QF9 Diverts to Delhi..Update?

[prunezeuss]

The QF9 diverted to Delhi.Pax were held on the A/C(for 6 hrs) while negotiations with Indian Customs took place...anyone have an update?

[C441]

I believe Harbhajan Singh's brother-in-law is a Delhi customs officer (bugger - no monkey smilies);)

[Avid Aviator]

Saw a B744 depart SYD for Delhi this morning with a 5th engine on the wing and 14 engineers on board.

[Keg]

Information here:

http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,26058,23310480-5014090,00.html

[Going Boeing]

The 5th Pod flight will be slow and noisy. The test flying for 5th Pod operations was conducted prior to RVSM so it is not approved for RVSM airspace. YSSY-VIDP at F280 at M0.78 makes for a long night burning heaps of fuel - a very expensive operation.

I've always thought that if you're not in a time critical situation then diversion to Mumbai would be preferable to Delhi, Kolkatta or Karachi. An on-line airport with better engineering support and staff to arrange hotels, meals etc for the pax.

[Bumpfoh]

Oh good golly:E:E

17 or so cases of Delhi belly to contend with.:yuk::yuk:

Is that covered by work care??:}

[Clipped]

Another failed engine from the Centre of Excellence.

And from the illustrious EGM,

"The (now-grounded) aircraft diverted to Delhi due to technical problems with one of its engines," Mr Cox said.

"The aircraft landed without incident. There were no safety issues at any time."

Yes GB a very expensive operation

How do these people get away with the spin?

[topdrop]

As I understand it, non RVSM acft are allowed above FL280. If there is a conflict with RVSM traffic, the non RVSM acft will have to change level by 1000ft or if there is no alternative descend to F280.

[Taildragger67]

Nice piccy of an SP in the article!

... with a very nice blue Harpic stripe!! :}:}

[Taildragger67]

Eclan,

You wrote:

Presumably they were mainly Indians?

Who do you mean by "they"? The passengers stuck aboard QF009, which was operating from YMML via WSSS to EGLL?

Why do you posit that "they were mainly Indians"? I would think they were more likely to be Poms and Aussies rather than NRIs or PIOs.

You don't get into India without a visa, full stop. If QF009 dropped in during the dark hours you would need several hours to get anyone who could do anything meaningful in the bureacracy, out of bed. If it was a simple matter of drop in, unload a sick punter and zoom off again, with everyone else staying airside, then fewer problems. But once you've ascertained that:
a) the a/c is u/s;
b) there is no spare a/c nearby;
c) you'll therefore need to get a spare a/c flown in;
d) this will certainly take the current crew out of hours,

- then you are looking at offloading. At which point it's best to keep the punters on the a/c as you then know where they are.

Don't forget VIDP is not a QF station so there would be sod-all capacity on the ground to get things sorted.

Punters are whingeing about no info coming out of the Rat - probably because there wasn't any until the local officials got out of bed. Not QF's fault.

I don't think the cricket would've come into it.

[mutt]

Considering that it was a 747-400, what happened to the engine that forced the a/c to land immediately? I would have thought that it would have continued into Europe.

Mutt

[silly walks]

Flight has finally departed DEL, and is due into LHR at 0020:ouch:

[Going Boeing]

Forgive my lack of knowledge on RVSM, but why would a 5th Pod affect the aircrafts RVSM capability?

Probably, no effect - it simply hasn't been tested to see if the presence of the extra engine affects the airflow near the static ports. As 5th Podding is a relatively rare event, I don't think that any airline is going to foot the bill for Boeing to do the necessary test flying for RVSM approval.

[sickofqf]

"Considering that it was a 747-400, what happened to the engine that forced the a/c to land immediately? I would have thought that it would have continued into Europe."


Surging then highish vibes apparently.

Another HP Compressor failure no doubt....I wonder if the engine was another Hasel gem ? Yes we are sending plenty over to HASEL these days.....sems our CoE can't cope......that's what happens when M runs things into the ground....which he's now doing to Line Maint!!

[Going Boeing]

It sounds like it wasn't time critical.

Last year, a B744 crew had to shut down an engine over Afghanistan and managed to continue to their destination, Singapore (legally). Saved the company a bucket of money as they were able to get the pax to Oz on other services.

[ChickenLips]

(bugger - no monkey smilies)

Here are a few

http://elouai.com/images/yahoo/38.gif
http://www.rakscraps.com/forums/images/smilies/new2/icon_smile_monkeybutt.gif
http://www.rakscraps.com/forums/images/smilies/animal-smiley-069.gif
http://www.getsmileyface.com/new/monkey_smileys/7.gif

[Going Boeing]

DA. I agree that continuing north was not an option due to the high terrain etc.

[bentleg]

So did they fly the pax on in another aircraft specially brought in, or did the pax wait for the ac to be fixed?

[clear to land]

Due to ATC restrictions (equipment and controller) and a traffic density completely alien to most Australian pilots, combined with a large military influence the chances of a non-standard level outside Aust and maybe occasionally Nth American FIR are virtually non-existant. Even when RVSM certified it is very unusual to get your planned level, always carry fuel for a level below best case. Delhi isn't a bad pick as a diversion, although personally I would pick Mumbai if I wasn't time critical (ie on fire!). It might (and probably will) take a while to make the controllers understand what you are trying to do with the diversion (and yes their English is better than my Hindi). I personally know of a crew declaring Mayday and being cleared to continue climb to altitude! Indians have refined bureaucracy to an art form, NOTHING is done without paperwork and lots of it. After hours assistance in Mumbai is far more available than Delhi.

[somniferous]

Just noticed on news.com advertising by QF for holidays to India... perhaps this was a subtle bit of advertising :E

[satos]

Does anyone know what type of engine was fitted.Was it a Roller or Ge.

[Going Boeing]

Probably RR as all the aircraft configured for the Kangaroo route are Rollers. The GE aircraft are in Pacific config but they are occasionally used on the Kangaroo route when unservicabilities force a change of aircraft.

[mustafagander]

Come on people, the captain is charged with the responsibility, along with his/her crew, of deciding the best thing to do when it goes pear shaped.

It seems that all persons an board were safely on the ground after this problem. Is there a better outcome?

[C441]

Hey Chicken Lips,
Just got home from the Gabba and didn't recognise either of those two!

[Feather #3]

May not be relevant [but this is a rumour network, so what the heck?], but BOM has been having runway works which may equally have influenced the decision.

G'day ;)

[Autobrakes4]

We generally track a long way north of Mumbai both north and south bound to Europe and quite close to Delhi almost every time. It is therefore a natural diversion airport, and is used a few times a year by the Qantas 400's.

[The Wawa Zone]

Off topic slightly; you say you track over Afganistan ? What hi-level route number(s) is that ?

[noip]

FWIW ...

Memory serves ... QF track to Europe

L750, N644 are the main two ... (along with everybody else)

+ northbound to Uzbekistan (Samarkand etc) generally in N winter, and a more southern route that clips Iran, going over Ashkabaat.

N

[frangatang]

Well cor blimey,you strines are alwayz wanting,wanting. Going to bombay will more than likely have you holding for up to an hour because of the roadworks.Goodness gracious me oh golly golly.

[SkyScanner]

northbound to Uzbekistan (Samarkand etc) generally in N winter, and a more southern route that clips Iran, going over Ashkabaat.


A466 and G795 are the other 2

[Jay Arr]

Nearly, Skyscanner, being pedantic it's actually G792 (and another airway, B466, overlays it).

Check this link out (specifically page ENR 6-2.1):
http://www.motca.gov.af/pdf/AIP-Afghanistan-Ed-24-14Feb08.pdf

And more info on Afghan airports, even approach plates (!), can be found here: http://www.motca.gov.af/index.htm

Might be just the thing to have in the back pocket one dark Afghan night...

You can find absolutely anything in cyberspace!