The pilots heard a “clunk,” then the flight deck became very dark as the British Airways (BA) A319 was approaching 20,000 feet during climb after departure from London’s Heathrow Airport in October 2005 with 82 passengers and crew aboard. Most of the affected systems were restored in about 90 seconds, when the crew switched the AC Essential Feed to alternate (“ALTN”). The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) just recently issued its report of investigation into what was described as a “serious incident.”

A flight by a double deck Airbus A380 had to be abandoned the evening of 10 January after it rolled off a taxiway at Singapore. The 446 passengers on Singapore Airways flight SQ221 were unhurt and were switched to a B747 while the A380 was checked for damage.

The “cause another aircraft to abort” myth is confirmed. Filed under the heading of “flight crew human performance,” this from an ASRS (Aviation Safety Reporting System) report from a B737 captain at Las Vegas International Airport:

A dozen advisory circulars (ACs) have been issued to help interpret and carry out the wiring inspections mandated by the FAA (see Significant Regulatory & Related Activity). One of the best written is AC No. 25-27, titled thoroughly, “Development of Transport Category Airplane Electrical Wiring Interconnection Systems [EWIS] Instructions for Continued Airworthiness Using an Enhanced Zonal Analysis Procedure” (the full 100-page AC may be viewed at the FAA website).

If an airline keeps passengers cooped up in the airplane for more than three hours waiting to take off in New York state, it’s going to cost them, according to a “Passenger Bill of Rights” passed by the legislature last year and which takes effect this month.

President Bush recently signed into law a bill raising the commercial pilots mandatory retirement age from 60 to 65. The legislation is known as the Fair Treatment for Experienced Pilots Act. “Finally, some fairness for our most experienced pilots,” said Rep. John Mica (R – Fla.), the ranking minority member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. A cosponsor of the legislation, Mica said, “With enactment of this law, we’ve changed a half-century-old age discrimination rule that has left skilled veteran pilots at a disadvantage to international competitors.”