AP: Problems With Airspeed Systems Widespread

The pitot tubes that measure air speed in Airbus A330 aircraft have malfunctioned more often than previously believed, the Associated Press reports. Problems with the tubes are believed to have contributed to the Air France crash into the Indian Ocean in June.

Dozens Injured By Severe Turbulence

A Continental 767 flying from Rio de Janeiro to Houston diverted to Miami this morning after it hit severe clear-air turbulence that injured 26 people, the Miami Herald reports. Fourteen people were taken to hospitals and four were in serious condition. All I can say is: buckle up, folks.

Flight Diversion Blamed On Coffee Maker

A coffee maker caused the burning smell aboard a Southwest Airlines flight that prompted it to make an an emergency landing in Isplip, N.Y., on its way from Bradley to Orlando on Sunday, Reuters reports. The Aviation Herald attributed the smell to “burning coffee grinds” and reports that passengers put on oxygen masks. Sigh.

Southwest Flight From Bradley To Orlando Diverted

Southwest Airlines Flight 693 from Hartford to Orlando diverted to Islip, N.Y., 15 minutes into the flight Sunday morning because of smoke in the cockpit, the Aviation Herald reports. Other news outlets reported a smell of electrical fire with no visible smoke. Passengers later boarded a replacement 737 to complete the flight.

Plane Crash In Iran Kills 168

It’s turning into a grim summer for commercial aviation, with another 168 killed this morning in the crash of a Caspian Airlines Tupolev TU-154 in Iran, CNN reports.

This crash follows the June 1 crash of an Air France A330 into the Indian Ocean that killed 228 people and the June 30 crash of a Yemenia Airways Airbus 310 near the Comoros Islands, also into the Indian Ocean, that killed 152.

The New York Times points out that:

Iran has been plagued by plane crashes in recent years, a record that aviation experts have attributed to the country’s aging and outdated planes, many of them secondhand aircraft leased from Russia.

Hole Blows Out Of Southwest 737 Fuselage

A hole the size of a football suddenly opened up the fuselage of a Southwest 737 as it climbed out of Nashville on Monday, sucking out a piece of the cabin ceiling and depressurizing the jet in a roaring rush of air that no doubt scared the hell out of everybody on board.

It’s not clear why it happened, the Associated Press reports. The jet landed safely. And, of course, there are photos.

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Passengers Ride The Slide From Smoky 747 In Phoenix

Hundreds of passengers were evacuated by inflatable slides from a British Airways 747 when the cabin filled with smoke after it pulled away from the gate at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor airport Saturday. Of course someone got a shaky video:

Who know there’s a slide from the top deck? I guess it makes sense …

In any event, the exact cause of the smoke is not yet known.

Yemenia Crash Is Probably Not About Airbus

The observation that another Airbus has crashed is about as relevant as the observation that another Toyota has crashed. The manufacturer of the aircraft is likely to be among the less salient details.

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Whose Flight Was 3407?

In news stories about the crash of a commuter turboprop into a house outside Buffalo, N.Y., in February, the flight has been referred to alternately as Colgan Air Flight 3407, Continental Airlines Flight 3407 and Continental Connection Flight 3407.

This underscores the confusion about who is responsible for flights flown by regional airlines under contract to major carriers. Continental sold tickets for the flight and its name was painted on the aircraft. But the plane belonged to Colgan Air, a subsidiary of Pinnacle Airways, which also employed the pilots.

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Continental Pilot Dies During Flight

The captain of a Continental Airlines flight from Brussels to Newark died in the cockpit over the Atlantic, several news outlets have reported.

The Boeing 777 carries a flight crew of three, and the two other pilots have landed the jet in Newark,  The Star-Ledger reports. The name of the 61-year-old captain has not been released.