Fri, Sep 17, 2010
UPS Accident In Dubai May Be The Catalyst For New Rules
The apparent cargo fire which is being investigated as a
factor in the recent downing of a UPS 747 freighter in Dubai may
lead to tighter regulations on the transportation of lithium
batteries. Sources close to the investigation say new regulations
could affect nearly every shipper in the U.S.
The UPS 747 went down September 3rd after the pilots reported
smoke in the cockpit. Both pilots were fatally injured in the
accident.
The new regulations under consideration would require special
packaging and other measures on batteries and products that have
them installed, according to a report in The Wall Street
Journal. It would also be increasingly difficult to ship large
quantities of the batteries on a single plane. The plane which went
down enroute from Hong Kong to Cologne, Germany after a stop in
Dubai reportedly was carrying a large shipment of consumer
electronic devices.
Meanwhile the Abu Dhabi newspaper The National reports
that preliminary analysis of the CVR and FDR from the accident
aircraft indicated there was a "fire warning" on board the airplane
about 28 minutes after takeoff from Dubai. The crew then told
controllers that they were experiencing "cockpit visibility and
communications problems" before declaring an emergency.
UPS 747 File Photo
The recorders are being analyzed by the General Civil Aviation
Authority (GCAA) in UAE. Investigators said the pilot was unable to
change frequencies after crossing in to Barhaini airspace, which
made it impossible to re-establish communications with ATC in Dubai
as they attempted to return to Dubai International Airport. The
cause of the radio problem is part of the ongoing
investigation.
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