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Airbus A380 Under Fire

jose parinas writes "The security of the Airbus A380 jetliner is questioned by a U.S. Engineer that faces arrest and bankruptcy in Austria. A year ago, Mangan told European aviation authorities that he believed there were problems with a computer chip on the Airbus A380, the biggest and costliest commercial airliner ever built."

6 of 587 comments (clear)

  1. WTF? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Why the hell would you leave the country just because you are a whistle blower?! The US offers protection, no? There are laws, you can file for bankruptcy without people breaking your fingers.

    And why in the hell would you move to a country like Austria?! That's even more stupid than leaving the US. And to take your kids there?!?! WHAT THE FUCK is this moron thinking?!

  2. ROFLMAO by rakslice · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Whoever modded this probable post 'Interesting' gets a big hug and a free membership in the amateur psychologists' guild.

    And in case I'm wrong, and the post wasn't actually intended as a troll:

    >Doesn't the plane know it has lost cabin pressure?

    No. It's a plane.

    >If it's on autopilot why can't it reduce altitude so the people can regain consciousness?

    Because it's on autopilot. The captain set the autopilot's target altitude, turned it on, and then keeled over. The autopilot held the altitude as long as it could.

    >Hell, why can't it just declare an emergency and automatically land at the nearest airport after receiving an OK signal from the airport that it's safe to land[?]

    And if it has to crash land, it can go for a nice long trip to the plane hospital, and maybe the plane doctor will give it a nice lollipop! Yeah, that sounds good.

    -aT

  3. more yankdot bullshit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    pathtic even by its low standards

  4. Re:Pure propaganda, or whatever... by jafac · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    You are grossly underestimating the significance of this struggle. As an economic superpower, the EU is a potential threat to the US, economically, and militarily, which are both really the same thing. They are tied to eachother. If Airbus "wins" and becomes the dominant large aircraft builder in the world, Boeing, a major US military contractor goes down. And then where does the US have to turn to get large aircraft like tankers, transports, etc.

    Air Dominance is the most important aspect of military conflicts, since about 1942. And Industrial Dominance has been the most important aspect for a lot longer.

    This is an interesting issue for Free Market folks in the US, because if the Free Market were allowed to work, who knows who would win. But without sweetheart military contracts, both companies would be in a world of hurt right now. It's also no conicidence that Osama Bin Laden chose the US air industry as his target. Both with counter-hijak safety, and from a fueling standpoint.

    --

    These are my friends, See how they glisten. See this one shine, how he smiles in the light.
  5. Re:ha by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Apparently, there's a lot of you. Bitches.

  6. Re:Ethics & Technology - Mangan's blog is by PGillingwater · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    As a foreign engineer working in Vienna, I think this guy is about as dumb as a box of rocks. For a start, you don't mess around with the legal system [t]here -- especially the contempt of court issue, which resulted from him posting about a sub judice matter on his blog. Second, he should have listened to his first lawyer, who suggested he leave the country, and drop the matter. Anyone failing to heed advice from legal professionals which they pay for is only buying themselves trouble. Thirdly, the guy is a Baptist Churchgoer -- which tells me he's not very bright. I have yet to meet anyone who is both "super smart" and believes in the classical Christian God -- any rational analysis would lead to questioning of that type of faith. (I'm not exempting Islam, Hinduism or any other mainstream religious belief from this general observation. Heck, he probably believes in a Creation myth too!)

    After all, any "super smart" guy knows that Pastafarianism is the One True Path -- all hail the FSM!

    Having said the above, I still feel there is a place for "whistle-blower" laws, and am surprised to hear that they don't exist in Austria.

    --
    Paul Gillingwater
    MBA, CISSP, CISM