Computer glitch led to Airbus nosedive

A faulty computer unit likely caused a Qantas jetliner to experience two terrifying midair plunges within minutes last week, an Australian investigator said Tuesday. More than 40 people were injured when the Airbus A330-300 briefly nosedived twice during a Singapore-Perth flight last Tuesday.

Julian Walsh, chief air investigator at the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, said an initial investigation indicated the cause was a computer unit that detects through sensors the angle of the plane against the airstream. One of the plane’s three air data inertial reference units, known as ADIRUs, malfunctioned and sent the wrong data to the main flight computers.

He said Airbus had notified all operators of A330 and A340 aircraft, equipped with the same sensors, about how crews should respond to such a malfunction. But aircraft are unlikely to be grounded over a malfunction that had never happened before, he added.

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit:
http://epaper.asianage.com/Asian/AAge/2008/10/15/index.shtml

Suicide blast at Pakistani MP’s house: 30 die

At least 30 people were killed and over a hundred others injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up at PML (Nawaz) leader Rashid Akbar Nawani’s residence in Bhakkar district.

Mr Nawani, a member of Pakistan’s Parliament, was meeting people from his constituency to exchange Id greetings when the blast occurred, injuring him and killing more than 30 people.

Mr Nawani was in critical condition in hospital. “Several of the injured are critical... We only hope the death toll will not rise,” said a doctor.

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit:
http://epaper.asianage.com/Asian/AAge/2008/10/07/index.shtml

12 MINS. 8 BLASTS. 60 DEAD

Eight bomb blasts triggered by terrorists over just 12 minutes on Wednesday night killed at least 60 people in the heart of Jaipur and injured 200.

The explosions, the first terror strikes in the Pink City, occurred in markets usually teeming with people and near the Hanuman Mandir in the walled city.

The bombings took place as India marked the 10th anniversary of nuclear tests conducted on May 13 in Rajasthan, but it was unclear if there was any link.

"According to the information I have received, 60 people have died and 150 have been injured," said Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje.

The Bangladesh-based Harkut-ulJehadi Islami (HuJI) is suspected to be behind the blasts, home ministry sources said.

The sources had earlier ruled out the use of RDX in the carefully orchestrated low-intensity explosions, which were believed to have been set off from cycles in areas frequented by tourists, including near the historic Hawa Mahal. But minister of state for home Sriprakash Jaiswal, saying that the government felt there was a "foreign hand" behind the blasts, added later that the use of RDX was also suspected.

To read the full article, click here...
To read the ePaper, visit: http://epaper.asianage.com