides are 'a very serious issue. In case of accident, if they don't open, it can lead to serious injuries,' said Vibhuti Singh, a former legal expert at the government's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. The DGCA said in its report that the certificates of airworthiness for aircraft that miss mandatory checks were 'deemed suspended'. The warning notices and the report were sent by Animesh Garg, a deputy director of airworthiness in the Indian government, to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson as well as the airline's continuing airworthiness manager, quality manager and head of planning, the documents showed. An Indian aviation lawyer said such breaches typically attract monetary and civil penalties on both individual executives and the airline. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Wilson told Reuters last year that global parts shortages were affecting most airlines, but the problem was 'more acute' for Air India as its 'product is obviously a lot more dated', with many planes not refreshed since they were delivered in 2010-2011. 'SYSTEMIC CONTROL FAILURE' The Indian regulator, like many abroad, often fines airlines for compliance lapses. India's junior aviation minister in February told parliament that authorities had warned or fined airlines in 23 instances for safety violations last year. Around half of them – 12 – involved Air India and Air India Express, including in one case for 'unauthorised entry into cockpit'. The biggest fine was $127,000 on Air India for 'insufficient oxygen on board' during a flight to San Francisco. Last week's crash, the causes of which are still being investigated, will further challenge Air India's attempts to rebuild its image, after years of criticism from travellers for poor service. Air India's Chairman N. Chandrasekaran on Monday told staff the crash should be a catalyst to build a safer airline, urging employees to stay resolute amid any criticism. In its report, the DGCA also said several Air India aircraft checked by officials had outdated registration paperwork. Air India told Reuters all but one aircraft complied with such requirements and this 'poses no impact' to safety. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The DGCA investigation report pulled up the airline for what it described as 'inadequate internal oversight.' 'Despite prior notifications and identified deficiencies, the organization's internal quality and planning departments failed to implement effective corrective action, indicating systemic control failure,' it said.
