Video: Another Times of India miraculous escape? A late go-around by a large Boeing 747-400F freighter

by Devesh Agarwal

I wonder how Times of India, and other sensationalist media in India would classify this late go-around at Amsterdam Schipol airport? Another "miraculous escape"?

Keep in mind the aircraft doing these acrobatic manoeuvres is a 350 ton Boeing 747-400F freighter of AirBridge Cargo registration VP-BIK.

Approaching in extreme cross wind conditions, the pilot decides at the very last minute that landing is not comfortable and opts for a go-around. Observe how smoothly the giant aircraft is handled and taken away from the runway.



A few minutes later, the pilot comes back for a second landing and nails it.

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Opinion: The Rahul Gandhi "close shave" - Sensationalism rules at Indian media

by Devesh Agarwal

It appears that exaggeration driven sensationalism still rules the Indian media world, especially at the leading newspapers.

On Tuesday, a private Cessna Citation business jet carrying the ruling family scion Rahul Gandhi had to do a "go-around" when landing at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (coincidentally named after his grandmother). An Indian Air Force Ilyushin Il-76 transporter took some extra time to clear the runway ahead of Gandhi's jet which precipitated this action. There is confusion on whether the Il-76 Gajraj was taking off or landing.

Screams The Times of India

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi narrowly escaped a disaster........

Not to be left behind The Hindustan Times blared

Close shave for Rahul at Delhi's IGI airport

Even the normally sober Firstpost joined the sensationalist bandwagon saying

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi reportedly had a close shave while landing at the Delhi airport

One of the only news organisations to take a sober and factual approach to this incident was NDTV whose headline ran

Rahul Gandhi's aircraft aborted landing to avoid collision, probe ordered

While separation between aircraft of 45 seconds is common at the ultra-busy airports around the world, in India, even New Delhi, there is a still a five nautical mile separation rule. In the case of Gandhi's bizjet, the separation was maintain at eight nautical miles (about 15 kilometres) due to "wake turbulence" caused by the Il-76.

Across the world, at the busy airports like New York, London, etc., air traffic controllers are under pressure, especially during peak hours, to maximise the utilisation of the runway. Aviation safety rules say that no two aircraft can occupy the runway at the same time, and ever so-often an aircraft takes some extra time and is not able to clear the runway in time. Thus a landing aircraft will be ordered to perform a "go-around". Sometimes due to cross winds or turbulence, the pilot is not comfortable in the approach and will chose to go-around rather than risk an unsafe landing. Whatever be the reason, the go-around is a fairly routine action, and pilots train for it.

See this video involving a Finnair MD-11 flight 5 being ordered to "go-around" at New York's JFK airport. Around 2m45s in to the video, you can head the tower controller ordering American Airlines flight 116 or 160 (one sixteen or one sixty) to taxi quickly and vacate the runway. When the American flight does not do so, at about 3m10s, when the Finnair is almost over the top of the runway threshold the controller orders it to "go-around". Everything in the cockpit is calm and plane goes around and lands. Its a routine matter.



In this video Qatar Airways flight QR1 goes around at the last minute on the choice of its pilots. Keep in mind, the Airbus A340-600 is not known for its power and climb capabilities. The whole incident is routine.



In this video from Japan's Narita airport, the massive 747-400, an aircraft that weighs over 350 tons at take-off, goes around while midway down the runway. It appears the approach was not stable, and pilot chooses to go-around rather than risk an unsafe landing. Again very routine.



In August 2010, we witnessed a Jet Airways Boeing 737-800 which touched down hard at Bangalore airport and as a result the aircraft was de-stabilised. The pilot did a "go-around" and landed ten minutes later. While Bangalore Aviation reported it in a routine manner, the newspapers went around with their scaremongering headlines of "close shave", "narrowly averted disaster", etc.

One has to question the motives and capabilities of the Indian media, which tries to make mountains out of grains of sand, not just molehills.

Almost every one in the aviation world knows that The Times of India is more of a tabloid than a newspaper. Is their scaremongering tactics a reflection on the hypocrisy of its readers who derive vicarious pleasure in these sensationalist headlines? It appears so, since other papers and news organisations are forced to descend to these low levels in order to compete. After all The Times of India is the most widely circulated paper in the world, not just India.

Isn't it time we took the high road?

Do share your comments and thoughts via a comment.

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Is Jet Airway's trainee pilot fiasco a continuation of pilot misbehaviour?

Two days ago, The Mint newspaper reported an incident in which a Jet Airways Boeing 737 captain put a trainee fresh out of flight school, who was not even trained, let alone certified, in any form of jet transport, into the co-pilot's seat during a landing at Chennai.

The airline is accused of trying to hush up the incident from safety regulators and taking indequate action against the pilot commander, may be under pressure from some Bollywood actor well known to commander and the senior management of the airline.

On learning of the incident, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered the removal of the Jet's Director of Flight Safety, which in turn is causing uproar amongst the aviation professionals, who feel the Director is being offered as a sacrifical lamb in order to let the airline, and its politically well connected management, get away without facing punitive action.

Jet Airways put out this statement in response to the snowballing of the incident

In line with international practices on improving safety, Jet Airways encourages a voluntary and a confidential reporting system for all employees. Based on a confidential report and after appropriate investigations, two cockpit crew members were suspended for a period of two and a half months.

Jet Airways is in contact with DGCA and has extended all co-operation. Jet Airways will continue to adhere to all requirements as laid down by the regulator from time to time.

At Jet Airways safety is of paramount importance of its crew and guests. The airline has and always will adhere to additional measures as prescribed by the regulatory authority.

In response to the airline's claims, many pilots, aviation professionals and enthusiasts claim there is a pattern of evasion in the airline, pointing to another incident on October 20 on Jet Airway's flight 9W 332 around 8.50am where a Jet Airways check pilot did the unthinkable, and pulled the circuit breakers when the aircraft was at around 3,700ft. on landing approach from Delhi to Mumabi; apparently to see the pilots' reactions to a failure in a Boeing 737 cockpit.

In that incident too, Jet Airways did not initially deroster the pilot, and also did not initiate any action till the incident was brought to public notice and the DGCA got involved. Though a probe was ordered, no results have been publically shared.

What are your views on these developments? Share a comment.

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