U.S. grounds Virgin Galactic flights pending mishap probe

Reuters ^ | 02 September 2021 | David Shepardson

[blueplum]

WASHINGTON, Sept 2 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Thursday barred Virgin Galactic from flying its SpaceShipTwo until the agency approves its final mishap investigation report from its July flight or determines the issues do not affect public safety.

The FAA confirmed on Wednesday it was investigating a deviation in the descent of the flight of the Virgin Galactic rocket plane that carried British billionaire Richard Branson to the edge of space on July 11....

[blueplum]

rut roh..

[mylife]

what mishap? he beat bezos and musk?

[NonValueAdded]

Earlier, Virgin Galactic said "the flight did drop below the altitude of the airspace ... for a short distance and time (1 minute and 41 seconds)."

Doesn't sound like a major glitch.

[blackdog]

The pilots busted their assigned altitude for 1 minute and 40 seconds? Uhmmmm....... Apply that punishment for the rest of aviation and every pilot would be under investigation.

#1 Rule: Fly the plane first.

#2 Rule: See Rule #1

#3 Rule: If all is ok with the first two rules, then communicate.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

“...a deviation in the descent of the flight of the Virgin Galactic rocket plane”

Nothing to worry about...just a small “deviation” from plan.

[blackdog]

Just like the FBI, CDC, NSA, CIA, DHS, DOJ,......The FAA has now become a political charged entity. Not Good!

[blueplum]

it might be if the computer was doing the flying at that point...

[blackdog]

In 50 years of flying I have had three times where after tower passed me to ground control I was told to contact the tower from the ramp by phone. Each time I had to sit with the angry face tower chief who chastised me.

Once I busted the airspace over the Aberdeen Mortar Range and the army had to cease fire until I was clear. I had no clue whatsoever. When I checked my LORAN I found I had indeed entered the hot MOA by about a quarter of a mile.

Next I busted class B airspace due to a deadstick emergency and got all the airspace below cleared so I could safely land at the closest airport and the weather was IFR. I really didn't care. I had my wife and toddler kids in the plane.

Last was by a designated examiner who had the tower tell me to call this number ####### after clear of the active runway and on the ramp. He ripped me a new butt for not being visually aware of my surroundings. Apparently he had been like 50 feet off my right wing for miles and I never saw him there. I was very young at the time getting my private license and had my head hanging to the left doing left pattern touch-n-go's. Just always staring to the left and down. He fixed that from that day on.

[democratsaremyenemy]

Musk was sending crews to the ISS way before Branson or Bezos took their little joy rides.

[Gene Eric]

Was thinking...

1) Repair the plane
2) Fly the plane
3) Inspect the plane

[cgbg]

A company that names its ship “Galactic” suggest ownership with serious issues with delusions of grandeur.

Boring details tend to escape such folks...

[21twelve]

“#3 Rule: If all is ok with the first two rules, then communicate.”

There is a youtuber that looks at shootings and what one can learn from them. John Corea IIRC. He always says similar when a cop should be focusing on the situation at hand (shooting his gun, etc.) rather than getting on the radio first thing and saying “shots fired!!”

[phormer phrog phlyer]

Maybe we should have all craft piloted by FAA types, since they are perfect there would never be a mishap or deviation.

[BwanaNdege]

#1 Rule: Fly the plane first.

“Aviate, Navigate, Communicate”