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Air France Airbuses Get New Speed Sensors

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 15, 2009 12:10 PM CDT

(Newser) – All of Air France’s long-haul Airbus jets have had their airspeed sensors replaced, AFP reports. A pilots union says the airline accelerated its program to switch out questionable pitot tubes on A330s and A340s. Though the circumstances are unknown, some think a faulty sensor could have caused Flight 447 to break up and plunge into the Atlantic on June 1.

French and Brazilian authorities are still looking for debris, bodies, and—most crucially—the data recorders from the flight, though the search may be called off soon. It has so far yielded 49 bodies, and a nuclear submarine is patrolling the area for the so-called black boxes, which emit a locator signal for a month after a crash.

Brazilian tanker Almirante Gastao Motta, left, and French Navy ship Mistral are seen during search operations.
Brazilian tanker Almirante Gastao Motta, left, and French Navy ship Mistral are seen during search operations.   (AP Photo)
Graphic shows common Pitot tube speed sensor used on A330 aircraft.
Graphic shows common Pitot tube speed sensor used on A330 aircraft.   (AP Photo)
Air France pilot and pilots-union spokesman Eric Derivry, left, and president of the Air France pilots section of the SNPL union, Louis Jobard.
Air France pilot and pilots-union spokesman Eric Derivry, left, and president of the Air France pilots section of the SNPL union, Louis Jobard.   (AP Photo)
The tail section of Air France flight 447.
The tail section of Air France flight 447.   (AP Photo)
The Air France Airbus 330-200 that went down in the Atlantic.
The Air France Airbus 330-200 that went down in the Atlantic.   (AP Photo)
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