SQ B777 Engine destroyed during taxi

[ExSp33db1rd]

Heidhurtin

Parking at Aero Bridges can be done in various ways. Originally a marshaller would use little flags with recognised "International" signals, i.e. point at the left wheel if that was the one to be braked,(as in the days of tailwheel aircraft with no nosewheel steering i.e. brake the left wheel to turn left ) and eventually cross the arms over the head to indicate "Stop". In later years there was a system of marker boards, with vertical poles in the manner of "transit" lights that yachts can use to follow the centre line of a channel, were used, i.e. a pair of poles to keep on the centre line, and a pair at the side to indicate where stop, and these were occasionally lights showing through slots, these were on the co-pilot side of course, eventually lights were used, in the manner of traffic lights, and the pilot stopped when the red light showed.

Trouble was every Tom, Dick and Harry had invented their pet system, and so it was a lottery as to which system would be in use at ones' arrival airport - there were many variables. In my opinion the very best was used at Miami, it was just a large mirror positioned so that one could actually see ones' own nosewheel, and guide it easily along the centre line until reaching a stop line, which of course was at different distances in for different aircraft. The KISS method.(Keep It Simple, Stupid )

I imagine that Changi being a modern airport there would be a system that left the whole operation to the pilot, but there should still have been "someone" to leap out and manually stop the aircraft in case of failure of the "auto" system. Dunno.

Ironic that the SIA aircraft had come from Bombay, I recall taxying in at Bombay one night, the “stop markers” for the airbridge were the ones at the side, not directly in front. I eventually asked the co-pilot where the ‘stop’ sign was, and then – “Christ ! we’ve passed it” !!

No damage done, but nearly drove No. 2 engine into the bridge ! The first person on the flight deck was a uniformed “official”. who looked out the side and said - with accompanying head wobbling - “ The lights were on, it wasn’t our fault “ . I agreed, but also told him that there was a whole ground crew waiting around the area, and not one had the sense to step forward and wave his hands. They weren’t meant to of course, so probably wouldn’t have in case they were blamed !!

There is no doubt that the rogue container shouldn't have been where it was, but that's a different issue.