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Adam is a journalist who has worked for more than 40 media brands in the UK and Australia. Today, he mostly writes about aviation, space and defence.
The news follows another difficult year for Boeing, which included a doorplug blowing out of a 737 MAX 9 in mid-air and the bodged return of its Starliner spacecraft.
The ATSB’s investigation into the landing, which took place in May, concluded a lack of fuel onboard and an “unbalanced flight” led to an engine failure that sparked the incident.
During the “aerobraking”, the Boeing-made vehicle will use the drag of Earth’s atmosphere to slow down, reducing its energy while only expending minimal fuel. It will then jettison its service module component before resuming its normal testing.
In an extraordinary investigation published on Thursday, the ATSB also revealed Blake Wilson “did not hold the appropriate endorsements to fly at night” and had flown “well below” the 1,000ft minimum height required for built-up areas.
The Australian government has asked both Qantas and the Middle Eastern airline to help repatriate citizens who have scheduled services free of charge. A RAAF C-130J Hercules and C-17 Globemaster are also assisting with efforts.
The 17-hour-trip service, paid for by the Flying Kangaroo, came after Australian citizens and permanent residents were first evacuated via separate charter flights from the war-torn country.
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