Qantas A380 lax to syd diverts to Brisbane

[mickjoebill]

LAX to Sydney diverts to Brisbane.
Early reports from passengers say some engines were shut down.
Aircraft pictured (video by passengers?) on apron with passengers disembarking via two sets of stairs.

Edit from twitter
"A surprise look at the #A380 close up. Flight diverted to Brisbane after (wait for it) FUEL issues. Wouldn't have made it to Sydney apparently. In the pilots words an 'unique' situation"

http://Instagram.com/p/pUh3naTHXj/

Mickjoebill

[Tankengine]

Another early report suggests a technical issue followed by a descent to lower altitude on the way to Brisbane with no engines shut down and definitely no "plummeting". :rolleyes:

[crow17]

VH-OQA. Didn't this aircraft have a test flight in Sydney on the 15th.

Related?

Crow.

Come on QF bashers, no one had a crack yet!

[Jack Ranga]

No plummeting? Those pax look terrified to me.

[parabellum]

Don't know if they still do but at one time QANTAS did not carry alternate fuel and would nominate an en route diversion, doing various calculations a couple of hours out, taking into account weather, runway and aids availability and fuel remaining, a decision would be made whether to continue to destination or go to the en route alternate. 99 times out of a hundred it was OK to continue to destination. Get held down for level, stronger than forecast headwinds, re-routing etc. would be the most likely cause of not making it to planned destination. Some operators call this method of despatch 're-despatch'.


Since the crew said it was a 'unique situation' none of the above may well apply.

[Heavy Metal]

Tankengine has it.

It has been reported that a minor technical problem occurred enroute, necessitating a lower then planned final cruising altitude. There was no engine shut down, no safety issue. Sorry conspiracy theorists, no plummeting, or any difference in flight even noticeable to passengers, other then perhaps captain trying to explain not enough fuel now to reach Sydney with normal reserves, but plenty to reach Brisbane. Passengers and journalists have a hard time understanding that an aircraft flies further on a tank of fuel at higher altitudes, and conversely, not as far as planned, if an aircraft flies for 10 hours at a lower then planned altitude. We are talking cruising at 28,000 ft, instead of 38,000 ft.

[MelbPilot85]

Fuel pump issue resulting in lower cruising altitude as already mentioned. Lower cruise altitude resulting in higher fuel burn hence not enough juice to get home. Nothing to see here....

[Capt Fathom]

Nothing to see here....


There was nothing to see here from the beginning!

[Eastwest Loco]

Miss Nancy gets them home again!

I was on board for the 1st Qantas International passenger flight and loved her.

She got them home (with excellent pilot skills) into SIN and she has done it again.

Love that aeroplane almost as much as Tango Juliet Alpha and hope to fly on her again soon.

It does surprise me they had the fire tenders out if there actually weren't engines shut down but I guess better safe than sorry and gives the Fireies active practise.

Diversions for lack of fuel due to jetstream and so on were not unusual years ago with Pan Am with the 747SP and Continental used to wind up in NAN on occasion with the DC10-30 "pub flight" due to headwinds or something breaking.

If I ever get away from this desk I hope my next OS trip includes OQA.

Best all

EWL