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Naval Communications Station Implicated in Qantas Autopilot Interference |
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Monday, 05 January 2009 |
A malfunction in the autopilot system forced a Qantas jet to return to Perth, prompting concerns for the second time in three months that interference from a defence station in northwestern Australia may be to blame for a mid-air drama on the national carrier.
The Harold E. Holt Naval Communications Station provides very low frequency (VLF) radio transmission to United States Navy and Royal Australian Navy ships and submarines in the western Pacific Ocean and eastern Indian Ocean. With a transmission power of 1000 kilowatts, it is the most powerful transmission station in the Southern hemisphere.
Qantas flight 71 was on route to Singapore with 277 passengers about 8.30am last Saturday when it had to return to Perth after the jet's autopilot disconnected because of a problem with a unit that supplies key information to flight control computers.
The Airbus A330-300 was 45 minutes into the journey and about 380 nautical miles south of the Harold E. Holt Naval Communications Station - 15km north of Exmouth - when the autopilot switched off, The Australian reports.
After being notified that the plane was experiencing a problem with the air data inertial reference unit, the crew responded in less than a minute and followed revised operation procedures issued by Airbus after a similar emergency in October.
Seventy passengers were injured on that occasion, when their jet, also an A330-300 plunged dramatically.
Yesterday, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said the latest incident would be investigated as part of the October emergency inquiry because it appeared to be "a similar event".
In a preliminary report on the October incident, the bureau said it did not know why the ADIRU started sending false data, keeping alive speculation that interference from the station might have contributed to or caused the problem.
Aircraft engineer Peter Marosszeky said yesterday it was possible that interference from radio transmitters at the station could have caused the malfunction in both incidents.
"Even though the plane was 260 nautical miles (from Exmouth), those radio transmission signals are very powerful when they are transmitted," Mr Marosszeky said.
"These signals are supposed to travel around the world to reach submarines in the water and naval vessels, so they are very powerful. Whether there was one being transmitted at the time I don't know but you certainly have to look at the event log at the station."
The Defence Department would not comment yesterday.
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HMAS Arunta and Australian Taxpayers Rescue French Sailor |
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Sunday, 21 December 2008 |
 The crew of the Royal Australian Navy ship HMAS Arunta, funded by the taxpayers of Australia, have successfully
rescued the badly injured skipper of a yacht in challenging conditions in the
Indian Ocean, approximately 850 nautical miles off the Western Australian
coast.
Frenchman Yann Elies was competing in the round-the-world ‘Vendee Globe’
yacht race when he suffered a broken femur.
Race officials had classed Mr Elies as being in a life-threatening
condition.
Using a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat, specially trained crew from HMAS Arunta
extracted Mr Elies from his yacht, Generali, earlier this evening.
A doctor from the Royal Flying Doctor Service, embarked in the Anzac-Class
frigate, has begun administering emergency medical treatment.
The ship’s Commanding Officer, Commander Stephen Bowater said his crew has
displayed exceptional professionalism during the two days to reach the French
sailor.
“From receiving the order to deploy late on Thursday evening to sailing out
of HMAS Stirling in the very early hours of Friday morning, we only had a
precious few hours to get the ship operational,” Commander Bowater
said.
“This was achieved without compromise to the safety of the crew or the
operation of the ship.
“We have proven again that the Navy constantly maintains the ability to
respond at short notice to emergency situations.”
CMDR Bowater said Mr Elies is receiving excellent medical care from the
RFDS doctor and is resting comfortably.
HMAS Arunta is now returning to port, where Mr Elies will be transferred to
a civilian hospital.
The cost of the rescue is yet to be calculated, and it is unclear at this stage who will be picking up the tab. Options include the sailor concerned, or the race organisers.
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