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Boeing Starliner astronauts: what six months stuck in space may do to their perception of time

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ruth-ogden-1182467">Ruth Ogden</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/liverpool-john-moores-university-1319">Liverpool John Moores University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/daniel-eduardo-vigo-1631723">Daniel Eduardo Vigo</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/pontificia-universidad-catolica-de-argentina-5531">Pontificia Universidad Católica de Argentina</a></p> <p>Two astronauts marooned in space may sound like the plot of a Hollywood blockbuster, but for two <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">Nasa</a> crew members, it is now a reality. Commander Barry Wilmore and pilot Sunita Williams are currently in limbo on the International Space Station (ISS).</p> <p>They arrived in the Boeing Starliner spacecraft – the first test of the spaceship with astronauts. Wilmore and Williams were supposed to stay on the ISS for around eight days and return on the same spacecraft. But there is now debate about the safety of Starliner after it experienced <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6pp29gdwe6o">helium leaks and thruster problems</a> on its way to the ISS.</p> <p>In coming days, Nasa and Boeing may decide to clear Starliner to carry the astronauts back to Earth. This means their stay might not last too much longer. But if officials decide against Starliner, the astronauts face waiting an <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/update-nasa-boeing-to-stream-flight-test-mission-briefing-on-nasa/">additional six months in orbit</a> before returning. So how do astronauts cope with a potential six-month wait for a lift home?</p> <p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0022249685900203">Waiting for things is difficult</a> at the best of times. Under normal circumstances, it is <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2043808718778982">frustrating, stressful and anxiety-provoking</a>. But in extreme situations, with high stakes, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2011.05638.x?casa_token=jC_hT4wqbuIAAAAA%3AGTrJPmd496aDTdirdwYi7CvLK8Q1g_oR-Em2E3EpDP0AwRCs2ko13Jpqui15BlkPiAx7MMRqA0MC">waiting can be purgatory</a>.</p> <p>Part of the reason that waiting is difficult is that it distorts our sense of time. Think of last time you were waiting for a delayed train, test results or a text from a potential new partner. Did it fly by or drag? For most people, time spent waiting crawls at a glacial pace. As a result, delays and periods of anticipation often feel much longer than they actually are.</p> <p>Waiting slows our perception of time, because it changes the amount of time that we spend <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/23324610?casa_token=KmtJWWmtHwQAAAAA%3AN_CUdtNakK46j4ItZaH_f__QcIGOjMnasX1NeMTRFH5YPpcmYx1JpigTfTb1bPYi5Fcus-IhtzDX0Jsz3xpqZRMDUxg0RWYhSr87V-zXz_pqS0zM&amp;seq=2">thinking about time</a>. During normal daily life we often ignore time; our brains have a limited capacity. If time isn’t important, we simply don’t think about it, and this helps it to pass quickly.</p> <p>When we are waiting, our desire to know when the wait is over increases how much we think about time. This “clock watching” can make the minutes and hours feel like they are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0278-2626(90)90026-K">passing at a snail’s pace</a>. Stress, discomfort and pain exacerbate this effect, meaning that waiting in difficult situations <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.2211">can seem even longer</a>.</p> <p>Waiting also slows our perception of time because it what we do and how we feel. Normal life is busy and full of ever-changing activities and interactions. The sudden need to wait halts the flow of life, often leaving us with nothing else to do, thus increasing levels of boredom and frustration.</p> <p>In general, time filled with activity <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0278-2626(90)90026-K">passes more quickly</a>. We all got a taste of this during <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0235871">COVID lockdowns</a>. When we were stuck inside unable to see friends and engage in normal daily activities, the loss of routine and distractions caused time to drag for many.</p> <p>For the astronauts stuck on the ISS, anxiety about when they will return, limited opportunities for activities and fewer opportunities to contact friends and families combine to make their wait to return home feel significantly longer than six months – if it should come to that.</p> <p>However, as academics who research the effects of time on human psychology and biology, our ongoing work with crew members at research stations in Antarctica aims to shed light on whether waiting in extreme environments is different to waiting during normal daily life.</p> <h2>A year in Antarctica</h2> <p>While being stuck for six months on the ISS may sound like many people’s worst nightmare, it is not uncommon for scientists to spend long periods isolated and confined in extreme environments. Every year, organisations such as the Instituto Antártico Argentino (which uses the Belgrano II Antarctic station), the French Polar Institute and the Italian Antarctic Programme, in cooperation with the European Space Agency (which all use Antarctica’s Concordia station), send crews of people for up to 16 months to conduct research on the frozen continent.</p> <p>During the March to October <a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk/">polar winter</a>, teams spend six months in near darkness – and from May to August, in complete darkness – facing outside temperatures of up to -60C, wind speeds of 160 km/h (100 mph) and storms which prevent almost all outdoor activity. Limited internet coverage can also prevent constant communication with the outside world.</p> <p>For the last year, we have researched how life in Antarctica influences people’s experience of time. Each month, we asked crew members how time felt like it was passing in comparison to before their mission. Trapped on base, with limited contact with the outside world, you might expect time to drag. However, our results suggest the opposite may be true.</p> <p>Analysis of crew members’ experiences indicated that being constantly busy with complex tasks such as scientific research helped time to pass swiftly, according to 80% of crew responses. Only 3% of responses indicated that time actually dragged, and these reports occurred when nights were long and there was little to do.</p> <p>These experiences may provide hope for those stuck on the ISS. Like life on an Antarctic station, these Nasa astronauts have a busy and mentally demanding existence. These factors may help time to pass quickly.</p> <p>However, a key factor of their wait may be their ability to <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2043808718778982">tolerate the uncertainty</a> of when they will return. Wilmore and Williams will spend their time in a space equivalent to the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/space-station-facts-and-figures/">inside a Boeing 747</a> plane. But better information about “when” things will happen and “why” delays are being incurred can help people to tolerate waiting and reduce its impact on their wellbeing.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/236546/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ruth-ogden-1182467">Ruth Ogden</a>, Professor of the Psychology of Time, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/liverpool-john-moores-university-1319">Liverpool John Moores University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/daniel-eduardo-vigo-1631723">Daniel Eduardo Vigo</a>, Senior Researcher in Chronobiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/pontificia-universidad-catolica-de-argentina-5531">Pontificia Universidad Católica de Argentina</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: NASA</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/boeing-starliner-astronauts-what-six-months-stuck-in-space-may-do-to-their-perception-of-time-236546">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Mind

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Should you be concerned about flying on Boeing planes?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/doug-drury-1277871">Doug Drury</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a></em></p> <p>The American aerospace giant Boeing has been synonymous with safe air travel for decades. Since the 1990s, Boeing and its European competitor Airbus have dominated the market for large passenger jets.</p> <p>But this year, Boeing has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. In January, an emergency door plug <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/alaska-airlines-let-boeing-max-fly-despite-warning-signals">blew off a Boeing 737 MAX</a> in mid flight, triggering an investigation from United States federal regulators.</p> <p>More recently, we have seen a Boeing plane lose a tyre while taking off, another flight turned back as the plane was leaking fluid, an apparent engine fire, a landing gear collapse, a stuck rudder pedal, and a plane “dropping” in flight and <a href="https://theconversation.com/latam-flight-800-just-dropped-in-mid-flight-injuring-dozens-an-expert-explores-what-happened-and-how-to-keep-yourself-safe-225554">injuring dozens of passengers</a>. A Boeing engineer who had raised concerns regarding quality control during the manufacturing process on the company’s 787 and 737 MAX planes also <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-68534703">died earlier this week</a>, apparently of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.</p> <p>As members of the travelling public, should we be concerned? Well, yes and no.</p> <h2>Many problems, but not all can be blamed on Boeing</h2> <p>The recent parade of events has certainly been dramatic – but not all of them can be blamed on Boeing. Five incidents occurred on aircraft owned and operated by United Airlines and were related to factors outside the manufacturer’s control, like maintenance issues, potential foreign object debris, and possible human error.</p> <p>A <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/united-airlines-plane-tire-blowout-boeing-b2509241.html">United Airlines 777</a> flying from San Francisco to Japan lost a tyre on takeoff, a maintenance issue not related to Boeing. The aircraft landed safely in Los Angeles.</p> <p>A <a href="https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/03/12/united-airlines-reports-fifth-flight-incident-in-a-week-as-jet-turns-back-due-to-maintenance-issue/">United Airlines flight from Sydney</a> to Los Angeles had to return to Sydney due to a “maintenance issue” after a fluid was seen leaking from the aircraft on departure.</p> <p>A <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/passenger-video-shows-flames-shoot-united-airlines-engine-midflight-rcna142217">United Airlines 737-900</a> flying from Texas to Florida ended up with some plastic bubble wrap in the engine, causing a suspected <a href="https://skybrary.aero/articles/compressor-stall#:%7E:text=Compressor%20stalls%20cause%20the%20air,dirty%20or%20contaminated%20compressor%20components">compressor stall</a>. This is a disruption of air flow to an operating engine, making it “backfire” and emit flames.</p> <p>A <a href="https://simpleflying.com/united-boeing-737-max-houston-runway-incident/">United Airlines 737 Max</a> flying from Tennessee to Texas suffered a gear collapse after a normal landing. The pilot continued to the end of the runway before exiting onto a taxiway – possibly at too high a speed – and the aircraft ended up in the grass and the left main landing gear collapsed.</p> <p>The fifth event occurred on a <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/another-boeing-max-mishap-ntsb-probes-stuck-rudder-pedals-united-airli-rcna142286">United Airlines 737-8</a> flight from the Bahamas to New Jersey. The pilots reported that the rudder pedals, which control the left and right movement of the aircraft in flight, were stuck in the neutral position during landing.</p> <h2>Manufacturing quality concerns</h2> <p>The <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/alaska-airlines-let-boeing-max-fly-despite-warning-signals">exit door plug failure in January</a> occurred on an Alaska Airlines flight. US regulators are currently investigating Boeing’s <a href="https://www.vox.com/money/24052245/boeing-corporate-culture-737-airplane-safety-door-plug">manufacturing quality assurance</a> as a result.</p> <p>The door plug was installed by a Boeing subcontractor called Spirit AeroSystem. The door plug bolts were not properly secured and the plug door fell off in flight. The same aircraft had a series of pressurisation alarms on two previous flights, and was scheduled for a maintenance inspection at the completion of the flight.</p> <p>Spirit got its start after Boeing shut down its own manufacturing operations in Kansas and Oklahoma, and Boeing is now in the process of <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/01/spirit-aerosystems-boeing.html">buying the company</a> to improve quality oversight. Spirit currently works with Airbus, as well, though that may change.</p> <h2>What changed at Boeing</h2> <p>Critics say the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/03/12/boeing-whistleblower-death-plane-issues/">culture at Boeing has changed</a> since Airbus became a major competitor in the early 2000s. The company has been accused of shifting its focus to profit at the expense of quality engineering.</p> <p>Former staff have raised concerns over tight production schedules, which increased the pressure on employees to finish the aircraft. This caused many engineers to question the process, and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fine Boeing for lapses in quality oversight after tools and debris were found on aircraft being inspected.</p> <p>Several employees have testified before US Congress on the production issues regarding quality control. Based on the congressional findings, the FAA began to inspect Boeing’s processes more closely.</p> <p>Several Boeing employees noted there was a high staff turnover rate during the COVID pandemic. This is not unique to Boeing, as all manufacturing processes and airline maintenance facilities around the globe were also hit with high turnover.</p> <p>As a result, there is an acute shortage of qualified maintenance engineers, as well as pilots. These shortages have created several issues with the airline industry successfully returning to the <a href="https://www.aviationbusinessnews.com/mro/critical-shortage-of-engineers-means-looming-crisis-for-aviation-warns-aeroprofessional/">pre-pandemic levels</a> of 2019. Airlines and maintenance training centres around the globe are working hard to train replacements, but this takes time as one cannot become a qualified engineer or airline pilot overnight.</p> <p>So, is it still safe to fly on Boeing planes? Yes it is. Despite dramatic incidents in the news and social media posts <a href="https://twitter.com/DaveMcNamee3000/status/1767636549288824990">poking fun at the company</a>, air travel is still extremely safe, and that includes Boeing.</p> <p>We can expect these issues with Boeing planes now will be corrected. The financial impact has been significant – so even a profit-driven company will demand change.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/225675/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/doug-drury-1277871">Doug Drury</a>, Professor/Head of Aviation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/should-you-be-concerned-about-flying-on-boeing-planes-225675">original article</a>.</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Experts claim passengers should not worry about cracks found in Boeing 737s

<p>The <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-01/qantas-says-three-boeing-737-found-with-cracks/11661320">cracks found in three Qantas-owned Boeing 737s last week</a> led to calls that it should ground its 33 aircraft with a similar service record.</p> <p>Although the three planes have been grounded and will require complex repairs, the cracks – in a component called the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-31/pickle-fork-graphic/11660462">pickle fork</a>, which helps strengthen the join between the aircraft’s body and wing – do not threaten the plane’s airworthiness.</p> <p>This makes it more of a threat to consumers’ confidence in Boeing and the airlines that fly its planes, rather than a direct risk to passenger safety, especially after the tragedies over a <a href="https://theconversation.com/flights-suspended-and-vital-questions-remain-after-second-boeing-737-max-8-crash-within-five-months-113272">poorly thought out automatic control system</a> installed on the Boeing 737 MAX 8.</p> <p>More broadly, however, the pickle fork defects highlight a problem that aviation engineers have been contending with for decades: component fatigue.</p> <p>The world’s first commercial jet airliner, the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20170404-the-british-airliner-that-changed-the-world">de Havilland Comet</a>, launched in 1952 but suffered two near-identical crashes in 1953 in which the planes broke up shortly after takeoff, killing all on board. A <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20140414-crashes-that-changed-plane-design">third fatal breakup in 1954</a> triggered an investigation and threatened to end the era of mass air travel almost as soon as it had begun.</p> <p>The crashes were all ultimately blamed on “fatigue failure”, caused by a concentration of stress in one of the passenger windows which resulted in a rapidly growing crack.</p> <p>Almost any metal structure can potentially suffer fatigue failure, but the problem is that it is very hard to predict before it happens.</p> <p>It begins at an “initiation area”, often at a random point in the component, from which a crack gradually grows each time the part is loaded. In the case of aircraft, the initiation area may be random, but from there the crack generally grows at a predictable rate each flight cycle.</p> <p>One solution instituted after the Comet investigation was to subject all aircraft to regular inspections that can detect cracks early, and monitor their growth. When the damage becomes critical – that is, if a component shows an increased risk of failure before the next inspection – that part is repaired or replaced.</p> <p>The current damage to the Qantas aircraft is a long way short of critical, as highlighted by the fact that Qantas has pointed out the next routine inspection was not due for <a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/qantas-southwest-airlines-checking-boeing-737-planes-for-structural-cracks/news-story/565826954fd9151b51896ae905642421">at least seven months</a> – or about 1,000 flights. This is normal practice under the official <a href="https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/airworthiness_directives/search/?q=737">airworthiness directives</a> for Boeing 737s.</p> <p>Obviously, given the public relations considerations also involved, Qantas has nevertheless taken the three planes out of service immediately.</p> <p><strong>Why aren’t the pickle forks a threat?</strong></p> <p>It might sound strange to say the cracks in the pickle forks aren’t a threat to the aircraft’s safety. Does that mean aircraft can just fly around with cracks in them?</p> <p>Well, yes. Virtually all aircraft have cracks, and a monitored crack is much safer than a part that fails without warning. Bear in mind that all aircraft safety is reinforced by multiple layers of protection, and in the case of the pickle fork there are at least two such layers.</p> <p>First, the pickle fork is secured with multiple bolts, so if one bolt should fail as a result of cracking, depending on the location there will be another five or six bolts still holding it in place.</p> <p>Second, should the unthinkable occur and a pickle fork totally fail, there is still another “structural load path” that would maintain the strength of connection between the wing and body, so this would not affect the operation of the aircraft.</p> <p>On this basis, it seems strange that the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association has <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-31/cracks-discovered-on-second-qantas-boeing-737/11657146">called for the entire fleet to be grounded</a>, especially given that this union has no official role in the grounding of aircraft. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority is the only agency in Australia with a legal obligation to make such a ruling, and has <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/10/31/business/qantas-australia-union-737-scli-intl/index.html">assured passengers it is unnecessary</a>.</p> <p>Aircraft maintenance procedures are drawn up by the manufacturer’s design engineering team. Before the aircraft obtains a permit to fly, the designer has to demonstrate to a regulator – in Boeing’s case, the <a href="https://www.faa.gov/">US Federal Aviation Administration</a> – that is has fully accounted for all airworthiness issues. This has to be proved by both engineering calculations and physical models. The result is an extensive maintenance manual for each aircraft model.</p> <p>Before each flight the aircraft must be demonstrated to conform to the maintenance manual, which is the role of the maintenance engineers who work directly for airlines. While the maintenance engineers’ union is right to bring any safety concerns or maintenance issues to the attention of the airline and possibly the regulator, only the regulator is in a position to rule on whether a fleet, or part of it, should be grounded.</p> <p>Boeing and Qantas, and the many other airlines that fly 737s, are right to be concerned by this latest development because of the potential for it to harm them commercially. But while the cracked pickle forks will be giving executives headaches, passengers should rest easy in their seats.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/126268/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: http://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/john-page-378413">John Page</a>, Senior Lecturer with the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-1414">UNSW</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/should-you-worry-about-boeing-737s-only-if-you-run-an-airline-126268">original article</a>.</em></p>

Technology

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Qantas crack crisis: Airline admits three planes found with damage

<p>Cracks have been uncovered on three Qantas planes in the “ickle fork” which connects the wings to the body of the aircraft. </p> <p>33 Boeing 737s were inspected for hairline cracks and engineers found three of the jets have had to be grounded for urgent repairs as the busy Christmas season approaches. </p> <p>“Of the 33 of Qantas' 737 aircraft that required inspection, three were found to have a hairline crack in the pickle fork structure,” Qantas said in a statement on Friday morning. </p> <p>The three aircraft’s will remain out of service until the end of 2019, as Qantas works with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority to resolve the safety issue. </p> <p>The chief executive of the airline's Domestic wing, Andrew David, said the inspections had been brought forward by seven months purely as a safety inspection. </p> <p>“We would never fly an aircraft that wasn't safe,” he said.</p> <p>“Even where these hairline cracks are present they’re not an immediate risk, which is clear from the fact the checks were not required for at least seven months.”</p> <p>The Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association on Thursday said a second Qantas 737 was found to have a “cracked primary wing structure”, which sparked a call for the entire fleet to be grounded. </p> <p>“These aircraft should be kept safe on the ground until urgent inspections are completed,” Steve Purvinas, the union’s secretary said. </p> <p>The airline has 75 Boeing 737 aircraft in its fleet.</p> <p>Mr David has accused the trade union of misrepresenting the facts.</p> <p>“Those comments were especially disappointing given the fantastic job our engineers have done to inspect these aircraft well ahead of schedule, and the priority they give to safety every day of the week,” he said.</p> <p>The US Federal Aviation Administration ordered American airlines to check if all of the 737s had been checked for cracks by completing more than 30,000 take-offs and landings, better known as cycles. </p> <p>In Australia, the Qantas planes had completed about 27,000 cycles. </p> <p>Qantas ordered inspections on any aircraft that had flown 22,600 cycles.</p> <p>Inspections began after hairline cracks were found on an aircraft with just under 27,000 cycles.</p>

Domestic Travel

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Cracks found on older Boeing 737 planes during inspections

<p><span>Boeing is facing yet another safety issue after structural cracks were found in 38 of its 737 NG airplanes around the world.</span></p> <p><span>The inspections ordered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) discovered that out of the 810 jets that had been examined, 38 had cracks in a “pickle fork”, or the part that attaches the plane’s body to the wing structure. This amounted to about 5 per cent of the planes inspected.</span></p> <p><span>Boeing and airline officials said the planes will be grounded for repairs.</span></p> <p><span>So far, two airlines have disclosed that they have jets that need to be grounded. Southwest Airlines announced on Wednesday that it had grounded two of <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/10/10/business/boeing-737-ng-grounding/index.html">the 700-plus NG jets in its fleet</a> due to the cracking issue, while Brazilian carrier Gol Linhas Aereas confirmed it took 11 out of its 115 planes out of service. </span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-boeing-airplanes/boeing-says-cracks-found-on-38-of-810-737-ng-jets-inspected-globally-idUSKBN1WP2BD">Last week</a>, the FAA ordered airlines to inspect their 737 NG fleets after Boeing alerted the agency about structural cracks. Aircrafts that have made at least 30,000 flights must be inspected within seven days, while planes between 22,600 and 29,999 cycles are to be inspected after 1,000 flights.</span></p> <p><span>Today, about 6,800 of the 737 NG jets are in service around the world. </span></p> <p><span>Virgin Australia said it had inspected nine out of its 19 NG planes and found no issues. The remaining 10 will be inspected over the next week.</span></p> <p><span>“We will act on any directives issued by CASA or the FAA and work closely with Boeing to conduct inspections,” a Virgin Australia spokesperson told <em>Over60</em>.</span></p> <p><span>“We will endeavour to minimise impact to customers while any inspections occur.”</span></p> <p><span>The report came as Boeing continues its effort to seek approval for the 737 Max to fly again. All 737 Max jets have been grounded since March following fatal crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia, which killed 346 crew and passengers.</span></p>

International Travel

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Boeing 737 tragedies: The Aussie airline that has ordered a fleet of the same plane

<p>An Australian carrier has ordered 30 of the aircraft that was involved in a fatal crash that killed 157 people on Sunday.</p> <p>Australia’s second largest airline, Virgin Australia said it is too early to comment on whether it will cancel its order of the Boeing 737 MAX 8s following the Ethiopian Airlines plane crash on the weekend, which is the second incident involving the new aircraft in months.</p> <p>Virgin Australia made the order for 30 of the Boeing 737 MAX 8s and 10 of the Boeing 737 MAX 10s in 2012.</p> <p>On Sunday, the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashed only six minutes after taking off, killing all 157 passengers and crew on board. In October, the same model owned by Lion Air crashed into the sea in Indonesia, resulting in 189 deaths.</p> <p>The 737 MAX 8 aircraft has been in commercial use since 2017. More than 5,000 planes in the MAX series have been ordered, with 350 of them delivered.</p> <p>In the wake of the tragedy on the weekend, several airlines around the world – including Ethiopian Airlines – have grounded the Boeing aircraft.</p> <p>China’s Civil Aviation Authority said it ordered airlines in the country to suspend the use of the aircraft "in view of the fact that both air crashes are recently-delivered Boeing 737-8 aircraft, and they both occurred in the take-off phase, and had certain similarities ... in line with the management principle of zero tolerance for safety hazards and strict control of safety risks".</p> <p>Aviation authorities in Indonesia have also put the model on a temporary ground, while the Indian aviation regulator issued a rule on Monday to limit the operation of MAX 8s only to pilots with more than 1,000 hours of training.</p> <p>However, president of the Virgin Independent Pilots Association, Captain John Lyons, also said Virgin Australia and TigerAir pilots have the “utmost confidence in the Boeing 737”.</p> <p>“VIPA continues to have the utmost confidence in the Boeing 737 and the rigorous training that Virgin Australia provides its pilots,” Lyons said in a statement.</p> <p>“We look forward to its introduction at Virgin Australia as it brings outstanding commercial advantages to the airline and enhanced customer appeal.</p> <p>“Boeing has delivered more than 10,000 737 aircraft since it first flew in 1967, accumulating nearly 300 million flight hours with the lowest fatality rate of passenger airliners.</p> <p>“Without exception, this makes the 737 the safest and most popular commercial jet ever.”</p> <p>Aviation expert Geoffrey Thomas also suggested it is too early to draw conclusions from the incidents.</p> <p>“If determined there is a problem and something needs to be adjusted, then Boeing will do that,” Thomas told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/aviation/no-need-for-panic-over-virgin-australias-order-of-boeing-737-maxs-says-aviation-expert-ng-b881132238z" target="_blank">AAP</a>.</p>

Travel Trouble

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Two fatal crashes in six months: The 40 airlines STILL flying the new Boeing 737 MAX

<p>Tragedy has struck after a Nairobi-bound Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed six minutes after takeoff, leaving no survivors. Mourners have gathered to remember the 157 victims, which included 32 Kenyans, 18 Canadians, eight Americans, and seven British nationals.</p> <p>Occurring only a few short months after the devastating Lion Air crash in October - which also killed all 189 people on board – questions have been raised over the safety of the Boeing 737 MAX model, which is the plane that was involved in both incidents.</p> <p>Minutes into the journey, the experienced pilot of the Ethiopian flight claimed to be facing difficulties and was given clearance to turn the plane around, but unfortunately, was too late as the plane went plummeting south.</p> <p>When the Boeing 737 MAX was introduced in 2017, it was considered to be a pioneer in narrow-body airliners. It was commended for its advanced aerodynamics and fuel-efficient engines.</p> <p>The brand new addition to the Boeing series became the quickest selling plane in the model's history, with a total of 219,737 MAX aircrafts being ordered since its release.</p> <p>But the success was short-lived, as the crash of Lion Air Flight JT610 in October raised alarm bells over the safety of the jet.</p> <p>Killing all 189 people on board, the disaster was the first time a 737 MAX was involved in a major incident.</p> <p>In November, Boeing issued a safety bulletin for airlines currently operating its 737 MAX airliner. It revealed a terrifying reality, where the plane’s sensors can cause the aircraft to enter into a sudden dive, reported <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-11-07/boeing-is-said-close-to-issuing-safety-bulletin-on-737-max-jets" target="_blank"><em>Bloomberg</em></a>.</p> <p>“On November 6, 2018, Boeing issued an Operations Manual Bulletin (OMB) directing operators to existing flight crew procedures to address circumstances where there is erroneous input from an AOA sensor,” read the company’s statement.</p> <p>But despite the cautionary tale, there are still 40 airlines using the Boeing 737 MAX to transport passengers from point A to point B.</p> <p><strong>Here are the 40 airlines that fly the Boeing 737 MAX:</strong></p> <p>1. Norwegian Air</p> <p>2. Air China</p> <p>3. SpiceJet</p> <p>4. Southwest Airlines</p> <p>5. Icelandair</p> <p>6. FlyDubai</p> <p>7. Air Italy</p> <p>8. TUI</p> <p>9. LOT Polish Airlines</p> <p>10. AeroMexico</p> <p>11. Oman Air</p> <p>12. SmartWings</p> <p>13. Aerolineas Argentinas</p> <p>14. Lion Air</p> <p>15. Corendon Airlines</p> <p>16. China Southern</p> <p>17. Ethiopian Airlines</p> <p>18. Air Canada</p> <p>19. Garuda Indonesia</p> <p>20. United Airlines</p> <p>21. American Airlines</p> <p>22. Xiamen Airlines</p> <p>23. WestJet</p> <p>24. Turkish Airlines</p> <p>25. SCAT Airlines</p> <p>26. China Eastern</p> <p>27. Shanghai Airlines</p> <p>28. Shenzhen Airlines</p> <p>29. Jet Airways</p> <p>30. OK Airways</p> <p>31. GOL</p> <p>32. SilkAir</p> <p>33. S7 Siberia Airlines</p> <p>34. Copa Airlines</p> <p>35. Lucky Air</p> <p>36. Sunwing Airlines</p> <p>37. Hainan Airlines</p> <p>38. Mauritania Airlines International</p> <p>39. Shandong Airlines</p> <p>40. 9 Air</p> <p>Will you be flying with any of these airlines in the future? Let us know in the comments below.</p>

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John Travolta's big donation to Aussie museum

<p>John Travolta has announced that he will donate his vintage Boeing 707 plane to a restoration group in New South Wales.</p> <p>The actor said that the plane will need maintenance to embark on the trip from his Florida home to the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society, which is 145km south from Sydney.</p> <p>The aircraft was originally delivered to the Qantas fleet in 1964 and was then later converted for private use. The timing of the arrival of the plane to Australia is uncertain but Travolta hopes to be on board for the voyage.</p> <p>Travolta is a qualified pilot and Qantas ambassador who has special memories with the plane and is excited that it will continue to fly “well into the future”.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FOakFlatsCommunityBankBranchandShellharbourBranch%2Fvideos%2F1368852016542066%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p> <p>The actor has said in a statement, “As many of you will know, flying is a passion of mine and I am just so grateful to be fortunate enough to count many hours flying such a beautiful aircraft.”</p> <p>“The aircraft was originally delivered to Qantas Airways in 1964 and was converted for private use after it finished its life with ‘The Flying Kangaroo’.”</p> <p>“I was honoured to have the 707 repainted in the original Qantas colours when I became the ambassador for the airline, and it’s so fitting that many of the volunteers at HARS are retired Qantas employees.”</p>

International Travel

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Pilot explains landing a Boeing 737

<p>What would you do if you suddenly had to land a 737? Delta Airlines pilot Tim Morgan has explained the process that would occur should both pilots find themselves incapacitated and unable to land the plane.</p> <p>"The good news is the plane will probably have a sophisticated autopilot that can take care of most of the flying for you. The bad news is you will still probably have to land it," he said.</p> <p>Morgan has put together a 10 minute instructional video, after reading a question on Quora, which asked: "What should I do if the pilot passes out and I (with no flight training) have to land the plane?"</p> <p>Morgan's in-depth explanation includes a descriptive step-by-step plan should you need to take controls.</p> <p>The first step would be to "put on the pilot's headset, and find the pilot's audio controls. Chances are whatever frequency is dialled in will work, so just hold down the push-to-talk button on the yoke, and tell ATC your situation."</p> <p>He finishes the explanation by saying," Grab a beer from the galley and enjoy the ride down the emergency evacuation slide."</p> <p>The video has been viewed more than 400,000 times on YouTube after being uploaded last week.</p> <p><em>Video credit: YouTube / Tim Morgan</em></p> <p><em>First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p> <p><em><strong>No matter where you’re travelling to, making sure you know how to access your cash while away – and in the most affordable way – is very important. Easy to use and with countless benefits, the Over60 Cash Passport allows you to securely access your cash in the same way you use an ATM or credit card­. <a href="https://oversixty.cashpassport.com.au" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">To apply for a card today, click here.</span></a></strong></em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/travel/international-travel/2016/03/three-tigers-born-at-columbus-zoo-and-aquarium/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Three Siberian tigers born at Columbus Zoo and Aquarium</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/international-travel/2016/02/worlds-best-restaurant-locations/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">8 best restaurant locations in the world</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/international-travel/2016/02/holiday-ideas-for-animal-lovers/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>8 holiday ideas every animal lover needs to experience</strong></em></span></a></p>

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