Qantas A380 Re Routed or Fallen Over

[Ka.Boom]

A number of Direct LAX services over the next two weeks have had the A380 replaced with 744s.
Are they sending 744s there because loads are light or because one of the A380s has fallen over.?
Or perhaps they are sending more A380s to Europe in lieu of the jumbos?
Any ideas?
Just intrigued

[Pole Smoker]

Pigs were never meant to fly.

:)

[twiggs]

Heard a rumour that the Airbus estimates of man-hours for maintenance checks on the A380 were underestimated by as much as a third.
Perhaps it is just taking longer to come out of the hangar than is possible to keep up to current schedules?
Any engineers care to confirm?

[Howard Hughes]

Pigs were never meant to fly.
Neither were Dugongs...:E

[Ngineer]

Heard a rumour that the Airbus estimates of man-hours for maintenance checks on the A380 were underestimated by as much as a third.


Our new gen managers told us just prior to the introduction of the A380 that these "new gen" aircraft fix themselves, and were not very labour intensive. (Alot of us who have seen the introduction aircraft, and the A330, knew this was complete and utter cr@p ). These same guys had little to no aircraft maint experience, but what could we tell them? A couple of these guys have since moved on.

QF engineering had to bid for the A380 maintenance contract suppossedly against other maintenance organisations. We asked who could handle such a task but received no answer. It is now confirmed that the A380 is indeed a very labour intensive aircraft, more so than Airbu$ had let on.

I am not sure how well the 380 teams are handling the current workload, but with 3 more aircraft on the way they will be struggling. I have been told that they are busy most days of the week, but not sure if there is a backlog of work developing. There recently was an EOI released for more positions on the 380 teams (within the last week). There are some people interested in moving across, but I doubt there will be enough ngineers when we have a fleet of over 20. Most ngineers that I know do not find the current A380 team structure very appealling for various reasons.

[packrat]

Fuel burn rate higher than suggested.
Maintenance more labour intensive than suggested.
Something was lost in the French to English translation perhaps.
May be just another Dixon screw up

[Wod]

So nobody knows why the substitutions are happening then?;)

[Going Boeing]

Wod, I know that one was out of service for four days late last week for a windscreen change which caused a lot of issues on the Pacific route. Bookings had been based on the extra 140+ seats that the Dugong has so it's been difficult to get all the commercial pax out of LAX not to mention staff.

I haven't heard of any ongoing issues that would cause the substitutions next week.

[Ngineer]

A four day windscreen change? Must not have any bits here.

[Bootstrap1]

They are having extended ground time for fuel tank entry to clean the tanks and fuel quantity probes of microbial contamination. It seems this problem just wont go away,

[Going Boeing]

Posted by Ngineer
A four day windscreen change?

Yeah, when I heard that, I thought that it was a very long time even allowing for the sealant to cure. I was hoping some of your peers who work on the Dugong could give us more info.

[MaxHelixAngle]

The 4th A380 delivery was delayed a few weeks, now expected to be operational 4th Aug. Suspect this is the reason for the change.

Cheers,
MHA

[Going Boeing]

All the other speculation posted here is simply that - the truth is #4 OQD is late again - the current three are fine - it's unfounded speculation and incorrect information regarding the Airbus.

One of the three was in Hanger 96 last Saturday morning having the window change and a Dugong crew were paxed home from LAX - they were told that the aircraft was out of service for four days.

The latest delay in delivery of #4 is because some dust got onto the fuselage prior to painting and resulted in a very sub standard finish which Qantas refused to accept. The paint is being stripped and then repainted but there is a bun-fight going on over who is going to pay for it.

[Bad Hat Harry]

Airbus are the manufacturer. Surely they bear the cost of a repaint.Their error.Their responsibility.Their cost

[Machinegun Fellatio]

What are the media going to say?
That the aircraft is crappe?
These media pieces are usually written in response to growing criticism of anything where politics and big business coincide.
The success of the Airbus A380 is paramount.
Many careers both political and corporate hinge on its success.
Only on noticeboards like PPrune will there be any criticism of this bird.
Read the preceding posts and it is obvious that all is not clockwork in the house of Airbus

[Ngineer]

That the aircraft is crappe?


Is that French for Crap? I had a little chuckle to myself over that one, but I think the term is Le-crappe.

[Toolman101]

Is there a problem with the windscreens on the 380?

There was a inflight return out of LHR at the begining of the month with a windsceen defect with a 30 hour delay, or is this the same one?:confused:

[Going Boeing]

Toolman, I believe that this is the same one. The story I heard was that they were allowed to keep operating with the defect for a limited number of sectors so when the aircraft returned to SYD it was taken out of service for the change.

[27/09]

That said - the 747 remains a beaut, with a better look in the skies and proven to be one of the most successful airliners in aviation history - the A380 needs many years yet before it can assume such a tag...

I'm not sure the A380 will ever assume such a tag.

The 747 is certainly one of the most successful airliners ever built because it was a commercial success for the operators and for the Boeing. It also changed the face of international airline travel making it affordable to the masses.

For the A380 to lift that mantle it needs to be commercially successful for the operators and Airbus. The A 380 is not the quantum step forward that the B747 was when it was introduced. It is too early to be sure it is going to be commercially successful for the operators though that looks likely, however on the current orders the A380 is a very very long way from being commercially successful for Airbus.

It could be argued that on the current sales figures the A380 would drive most manufacturers broke and only EU government support is/will stop that from happening. One might also argue "right aircraft wrong time" for the A380.

Who is to say how Boeing are going to fare with the 787 though in their favour they do have a rather large order book for the 787.

[AlphaLord]

The future of Aviation travel will require smaller faster longer range aircraft that will transport in the vicinity of 380 people.
The 787 will eventually develop into the aircraft that will fly LHR/SYD/ SYD/LHR non stop both ways.
Boeing have got it right
When times are commercially difficult(as now)trying to fill a large aircraft like the A380 means reducing fares and slashing yields.
The industry is both sensitive cyclical and labour intensive.A large aircraft that has high maintenance costs and has long off line time is damaging to an airlines bottom line.
Boeing has proved itself time and again with its aircraft.
The 787 has had its problems but it should prove to be more flexible( over medium and long distance routes) and less expensive to maintain.The airliner for the future.
It would be interesting to have this conversation in five years time when both aircraft types are bedded down.

[twiggs]

So maybe NB-W can tell us if there is any relief in sight for that 15 minute wait after arrival at SIT before anyone is allowed to get off?
Or is it that from customer feedback, they really don't want to leave the aircraft after spending the last 24 hrs on it?

[Eastwest Loco]

The short term changes in equipment on LAX may have been a knock on from the disruptions last Saturday into SIN.

Both QF9 (744) and QF31 (388) diverted into KUL and later continued to SIN. Possibly WX but could not get a definitive answer. I had a client on the 9 connecting the dugong.

There was an ensuing 17 hour delay, most likely due crew rest in SIN. That is nearly a day out of the consolidated plan for crew and that aeroplane so it may have been the thing that precipitated the equipment change.

Having been a passenger on the first International QF A380 pax flight - and it was NOT MEL LAX but SYD AKL 09 October last year, I can only rave about the aeroplane and passenger experience. The crew was incredible too.

It is a quantum leap forward.

I do still adore the 744, and have a big soft spot for the 763 as well.

Comfy slippers.

Best all

EWL

[argusmoon]

It was showcasing day EWL.The crew handpicked and everything laid on.
Try sitting on the thing for 14 hours.
The Cabin is noisy and meals take forever.
It smells good though

[Eastwest Loco]

It might have been showcasing Argus, but I was more interested in the aeroplane.

Faultless.

The only reason it is noisy is that the sound of the SLF is not drowned by white noise.

Meal service was slow in J class at the back of the cabin where I was - which is why I seat my passengers forward, but weren't all the QF 380 crews hand picked?

A good airliner with the solid feel of the DC10.

That "thunk" when doors close.

Just a seat of the pants opinion on my part.

Best regards

EWL

[ditch handle]

Quote- "but weren't all the QF 380 crews hand picked?"

__________

Those running the company would certainly be pleased with themselves that you were left with the impression that they were so..........:E

[Eastwest Loco]

I can only comment on personal opinion Ditch as to the experience.

That was combined with garnered information from this place.

It was a positive experience and one I will remember forever for aeroplane and crew.

A step back in time in a lot of ways.

EWL

[ditch handle]

Sorry EWL not trying to "diss" you in any way shape or form and glad to hear your experience was positive.

Some of us a little closer to the action just grow a little tired of the amount of dishonesty, spin and corp speak that surrounds it's operation.

[Eastwest Loco]

I totally understand that Ditch, having worked for many of the people in the Evil Empire of today that came from TN.

I perceived no disrespect or barbs, as there were none and am totally aware of the position you are placed in.

The ride and the aeroplane and the people were great.

I am more than aware that the engine room has more potential fail lines than the San Andreas Fault.

Best regards

EWL

[Captain.Que]

These Aircraft subs dont begin occurring until the 9th August.
Probably more to do with the late arrival of the next A380

[packrat]

The A380 operating as QF11 has been delayed today 17/07 due tech problems.
It seems to be delayed frequently.The A/C not the QF11

[Bad Hat Harry]

As from 6th August QF 31/32 will be a 744 instead of A380

[Bad Hat Harry]

Trips are X patterns available in Open Time

[GalleyHag]

A little off topic considering aircraft 4 has been delayed but does anyone know when aircraft 5 is scheduled for delivery?

[ditch handle]

Taking the service pressure off the Dugong by transferring the daylight 31/32 services to the 744????

[Short_Circuit]

Many careers both political and corporate hinge on its success.

You have hit the nail on la head.

[lowerlobe]

So maybe NB-W can tell us if there is any relief in sight for that 15 minute wait after arrival at SIT before anyone is allowed to get off?
Or is it that from customer feedback, they really don't want to leave the aircraft after spending the last 24 hrs on it?
Shock....Horror....What's happened to you Twiggs.....

I think it was you who used to call me Mr Negativity.....:oh:

Could it be that someone is not happy in the mushroom factory?

[rjkrjk]

I think it is only the 2 new days that OQD was going to allow that are back to the 744, the existing 3 remain as A380 ?