Qantas 743 Grounded Ymml

[chockchucker]

Looks Like Qantas 747-300 VH-EBX sustained some severe damage from an runaway cargo/baggage container yesterday. Skin damage is one thing but, apparently the damge extends into the airframe ribs. Not an easy repair.


Can anybody confrim the rumor that QF management are doing the sums to determine whether this aircraft is to be turned into coke cans? Or will they spend the money to summon the Boeing AOG team to come out and effect a repair?


In days gone by, Qantas may have managed this in house but, after Sydney Heavy Maint. was Lean-Sigma'd, any spare expertise is now working else where.


Anyway, somebody in the know got any good goss in the fate of the old work horse VH-EBX?

[The masked goatrider]

According to the Executive General Manager of Engineering Mr D Cocks it was just a minor scratch. A team from the top tier of engineers at SIAEC will be heading over to repair the damage. They will be borrowing a local stapler.

[Howard Hughes]

F:mad:k, we're out of staples, what now?;)

[acslame]

Do what we do every other time
Get lease staples from Air NZ

[forget]

One last time :)

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/cumpas/WERF.jpg

[Kiwiconehead]

Don't take any photos for christs sake.......

[The masked goatrider]

Don't take any photos for christs sake.......

Too late....

http://img458.imageshack.us/img458/3931/ebxmel24apr0702sl0.th.jpg (http://img458.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ebxmel24apr0702sl0.jpg)

http://img358.imageshack.us/img358/4937/ebxmel24apr0703om8.th.jpg (http://img358.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ebxmel24apr0703om8.jpg)

http://img458.imageshack.us/img458/4183/ebxmel24apr0704xf4.th.jpg (http://img458.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ebxmel24apr0704xf4.jpg)

[The masked goatrider]

But wait there's more.....

http://img358.imageshack.us/img358/4797/ebxmel24apr0706yd5.th.jpg (http://img358.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ebxmel24apr0706yd5.jpg)

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/1509/ebxmel24apr0707ka2.th.jpg (http://img407.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ebxmel24apr0707ka2.jpg)

Apparently Qantas have opened an account with Office Works and have pre-ordered several boxes of staples. Some touch up paint also on the way from Auto One.

[Rainboe]

Surely minor damage only and not a scraping candidate? When you see some of the repair jobs flying again, this is only cosmetic! Remember the AF747-400 at Tahiti- nose down in the sea? The BKK Q B747?

[ruprecht]

Ouch.....:uhoh:

[blueloo]

Was he driving that thing with a white walking cane? I mean fair enough not being able to see err umm I dunno maybe a 767 in front of you, but how do you drive into the side of a block of flats?

[IAW]

Sheeties have repaired far worse.



:} Even without staples! :}

[Going Nowhere]

http://www.paslode.com/products/tool_catalog/popup/images/popup_prod_F-350S.jpg
This might get it done a tad quicker :}

[DUXNUTZ]

Surely some bog and hundred mile an hour tape (simply place 4-5 strands overlapping each other to up-spec it to req speed rating) will get the job done....

[The Mr Fixit]

Word on the tarmac is that the brakes failed on the loader so the operator, a porter, leap from the machine in fear of being crushed against the aircraft.

By the look of the pics he made the right decision.

Hey if we can resurrect a possible hull loss we can do anything

[lowerlobe]

If the same sort of "incident" happens to one of the new carbon fibre aircraft how long would it take to fix?

[neville_nobody]

Those photo's make maintaining your ground equipment to a high standard look like a cheap alternative :rolleyes:

[Peter Fanelli]

Amazing how things get exagerated.
A threat on airliners.net has the plane torn open from end to end and the cargo door laying on the ground.

[Bolty McBolt]

james.russell Only a matter of time before one of those 743's drop out of the sky!!

Boof head!!

[Cunning_Stunt]

Seconded.Stick with the other strange people in the mall

[Buster Hyman]

I believe the staples were made from the scrapping of VH-RMD...talk about Karma!!!;):p

[left-right-out]

Apparently Tonia Todman has been employed by QF AOG and she has suggested using a hot glue gun, some brown paper and liquid paper! Works a treat on thos annoying scratches on your washing machine too!

[PitPin]

EBX at John Holland for a temp repair to allow the aircraft to fly unpressurised to AVV for a pernament repair . Damage is a little more than skin deep !

[dkaarma]

...just some putty and a splash of paint and she'll be right!

[Ultralights]

sadly not to long ago, repairs like this were not a problem for Syd Maintenance, i remember a far worse damage in front of the cargo door on a 737 on the production join, VH-TAX i think it was!

[Orville]

I hear they are looking for a crew to fly it unpressurized to Singapore for repair.

[Taildragger67]

All you'll ever need to fix an aircraft (http://multimedia.mmm.com/mws/mediawebserver.dyn?ttttttb9lEHtNXut2XutttLG5dpTTTT6-)!

I can think of a couple of places where the Void Filler might come in handy... :hmm:

[JS51672]

bad day for the boy who was driving the truck.
Repair is in my opinion quit easy, but expensive

[EGNT]

Nice answer dkaarma, it would work a treat. :ugh:

EGNT!

[lowerlobe]

Isn't there another 300 almost certainly permanently grounded in AVV?

[Going Boeing]

Lobe, that aircraft (-EBU) hasn't been on the company's books for a few years now - written off. EBT was sold earlier this year, leaving EBV, EBW, EBX (the one damaged in MEL) and EBY.

[SM4 Pirate]

Any truth to the rumour that EBX was flying today and returned with a problem?

[Going Boeing]

The B743's aren't much older than the early B744's - EBY was delivered approx 18 months before OJA. They just need some TLC - damage from runaway baggage loaders is just a freak event, not to be blamed on the aircraft type.

[Magoodotcom]

Are they getting rid of them as soon as the A380's arrive??

I overheard John Borghetti tell someone the other day when asked whether they'd be refreshed along with the rest of the fleet, that they'll all be gone by the end of next year.

Magoo

[Buster Hyman]

I'm suprised they didn't end up in Jetstar colours...then again, that's a lot of silver paint innit?:}

[roamingwolf]

I'm suprised they didn't end up in Jetstar colours...then again, that's a lot of silver paint innit?

yeah but you'd get a s%#& load of backpackers to Phuket on one in a single class config mate.

and it does matter a hoot if the ife is not working like its usualy not

[Going Boeing]

3-4 years ago, management had a plan to transfer the B743's to Australian airlines (AO) but this plan had to be shelved because of the delay in A380 deliveries. The last four B743's will be retired when enough A380's arrive. Sadly, that means the end for Flight Engineers in Qantas Tech Crew ranks.

[inthefluffystuff]

PitPin is on the money

[domo]

Any truth to the rumour that EBX was flying today and returned with a problem?
i heard the same returned to tulla

[chockchucker]

rumor has it that the air return was due to the forward cargo door warning light illuminating in flight. I presume very soon after take-off? Otherwise, why not continue to AVV? Six and one half between continuing there and doing a lap of the circuit at MEL I would've thought?

[mustafagander]

I, too, heard that the cargo door w/l illuminated just after t/o and asked the same question. A few of us were in the sim coffee room and the consensus was that if we looked at the crew list we would not need to ask the question. How hard is it to get from the circuit at YMML to the circuit at YMAV, and how long would it take? Not too difficult for the average line crew I venture to say!!

[Taildragger67]

Could familiarity and possibly better emergency facilities at YMML have been a factor in the decision?

Also was the acft on a test or RPT flight? (sorry if I've missed something in a previous post about that) If the latter then I'd suggest better SLF handling facilities at YMML.

[SUB]

The A/C was on a ferry flt after getting a temp repair at MEL. The A/C flew to AVV unpressurized , Do you think the airflow would set up a lower pressure on the neg press door and cause the door to open inward and hence the warning light to come on ??

[blueloo]

Is anyone familiar with the door locking mechanism, or the door unlock sensor ?

Can the doors fail open these days after previous accidents and how reliable is the sensor?

[pilotdude09]

Arent the 743 doors the internal ones that cant open mid air?

Maybe im way off?

[Going Boeing]

The Forward and Aft main cargo doors are not "plug" type doors - every other door is. The forward door did get a hole in it from the incident with the loader - maybe that caused some damage to the door indication.

[domo]

Is anyone familiar with the door locking mechanism, or the door unlock sensor ?

Can the doors fail open these days after previous accidents and how reliable is the sensor?

I heard from a type rated lame that it was modified after the united accident
when the main latching handle is closed electrical power is removed from the door opening system.this was not the case befour

[inthefluffystuff]

At Avalon H1 being fixed now.

[Going Boeing]

ITFS, can you let us know when it returns to service. Thanks

I thought that EBU was being "kept out of sight" in H1. Is it back out in the open? GB

[StallBoy]

Just returned from Los Angeles on VH-EBX. Held up in LA for two hours by Hydraulic problem then thirty minutes by low pressure warning light on front landing gear. :uhoh::uhoh:Flight was supposed to end in Melbourne via Auckland but ran out of fuel and landed in Fiji. :ugh::}Flight onto Auckland held up for eight hours by Hydraulic leak in right wing. :\:\Plane took off for Auckland at 8.30pm two hours late with recuring Hydraulic problem in right wing. :\:\:\Also noticed second outboard pod on right wing missing, just wondering if QANTAS is expirementing with removing unnessary airframe parts to lighten the plane and get longer range.:D:D

[18-Wheeler]

Also noticed second outboard pod on right wing missing, just wondering if QANTAS is expirementing with removing unnessary airframe parts to lighten the plane and get longer range.

Yes, it costs less to run a three-engine airliner than a four-engined one.

Let me guess, you're not a pilot?

[StallBoy]

No I am not a pilot but do on the rare occassion have to fly QANTAS out of nessity when I cannot fly on a five star airline.:bored: I cannot think of another airline who would fill up a twenty-two year old 747-300 and expect it to cross the Pacific with so many known problems. :mad:As one of the hostesses told me she hated flying on this aircraft as it was always breaking down.:\:\ I know Smithy was able to do it in a Focker monoplane and was wondering if QANTAS was thinking of getting the "Southern Cross" out of it's glass case from Brisbane airport and pressing it back into service.:ok: How many wings does a plane need to be able to FLY??????:ugh::ugh::ugh:

[equal]

No I am not a pilot but do on the rare occassion have to fly QANTAS out of nessity when I cannot fly on a five star airline.:bored: I cannot think of another airline who would fill up a twenty-two year old 747-300 and expect it to cross the Pacific with so many known problems. :mad:As one of the hostesses told me she hated flying on this aircraft as it was always breaking down.:\:\ I know Smithy was able to do it in a Focker monoplane and was wondering if QANTAS was thinking of getting the "Southern Cross" out of it's glass case from Brisbane airport and pressing it back into service.:ok: How many wings does a plane need to be able to FLY??????:ugh::ugh::ugh:

what the ****

[Buster Hyman]

the hostesses told me she hated flying on this aircraft as it was always breaking down

Poor tradesmen always blame their tools...

I cannot think of another airline who would fill up a twenty-two year old 747-300 and expect it to cross the Pacific with so many known problems.
You've never flown Continental or United then...:rolleyes:

[Skystar320]

why a Whinger - you sound like lowerlobe

[Reeltime]

Stallboy your questions would be better directed to Geoff Dixon, he's the guy who decides what aircraft QF operate. He's also decides the same thing for JQ.

Two airlines, one CEO...one airline has only brand new aircraft...the other 20 year old classics, MEL ridden 767's and 400's that are going to be around for a long while yet.

See a trend here? :ugh:

[International Trader]

Amazed that QF has such old aircraft!

[max autobrakes]

James,
only if they keep letting management types fly them!:}