Fri 1/11/2019
The third cracked aircraft was found early in the morning. Qantas conducted further press including a conference at 10.30 where many of the same incorrect and/or misleading lines were repeated. Andrew David also had a pretty healthy stab at the rogue union person who was blowing out of proportion an issue that posed no safety concern. At that stage they had inspected 33 of 75 aircraft, all the ones over 22,600 cycles (refer AD) I really liked the first questions he was asked -
Why don't you check the other 42 aircraft? …….and after some waffle...….
why don't you just check the other 42 aircraft, they one take an hour each...…..followed by more waffle. The waffle was technical in nature and incomprehensible to the reporters. What he basically said was that the AD only required inspections on aircraft over 22,600 cycles and that Qantas would not be going beyond the minimum number of checks required by the AD.
At that stage Qantas would have been well aware that the AD was written on the assumption that cracks were only developing on planes over 35,000 landings. They know their planes are cracking a lot earlier and they still will not lower the threshold for these checks to be undertaken. Calls that our statements to check the planes before they fly have been called irresponsible by Qantas and all those repeating the same
PR lines.
These checks take one nominal hour to do. In reality experienced blokes can do the checks in 15 minutes with a torch and a rag. Grounding the other 42 planes to do the checks would not be onerous for the airline, they could be done by 42 Engineers (each day there are a couple of hundred rostered for duty) in one hour. Yet Qantas refuse to go beyond the number specified in what is now an outdated AD and continue to fly 42 planes not knowing if they are cracked or not, cracks that could lead to the loss of control of the airplane.
I'll sign off now with a couple of not so technical comments. I write this openly to you Guys and Gals who fly the planes with the intention of using the content in a notice to our members. I have a partner who I take my directives from, and like most of you I consider the directives from my partner, second to none. Earlier in this thread I was told to have some self respect and shave before going on tele. I can tell you I have been directed by number one, that I am not to shave and as such have not done so for 5 years.
cheers
Steve P