TAIL
STRIKES - POLITY
News:
Tail strikes: What are
they, why are they caused?
What's
in the news?
● The
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has fined IndiGo a sum of Rs 30
lakhs and issued a show cause notice to the airline, following a special audit
concerning frequent tail strike incidents.
Tail
Strike:
● A
tail strike refers to an incident where the tail of an aircraft hits the ground or strikes any other stationary
object.
Vulnerability:
● While
tail strikes can occur during takeoff, a majority happen during the landing of an aircraft.
● According
to Airbus statistical data, over 65 percent of tail strikes happen during
landings.
Impacts:
● Tail
strikes can cause significant damage to the aircraft, with major repairs needed
to restore the plane’s structural integrity.
● Even
in cases where the damage is not major or immediately obvious, thorough
inspections are carried out before the aircraft is declared fit to fly again.
Safety
Measures:
● Modern
aircraft are fitted with a whole gamut of systems to aid pilots in flying
aircraft and reduce the probability of human error, most tail strikes can be
attributed to mistakes made by pilots.