Qantas Boeing 737 Took Off With “51 Passengers Missing” The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) recently revealed an unusual but important safety incident involving a Qantas Boeing 737-800 on December 1, 2024. The aircraft departed even though 51 passengers were mistakenly marked as “not onboard” on the load sheet due to a simple data-entry error …
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What will happen if the pilot had a heart attack when the plane is in mid-air? Thank you, Doctor JB Lim, for this very interesting question which I have answered many times in my Blog. You’re right that such a scenario is extremely rare, almost to the point of being hypothetical. First, if the captain …
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GREENER SKIES AHEAD – From lighter aircraft to cleaner fuels, here is how aviation is becoming more sustainable Not long ago, the idea of flying in an environmentally-friendly plane sounded like science fiction. But today, as climate change becomes a global concern, the aviation industry is making big changes to reduce its impact. From smarter …
Consequences of a Passenger causing a lithium battery fire. A doctor shared a video of a lithium battery fire inside an aircraft cabin and asked me about the consequences for the passenger who caused the fire. Indeed, an Air China flight bound for Seoul was forced to make an emergency landing in Shanghai on Saturday, …
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FUTURE FLIGHT Have you ever wondered what air travel might be like in the future? As the world races to cut carbon emissions and tackle climate change, the aviation industry is quietly undergoing a revolution. Imagine boarding an aircraft that runs almost silently, releases little to no carbon dioxide, and costs less to operate compared …
AI in Aviation Flying has always been a marvel of modern engineering. But today, artificial intelligence (AI) is making air travel safer, faster and more efficient. Before you even step foot in an airport, AI is already at work. Airlines now use AI-powered chatbots to help customers book flights, answer questions and even resolve common …
4 Sukhoi Su-30 MKM in Formation Flying (AI Generated) The Merdeka Flypast – A Skybound Memory Yesterday morning, the thunderous roar of six Sukhoi Su-30MKM jets slicing through the skies in celebration of Malaysia’s Independence Day – 31st August 2025 – stirred something deep within me, rekindling memories of my own airborne journey. It reminded …
Pilots Ejecting from a Hornet – an illustration The Marvel of the Ejection Seat The crash of a Royal Malaysian Air Force F/A-18D Hornet during take-off on 21st August 2025 once again reminded us of a remarkable piece of engineering that has saved thousands of pilots worldwide – the ejection seat. In this case, the …
Pre-Flight Checklist Before you board your flight, something remarkable happens behind the scenes that often goes unnoticed. While you get ready to embark on your journey, pilots and engineers are hard at work performing a crucial set of procedures that is second nature to them: the pre-flight check. Preparation Before Flight Pre-flight checks are a …
A Day in the Life of a Pilot For many passengers, air travel is a routine experience – boarding a plane, settling into a seat, and trusting that the air craft will safely reach its destination. But behind the smooth operation of every flight is a carefully organized routine carried out by pilots. Pre-Flight Routine …
Why Pilots Delay Landing? Not long ago, a disgruntled passenger took to social media to vent about a flight from Guangzhou to Kuala Lumpur. The complaint centered on the captain’s decision to remain airborne for three hours due to a technical issue with cabin pressurization. In this case, the aircraft was flying at a lower …
What do pilots do if there’s a medical emergency onboard? Captain Lim Khoy Hong explains how pilots handle such situations. In the event of a medical emergency onboard, the captain’s primary concern is to ensure the safety and well-being of the affected passenger while maintaining overall flight safety. Normally, the cabin crew informs the captain …
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UNDERSTANDING TURBULENCE Turbulence in the skies is a much-dreaded phenomenon when flying. But what exactly is it and how does one ride it out safely? Captain Lim Khoy Hing explains. Turbulence is a sudden, unsteady movement of air. To simplify it, imagine driving a car on a bumpy road. Turbulence is the aerial equivalent of …
Should I Turn Off My Phone on a Plane? Yes, you should either turn off your phone or switch it to airplane mode when flying. Airplane mode disables all wireless signals – cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth – while still allowing you to use offline features. The main reason for this requirement is to prevent …
Pilotless Commercial Passenger Aircraft: Is It a Bad Idea? On March 30, 2025, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) made history by issuing its first commercial operation certificate for autonomous drones. This marks the beginning of a new chapter in aviation – passenger-carrying civil unmanned aircraft entering commercial service in China’s low-altitude airspace. This …
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How do pilots decide whether to continue a flight or turn back when there’s a problem? On March 7, passengers on a Virgin Atlantic flight endured an eight-hour ordeal after their plane turned back toward the UK despite being near to North America. The Airbus A350 was just 330 miles from the Canadian coast when …
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An illustration of a fire evacuation on steps (not the AA 1006 flight) Two air incidents occurred in succession, an Airbus A320 and a Boeing 737-800. On March 12, a PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) Airbus A320 landed in Lahore from Karachi with one of its rear wheels mysteriously missing. A PIA spokesperson stated …
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Photo Credit: YYZBrennan (https://tinyurl.com/45dkdxau) Flight 4819 main body at Pearson Airport What could be the possible reasons for a plane to turn upside down after landing at Toronto Pearson Airport? Investigators have been cautious in discussing what went wrong when the aircraft touched down and rolled over at Toronto Pearson Airport on February 17, 2025. …
Black Hawk on collision path with CRJ 700 Image: AI Generated This question from Quora explores whether the pilots of American Airlines Flight 5342 could have taken different actions to avoid the tragic collision. One possible consideration is whether the captain could have declined the last-minute runway change from the original plan to land on …
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Bird strike hazard – (an illustration only) Did the Jeju Air crash in South Korea show any signs of a possible bird strike? Yes, there was clear evidence of a bird strike when the pilot transmitted, “Bird Strike, Bird Strike, going around!” This was later confirmed by investigators, who found blood and feathers on the …
Did the Jeju Air crash in South Korea show any signs of a possible bird strike? Read More »