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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2009
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Air France Union Urges Crews Not to Fly Airbus

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(Newser) – A French airline-workers union has urged Air France crews to boycott long-haul Airbus jets until new speed sensors are installed, the Times of London reports. “To prevent a repeat” of the Flight 447 disaster, the Alter union said, “we call on flight deck and cabin crew to refuse all flights aboard the A330 and A340 series which have not been modified.” Alter represents 10% of Air France crews.

Air France has already sped up the replacement of the sensor and says the overhaul of its fleet will be complete within days. Alter says the airline was trying to cover up a crucial oversight and had known about false speed readings since November. One pilot faulted the extremely automated plane for the crash: “The automatics make life easier on the Airbus but the failure states are far more complicated and less intuitive than on a Boeing.”

Air France pilot and spokesman of the Air France pilots section of the SNPL union, Eric Derivry, left, and President of the Air France pilots section of the SNPL union, Louis Jobard.
Air France pilot and spokesman of the Air France pilots section of the SNPL union, Eric Derivry, left, and President of the Air France pilots section of the SNPL union, Louis Jobard.   (AP Photo)
Air France employees stand outside the Notre-Dame cathedral during an ecumenical church service for relatives and families of the passengers of Air France's flight 447.
Air France employees stand outside the Notre-Dame cathedral during an ecumenical church service for relatives and families of the passengers of Air France's flight 447.   (AP Photo)
An Air France employee stands at the Air France check-in desk of the Tom Jobim Airport in Rio de Janeiro.
An Air France employee stands at the Air France check-in desk of the Tom Jobim Airport in Rio de Janeiro.   (AP Photo)
Brazilian sailors recover debris of the missing Air France Flight 447.
Brazilian sailors recover debris of the missing Air France Flight 447.   (AP Photo)
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4 comments
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SBS
Jun 9, 09 4:52 PM CDT
I read an article about a midair collision between an airliner and a newly purchased private business jet in South America. The gist of the article was that the private business jet pilots didn't have enough training time to learn all of the electronics in the cockpit. Engineers can invent new( and I'm sure better) systems but it is hard for the pilots to keep up with all of them. Reply
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SPH
Jun 9, 09 6:12 PM CDT
If Air France knew that these air speed indicators were defective then the blood is on their hands...Anything for a buck I guess..... Reply
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Sauerkraut
Jun 9, 09 8:47 PM CDT
Not to be disrespectful, but why can't our flight attendants in the U.S. look like that? inb4 Stop eating McDonalds Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
RatsInArabia
Jun 10, 09 2:06 AM CDT
because we have equal opportunity in the US...
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