Ten years ago, on the 15th of January 2009, following a bird strike shortly after take-off, Captain Sullenberger ditched his Airbus A320 into the Hudson. Practice Paper #21 will commemorate this amazing demonstration of flying skills by looking into bird strikes and more broadly into flight hazards, .  

 

1 – vocabulary

Review the vocabulary on flight hazards.  

2 – listening comprehension

Listen to the audio version of the March 2009 Info-pilote article, « Sorry, say again Cactus », recounting what happened to AWE 1549 on the 15th of January 2009. Pilot/controller and controller/controller exchanges are excerpts from the official FAA file.     And answer these questions: a – how long did the flight last, from taxiing to ditching? b – what was AWE 1549’s scheduled flight? c – what was the current ATIS? d – what was the clearance given by NY Tracon on first contact? e – what airport was suggested by the controller after radar contact was lost? f – how many souls were on board?   Read the whole script here . Jeppesen, the iconic company which has been creating aviation maps and approach charts for more than 80 years, also have a sense of humor! From time to time, they release commemorative personalized charts to celebrate special events. Their most popular so far is the HUDSON MIRACLE APCH plate, published to honor Captain Sullenberger and his crew. Follow AWE 1549’s flight path from GOOSE to RESCUE, check the SAAAR procedure, and find out the flight crew’s combined years of experience.  

3 – reading comprehension

Read this article on wildlife mitigation risk at airports , and answer these questions: a – which aircraft parts are more likely to be hit? b – what is IBIS? c – where are the vast majority of birdstrikes happening? d – what is the aim of the prevention tactics? e – ultimately, when prevention is not enough, what is the most efficient option?  

4 – general English corner

 

  The Chinese will celebrate the advent of the Year of the Pig on the 5th of February. Learn everything you need to know about the Chinese New Year at www.chinesenewyear.net . Navigate the site to find the answers to these questions:

a – by what other name is the Chinese New Year known?

b – why do people clean their house before the start of New Year?

c – why do children like to get red envelopes?

 

5 – word search

Find 20 words, all in connection with flight hazards, in this grid.