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My detractors have been eagerly awaiting an apology from me concerning my assertions about British Airways Flight 038 which made a very hard landing at Heathrow Airport Runway 27L on 17 Jan 08.
I downloaded and read the Air Accidents Investigation Branch. To my surprise, the AAIB has yet to reach a conclusion on what might have caused this remarkable accident. There can be very little question that something odd did happen to this particular airplane and as yet, a lack of fuel has not been ruled out as the primary cause. In the report, however, this is an interesting comment on the status of the high pressure fuel pumps, here quoted:
'Detailed examination of both the left and right engine high
pressure fuel pumps revealed signs of abnormal cavitation
on the pressure-side bearings and the outlet ports. This
could be indicative of either a restriction in the fuel
supply to the pumps or excessive aeration of the fuel. The
manufacturer assessed both pumps as still being capable
of delivering full fuel flow.'
This usually only happens to a pump when something either constrains flow of fluid into the pump, or there was insufficient fluid for the pump to pick up in the first place. How one might 'excessively' aeration of the fuel can be done on purpose, but it is hard to imagine a scenario in which it occurred by accident. Etching and pitting caused by excessive cavitation on both pumps suggest that constricted flow of fuel to the pump inlets has been occurring on a regular basis on this particular airplane. Such damage does not occur quickly.
According to recorded data, there should have been some 15,188 lbs or 6,6900 kilgrams of fuel left on this airplane at the time of its accident. I have been unable to find any sign that this much fuel was lost during the landing and all of it certainly should have spilled out on the ground judging from photographs and from the official report's statement that the center tank in the wing root box was ruptured by the starboard landing gear.
This does not mean that I am free of my obligation to apologize for my statements. However, the repost fails to show my statements to be wrong. AAIB has promised more data as their investigation progresses and as soon as thy provide proof positive of the cause of this accident that shoes my assessment to be in error, I WILL make such an apology. So far, however, AAIB has provided no such proof.
For those interested, the latest official update is available here in PDF:
www.aaib.dft.gov.uk/cms_resources/S1-2008%20G-YMMM.pdf
Groups make plans to protest at Republican & Democratic conventions
Published Feb 23, 2008 10:03 AM
By Workers World correspondents
Minneapolis, Minn., and Olympia, Wash.
Plans are already underway for protest demonstrations this summer when the two major capitalist parties have their nominating conventions. Two recent conferences in different cities showed the broad range of issues various groups intend to raise when both the Republicans and Democrats meet.
Notable is the fact that unions and organizations of the poor met together with anti-war and anti-imperialist groups, indicating the connections being drawn between the growing economic woes of the working class and the immense outlay of funds by the capitalist government for imperialist aggression abroad.
For the DNC, two activists who are part of the Recreate 68 Alliance spoke. Glenn Spagnuolo of the All Nations Alliance and Larry Hales of the youth group Fight Imperialism-Stand Together (FIST) presented to the audience in the late evening for an hour and a half. Spagnuolo explained that R68 was formed in January last year by local Denver activists from the Latin@, African-American, Native and white communities, representing such different issues as racism, imperialism, anti-war, anti-globalization, for immigrant rights and Indigenous rights. They agreed to work together to create a week of political solidarity in resistance and protest.
The idea of Recreate 68 is being used to move communities forward by looking back at a time of great resistance to war and racism.
Spagnuolo made reference to the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense and its Ten-Point Program, where the party provided security, free breakfasts for children programs and education in many communities.
He also spoke of the government’s brutal attacks in response to the party’s activism, the anti-war positions of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, the mass movements against oppression headed by organizations such as the American Indian Movement, the Young Lords, the Gay Liberation Front and many other groups.
Racism, imperialist war, poverty—all the things that come with capitalism—are still with us, Spagnuolo explained, and though Cointelpro is not around in name, the government has other forms of surveillance and of targeting activists, such as the massive Homeland Security apparatus.
Larry Hales of FIST spoke about the numerous cases of police brutality in the Denver area, such as the case of Loree McCormick-Rice and her then-12-year-old daughter Cassidy McCormick, who were both beaten by an Aurora, Colo., cop. He spoke of the occupation of the oppressed communities by police and the role of police in capitalist society.
Hales asked the students to be mindful of the communities and the people whom they are claiming to represent. The residents of communities of color are faced with police terror all the time, not just during marches and rallies. Police brutality is a daily reality for many working and oppressed people.
He told them that they must be sensitive to the needs of the people and be aware of history that is being made today. For instance, Hales said, a white woman and a Black man are running for president. Though they both represent the interests of the imperialist U.S. ruling class and their agenda would be to appease the ruling elite, there are many oppressed people who see the fact that they are running and that one or the other may likely win the general election as a milestone.
People will be out in the streets for many reasons, and activists have to keep focused on the issues while at the same time being aware that some people are looking at these candidates as a victory for women and Black people. It will take time for them to see what the development really means, as the next president goes about her or his business running the U.S. imperialist colossus.
A whole week of activities, rallies and marches is planned for the DNC by Recreate 68. To find out about them, visit recreate68.org.
www.workers.org/2008/us/conventions_0228
Che X
Your 60's dildos are the one's that passed the trade legislation of the 1990s. The Clintons sold influence to China and in return, got them MFN status. The unions you speak of were silent through the whole process.
I know: I worked on the Perot campaign and we were the ONLY people opposing this mess.
You know what: It WAS benefical! The republicans, totally honest about their stance, were right.
By the way, we have a saying in the republican party:
Nixon was elected in 1968.
You are guilty of mindcrimes and you are not educated like me.
Che X
..I'm not educated anything like you! Unplug yourself from the 60's and come up to the present.
always for Bill Clinton. One of the best things to happen to the USA and could kick Bush's sorry hind-end in a debate or in the ring any day of the week. Bush is the biggest liar/coward to ever come down the pike. He has abandoned the USA and her people.
Bush is a thief too. Anybody who supports Bush is insane or an idiot.
more thing; I'd like to see Hillary elected.
Your apology IS demanded. YOU asserted that the aircraft ran out of fuel. The report shows that the aircraft did not run out of fuel. Ergo, an apology from you is in order. At the time of the incident posters said that you would try to weasel your way out. That is exactly what you are trying to do. Grow up. Be a man. Sincerely apologise. Pumps may or not have failed. That is a non sequitur. The aircraft had tons of fuel on board. whether it leaked at the crash site or not is a red herring. Stop being a bloody boil on the arse of the world. Be a man and apologise.
of his exact words, here is his post. The aircraft did not run out of fuel. The omly thing here that is out of gas is noharness. Your apology is due.
NoharnessJan 18th, 2008 - 20:27:00
RE:'The British Airways Boeing which crash-landed at London's Heathrow airport suffered double-engine failure during the approach, an initial report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said Friday.'
Guys, when the engines don't have fuel to burn, guess what they do. They stop running.
Sound crazy? I know of at least two large aircraft that have crashed for this very reason. One was from Venezuela and crash landed outside New York City. Another, a 747, managed to glide to a landing on Tenerife when it ran out of fuel over the Atlantic. It happens. I really does happen.
Look at the pictures. Do see any signs of any kind of fire? No. Do you see a big blanket of foam around the airplane? No.
The gorramned thing ran out of fuel. So why did it run out of fuel? The most likely answer is that it left Beijing without enough fuel. It should have had at least a fifteen minute flight margin. Barring a small, unnoticeable leak and a really strong headwind, they left Beijing with insufficient fuel.
Show me where that 2000 gallons of fuel went and I will apologize at once. There was no sign of such a massive spill in the photographs. If you can show me a photograph of dead grass where that airplane struck the ground, I might apologize anyway. So far, though I have yet to see an accounting for that 2,000 gallons of fuel. Further, the condition of the fuel pumps suggests that this particular airframe was coming in low on fuel on a regular basis.
RE:'Stop being a bloody boil on the arse of the world.'
Sorry, can't do that, old bean. It's my job, you see.
...you wait for the report.
Where did the fuel go? I don't have to say, that wasn't part of the deal. The report says there was someting like 15000 lbs. of fuel ON BOARD. YOU said it ran out of fuel. It didn't. Apologise. Be a man, not a mensch. As for being a boil on the arse of the world and being proud of it, remember what happens to boils. They get lanced, Mr. Granberry.
noharness is proud of being a bag of pus.
Just so noharness doesn't get it wrong, over here 'mensch' does not mean 'a stand-up guy.' It has a far, far different meaning. I suppose even when confronted with the facts the weasel will still try to get out of his duty. But what else could be expected from a colonial?
Quoting the report:
========================================
The recorded data indicates that there were no anomalies
in the major aircraft systems. The autopilot and the
autothrottle systems behaved correctly and the engine
control systems were providing the correct commands
prior to, during, and after, the reduction in thrust.
========================================
We have no indication of either a software or mechanical linkage failure between the cockpit and the engines. No sign of failure in the linkages between the computer and the engines and no sign of failure in the lkinkages between the pilots and the engines.
Again quoting the report:
========================================
Data, downloaded from the Electronic Engine Controllers
(EECs) and the QAR, revealed no anomalies with the
control system operation. At the point when the right
engine began to lose thrust the data indicated that the
right engine EEC responded correctly to a reduction
in fuel flow to the right engine, followed by a similar
response from the left EEC when fuel flow to the left
engine diminished. Data also revealed that the fuel
metering valves on both engines correctly moved to the
fully open position to schedule an increase in fuel flow.
Both fuel metering units were tested and examined, and
revealed no pre-existing defects.
=========================================
This is consistent with the pumps breaking NPSH while scavenging for fuel that isn't there.
Quoting the report:
=========================================
The fuel boost pumps, and their associated low pressure
switches, were tested and examined and found to be
satisfactory. A pressure and suction test of the engine fuel
feed manifold, from the fuel boost pumps to the engine,
did not reveal any significant defects.
==========================================
No leaks or obstructions in the fuel delivery piping found, even after a very hard landing.
Quoting the report:
==========================================
Several fuel samples were taken from the fuel tanks,
pipe lines and filter housings prior to the examination of
the fuel system and these are currently being examined
at specialist laboratories. Initial results confirm that the
fuel conforms to Jet A-1 specifications and that there
were no signs of contamination or unusual levels of
water content.
=========================================
And therefore no reason to believe that there was any significant frothing to cause the pumps to break NPSH.
========================================
Guys, this bird ran out of fuel. More importantly, it has been landing with too little fuel on a regular basis.
The report says that there was a PLANNED 6,900 kg of fuel on board. That works out to something around 2,000 US gallons. The initial report says that recorded data INDICATED there was sufficient fuel on board. If you know anything about large pieces of equipment you know that there is always room for doubt in these figures. There was no fire. There was no sign of the grass around the airframe wilting from being saturated with fuel. Again, can you show me dead grass where that airplane landed? Right now I have no reason to believe that there was 2,000 gallons (US) of fuel left on that airplane when it attempted to land. There is NOTHING in the report that verifies the amount of fuel left on board. To the contrary, every indication we have from the report says that this airplane was dangerously short on fuel.
I have worked with the Chinese. I know how they operate. I know how little regard they have for the safety of anyone. I know how willing they are to say one thing and do another. Right now, with the evidence I have in front of me, British Airways should be worried about and should be checking on how their aircraft are being fueled in Beijing.
Shuck and jive, baby. More obfuscation from a pus-bag. You did not include the part where it says that there was over 15000 pounds of fuel ONBOARD, after the accident. The apology to all, from you, is still in order.
the report indicates 10,500 lbs of fuel on board. A significant amount leaked upon the crash. That does not indicate all of it spilled on the ground, nohatness. But it still stands, there was fuel on board. You claim it ran out. That is the situation, plain and simple. So simple that even a pustule like yourself can understand it. Be a man and apologise. You were wrong. You shot your mouth off. You are just making yourself look like a complete arse with your intransigence. You might gaine a modicum of credibility if you act like a man and apologise, like you said you would. If not, then all you are is just another scumsucking yankee.
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