Another nightmare for Air India, Dreamliner stuck in Kuala Lumpur

February 6, 2014

Air-india-dreamliner
New Delhi, Feb 6: There's no end in sight to Boeing's B-787 Dreamliner troubles.

An Air India Dreamliner flying from Melbourne to Delhi on Wednesday had to be diverted to Kuala Lumpur after all the three onboard flight management computers (FMC) — that control navigation and allow a plane to be fly long distances on auto pilot — reportedly failed simultaneously. The flight, AI 301 with 231 people on board including 18 crew members, landed in KL safely but is now stuck there.

"AI is rushing engineers and technical equipment to KL. Passengers are being taken care of there and those who have to rush to Delhi are being accommodated on other airlines. The other passengers will leave as soon as the aircraft is rectified. There was no safety issue in the latest snag but it has caused inconvenience to passengers and huge expenses to the airline," said a senior AI official. Rattled by the unending snags, Boeing is sending a team of its experts from Hong Kong to KL.

The latest snag in this particular Dreamliner — VT-ANJ, which in December saw its windshield cracking while parked in Delhi — is being viewed very seriously as the all the three FMC failed simultaneously. "FMCs control and manage the entire navigation of the aircraft and tells auto pilot what commands to execute at what time based on the route pre-programmed into them on ground before take off for each journey. The failure of FMC does not affect safety as the aircraft remains fly-able but is severely degraded," said a source.

All the three FMCs failing together mean that the plane has to be taken off auto pilot and pilots have to manually divert the aircraft at the nearest airport. Ultra modern aircraft like Airbus A-380 or B-787 are designed by manufacturers in a way that maximum work is done automatically to enhance safety. "Due to human limitation of flying such long distances, safety margin is indirectly compromised when auto pilot cannot be used and hence it is recommended that the pilot manually to the nearest airport," said the source.

Like all airlines using the Dreamliner, AI is constantly in touch with Boeing for the unending technical snags with the aircraft. Just when one issue is resolved, some other thing crops up. While none of the issues have so far affected safety, they have led to massive inconvenience to passengers thanks to delays, cancellations and an uncertain schedule of flights operated on the B-787.

"We are earning passenger ire for no fault of ours as Boeing seems to have hurriedly made this plane. Delays mean we put up passengers in hotels, accommodate them on other flights and end up spending huge sums, apart from earning the flyers' anger," said an official.

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News Network
November 3,2024

Mangaluru, Nov 3: A quiet morning turned perilous for a farmer in Elathur, near Kinnigoli on the outskirts of the city, as a leopard attacked him while he was cutting grass. 

Ligori, a resident of Kalkare, was startled by the sudden assault and suffered injuries to his face but managed to escape and reach safety. He was promptly taken to the hospital for medical care.

Residents in Elathur have been on edge for over a week following reports of leopard sightings in the area. Today’s incident has heightened concerns among the local farming community, who now fear for their safety.

With a significant population of farmers in the region, villagers are demanding immediate action from the forest department to capture the leopard and ensure their safety. 

The community awaits a response, hoping for swift intervention to prevent further attacks.

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News Network
November 3,2024

Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada MP Capt. Brijesh Chowta has called for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the alleged embezzlement of Waqf properties. This demand follows findings from the Anwar Manippady committee's report, which reveals that while 54,000 acres of land are registered with the Waqf Board, approximately 29,000 acres have been misappropriated.

Capt. Chowta emphasized the need for a thorough investigation, stating, “A comprehensive probe should be conducted based on this report. Those who have illegally encroached on these properties must be held accountable.”

He challenged the Congress party, suggesting that if they genuinely care for the Muslim community and underprivileged women, their members should actively participate in the Joint Parliamentary Committee discussing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024. This participation is essential to ensure that Waqf properties are used effectively for community welfare.

The MP criticized the notices served to farmers in Honvada village, Vijayapura, which stated that nearly 1,200 acres of their ancestral land was being reassigned to the Waqf Board. He expressed that this issue arose while the NDA government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is working on amendments to the Waqf Act. He accused the Congress-led state government, particularly Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, of trying to enforce outdated 50-year-old notifications about Waqf properties. After the farmers raised concerns, Minister M. B. Patil clarified that the confusion was due to an error in the gazette.

Chowta alleged that Congress members in the Joint Parliamentary Committee are obstructing proceedings and causing disruptions. He expressed suspicion that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah might have instructed Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan to implement these outdated notifications regarding Waqf properties. As a result, he demanded the Minister's resignation.

He accused the Congress party of exploiting Muslim voters for the past 75 years without making substantial efforts for their welfare. Furthermore, he highlighted that the BJP is launching a campaign against land jihad, pointing out that the Waqf Board controls one of the largest land banks after the Defence and Railways sectors. Finally, he urged citizens to check the revenue records (RTC) of their land ownership to verify its status.

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News Network
November 11,2024

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Mangaluru: In a deeply tragic turn of events, a 28-year-old woman named Ranjitha, who had recently given birth but tragically lost her newborn, ended her life by suicide on Monday. She reportedly leapt from the fourth-floor window of Lady Goschen Hospital’s luggage room.

Ranjitha, whose strength and resilience had carried her through a difficult pregnancy, was scheduled for discharge on Monday. Her journey to Lady Goschen Hospital began on October 24, when she was transferred from Karkala. She was a high-risk patient, battling both hypertension and diabetes. At the time of her admission, she was just 27 weeks pregnant.

Due to the complexities of her health, doctors made the difficult decision to perform an emergency C-section on October 30. She delivered a baby girl, premature and weighing only 960 grams. The newborn was immediately moved to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, where doctors did all they could. Despite these efforts, the baby passed away on November 3.

Ranjitha’s sorrow was profound. She stayed under hospital care even after her initial recovery and was preparing to go home on November 9. She had even requested a couple more days at the hospital, seeking time perhaps to cope with her unimaginable grief.

On the day of her discharge, a discharge card ready and her family eagerly waiting to take her home, Ranjitha reportedly made her way to the luggage room in the early hours. There, standing on a cot placed for patients' family members, she climbed to a window and fell from the fourth floor. Despite the attempts of another visitor to intervene, tragedy was inevitable. She was rushed to Government Wenlock Hospital, where doctors confirmed the worst—she was no more.

Dr. Durgaparasad M R, the Medical Superintendent at Lady Goschen Hospital, shared his grief and spoke of the ongoing investigation. A post-mortem is to be conducted, and the local Tahsildar will complete the necessary inquest procedures. Ranjitha’s exact reasons for taking this step are yet to be confirmed, though the weight of her recent losses paints a sorrowful picture.

If you or anyone you know is struggling emotionally, please remember that help is available. Reach out to mental health experts who can provide support and guidance. The toll-free helpline number 9152987821 is available to assist anyone in distress.

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