Airlines

American Airlines Plane Makes Emergency Landing After Engine Catches Fire

On Sunday morning as it was its route to Phoenix, an American Airlines aeroplane caught fire mid-flight after a bird hit one of its engines. The plane was forced to make an emergency landing at the airfield where it took off in Columbus, Ohio.

No accidents or injuries were reported when the plane touched down at John Glenn Columbus International Airport about 8 a.m. local time. The Federal Aviation Administration is conducting an investigation into the incident.

“Emergency crews reacted to a suspected engine fire involving an aircraft at CMH this morning. According to a tweet from John Glenn Columbus International Airport, the plane landed safely, and the airport is now open and operating.

Emergency crews responded to an aircraft incident at CMH this morning involving a reported engine fire. The aircraft landed safely and the airport is open and operational. pic.twitter.com/EeCJzfbVjA— John Glenn Intl Airport (@columbusairport) April 23, 2023

A Twitter user posted a video of the incident and noted, “I just saw AA1958 with major engine issues just after takeoff. ” The incident was caught on camera. Engine fire bursting into flames, and the airplane was making wonky, pulsing noises.

Taken from Upper Arlington, Ohio. AA1958. pic.twitter.com/yUSSMImaF7— CBUS4LIFE (@Cbus4Life) April 23, 2023

The passenger further stated that once the aircraft safely touched down, everyone was taken out and switched to a later-departing flight.

According to reports, the incident occurred just days after another engine caught fire during takeoff from Charlotte Douglas Airport in North Carolina. The incident, which was later reported as a mechanical failure in the engine, caused no injuries.

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Airlines

S7 Group Begins Fan Blade Production for Western Engine Models

The privately-owned Russian aerospace giant S7 Group has reportedly commenced production of blades for Western-built aero engines at its subsidiary, the Berdsk Electromechanical Plant (BEMZ), located in Novosibirsk.

This development, reported by the Russian aviation publication ATO.ru, marks a significant step for the company amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.BEMZ has started manufacturing composite fan blades compatible with jet turbine engines, including the CFM International CFM56, which powers popular aircraft like the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 family.

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The technology for restoring blades of gas turbine engines used in Airbus and Boeing aircraft was previously developed by the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics and is now being implemented in the production of new aircraft parts at BEMZ.

Currently, BEMZ focuses on producing parts essential for maintaining the airworthiness of civil aircraft. Over the past year and a half, the plant has manufactured approximately 3,500 structural elements and components for replacement on foreign aircraft, which are utilized by airlines such as S7 Airlines, Pobeda, Aurora, and Aeroflot.

The facility is undergoing expansion, with two stages of an investment program totaling 2 billion roubles already completed. These developments are likely geared toward producing blades for the CFM56 engines, which equip more than half of S7’s operational fleet, including 28 Airbus A320-family aircraft and 19 Boeing 737-800s.

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Vasily Yurchenko, CEO of Berdsk Electromechanical Plant, emphasized the shift in focus towards maintaining the airworthiness of the Western-made fleet. The plant has delivered thousands of components to S7 and other Russian carriers since 2022. Notably, according to Russia’s Air Operators Association, 89% of the country’s passengers in 2023 traveled aboard foreign-made aircraft.

Future plans include serious investments to transform the plant into a modern, high-tech aircraft manufacturing facility. In addition to engine blades, BEMZ is also known for producing various spare parts for aircraft, reinforcing its role in the Russian aviation industry as it adapts to new manufacturing needs.