Gamle ting blir som nye

Terrifying video captures moment German drone missed Afghan plane carrying 100 passengers by just two metres

 

(Video here)

Classified footage of an out-of-control drone narrowly missing an Afghan passenger plane carrying 100 people has caused outrage in Germany.

The video, filmed from onboard the unmanned German Luna drone as it flew over Afghanistan, shows it missing the plane by about two metres.

It has caused fury in Germany as debate rages about the Government's new order of drones.

Last week German Defence Minister Thomas de Maiziere said Luna's successor would not be fitted with anti-collision technology because it is too expensive.

Critics have seized on the dramatic footage taken nine years ago as proof of the dangers of unmanned drones and called for de Maiziere to reconsider.

They say larger drones should be fitted with the technology as it could cause more damage if it crashed.

Since then the footage has gained widespread attention, despite being nine years old.

The 88lb German 'Luna' drone was caught in air turbulence created by the Ariana passenger plane, before losing control and crash landing near the Afghan capital, Kabul.

The video shows the plane in the distance before it swiftly moves into shot.

The drone passes under the left wing of the engine.

The video was posted on YouTube despite it being strictly classified.

Wreckage from the crash in 2004 was never recovered.

German magazine Der Spiegel believe that the drone flew less than two metres away from the Airbus A300, putting 100 lives at risk.

However, Germany is still going ahead with the purchase of a possible 16 armed aircraft for military use from 2016.

The country has held talks with Israel over the Heron TO unmanned aerial vehicle and with the U.S. over the Reaper aircraft.

A defence ministry spokesman said that he did not foresee combat-ready drones being deployed over Germany, for example in anti-terrorism operations.

A Government spokesman told AFP: 'The intention is that we acquire 16 such devices in future and that the armed forces have them at their disposal from 2016, three years from now.'

It comes as Defence Minister de Maiziere fights for his political career after abandoning a multi-million euro drone programme.

Mr de Maiziere scrapped the 'Euro Hawk' surveillance drone project two weeks ago blaming spiralling costs.

It had already cost €508 million (£432million) before Mr de Maiziere said on May 14 that he would 'pull the ripcord' on the plan to buy four more of the unmanned surveillance aircraft. 

He feared aviation authorities in Europe would not certify the controversial aircraft to fly over the continent because it lacks the anti-collision system.

But he is under mounting pressure amid accusations at home that he already knew about possible problems with the anti-collision system but continued to plough money into the project.

The Defence Minister is now expected to present a report to the German media on the so-called 'drone debacle'.

Drones are controversial in Germany, both because of battlefield 'collateral damage', or civilian deaths, and because of their spying capabilities, which evoke dark memories from past fascist and communist regimes.

Before 3407, FAA Threatened Colgan Air with Disciplinary Action

Buffalo, NY (WKBW) - Ever since news broke that pilot error brought down Flight 3407 more than four years ago, questions have been swirling about Colgan Air's safety regulations.

Now, it seems the FAA had questions about the airline too -- even before the crash that left 51 dead.
Statements released by the FAA show the airline was warned of some of its procedures, months before the crash of Flight 3407.

Those statements from the FAA stop short of citing safety concerns with Colgan Air, instead referring to maintenance issues.

However, the follow-up included changes and safety training for Colgan Air employees, the summer before Flight 3407 crashed into a Clarence Center neighborhood.

A statement from the FAA said its officials "met with Colgan executives in the summer of 2008, when the airline was expanding its fleet, to discuss recurring maintenance issues identified through FAA surveillance data."

The FAA officials reviewed open civil penalty cases, which look into the issue of fines for non-compliance. The FAA even thought about suspending or revoking the airline's certification for commercial flights.

In response, Colgan started seminars to discuss airline safety with virtually every employee. It also added more employees, reduced pilot flying time and made maintenance improvements.

According to the FAA, "over a period of several months, constant FAA monitoring of risk indicators showed improvements."

However, Karen Eckert and Susan Bourque, whose sister Beverly Eckert died in the crash, says the FAA did not go far enough.

The FAA cites "human error" as the cause of the crash. However, Eckert and Bourque say it comes down to a lack of concern for safety at Colgan Air.

"This really was a situation that was ripe for a catastrophe," says Bourque.

"Sickening to know that -- and then Colgan went on," says Eckert. "We all know what happened February 12, 2009."

The FAA says it continued to monitor Colgan Air.

Family members believe the small regional airline met the minimum FAA requirements -- but that wasn't enough.

FULL FAA STATEMENTS TO EYEWITNESS NEWS ...

FAA STATEMENT 1:
As a result of FAA oversight, Colgan Airlines implemented many safety changes prior to the accident, including adding more employees, enhancing safety training for all employees, reducing pilot flying time by reducing ferry flights, and making maintenance improvements.

Over a period of several months, constant FAA monitoring of risk indicators showed improvements.
The Colgan accident was the tragic and unfortunate result of a series of human errors. With the help of the Colgan families, the FAA has made significant progress across the industry in reducing pilot fatigue, and improving pilot training and qualifications to reduce or eliminate the types of errors that caused the accident.


FAA STATEMENT 2:
FAA officials met with Colgan executives in the summer of 2008, when the airline was expanding its fleet, to discuss recurring maintenance issues identified through FAA surveillance data. The FAA officials reviewed open civil penalty cases and raised the possibility of certificate action. Colgan proposed a safety standdown, which the FAA supported. Subsequent to the meeting, Colgan added staff to operations and maintenance and FAA data confirmed improvements. The airline's ferry flights complied with regulations, but the FAA worked with Colgan to develop better procedures for those operations.