Air France 291 nose cone damage
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2023
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Air France 291 nose cone damage
AF291 turn back after weather radar and airspeed problems. Nose cone looks like it's been compressed. I can't post links/photos as I don't have 8 posts yet.
I'd be interested to know how this happens.
I'd be interested to know how this happens.
Man Bilong Balus long PNG
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Looking forward to returning to Japan soon but in the meantime continuing the never ending search for a bad bottle of Red!
Age: 69
Posts: 2,974
Received 99 Likes
on
57 Posts
It was reported in the Japanese Media as being a birdstrike.
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Skating away on the thin ice of a new day.
Posts: 1,116
Received 13 Likes
on
8 Posts
This will likely be locked or removed soon, but looking at the photo on the Av herald site, there seems to be an absence of left over bird on the radome. No blood, feathers or anything you would see even after your average bird strike that I can see. And that radome is utterly wrecked.
Talk of it imploding with diff P and can see why people think that looking at the damage.
Certainly interesting whatever it was.
Talk of it imploding with diff P and can see why people think that looking at the damage.
Certainly interesting whatever it was.
It's in one of the highest total pressure locations on the aircraft - perhaps the radome was destabilized by a small bird strike and it progressively collapsed from the oncoming air pressure, with the damage progressing as the area of stagnation increased. The force goes up with the square of the diameter but the resistance at the perimeter goes up linearly by rougth 2Pi. So, perhaps bird strike followed by delta-P.
Maybe it was just an unlucky strike right on the center.
I like the "minor service," as it's probable the weather radar was also damaged.
Maybe it was just an unlucky strike right on the center.
I like the "minor service," as it's probable the weather radar was also damaged.
The following 4 users liked this post by tossbag:
No blood or feathers means... frozen chicken.
No, but seriously, I just had a quick read around the Japanese press and the only suggestion (by one of their consulting experts) was as Pinky says above, a bird strike. They did recall the 'salmon strike' over Alaska some years ago, probably dropped by a surprised sea eagle.
One of the passengers interviewed said there was no unusual discernable noise, just the sudden announcement that they were turning back.
No, but seriously, I just had a quick read around the Japanese press and the only suggestion (by one of their consulting experts) was as Pinky says above, a bird strike. They did recall the 'salmon strike' over Alaska some years ago, probably dropped by a surprised sea eagle.
One of the passengers interviewed said there was no unusual discernable noise, just the sudden announcement that they were turning back.
They were 3h in flight at FL35. Bird strike it ain't
Then there was this at FL400 in the US.
Last edited by megan; 3rd Jun 2023 at 01:59.
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Skating away on the thin ice of a new day.
Posts: 1,116
Received 13 Likes
on
8 Posts
MechEngr, yes I think you can see a rough semi circular outline of the plate antenna on the right hand side of centre adjacent to the the holes at approx 12 and 3 o'clock positions.
The following users liked this post:
The following users liked this post:
Air France Airbus A350 collides with birds on takeoff: nose and radar destroyed - ladepeche.fr
They report here that it was plural 'birds', and 'on take-off'. (Once you get past the cookie and language obstacle course.)
They report here that it was plural 'birds', and 'on take-off'. (Once you get past the cookie and language obstacle course.)
From aviation safety
If the bird strike was on take off might seem odd for the airspeed to suddenly play up when at FL350. The source is compiled from unofficial media which could explain a lot.
Air France flight AF291, an Airbus A350-941, suffered damage to the nose radome and pitot tubes, and returned to Osaka-Kansai (KIX).
The flight took off from KIX at 02:15 UTC (11:15 LT), bound for Paris-CDG Airport. About 02:50 UTC, the Airbus got troubled on the weather radar and air speed indication while at a cruising altitude of FL350. At 03:10, the flight turned back to KIX. Forty minutes later the flight declared an emergency.
A safe landing was made back at KIX at 05:25 UTC. The runway 24R was closed for 50 minutes for inspection, causing 11 other flights to be affected. No injuries were reported among 324 occupants
The flight took off from KIX at 02:15 UTC (11:15 LT), bound for Paris-CDG Airport. About 02:50 UTC, the Airbus got troubled on the weather radar and air speed indication while at a cruising altitude of FL350. At 03:10, the flight turned back to KIX. Forty minutes later the flight declared an emergency.
A safe landing was made back at KIX at 05:25 UTC. The runway 24R was closed for 50 minutes for inspection, causing 11 other flights to be affected. No injuries were reported among 324 occupants
Or maybe it hit one of the UFOs that have been in the news?
