Aviation
Malaysian plane: Crew encounter difficulty recovering Black Box
SYDNEY — At the mist of discovering the where about of the missing Malaysia airlines flight 370 in the Indian Ocean, authorities will be miles away from solving one of the biggest mysteries in modern aviation.
International search will be faced with the difficulty of finding the rest of the wreckage including the critical Black Box flight recorders that will help to unveil what caused the Boeing 777-200 jet carrying 230 people to disappear in the early hours of March 8 en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur.
Ocean conditions in the search area are among the world’s roughest. The hunt for debris was suspended on Tuesday because of gale winds and sea swells at least four meters (13 feet) high that made it too dangerous for aircraft and ships to continue.
“This part of the world, this Southern Ocean, has shipwrecked many, many sailors in our history in Western Australia,” said Australian Defense Minister David Johnston, whose country is leading the search. “There are 20-, 30-meter waves. It is very dangerous.”
Search crews are working on a tight deadline to pinpoint the Malaysia Airlines wreckage because the black boxes, which emit signals that can indicate their location from thousands of yards away, are designed to last about 30 days. The hunt for Flight 370 is already in its third week. So far searchers haven’t positively identified any aircraft wreckage, though several pieces of suspected debris have been spotted by aircrews scanning a remote stretch of ocean, where a number of possible aircraft items were earlier identified by satellite images.
“You probably couldn’t have picked a worse place in the world for it to have gone down,” said Charitha Pattiaratchi, a professor at the University of Western Australia’s Oceans Institute.
Investigators combing the wreckage of an Air France AF.FR -0.14% Airbus A330 jet that plunged into the Atlantic Ocean in 2009 took almost two years to retrieve the plane’s data recorder from the depths. French authorities launched their fourth undersea search in March 2011 after three previous attempts to pinpoint the plane failed.
Still, the salvage vessel that may lead the Indian Ocean search for the Malaysia Airlines flight recorders has a track-record in deep-sea recovery, including retrieving a body from a crashed Black Hawk helicopter in deep waters off the island nation of Fiji in 2007.
The U.S. Navy early Tuesday said it would likely use the Seahorse Standard, a commercial ship chartered to the Australian navy, to tow its black-box locator if a debris field is detected. The sturdy 72-meter-long vessel—equipped with sonar and salvage gear, including a remotely operated underwater vehicle—would also be able to carry any wreckage to port where it could be examined by aviation investigators. The ship is currently in Perth, on Australia’s west coast—at least several days’ voyage from the search area. It carries a crew of up to 60 and can remain at sea for 100 days at a time.
In March 2007, the Seahorse Standard recovered the body of an airman from an Australian Black Hawk helicopter in about 3,000 meters of water—almost five months after it crashed while on standby to evacuate Australian citizens from Fiji in the event of a military coup. Australia had used U.S. salvage equipment to pinpoint the location of the helicopter’s black box several months earlier.
The U.S. Navy said its locator, towed behind a ship, was used to help find the black box from Air France Flight 447, which was en route to Paris from Rio de Janeiro when it crashed. Should a debris field for Flight 370 be located, the Navy said it plans to deploy an underwater unmanned vehicle, known as a Bluefin 21, to help with the search. The vehicle can operate for 25 hours and descend nearly 15,000 feet.
The Seahorse Standard, owned by Sydney-based DMS Maritime Pty Ltd., has also carried out work in the oil and gas industry. The company declined to comment on the search Tuesday. The ship’s captain couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
Malaysia’s defense minister, Hishammuddin Hussein, later Tuesday suggested the black box locator would be fitted to Ocean Shield, which was expected to dock in Perth later in the week and could be in the search area by April 5.
The 6,500 metric ton Ocean Shield was bought by Australia’s navy in 2012 to be used to transport troops and supplies on humanitarian and disaster relief missions. The ship has a helicopter landing pad and has accommodation for up to 100 people.
Mr. Hishammuddin said the area being searched for debris was being narrowed down using satellite surveillance, analysis of radar data and the work of crews on ships and plans
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced stringent measures against pilots and crew members who work for multiple airlines concurrently, a practice it describes as a serious safety violation.
In a letter dated November 6, 2024, Acting Director-General, Chris Nojomo warned that pilots operating for more than one airline without specific safety protocols pose significant risks to Nigeria’s aviation sector.
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The directive, titled “Prohibition of Ad-Hoc Flight Operators for Multiple Airlines,” noted that NCAA surveillance reports revealed multiple cases of unauthorized cross-airline work by flight crews, which the agency now plans to address.
According to the NCAA, simulator and proficiency checks endorsed on a pilot’s license are valid only for the specific airline and training program under which they were issued.
The letter stated, “With effect from the date of issuance of this directive, all operators and holders of pilot licenses are informed that this action will be treated as a violation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations.”
The NCAA’s new policy, effective November 11, 2024, warns that violators will face strict enforcement actions. Moving forward, simulator renewals will also be filed directly with individual operators, further tightening the agency’s oversight.
In a bold step to strengthen Akwa Ibom’s position in Nigeria’s aviation industry, Governor Umo Eno announced the addition of two new Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft to the fleet of the state-owned airline, Ibom Air, on Friday.
The two aircraft, registered as 5N-CED and 5N-CEE, mark a milestone in the state’s commitment to strategic investment, with the governor stressing that the acquisitions were fully funded by state resources without loans from financial institutions.
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At a welcoming ceremony attended by local officials and residents, Governor Eno emphasized his administration’s mission to drive revenue-generating ventures for Akwa Ibom rather than relying on debt.
He called the move a step toward breaking the cycle of government investments that only serve to pay off loans, vowing that the state’s funds would go towards projects that bring returns to the people.
The governor challenged Ibom Air to turn a profit by 2025, stating that the airline’s management should ensure routes in and out of Uyo remain dependable to prioritize the needs of Akwa Ibom travelers.
“As long as I remain governor, we will continue to use state funds for the benefit of all, not for private gain,” he said, noting that his administration aims to ensure that public investments deliver real value to the state.
Governor Eno also provided updates on several ambitious state projects, including an 18-story commercial complex underway in Lagos and an upcoming 4-star hotel in Abuja, both designed to generate revenue for Akwa Ibom.
Plans for an international market in Ikot Ekpene and the phased opening of a new terminal at the Victor Attah International Airport were also announced, with the airport terminal set for partial operation by December and full activation in early 2025.
Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Udeme Otong, commended Eno’s financial management, highlighting that the administration has avoided seeking loans over the past 18 months despite launching significant development projects.
Ibom Air’s Chairman, Pastor Imoabasi Jacob, expressed appreciation for the state’s investment in the airline, which has seen its fleet grow to nine aircraft.
Jacob credited the governor’s support with enabling Ibom Air to boost flight capacity, meeting demand on popular routes such as Uyo-Lagos-Abuja.
Captain Mfon Udom, CEO of Ibom Air, stated that the expanded fleet will improve efficiency and allow the airline to scale up its operations in time for the Christmas travel season.
Udom also noted that the airline anticipates the delivery of nine additional Airbus planes, which will further strengthen Ibom Air’s market presence.
Traditional leaders, including HRM Edidem Ita Edet Okokon III of Okobo Local Government Area, lauded the governor’s leadership, pledging continued support from the traditional institutions.
Anie Essienette, Group Manager for Marketing and Communications at Ibom Air, noted that demand for the airline’s services has surged nationwide, with the new CRJ900 aircraft helping meet this increasing need while the airline awaits further fleet expansion.
Nigeria’s Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo is of the view that there’s no cause for alarm over the approval of a private airstrip for a religious organisation, which attracted the attention of the House of Representatives.
He took to his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Friday morning to shed light on the subject, and explained that it could be a great source of revenue for Federal Government.
Keyamo asserted that the issue was raised by an honourable member at plenary, out of ignorance, but was “unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee to look into.”
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Keyamo expressed confidence that by the time his Ministry was done enlightening them, “they will be satisfied”.
He added that “the privates air strip owners pay the Federal Government handsomely for these services.”
Keyamo wrote, “I think this is not correct. The House of Reps. as a body did not call on the Minister to revoke the license of any private airstrip.
“I think what happened is that someone moved a motion in that regard and it was unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee to look into it.
“Whilst the intention of the Hon. Member who moved it is very patriotic, it was based on a complete lack of knowledge of the aviation sector.
“By the time we explain to them how private air strips work and the processes they undergo by our agencies before the final approval, they will be satisfied.
“The responsibility of the owners of private air strips is just to build the runway and terminal building. But after they build the control tower in particular, it is completely handed over to the Federal Government through NAMA (Nigerian Airspace Management Agency) which is in complete control of the entire airspace in Nigeria. An MOU is usually signed with NAMA in this regard before the airstrip is approved for operations.
“It is NAMA that provides the Air Traffic Controllers and Engineers in ALL AIRPORTS and AIRSTRIPS IN NIGERIA. And the privates air strip owners pay the Federal Government handsomely for these services.
“No object flies into Nigeria without the prior clearance by NAMA and without filing a clear flight plan, eg, where it is taking off from and where it intends to land.
“And I have recently directed that all aircraft coming into the country MUST first land at our international airports where they would be properly processed and checked before they make their local flights into whatever airport or airstrip they intend to go. So, it is COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY impossible for any private airstrip owner to just jump on an aircraft and fly in and out of the country through that facility. The Federal Government does not permit that. You will not be cleared for take off or landing without prior request and authorisation.
“I thank the Member for his patriotism, but I wish he contacted us first to explain to him before rushing to move such a motion.
“I attach herewith for public consumption the NAMA Act that gives exclusive control of the Nigerian airspace to the Federal Government through NAMA.”
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