Posted on 07/28/2017 10:57:44 AM PDT by Red Badger
Two pilots have been suspended from duty after their aircraft, carrying 99 passengers, nearly ran out of fuel because they forgot to retract the landing gear after take-off.
Air India Flight AI676 was en route to Mumbai from Kolkata on July 22 but was forced to divert to Nagpur when the crew became alarmed by the speed at which the aircraft was losing fuel thanks to the additional drag created by the extended wheels.
An unidentified source told the Times of India that the “brand new Airbus A320”, one of the most fuel efficient aircraft in existence, had struggled to climb after take-off, prompting the pilots to settle on an altitude of 24,000 feet as opposed to a usual cruising height of 35,000 feet. The source, who made a point of saying that both pilots were women, said it flew like this at 230 knots - as opposed to around 500 knots - for about an hour-and-a-half, while the extended landing gear dragged heavily on the aircraft.
At this point, 90 minutes into a two-and-a-half-hour flight, the crew requested permission to divert to Nagpur as their fuel would have run out before reaching Mumbai.
“When preparing to land, they decided to lower the landing gear. At this point they realised that the wheels had been out all the while from Kolkata,” said the source.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
My 2003 Lincoln Town Car has automatic Parking Brake Release..................
Positive rate.... Gear up... Or not.
At least they remembered to lower the landing gear.
It would be much worse if they forgot!
I suspect you still say Bom-Bay, too...
Hah-true.
Actually back in the early 80’s a flight of A10s had to divert to Austria due to weather and running out of fuel. Austrian government was not pleased and insisted the fuel was paid for upfront and they didn’t take the white US fuel card so the flight lead used his personal American Express to buy the fuel.
The Air Force finance guys initially did not want to pay the bill because it was not a US Government rate, that the flight lead “negotiated” (contracted) for his own fuel.
Couldn’t wait because the Austrians wanted them out NOW.
Darned shoe clerks in CBPO (tells you how old I am).
Had one of my squadron A10s flying the local area and the gear would not come down. Worked on it and was running out of fuel. We called for a tanker and it was there in a split second and re-fueled the jet until the problem was solved — well done.
I retired in 1980 will be 75 ouch soon, enjoyed the job got grounded for hearing, doctor gave me a choice so a retrained into Precision Measurement Equipment Tech. Was already high in rank so instead of being on bench I was the Lab Chief. Didn’t refuel any A-10s last I did was the F-15 during their R&D testing in 75. A=10 a great airplane I hope they quit screwing around try to cancel it out for the F-35, big mistake.
Where was that? I was at Illeshiem.
Heilbronn Army Airfield. 3/84th FA.
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