Denny Yen
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Posts posted by Denny Yen
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Rwy 34R/16L is the shorter one. Rwy 34L/16R is the one with Marriott Hotel near the threshold.
General view of Rwy 34R threshold and holding point.
The winter skies colors during dusk plus high winds can form a beautiful backdrop.
This one connects NRT with outlying smaller islands.
Looking up inside 747's tail-cone. JAL's new maintenance crew uniform white overalls with deep-blue sleeves. Why "black sleeves"? The part that gets dirty quickly is this part, hence, a dark color will not make it so obvious.
Refueling services truck...the fuel tanks are built underneath the apron. This truck is merely serves as a platfom for the pumping machinery.
JAL's livery really shines in sunset glow.
All gates of T2 main building are fully occupied...lots of activity probably because most flights from N.America usually arrive at this hour.
Another JAL arrival
Another part of T2 main building.
Air NZ arrival
PeterMax at NRT
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These were taken yesterday at Tokyo Narita T2 southern deck.
Very clean KA heading taxiing towards Rwy34R.
Link between main T2 building with satelite extension. Delta has a nice tail livery, hardly seen in SE Asia. Tall building is not control tower which is located in T1 (unique shape...round structure flanked by 2 arms). Didn't notice this structure previously, (probably) used for controlling traffic on this side of the apron.
Guy on the left: How much for fuel...do you accept VISA card, ah?
UA772...nice rego N787UA (I wonder if there's a N777UA)
Although new year's day was bitterly wet & cold, Japan had a unusually warmer December month. Hence, the leaves on the trees still display mid-autumn colors.
Spot the spotters...guy on ladder uses Canon L series lens (white). Must find out how these guys could drive their cars into the private road next to Rwy 34R holding point.
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Wednesday December 21, 2005 3:53 PMKyodo News Agency
JAL B747 jumbo in sky for 7 months with engines on wrong side
(Kyodo) - Japan Airlines had been flying a Boeing jumbo jet for seven months without realizing the plane's left and right outer engines had been placed on the wrong sides during maintenance in Singapore in February, airline officials admitted Wednesday.
Some components of the engines are required to be inspected once every 650 flights, but as a result of the mistake, one of the engines completed about 850 flights without being examined.
The officials said there were no safety problems but the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry instructed the airline to take measures to prevent any recurrence.
In February, JAL commissioned ST Aviation Services Co. Pte Ltd. in Singapore to conduct maintenance work on the four-engine Boeing 747. The plane resumed service after the overhaul was completed in April.
It was not until a regular maintenance checkup in November that the engines were discovered to have been attached wrongly.
Reversing the engine locations results in air flow toward the fuselage instead of away from it during reverse thrust. However, it does not create any difference during normal thrust and thus poses no safety problems during flights, the officials said.
They said JAL will revise in-house procedures to ensure that inspections on the planes are conducted after outsourced maintenance work. The current policy only calls for checking documents after the completion of maintenance work.
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You can laugh louder when you see MM's profile on MAS website:
Dr Munir presently also occasionally lectures for the Toronto Centre for Leadership in Financial Market Regulation where he sits on the Advisory Board for Securities Market Regulation... -
I'm unsure what's the percentage of the gov't shareholding in MAS, but I believe it is the major shareholder. Transport Ministry has supervision powers, and judging by the response, it seems the ministers are reluctant to take responsibility and are playing "table-tennis politics" with the media.
If this were to occur in a non-GLC public-listed co., shareholders would have created havoc at the AGM and challenge the mgmt to explain justifying their financial practices.
Tip of iceberg indeed it is...
What about the "decision" to buyback TR's 29% at RM8 per share when the market was trading at RM3.60 per share. Where's the economic justification in that? Has the Securities Commission (supposedly an independent watchdog) been sleeping on the job?
What happened to the criminal investigation in 4 countries (M'sia, Singapore, Germany and UAE) on TR and ex-MASKargo VP for financial irregularities and "deliberate" losses? bernama.com/bernama/v3/news.php?id=145324
Friday 15 July 2005The New Straits Times
A painfully slow investigation into alleged wrongdoings by former top executives of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) several years ago may gain some fresh impetus.
The New Straits Times has learnt that a fresh police report was lodged by a director of the airline, implicating several executives for losses incurred following allegedly irregular company practices.
This report comes in the midst of an arbitration between the airline and a German company over a cargo handling agreement signed in 1999.
It was lodged two months ago and could result in former chairman Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli, former MasKargo vice-president Ralph M. Gotz and the airline’s former company secretary, Rizana Mohd Daud, being called in for another round of questioning.
The report was lodged with the commercial crimes division at federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman, but department director Datuk Hairuddin Mohamad declined comment.
However, sources disclosed the report was "related" to an earlier one lodged by former Malaysia Airlines corporate services senior general manager Dr Mohamadon Abdullah in January 2002.
Three years ago, Mohamadon alleged irregularities in the company and its dealings with German company Advanced Cargo Logistics Gmbh (ACL).
ACL and MAS had agreed to develop a European cargo hub around a former military airbase in Hahn.
Hahn and another cargo hub in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, were to be part of the MAS "Cargo Spine Network".
Last September, ACL initiated arbitration proceedings against the national carrier, claiming more than 60 million euros (RM240 million) for a cargo handling agreement dated November 1999.
Sources disclosed that the fresh police report alleges several offences related to non-disclosure of interests and other breaches of the Companies Act.
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On CX744 from NRT to TPE in Apr.2003 during SARS outbreak. Only 4 in Y class, F/As then moved everyone to the upperdeck...total passengers: 7 people.
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Canon really a "snow camera".... your winter pix really come out great.
I think the mode used was Canon's Parameter 1 (more vivid color capture, sharper images) as most users prefer. Parameter 1 is based on Canon's inhouse R&D that explored the convergence of color distortion/absorption, compounds used in the lenses, CMOS specs. well documented in review circles especially if you want to capture color vibrancy.
The white lenses are probably EF28-300 F3.5-5.6L IS USM or 100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS USM (both costs more than 20D body). Non-spotters usually use EF70-200 F4L USM (about 1/2 of 20D's price). The ultimate one is EF400 F2.8L IS USM (you can get 4 1/2 20Ds for that price), used by bird spotters/wildilfe because of its ultra-quiet mechanism notwithstanding its length.
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A while ago, Azahan posted the C check pics. Ever wondered what's the difference between? I found some simple explanation about each difference:
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in actual fact, i never see a DIRTY swiss....Agree with you Denny...
Hope to meet you someday...
For everyone's info, I'll be in Japan between 12/29/2005 - 1/2/2006 around Narita area. Tempeted to visit HND's old T2 (1st anniversary). Welcome any MW members too.
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Azman:
The last batch especially Tunisian and S.African ones are excellent subjects for "Airliner and Landscape" theme. So suitable for monthly calendar "winter season" too.
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Rozhan:
I found some useful info about contrails, here are some of them:-
What's the reason for contrails formation?
Water vapour released from a/c freezes upon contact with extreme cold air.
What's the main composition of contrails?
Ice crystals.
Typical temperaure at which contrails start to form?
-40deg C
Typical altitude of contrails formation?
28,000ft
Duration of contrails? Factors that contribute to duration.
A few seconds to a couple of hours. Moisture in air, wind direction and strength/speed.
What a long-lasting contrail can evolve into?
Cirrus cloud.
Typical dimensions of contrails?
200-400m
Regions with the highest frequency of contrails.
N.America and Europe.
What's the significance of a long-lasting contrail?
Humid air high in the atmosphere = possible early storm warning.
Significance of twisting contrails.
Turbulence.
Source: "Aircraft contrails fact-sheet" (US EPA)
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Great shots guys. Must be an enjoyable spotting experience all coming from different places, but gathered at one location for one thing...something like flash-mob.
Swiss Air a/c always look clean no matter where you see them...a symbol of Swiss people's meticulous attention. In fact, they are cleaner that JAL birds.
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The rwy was closed and was marked "Not in use" on the Notam and airport diagram. It was partially opened for use as taxiway.
There were disputes about lighting, markings not in conformity with int'l standards, threshold lighting too closely spaced, etc. The airport mgmt escaped must of the blame. However, these factors were weighted against the 10 clues. And the most glaring of all: 1 continuous 180deg turn vs two 90deg turns.
As for the lighting clue, there was uncertainty of how it actually appeared on that typhoon night. The a/c's light beam plus surface water, winds and heavy rains could have "washed-out" the lighting's colors. This issue was never conclusively settled although simulation recreating that typhoon conditions revealed no wash-out.
Nevertheless, in a Californian court case, which awarded USD15mil to 2 next-of-kins whose parents died; the court referred to these 10 clues and did not exclude them. As a result, these were entered into evidence and therefore, were made available to the jury panel to consider the compensation sum.
Following this court decision, 12 other similar lawsuits were later settled out of court...presumably because the earlier decision gave some indication of their probable outcome.
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This incident mirros exactly what happened in 2002, when CI took off under similar conditions.
http://www.flightinternational.com/Article...y+take-off.html
FAA studies EVA taxiway take-offThe US Federal Aviation Administration has opened an investigation into a flightcrew error that resulted in an EVA Air cargo aircraft taking off from a taxiway at Anchorage International airport in Alaska earlier this month.
The regulator declines to comment further than confirming that an investigation has been opened. However, a US National Transportation Safety Board investigator has separately confirmed that the incident involved an EVA Air Boeing MD-11 freighter and the taxiway parallel to Runway 32 at Anchorage.
According to local reports, the incident occurred on 5 November when the aircraft was redirected by air traffic control to Runway 32 during taxi. However, instead of turning onto the runway, the pilot reportedly ended up on the shorter taxiway to the west of the runway.
The aircraft took off and completed its flight to Taipei without incident, according to the NTSB investigator.
This event mirrors a similar taxiway take-off incident involving and Airbus A340-300 operated by fellow Taiwanese carier China Airlines in January 2002.
The error is so glaringly similar to the SQ006 incident in TPE/RCTP. Just a month ago, on the eve of SQ006 annivesary, Taiwanese cable news made a special TV documentary. They talked to those (lawyers, investigators, pilots, rescuers, victims) involved in SQ006 incident. The TV show reported that there were 10 clues for the pilots. Had they paid more attention to any one / some of these 10 clues, the error could have been rectified.
The 10 clues were:
- Airport navigation diagram
- A/c heading reference
- Taxiway centerline lights
- Rwy centerline lights
- Signage
- Color of centerline lights leading into taxiway and rwy
- Rwy edge lights
- Para-Visual Display - to show if aligned to correct rwy localizer
- Primary Flight Display
- Width difference between rwy and taxiway
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So far, its mostly talk about "physical" changes...probably "cultural/mentality" change is important too.
Did anyone remember Carlos Ghosn, the 1st non-Japanese Nissan boss. Notwithstanding the Japanese mentality, his made radical changes in Nissan's management and company-wide philosophy. Read more at:
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/conte...40/b3902012.htm
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Picked this one up from Screenshots site:
UPDATED VERSION. The internal memo circulated by MAS Chairman and acting Managing Director Munir Majid November 10 has made it to the Press, and opened up the pandora box.In his memo, which was obtained by Reuters and reported by The NST November 13, Munir reportedly said, "Our financial performance is precarious and has increasingly become a source for concern. There is now a need to extend the scope of the cost reduction focus and put in place more aggressive measures".
The timing couldn't have come at a worse timing. According to Singapore Business Times, analysts polled by Reuters Estimates expect the airline to post a net loss of RM230 million for the year to end-March 2006. This compares with a net profit of RM326 million in the year ended March 2005.
Earlier, MAS has reported a net loss of RM280 million for the first quarter ended June 30, 2005.
With that, pundits and punditary spin - the juiciest to come is by one A. Imran who posted an opinion piece in Sang Kancil listserve, here and here.
It talks about "The never ending problems at MAS", notably on a few critical and often ignored counts:
Bad cash flow: Internal cashflow projections indicate that by June 2006 MAS may not have cash to pay fuel bills and meet operational requirements. Suggested remedy: Sell the ageing MAS building in Jalan Sultan Ismail to raise RM350.00, which reportedly has a market value of about RM250.00 million.
Ruffled employee sentiments: All of MAS' collective agreements have expired and are up for renegotiation with the Union. All salary increments for staff have been postponed pending the arrival of new CEO, Idris Jala, in December. However, the pilots have been given a salary increment of 25%, even before the arrival of the new MD. The Unions are complaining about this.
Significant wastage in inflight catering: It points to a company called SkyChef, a joint venture with Lufthansa which has taken over the job of MAS Catering. The Sang Kancil posting has Ibrahim Abdullah quoted as a shareholder in SkyChef. However, another source says it's Ibrahim Hj Ahmad Badawi, and not Ibrahim Abdullah, who is the largest shareholder of Brahim LSG Sky Chef Holdings Sdn Bhd. (Anyone who has definite information, please alert.)
High-cost consultants: MAS is said to have employed more than 17 different consultants and more are being employed - Australian and British consultants. One consultant is said to be paid RM5,000 per day, while others are paid in excess of RM2.0 million per year.
The latest addition to this list of consultants is said to be a lady hired from Citibank Singapore, who is paid RM60,000 per month to take charge of services that include the handling of the outsourcing of MAS support services like IT, ticketing, administration etc.
Outsourcing the bleeds the books: It points to outsourcing contracts are also being eyed by companies related to Directors that sit on the Board of MAS. One of them is the Symphony Group that is controlled by Azman Yahya, formerly of Danaharta, who happens to be a MAS Board member.
And typical of pundits' pun, there is a final spear that pierces at that rumoured RM1 million oil painting hanging in the Chairman's office wall.
As for me, I will read it for entertainment as I only believe in what I see in the quarterly financial reports, which must be submitted to Bursa Malaysia on a timely frequency. That's where you can sniff out the excess baggage that prevents MAS from flying high.
More at SangKancil site:
http://groups.google.com/group/sangkancil/...4377b4634435667
http://groups.google.com/group/skletter/br...b673a71285379cb
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The rice fields/fish farm look similar to the surrounding area just before landing at RCTP/TPE.
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Yeah, the Mandarin is a problem. I remembered it was featured on NatGeo documentary about UAL's longest long-haul (at that time) from Chicago-Beijing a couple of years ago.
Taiwan's CAA also regonized this problem. They sponsored their ATC staff to be re-trained by native-English speakers.
I like HK ATC the best, sometimes you get female controllers with good English accent...good voice too.
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i prefer BOEING!Not surprising because the a/c doesn't call you a "Retard" at touch-down...as if commenting on your flying skills.
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Ground-breaking ceremony took place Wednesday last week for a new tower which will be taller than Two IFC. It will be built on Kowloon overlooking the IFC. I saw the design, it looks thin and wide...looks similar to iPod Nano.
As for the old Kai Tak airport, the rwy will be widened a lilttle bit. It will be ransformed into a docking area for large-sized cruise ships on both sides of the rwy. The middle of the rwy will have a rectangular-shaped public park.
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I was in HK for meetings and stayed there for about 28hours. Here are some highlights.
Air Macau A321 with East Asia games (recent event)
A local airline A320
Near CI's hangar
Simple meal for a short hop to HK. Better than CX, which serves sandwiches. KA's standard inflight drink, however, is not a prudent choice because bean-based drink/food is not suitable for a reduced-pressure environment.
We floated for a while along the Rwy before the engine noise picked-up and the a/c started climbing up again. Missed approach due to "unusual wind conditions". We climbed up and circled out (see red loop) to the sea before attempting another approach.
HK island skyline, most notably Island Shangri-La, Bank of China, Two IFC tower.
Two IFC, designed by same guy who designed Petronas and Haneda's T2. Two IFC is where they print HK money.
HK Convention Exhibition Centre, shaped like a boat. Lots of natural light. Glass panels also doubles as LED lighting for the light & laser show every night.
Harborfront view.
HK CEC
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why at Toronto and not at Vancouver where you can find large chunk of Chinese there?the reason why Hong Kong is hazy, it was due to the coal power station? The HK government is now looking to replace the coal power station with cleaner energy? They seem to publish the pollution figure everyday on local HK TV.
have you been to HK Disneyland yet? Also, do you think HK is a more liveable city than Taipei?
I remember it has something to do SYS' release from prison. I haven't seen the statue's plaque yet, but its written on Lonely Planet Toronto guidebook about the location outside downtown Toronto. Between Vancouver vs Toronto, there are more mainlander Chinese in Toronto. Vancouver has more Hong-couver or Tai-couver.
SYS is a great man, during Lien Chan's historic visit to PRC (1st time in 60 years for a high-ranking Taiwanese official to visit) a few months ago, Pres.Hu and him talk fondly about SYS (Guo-Fu aka Founding Father of a republic nation in Asia). It seems that PRC communist party is not against SYS's teaching, in fact they are proud about it. Most of his writtings are preserved in Nanjing's KMT Presidential Palace notwithstanding the 10 year book-burning and get rid of intellectual thinking campaigns during Cultural Revolution.
As for HK Disneyland its not as big as Tokyo DisneySea or TDL as seen from your pic. I been to both Japanese Disneyland, but not the HK one yet. Last week, it was announced on TV that there is a discount for HK residents/residence card holders.
HK is a more liveable city because of its transportation network and generally, HKers are more obedient to traffic rules. But not in Taiwan (Taipei is slightly better than other parts esp the southern part, those Bin-lang aka Betelnut chewing counties).
Tokyo NRT
in Observation Hill
Posted · Report reply
Pieter:
I will going back to Japan again around spring at the end of April. If you have spring holidays around that time, let me know. We can also arrange for spotting here.
Chaity:
No special livery at T2 except for PeterMax one. Although T2 has a new extension, I prefer using T1 because it's newer, more shops, easier to move around and more variety in terms of foreign arrivals. Also T1's viewing deck is longer, you can see almost whole length of rwy. But avoid afternoon because sun shines directly into lens at T1.
Yeah the dark spot is similar to oily residue. Will try using cleaning fluid. As for blower, the shops use aerosol-can spray (some kind of clear gas, very hi-pressure and easy to use).
Attan:
Using zoom 70-300. Most of the later shots from onboard taxiing CI 110 NRT-TPE.
TK:
Thanks for more details. BTW, new Kobe Airport already completed, some tests were conducted last week. They are building a new airport for Sapporo (most north island) to replace Shin-Chitose, the new one is also on artificial island.
It is probably for MH to use Rwy 34R because its nearer to T2. To taxi to Rwy 34L takes ages, circling T2 to the other side...I lost my sense of direction while onboard CI's 744 even though I have Aiport Diagram with me.