248 replies to this topic

[Independence76]

I'm watching Fox right now. They just got the fuselage to the river banks, and it seems they may put it our of the water or tug it.

[Folgers]

franthree, on Jan 15 2009, 06:45 PM, said:

Seems the reason the Airbus did not sink was the crew hit the "DITCH" button which seals the planes outboard valves and keeps it pressurized----and the crew did not open the rear door which would cause the plane to sink tail-first---Nice job---crew

I'm fairly sure that opening the doors would completely remove any ability for it to be pressurized.

Can you imagine having only 90 seconds to prepare from bird impact to final resting?

That is some quick-draw-mcgraw kinda shooting.

[_NW_]

franthree, on Jan 15 2009, 05:45 PM, said:

Seems the reason the Airbus did not sink was the crew hit the "DITCH" button which seals the planes outboard valves and keeps it pressurized----and the crew did not open the rear door which would cause the plane to sink tail-first---Nice job---crew

Go look at the cockpit pictures and show me this "ditch" button  

[David_Lee_Roth]

NWilkinson, on Jan 15 2009, 08:55 PM, said:

franthree, on Jan 15 2009, 05:45 PM, said:

Seems the reason the Airbus did not sink was the crew hit the "DITCH" button which seals the planes outboard valves and keeps it pressurized----and the crew did not open the rear door which would cause the plane to sink tail-first---Nice job---crew

Go look at the cockpit pictures and show me this "ditch" button  

Right next to the eject button!  

[Folgers]

Independance76, on Jan 15 2009, 07:57 PM, said:

NWilkinson, on Jan 15 2009, 08:55 PM, said:

franthree, on Jan 15 2009, 05:45 PM, said:

Seems the reason the Airbus did not sink was the crew hit the "DITCH" button which seals the planes outboard valves and keeps it pressurized----and the crew did not open the rear door which would cause the plane to sink tail-first---Nice job---crew

Go look at the cockpit pictures and show me this "ditch" button  

Right next to the eject button!  

Let's not forget American Airline's Pilot's favorite button.  The "several beers before takeoff" button.  

[FL050]

Archie Bunker, on Jan 15 2009, 08:52 PM, said:

franthree, on Jan 15 2009, 06:45 PM, said:

Seems the reason the Airbus did not sink was the crew hit the "DITCH" button which seals the planes outboard valves and keeps it pressurized----and the crew did not open the rear door which would cause the plane to sink tail-first---Nice job---crew

I'm fairly sure that opening the doors would completely remove any ability for it to be pressurized.

Can you imagine having only 90 seconds to prepare from bird impact to final resting?

That is some quick-draw-mcgraw kinda shooting.

It didn't sink because aircraft are designed to stay afloat - depending on how much fuel they have (Fuel is very buoyant when you carry the amount they do).  With passenger jets, the CG is centered slightly aft, as you can see why the tail is sitting more in the water than the nose.  The tug boats eventually tied themselves to the aircraft so it wouldn't sink though.

What from ATC said, they had 6 minutes between the pilot alerting ATC and hitting the river.

...and did someone seriously say that aircraft are pressurized to 6000 feet on the ground?  Considering every aircraft known to man is designed the exact opposite of that?

[franthree]

NWilkinson, on Jan 15 2009, 07:55 PM, said:

franthree, on Jan 15 2009, 05:45 PM, said:

Seems the reason the Airbus did not sink was the crew hit the "DITCH" button which seals the planes outboard valves and keeps it pressurized----and the crew did not open the rear door which would cause the plane to sink tail-first---Nice job---crew

Go look at the cockpit pictures and show me this "ditch" button  

That is what I heard on the NBC news Mate----seems like a good idea---anyway


I think I heard the flight attendents actvate it--maybe not in cockpit

Edited by franthree, 15 January 2009 - 08:03 PM.

[TND4NOS]

Whats with the pilots still in the cockpit? What are they waiting for? Hopes and dreams!

[David_Lee_Roth]

FL050, on Jan 15 2009, 08:58 PM, said:

Archie Bunker, on Jan 15 2009, 08:52 PM, said:

franthree, on Jan 15 2009, 06:45 PM, said:

Seems the reason the Airbus did not sink was the crew hit the "DITCH" button which seals the planes outboard valves and keeps it pressurized----and the crew did not open the rear door which would cause the plane to sink tail-first---Nice job---crew

I'm fairly sure that opening the doors would completely remove any ability for it to be pressurized.

Can you imagine having only 90 seconds to prepare from bird impact to final resting?

That is some quick-draw-mcgraw kinda shooting.

It didn't sink because aircraft are designed to stay afloat - depending on how much fuel they have (Fuel is very buoyant when you carry the amount they do).  With passenger jets, the CG is centered slightly aft, as you can see why the tail is sitting more in the water than the nose.  The tug boats eventually tied themselves to the aircraft so it wouldn't sink though.

What from ATC said, they had 6 minutes between the pilot alerting ATC and hitting the river.

...and did someone seriously say that aircraft are pressurized to 6000 feet on the ground?  Considering every aircraft known to man is designed the exact opposite of that?

Well, the Tupolev Tu-154 breaks both of those barriers.

It is both pressurized on the ground and the CG is normally more up towards the front.
Correct me if I'm wrong there, though .

[Folgers]

FL050, on Jan 15 2009, 07:58 PM, said:

Archie Bunker, on Jan 15 2009, 08:52 PM, said:

franthree, on Jan 15 2009, 06:45 PM, said:

Seems the reason the Airbus did not sink was the crew hit the "DITCH" button which seals the planes outboard valves and keeps it pressurized----and the crew did not open the rear door which would cause the plane to sink tail-first---Nice job---crew

I'm fairly sure that opening the doors would completely remove any ability for it to be pressurized.

Can you imagine having only 90 seconds to prepare from bird impact to final resting?

That is some quick-draw-mcgraw kinda shooting.

It didn't sink because aircraft are designed to stay afloat - depending on how much fuel they have (Fuel is very buoyant when you carry the amount they do).  With passenger jets, the CG is centered slightly aft, as you can see why the tail is sitting more in the water than the nose.  The tug boats eventually tied themselves to the aircraft so it wouldn't sink though.

What from ATC said, they had 6 minutes between the pilot alerting ATC and hitting the river.

...and did someone seriously say that aircraft are pressurized to 6000 feet on the ground?  Considering every aircraft known to man is designed the exact opposite of that?

I'm aware of that, I was just making an unrational, pain in the comment at his quote.

I don't know for sure, but I was told it was 90 seconds.  I think ATC may be mistaking judging by first call and last call instead of first call and impact call.

[franthree]

TND4NOS, on Jan 15 2009, 08:03 PM, said:

Whats with the pilots still in the cockpit? What are they waiting for? Hopes and dreams!

The Captian always is the last to abandon ship--right

[Flightsimulatorpilot]

NWilkinson, on Jan 15 2009, 07:55 PM, said:

franthree, on Jan 15 2009, 05:45 PM, said:

Seems the reason the Airbus did not sink was the crew hit the "DITCH" button which seals the planes outboard valves and keeps it pressurized----and the crew did not open the rear door which would cause the plane to sink tail-first---Nice job---crew

Go look at the cockpit pictures and show me this "ditch" button  

http://www.jetphotos...=6411298&nseq=0

It's on the CABIN PRESS control panel.

[franthree]

Flightsimulatorpilot, on Jan 15 2009, 08:06 PM, said:

NWilkinson, on Jan 15 2009, 07:55 PM, said:

franthree, on Jan 15 2009, 05:45 PM, said:

Seems the reason the Airbus did not sink was the crew hit the "DITCH" button which seals the planes outboard valves and keeps it pressurized----and the crew did not open the rear door which would cause the plane to sink tail-first---Nice job---crew

Go look at the cockpit pictures and show me this "ditch" button  

http://www.jetphotos...=6411298&nseq=0

It's on the CABIN PRESS control panel.

Thank you mate!!   

[89-LX]

franthree, on Jan 15 2009, 08:05 PM, said:

TND4NOS, on Jan 15 2009, 08:03 PM, said:

Whats with the pilots still in the cockpit? What are they waiting for? Hopes and dreams!

The Captian always is the last to abandon ship--right

The captain went back and forth down the entire aircraft twice to make sure everyone was off before he got out. of a pilot right there.

[Falcon1184]

^^Nice one!

And I can only laugh at some of the ridiculous comments being made in this thread.  Some people know their stuff, and some are so far off its sad.  It's somewhat excusable for people that aren't pilots, but real pilots passing false information is just stupid.

[David_Lee_Roth]

Falcon1184, on Jan 15 2009, 09:20 PM, said:

^^Nice one!

And I can only laugh at some of the ridiculous comments being made in this thread.  Some people know their stuff, and some are so far off its sad.  It's somewhat excusable for people that aren't pilots, but real pilots passing false information is just stupid.

Well, what I'm going by is the Project Tupolev 154, which as far as I am aware is how it's done in real life  

[THBatMan8]

franthree, on Jan 15 2009, 08:05 PM, said:

TND4NOS, on Jan 15 2009, 08:03 PM, said:

Whats with the pilots still in the cockpit? What are they waiting for? Hopes and dreams!

The Captian always is the last to abandon ship--right

That's not always the case. Ive seen one incident a few years back when a ferry sank in Africa and the crew abandoned the passengers.

Edited by THBatMan8, 15 January 2009 - 08:31 PM.

[89-LX]

Ugh, I hate the friggin news. They keep reporting how the plane "SMASHES" into the water and this and that. Simply put, good piloting saves the day. Maybe pilot pay should go back up now since these 2 pilots show how dangerous the job is, and how a pilot can make a bad situation into a good one.

[David_Lee_Roth]

89-LX, on Jan 15 2009, 09:31 PM, said:

Ugh, I hate the friggin news. They keep reporting how the plane "SMASHES" into the water and this and that. Simply put, good piloting saves the day. Maybe pilot pay should go back up now since these 2 pilots show how dangerous the job is, and how a pilot can make a bad situation into a good one.

Ask yourself:

Would CEO's actually give away money that they could keep for themself?


Some would, some wouldn't.

I bet Southwest would though, .

[MD-11 Vrt pilot]

3 reasons why they will scrap this plane.
1) the cost to get back to FAA flight status
2) liability issues, if this bird is ever involved in another accident, US Air could be sued
big time.
3) you really don't know the extent of the damage to the airframe just by looking at it, you need an NDT test on all of the components looking for stress cracks.
US air will just not replace it as airlines will cut back anyway, they will just collect the insurance check.