Happy Biker: You are probably right, but I was there when they pulled the airplane out of the water and they found that the only place that had water damage was the first class carpet. Even the electrical bay was dry and that had been underwater the entire time.
The salvage company bought the wreck from the insurers and made all their money back selling the landing gear alone. Everything else was jam.
The airplane was just weeks old and very tight.
The Air France 744 that stuck its nose in the drink in Papeete was saved, and it had more water damage than the CI one.
If the 777 is as tough as the 744 it can take anything you dish out.
Unless you work for CI or KE (or of course SQ).
I forgot that KE lost a 744 in a crosswind landing incident that stressed the hull so bad it could not be straightened out so they cut it up for scrap. Another almost-new airplane. That makes three hull losses, only one with fatalities.
Last edited by boofhead; 21st Jan 2008 at 21:47.