XI. Read the texts and comment on them.

Crash of Tu-134 in Carelia.

·  On the 20^th of June, 2011 there was a scheduled flight from Domodedovo to Petrozavodsk airport operated by TU-134. On final approach it crashed killing 45 people and injuring 7 more. Next day 2 more people passed away.

 The aircraft was performing approach to land at airport which was shrouded in fog and pilots deviated from the course. ATC instructed them to climb and take the second approach but crew neglecting this command decided to land. It was night time, poor visibility, aircraft’s navigational equipment didn’t establish contact with inner marker, they were approaching visually and confused RW with highway. Being in tight corner pilots attempted to land on the highway but hit the trees and then power lines (it de-energized the airport for some time – RW landing lights were cut off). The plane impacted with the highway about 1200 meters short of the RW, broke apart and burst into flames.

Investigation is still in progress but it has been already revealed that the engines were running smoothly, there were no any explosions on the board. The aircraft was flying off-course and executed premature descent below glide path. And there is exact rule for aviation in all over the world – if at the altitude of making decision, in this case it was 60 meters, there is no safe visual contact with the RW, the crew in any case has to increase engine power, retract landing gear and go around. In Petrozavodsk it wasn’t done. By the way the captain of this flight was a retrained helicopter pilot and apparently in critical situation he got used to set visual contact with the ground discrediting navigational devices.

 

Crash of A-320 in Sochi.

On the 3d of May 2006, an Armavia Airbus A320 plunged into the Black Sea en route from Yerevan to Sochi. Investigation commission found out that the aircraft was in good technological condition, engines were running smoothly, there were not any system malfunctions and it was fueled enough for safe completion of the flight.

Being tracked by Sochi controller pilots were informed that the weather at the airport was above minima and they were cleared for descent to 600 meters, before entering the turn to the final approach. Whilst performing the turn, the runway extended centerline was overshot. After eliminating the deviation, the crew started descending the aircraft along the glide slope, following the approach pattern. In 30 seconds the controller advised crew about deteriorating meteorological situation (cloud ceiling 100 meters) and instructed them to cease their descent, abandon the landing attempt, and carry out a right turn and climb 600 meters. In some seconds the aircraft crashed. All 105 passengers and 8 crew on board perished.

It was revealed that the crew didn’t use standard procedure for going around. The crash was caused by inadequate control inputs of the Captain following a go-around after the first attempted approach. Contributing factors to the accident were the lack of necessary monitoring of the aircraft descent parameters by the First Officer, and the improper reaction of the crew to the subsequent GPWS warning.

 According to assessed data pre-flight crew rest was more than 24 hours. Otherwise cockpit voice recorder indicates of pilots sleepy condition that could affect the outcome of the flight. And the flight was performed at night time when probability of committing mistake is rather high.

  

 

UNIT 2

PECULIARITIES OF ATC’S JOB

I. New vocabulary.

· Inalienable part

· To be in charge of/ to be responsible for

· To be obliged to

· To deal with

· To bear responsibility for/ to assume responsibility for

· To follow smb’s footsteps

· Handover

· To be equipped with/ to be fitted with

· To substitute

· To eliminate the problem

· Separation infringement

· State-of-art/advanced/sophisticated/ enhanced equipment

· To be at smb’s disposal

· Level-headed

· To distinguish

· Designation

· To advise/inform/notice/notify

· To predetermine

· To designate

· To assign

· To take into account

· To spot

· To collaborate

· To undertake measures

· To ensure safety/ to enhance safety

· Benefits/advantages/positive sides

· Drawbacks/ disadvantages/negative sides

· In a row

· To meet requirements /to meet demands

· To work out

· To drill

· To enhance knowledge

· To adhere to rules

· To apply skills and knowledge

· To cope with the problems

· Paramount importance

· To follow smb’s footsteps