AVIATION NEWS BRIEFS

*More than 200 passengers were stranded on a BRITISH AIRWAYS Boeing 777 for nearly 8 hours overnight at London Heathrow due to heavy snowfalls and ice. BA Flight 215 was due to depart Heathrow at 4:00pm on Friday, but was delayed due to the weather. Passengers were allowed to board the aircraft at 7:00pm, but the jet was not cleared to depart until 2:30am on Saturday morning. The delay in departure also meant that the flight crew had to be replaced, as they would have gone over the allowable work hours set by all Airlines. Passengers reported that although the delay was long, most people remained calm.

*Scotland's finance secretary has said that a full and comprehensive investigation should be carried out into the collapse of the FLYGLOBESPAN Airline. Thousands of passengers were stranded abroad and 550 staff were made redundant when the airline called in the administrators on Wednesday. The secretary said that the role that the credit card handling company E-Clear played in the collapse, would be examined. E-Clear failed to pass on the £35m it owed to the Airline.

*An AMERICAN AIRLINES Boeing 757 had to return to Los Angeles, California, on Friday, December 18, due to problems with its landing gear. Flight 2436 was on Domestic Service from LAX to Dallas/Ft Worth, Texas, with 193 passengers and crew onboard. Shortly after takeoff, the crew reported that they were unable to fully retract the landing gear, with the right main gear door remaining open. The 757 landed back at LAX without incident, about 15 minutes after its initial departure. The aircraft was removed from service for inspection and repairs.

*A VIVA AEROBUS Boeing 737 had to divert while enroute over Mexico, on Friday, December 18. Flight 150 was on Domestic Service from Monterrey to Tijuana, Mexico, with 80 passeengers and crew onboard, when the crew reported that their cockpit windshield had cracked. The 737 was diverted to Chihuahua, Mexico, where it landed without incident. The aircraft was removed from service for repairs.

*An AUSTRAL LINHAS AEREAS MD88 had to divert while enroute on Friday, December 18, due to engine problems. Flight 2459 was on Domestic Service from Salta to Buenos Aires, Argentina, with 106 passengers and crew onboard, when the crew reported that they had shut down the right hand engine due to an oil leak. The MD88 was diverted to Tucuman, Argentina, where it landed without incident. The aircraft was removed from service for inspection and repairs.

*A RYANAIR Boeing 737 had to make an emergency return on Friday, December 18, after suffering a bird strike. Flight 9237 was on Domestic Service from Alghero to Parma, Italy, with 80 passengers and crew onboard, when it ingested a bird into its right hand engine while on its takeoff roll. The crew elected to continue the takeoff, and then leveled off. The 737 landed back at Alghero without incident, about 15 minutes after its initial departure. The aircraft was removed from service for inspection and repairs.

*A TAF LINHAS AEREAS Boeing 727 was damaged while attempting to land in Brazil, on Thursday, December 17. The 727 was on a Cargo Flight from Sao Paulo to Manaus, Brazil, and made several attempts to land in Manaus in heavy rains and strong winds. Each approach had to be abandoned, and the aircraft was then diverted to Parintins, Brazil, about 200 miles away. While approaching Parintins, the crew had to declare a fuel emergency, however they were able to land without incident. Post flight inspection revealed damage to the leading edge of the right wing. It is believed that the 727 struck trees on one of its approaches into Manaus. The aircraft remains on the ground in Parintins awaiting repair.