There are several known SEP controlled ditching incidents in the vicinity of Corsica (on a quick mental recollection at least three in the past couple of decades) while I have heard so few in Mallorca (0 using the same poor stat) or any of the Balearics (1) in general as well as Sardinia. Perhaps someone has clearer recollection?
Maybe the reason is pure stats due to more traffic?
The good news is all the ones I recall had a successful outcome in terms of lives…perhaps because we dont even know if the unsuccessful ones were controlled ditchings or otherwise.
I also wonder on the Mirage2000…perhaps sooner available on site (those tend to be on 15 mins alert+ perhaps a 20 mins transit from MArseille) ? If I’m in the water, I’d rather see a helo or a boat, but then I’d also rather see a jet fighter than nothing!
Also good news is that both Balearics and Corsica have 24/7 airborne SAR helo coverage. One interesting point in the Mallorca grapevine in the past is SAR have tried to recover rescue costs from insurers (this is from hikers rescue stories).
As to the single-point failure for the fuel pump…well clearly fuel flow is inherently more reliable by design on fuel injected lycosaurus and contisaurus, where the electric pump will restore fuel flow if not blocked, and even then it depends where the blockage is, since there are bypasses in the system. When that happens, however, you need to fiddle with the throttle and mixture until you find your sweet spot, but you’ll get home.
Not being an expert, on traditional diesels a back-up pump is really not feasible, but on modern ones with electric-controlled fuel injectors, should it not be possible? Which type of injection system is in the Austro300?
Which type of injection system is in the Austro300?
Common rail fed by the HP pump. A second HP pump isn’t much of a weight liability.
T28 wrote:
A second HP pump isn’t much of a weight liability.
That was my point, yes…makes one wonder, but surely Austro engineers must be wondering too!
I didn’t know the T210 that ditched in Girolata had had such an oil analysis 30 hrs before.
Passed my few first crossings toward Corsica (blessed by the excitement of the beginner), I have never felt so safe above water in SEP…. but with such an engine, I would not have dared !
Do you think the oil filter must have been contaminated (macro) with such high levels ?
That was my point, yes…makes one wonder, but surely Austro engineers must be wondering too!
I think their issue is more centered around providing motive power for a 2nd pump :-)
Those oil analysis numbers are meaningful in the context of a trend. For example a rarely flown engine will produce a lot of Fe (rust). And a lot of Al (the rust scraping metal off the pistons). That’s why most GA doesn’t do oil analysis; nearly all mechanics rubbish it as useless (including some who used to post here years ago) but they know it would just give them hassle with the customer asking why the numbers are so high. A similar reason why GPs try their damnest to talk you out of getting a PSA test 
It’s standard practice for any doctor I’ve had. Here’s the last two biennial checks pulled from my online medical records, rising slightly with age as it does. I notice they’ve changed the data format in the last couple of years. If I wanted to I could look at this stuff all day long on my phone
My body is pretty much in continual service so I appreciate the value of comparing periodic data. I’m maybe less a fan of engine oil analysis unless the plane is flown very regularly, and I don’t believe spikes after a period of inactivity necessarily matter all that much – I guess it depends on their frequency and severity.
There are a few video clip from the SEP which was first on scene at
around 8:45.
Was the instructor Alexandra? When I did my BFR/IPC with her in January, she proposed going to Corsica from Cannes for the approaches, I elected Avignon as I really didn’t want to be over water for no good reason…
The video says the the Mirage 2000 was already in flight.
Not sure I would do the flight of “Romain” who helped locate the the life raft, going to Corsica with pax with an aircraft just out of maintenance, but lucky for the accident aircraft!
I like the fact the video describes the importance of the gravity of outcome when considering risks. That’s the approach used in Flight Risk Assessment Tools like this one which I’ve just released (it’s free, but please Peter if this breaks forum rules, simply delete my post)
