Deli Mike
{{Short description|Airbus A340 aircraft with strange unreliability}}
{{good article}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Infobox aircraft
| name = Deli Mike
| image = File:Airbus A340-311 Turkish Airlines TC-JDM, LHR London, England (Heathrow Airport), United Kingdom PP1368101922.jpg
| caption = Deli Mike in 2013
| other_names = Deli Mayk
İzmir
| type = Airbus A340-300
| manufacturer = Airbus
| construction_number = 115
| construction_date = 1996
| civil_registration = TC-JDM
2-AVRA
XT-AKK
EP-MJC
| military_serial =
| first_flight = 27 February 1996
| owners = Turkish Airlines
Mahan Air
| in_service = 1996–2019
2024–
| flights =
| total_hours =
| total_distance =
}}
Deli Mike or Deli Mayk (English: Crazy Mike) is a nickname given to an Airbus A340-300 operated by Turkish Airlines with civil registration TC-JDM. The aircraft joined the Turkish Airlines fleet in 1996 to replace the McDonnell Douglas DC-10s of the airline and was used to operate long-haul flights out of Turkey. During its operation, Deli Mike had a record of having minor and strange technical failures such as its lights illuminating differently. This unreliability gave the aircraft its nickname, which is a wordplay on the ICAO spelling alphabet. In its late use, the aircraft operated both long-haul and short-haul flights. It was re-configured in 2016 to only have economy class seats and was solely used to carry pilgrims to Hajj.
Deli Mike was removed from the Turkish Airlines fleet in early 2019 and was flown to O. R. Tambo International Airport later that year and re-registered as 2-AVRA. After being stored at Johannesburg for almost 4 years, the aircraft was flown to Mehrabad International Airport in December 2022. The aircraft was allegedly acquired by a Burkinabe subsidiary of Iranian carrier Mahan Air in order to evade sanctions placed on the airline and country. The aircraft commenced operations with the airline in March 2024 as EP-MJC.
Background
{{Further|Turkish Airlines fleet#1980s}}
In the late 1980s, Turkish Airlines wanted to expand to North America and East Asia. The McDonnell Douglas DC-10s operated by the airline during that time were in the process of being phased out,{{Sfn|Ayas|1990|p=70}} leaving the Airbus A310 as the only option for these routes. However, the Airbus A310 did not have the range to fly to these destinations and would have had to make a stopover to refuel.{{sfn|Kozlu|2007|pp=81–85}} In January 1990, after examining two possible aircraft types that were still in their design phase—the Airbus A340 and McDonnell Douglas MD-11—an internal commission unanimously voted to opt for the Airbus A340 as the replacement of McDonnell Douglas DC-10s due to its technical advantages and cost benefits over its competitor.{{sfn|Kozlu|2007|pp=104–105}} On 27 March 1990, Turkish Airlines ordered five Airbus A340-300 aircraft, which included an option for a further five. TC-JDM, with serial number 115, rolled out of the production line on 27 February 1996 and joined the fleet of Turkish Airlines in April, becoming the fourth A340 to do so. The aircraft was given the name "İzmir".{{cite web|author=Cebeci|first=Uğur|date=23 August 2017|title='Deli Mayk' 21 yaşında|trans-title='Deli Mayk' is 21 years old|url=https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/yazarlar/ugur-cebeci/deli-mayk-21-yasinda-40558551|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200109230852/http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/yazarlar/ugur-cebeci/deli-mayk-21-yasinda-40558551|archive-date=9 January 2020|access-date=7 January 2022|website=Hürriyet|language=tr}}{{Sfn|Nergiz|2023|p=147}}
Technical failures and nickname
File:Airbus A340-311, Turkish Airlines AN1824970.jpg
Shortly after delivery, the aircraft started to have strange technical issues and failures. Sometimes, the aircraft would turn its external lights on by itself and then back off when someone tried to intervene. Occasionally, the lights of the emergency exits would turn on one by one from front to back "like a Mexican wave", not all at the same time, which according to the cabin crew meant that Deli Mike "was in a good mood". The aircraft also made "small jokes" to passengers and crew. On one occasion, the aircraft started sounding the master caution alarm in the cockpit, causing one of the inexperienced cabin crew members to panic. Frequent problems with the aircraft included the reading light of a completely different passenger turning on when the button is pressed, and the same issue also exists with the button used to call a crew member. One popular story among technical staff states that a senior employee fixed the faulty flight instruments of the aircraft simply by patting its door and saying "what happened to you big man?"{{cite web|author=Kaplanseren|first=Erdal|date=13 January 2019|title=THY'nin efsane Uçağı 'Deli Mayk' emekliye ayrıldı|trans-title=Turkish Airlines' legendary Aircraft 'Deli Mayk' retired|url=https://www.posta.com.tr/yazarlar/erdal-kaplanseren/thynin-efsane-ucagi-deli-mayk-emekliye-ayrildi-2081640|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200618220505/https://www.posta.com.tr/yazarlar/erdal-kaplanseren/thynin-efsane-ucagi-deli-mayk-emekliye-ayrildi-2081640|archive-date=18 June 2020|access-date=7 January 2022|website=Posta|language=tr}}
In the ICAO spelling alphabet used in aviation, the spelling of D and M, the final two letters of the civil registration of the aircraft, is "Delta Mike". Following the technical problems surrounding the aircraft, technicians of Turkish Airlines have swapped "Delta" to "Deli"—meaning "crazy" in Turkish—to reflect the characteristics of the aircraft, which resulted in the nickname "Deli Mike".{{efn|Some sources use Turkified Mayk as an alternative to Mike.}} According to technicians of Turkish Technic, the aircraft maintenance subsidiary of Turkish Airlines, "Deli Mike can fly to the other side of the world without any problems if she wants to. If she doesn't feel like it, she won't move even one metre on the ground." The technicians also removed and reinstalled all systems on-board and reset the software of the aircraft in an attempt to solve the issues, without any success.
Subsequent history
File:TC-JDM (5485544431) (2).jpg]]
Despite their age, Airbus A340's were used as "jokers" in the 2010s, flying both short domestic and long-haul flights.{{Cite web|author=Cebeci|first=Uğur|date=17 May 2014|title=Haydi, Boston yolcusu kalmasın|trans-title=Come on, no Boston passengers left behind|url=https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/yazarlar/ugur-cebeci/haydi-boston-yolcusu-kalmasin-26443587|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221225110712/https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/yazarlar/ugur-cebeci/haydi-boston-yolcusu-kalmasin-26443587|archive-date=25 December 2022|access-date=25 December 2022|website=Hürriyet|language=tr}} On 2 September 2011, Deli Mike had a runway excursion while landing at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai. The 93 passengers on-board were evacuated safely and none of the occupants were injured in the incident. The aircraft only received some minor damage.{{Cite web|url=https://www.airporthaber.com/thy-haberleri/thy-ucagi-pistten-cikti-34681h.html|title=THY Uçağı Pistten Çıktı|trans-title=Turkish Airlines Aircraft Experienced Runway Excursion|date=2 September 2011|access-date=12 January 2024|website=AirportHaber|archive-date=12 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240112204749/https://www.airporthaber.com/thy-haberleri/thy-ucagi-pistten-cikti-34681h.html|url-status=live|language=tr}} Turkish Airlines pulled its Airbus A340 aircraft from scheduled flights in May 2016.{{Cite web|author=Özbek|first=Tolga|date=12 April 2016|title=THY, Airbus A340'Ları Tarifeli Uçuşlardan Çekiyor|trans-title=Turkish Airlines Withdraws A340s From Scheduled Flights|url=https://www.havayolu101.com/2016/04/12/thy-airbus-a340lari-tarifeli-ucuslardan-cekiyor/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200813141105/https://www.havayolu101.com/2016/04/12/thy-airbus-a340lari-tarifeli-ucuslardan-cekiyor/|archive-date=13 August 2020|access-date=31 January 2022|website=Havayolu101|language=tr}} From July 2016 onward, TC-JDM and other A340 aircraft in the Turkish Airlines fleet were used on charter flights to carry passengers to Hajj. The aircraft was reconfigured to have an all-economy class layout, without any business class seats. During the winter period of 2016, a heavy downfall in traffic caused the airline to temporarily ground dozens of aircraft, including Deli Mike.{{cite web|url=https://www.airporthaber.com/thy-haberleri/thy-hangi-ucaklari-yere-indirdi.html|title=THY hangi uçakları yere indirdi?|trans-title=Which aircraft were grounded by Turkish Airlines?|date=3 November 2016|website=AirportHaber|access-date=30 July 2022|language=tr|archive-date=4 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204175611/https://www.airporthaber.com/thy-haberleri/thy-hangi-ucaklari-yere-indirdi.html|url-status=live}} In August 2017, Hürriyet reported that Turkish Airlines expected to maintain its Airbus A340 aircraft and use them for the Hajj flights until 2021 "thanks to good maintenance". Deli Mike was the oldest aircraft of the Turkish Airlines fleet as of September 2017.{{Cite web|author=Şimşek|first=Güntay|date=16 September 2017|title=Hizmetteki dünyanın en eski yolcu uçağı|trans-title=World's oldest passenger aircraft in service|url=https://www.haberturk.com/yazarlar/guntay-simsek-1091/1633866-hizmetteki-dunyanin-en-eski-yolcu-ucagi|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307222605/http://www.haberturk.com/yazarlar/guntay-simsek-1091/1633866-hizmetteki-dunyanin-en-eski-yolcu-ucagi|archive-date=7 March 2018|access-date=9 February 2022|website=Habertürk|language=tr}} While criticizing Turkish Airlines in February 2018 for ordering new aircraft while many others were grounded in the meantime, Bora Erdin of pro-opposition newspaper Sözcü also added that the airline made "no clarification as to why the problematic plane [Deli Mike] was used persistently while unproblematic ones were on the ground" and highlighted the frequent issue of the landing gear not retracting after takeoff, causing the aircraft to return to the origin airport.{{Cite web|author=Erdin|first=Bora|date=28 February 2018|title=Uçakları hangarda bekleyen THY yeni siparişler veriyor|trans-title=Turkish Airlines places new orders while its aircraft are waiting at the hangar|url=https://www.sozcu.com.tr/2018/ekonomi/ucaklari-hangarda-bekleyen-thy-yeni-siparisler-veriyor-2254667/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180605020435/http://www.sozcu.com.tr/2018/ekonomi/ucaklari-hangarda-bekleyen-thy-yeni-siparisler-veriyor-2254667|archive-date=5 June 2018|access-date=31 January 2022|website=Sözcü|language=tr}}
File:Turkish Airlines TC-JDM.jpg
On 22 October 2018, Turkish Airlines grounded TC-JDM alongside her sister aircraft TC-JDN at Istanbul Atatürk Airport.{{cite web|url=https://www.airporthaber.com/thy-haberleri/thy-iki-a340-ucagini-yere-indirdi.html|title=THY iki A340 uçağını yere indirdi|trans-title=Turkish Airlines grounds two A340 aircraft|date=22 October 2018|website=AirportHaber|access-date=7 January 2022|archive-date=26 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181026093958/http://www.airporthaber.com/thy-haberleri/thy-iki-a340-ucagini-yere-indirdi.html|url-status=live|language=tr}} The aircraft was retired from the fleet in early January 2019; the livery of the airline was removed from the aircraft later that month.{{cite web|url=https://www.airporthaber.com/thy-haberleri/deli-mikein-boyalari-sokuldu.html|title='Deli Mike'ın boyaları söküldü|trans-title=Livery of 'Deli Mike' is stripped|date=28 January 2022|website=AirportHaber|access-date=7 January 2022|archive-date=22 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422115115/https://www.airporthaber.com/thy-haberleri/deli-mikein-boyalari-sokuldu.html|url-status=live|language=tr}} There was initial speculation about the plane being turned into a restaurant, as had previously happened to three sister aircraft. In March 2019, the aircraft was ferried to O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa. Subsequently, the aircraft was sold to a Hong Kong-based company to be used by Africa Charter Airline and stored in Johannesburg where it was re-registered as 2-AVRA.{{Cite web |date=6 June 2022 |title=Dəli Mayk |trans-title=Crazy Mike |url=https://news.milli.az/interest/855270.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220223153818/https://news.milli.az/interest/855270.html |archive-date=23 February 2022 |access-date=7 June 2022 |website=Milli.az |language=az}}{{Cite web|author=Taghvaee|first=Babak|date=30 December 2022|title=Revealed: IRGC-linked airline's scheme to get spare parts from Turkey|url=https://www.israelhayom.com/2022/12/30/revealed-irgc-linked-mahan-air-illicit-scheme-to-get-spare-parts-from-turkey/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104141154/https://www.israelhayom.com/2022/12/30/revealed-irgc-linked-mahan-air-illicit-scheme-to-get-spare-parts-from-turkey/|archive-date=4 January 2023|access-date=4 September 2023|website=Israel Hayom}}
In December 2022, Deli Mike and three other former Turkish Airlines Airbus A340's flew again for the first time in years.{{Cite web|url=https://airporthaber.com/havacilik-haberleri/thynin-efsanesi-deli-mike-yeniden-gokyuzunde.html|title=THY'nin efsanesi "Deli Mike" yeniden gökyüzünde|trans-title=Turkish Airlines' legend "Deli Mike" is in the sky again|date=24 December 2022|access-date=25 December 2022|website=AirportHaber|language=tr|archive-date=25 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221225032743/https://www.airporthaber.com/havacilik-haberleri/thynin-efsanesi-deli-mike-yeniden-gokyuzunde.html|url-status=live}} The planes departed Johannesburg back to back on 24 December toward Uzbekistan, but all declared an emergency mid-flight, turned off their Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast systems and made an emergency landing at Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran.{{Cite web|url=https://www.luchtvaartnieuws.nl/nieuws/categorie/2/airlines/iran-gebruikt-oude-truc-om-aan-airbus-a340s-te-komen|title=Iran gebruikt oude truc om aan Airbus A340's te komen|trans-title=Iran uses old trick to get Airbus A340s|date=27 December 2022|access-date=31 December 2022|website=Luchtvaartnieuws|language=Dutch|archive-date=31 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221231112317/https://www.luchtvaartnieuws.nl/nieuws/categorie/2/airlines/iran-gebruikt-oude-truc-om-aan-airbus-a340s-te-komen|url-status=live}} The airplane was transferred to a Mahan Air subsidiary based in Burkina Faso, through which it got the registration prefix of the country.{{efn|The four aircraft were re-registered as XT-AHH, XT-AKB, XT-AKK and XT-ALM.}} Shortly after it was alleged that the operation was carried out to evade sanctions placed on Iran, the Civil Aviation Organization confirmed the purchase of four Airbus A340 aircraft.{{Cite web |author=Mehdi |first=Syed Zafar |date=29 December 2022 |title=Iran confirms purchase of 4 Airbus A340s amid sanctions |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/economy/iran-confirms-purchase-of-4-airbus-a340s-amid-sanctions/2775334 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230123161107/https://www.aa.com.tr/en/economy/iran-confirms-purchase-of-4-airbus-a340s-amid-sanctions/2775334 |archive-date=23 January 2023 |access-date=24 September 2023 |website=Anadolu Ajansı}} The aircraft was later painted with the Mahan Air livery and received its Iranian registration, EP-MJC. It entered service with the airline on 19 March 2024 and was used in flights to Turkey.{{Cite web|url=https://havasosyalmedya.com/tc-jdm-deli-mike-istanbulda/|title=TC-JDM Deli Mike İstanbul'da|date=22 March 2024|access-date=6 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240322091050/https://havasosyalmedya.com/tc-jdm-deli-mike-istanbulda/|trans-title=TC-JDM Deli Mike is in Istanbul|archive-date=22 March 2024|url-status=live|website=HavaSosyalMedya|language=Turkish}}{{Cite web|url=https://havahaber.com/deli-mike-geri-dondu-2-yil-sonra-mahan-air-filosunda-kullanildi/|title=Deli Mike geri döndü.. 2 yıl sonra Mahan Air filosunda kullanıldı|trans-title=Deli Mike is back.. Used in the Mahan Air fleet after 2 years|date=22 March 2024|access-date=6 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240606133605/https://havahaber.com/deli-mike-geri-dondu-2-yil-sonra-mahan-air-filosunda-kullanildi/|archive-date=6 June 2024|url-status=live|website=HavaHaber|language=Turkish}}
References
= Notes =
{{notelist}}
= Citations =
{{Reflist|2}}
= Bibliography =
{{refbegin}}
- {{cite book|last1=Ayas|first1=İnanç|display-authors=etal|date=May 1990|title=VI. Beş Yıllık Kalkınma Planı Havayolu Ulaştırması|trans-title=Sixth Five-Year Development Plan Airline Transportation|url=https://www.sbb.gov.tr/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/6-HavaYoluUlastirmasi_OIK361.pdf|access-date=9 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220709205202/https://www.sbb.gov.tr/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/6-HavaYoluUlastirmasi_OIK361.pdf|archive-date=9 July 2022|url-status=live|publisher=State Planning Organization|isbn=9751902436|language=Turkish}}
- {{cite book|first=Cem|last=Kozlu|author-link=Cem Kozlu|date=2007|title=Bulutların üstüne tırmanırken: THY, bir dönüşüm öyküsü|trans-title=Climbing Above the Clouds: Turkish Airlines, a Transformation Story|publisher=Remzi Kitabevi|isbn=9789751411983|language=tr}}
- {{cite book|first=Abdullah|last=Nergiz|date=2023|title=Türk Hava Yolları (1980–2003): Büyük Dönüşüm|trans-title=Turkish Airlines (1980–2003): Big Transformation|publisher=Beyoğlu Kitabevi|isbn=9786259970622|language=tr}}
{{refend}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline|TC-JDM (aircraft)|TC-JDM}}
- [https://www.planespotters.net/airframe/airbus-a340-300-2-avra-avro-global/enx2qr TC-JDM] in Planespotters.net
{{Turkish Airlines}}