SYD-bound QANTAS A380 turns back to L.A. following burst water pipe

[Porschephile]

A friend has just told me his LAX to SYD flight was turned back after 50 mins due to water leaking through from First to Economy. Looks pretty alarming:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BriF60JCMAA1bLP.jpg

Qantas flight from Los Angeles turns back after water pipe leaks (http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-incidents/qantas-flight-from-los-angeles-turns-back-after-water-pipe-leaks-20140702-zstzf.html)

I can't remember seeing something like this before - it also shows the sheer quantity of water these big birds hold these days.

[Maxan_Murphy]

Looks a tad wet, I wonder how much damage has been done.


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BriXoV3CUAAS_vw.jpg

[SpringHeeledJack]

On a serious note, as it appears that the leaks will have contaminated many areas of the aircraft, how on earth will they dry out the massive aircraft and what might be a likely future for said A380 ? That's going to give the maintenance guys a few headaches….

[no-hoper]

No "Shut Down" of the system performed ?

[glendalegoon]

saw one article saying melbourne was the destination, but not sure.

understand the flying giant has over 500 gallons of potable water.

time to call water clean up team

[WASPERNATOR]

On AOL this story is illustrated by a nice 747 pic. Boeing will be pleased.

* Airbus are stated as the plane maker in the actual story.

[deptrai]

"it also shows the sheer quantity of water these big birds hold these days"

No it doesnt. It takes very little water to cover a level surface. Impossible to judge from the picture.

[BOAC]

It is concerning, based on experiences with liquids dropping into electronics elsewhere, and the 380 has a bit of electronics....let's hope the waterproofing is good.

[Volume]

the 380 has a bit of electronicsLuckily most of it is located just above and aft of the cockpit, where you can not use that space in a useful way. So all that expensive stuff probably is warm and dry...

[Basil]

If I'd been ol' skip, I'd have been a bit worried about free surface effect in the pitching plane.

[top-lame]

Water and electronics don't mix, but water can also freeze at altitude if in an unheated area.. all area's need to be inspected.. don't want anything jamming up do we.!!

[glad rag]

Luckily most of it is located just above and aft of the cockpit, where you can not use that space in a useful way. So all that expensive stuff probably is warm and dry...

apart from all the IFE but you knew that didn't you.:ugh:

[Nialler]

Speaking as an engineer and as a freight item in that part of the plane behind the pilots, I would say that it takes a hell of a lot of water to soak a carpeted aisle to the extent that there appear to be ripples if not actual minor wavelets.

In an environment chock full of electronics I'd be alarmed at the introduction of water. Water plus gravity plus electricity usually equals disaster. I've seen it happen.

Then again I realise that the engineers working on this stuff generally get the message.

[Terry McCassey]

I seem to remember QF also had a water soaked B744 which had all it's power knocked out in 2008. Correctly pre-stated, water + electrics = not good.

[NSEU]

According to the Qantas engineering manager, Airbus have said that their was "no safety of flight risk and that critical systems of the aircraft are protected from issues such as water, heat and mechanical damage". (Of course, things might be lost in translation from French to English) :}

I wonder if the passengers have similar safeguards :P (QF engineers don't. One suffered an electric shock working on a toilet this week)

Boeing also did risk analyses on the 744. VH-OJM proved Murphy's Law yet again. We treat manufacturers' claims with a little more respect than spin doctors, but still....

I won't be installing a light switch in my shower recess, even if I have a protective circuit in my fusebox.

[xtp]

Lots of water sloshing about in the fuselage might do interesting things to the CofG and trim.

[rotornut]

understand the flying giant has over 500 gallons of potable water

I don't know about Qantas but Emirates has showers in First and Business on its 380s. They must carry a lot of water.

[ExFlyingPlumber]

That's not much weight, 500 UK gallons of water = 5000 lbs

Taking a flow rate of 0.10litre/sec for a shower the Emirates A 380's have I believe 80 First and Business class seats, so allow 5 minutes in the shower =

Flow 0.10x60 = 6 litres x 5 minutes = 30 litres times this by 80 and you end up with 2400 litres of water or 2.4 cubic metres, or for the mass 2.4 tonnes

[BARKINGMAD]

BUT OF COURSE WATER DISPERSANT FIRE/SMOKE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS WERE REJECTED AS TOO DIFFICULT??!

But it's ok to carry the weight if the fatcats need a shower before they get to the arrival terminal..........

Back to my own planet please, and make it quick.....!

Of course the liquid content of the "honey tank" could always be used for smoke/fire suppression, no extra weight penalty bar the pumps and distribution system......

[BOAC]

First and Business on its 380s. They must carry a lot of water. Of course, recycling 'First' water to 'Business' saves a lot.

[glad rag]

Now this is a serious subject..

0Oxtc4o0Q1I

Actually Z18 was one of my teams areas, PGE! :ok:

[Jet Jockey A4]

Rope-Style Cleaning Mops Behind A380 Water Leaks...

Qantas has deployed an interim solution to problems with water leaks on its A380 fleet while Airbus develops a permanent fix, an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) incident report reveals.

The issue first arose in July when a Qantas A380 (VH-OQD) that had just departed Los Angeles for Melbourne had to return to Los Angeles when the cabin crew discovered that 40% of the potable water on board—185 gallons—had leaked from a disconnected water pipe coupling just above the floor in the business class galley on the top deck. Although the crew was able to switch off the system, the spilled water moved rearward, drained through the upper deck floor and was “raining” on passengers seated near Row 65 of the main deck as it flowed toward bilges, according to ATSB’s final report on the incident.

The pilots, in contact with Qantas maintenance watch ground staff, decided there were no safety-of-flight issues, but elected to return to Los Angeles given that the water to the toilets and sinks was not available with the main switch off, making it “untenable to continue a 14-hr. flight.”

Source Discovered

The crew also switched off the in-flight entertainment system and power to the seats as a precaution when the leak was discovered.

“Leakage of that quantity of water had not occurred previously, and the eventual impact of the water on the aircraft was unknown,” the ATSB wrote. After dumping some fuel, the crew transitioned to a relatively nose-high, slow-speed descent after the initial descent profile had caused the spilled water to begin moving forward along the floor.

A mechanic testing the same coupling on another A380 that was scheduled for the flight from Los Angeles to Melbourne the next day observed the same problem, but with less water leaking.

“The engineers attempted to dry out the leaked water in the cabin, resulting in the aircraft arriving about one hour late at the departure gate,” the ATSB explained.

Despite the clean-up attempt, “some water came down from the overhead bins in the main deck” during the takeoff run, but it was “similar to that normally arising from condensation and not considered to be significant,” the ATSB added. The flight continued to Melbourne.

Rope-Style Mops

An initial inspection on the A380s revealed that the couplings were likely being unlatched by rope-style mops that cleaners had been using in the galley area.

“Fleet-wide inspection of the fittings found strands of cleaning mops tangled in the brackets,” said the ATSB, “with evidence of couplings rotated in opposing directions.”

Qantas, in consultation with Airbus, initially wrapped the couplings with aluminum tape to protect the joint, and changed cleaning procedures so that sponge-style mops would be used under galley bench areas.

The ATSB said Qantas also planned in mid-September to install lock-wire to “prevent the clamp from coming adrift” while Airbus developed a permanent fix.

The ATSB commended the Qantas crew that had aborted its flight to Melbourne for “excellent” crew resource management techniques during the “abnormal and unusual situation.”

[steamchicken]

185gal = 40%? 185/40 = 1% = 4.625gal * 100 = 462.5gal total * 5 = 2312.5 litres/2.3 tonnes H2O. not a bad Fermi-problem answer, ExFlyingPlumber.

[Chu Chu]

ATSB report says "about" 700 liters leaked. The quoted press report must have converted to U.S. gallons (and added a degree of false precision).

[harrryw]

That much water over the floor of the aircraft must have a major effect if there are any pitch or roll changes. It only takes an inch or two of water on a RORO ship to cause it to roll over.

[V-Jet]

A lot would have absorbed and 700kgs moving at most, whilst not desirable would almost certainly be manageable.


The important difference with modern aircraft, and in particular Qantas' modern aircraft is that as the CEO said they don't need maintenance so there isn't ever anything to worry about.

[Capn Bloggs]

It only takes an inch or two of water on a RORO ship to cause it to roll over.
Pitch perhaps, but not roll. Unlike a ship, the "gravity" is pointing down perpendicular to the wings regardless of bank/roll angle, unless the machine is unbalanced, which would of course never happen in a bus... That's why I never spill my coffee even when turning base at 60° AOB... :}

[harrryw]

Of course not, coffee is not an essential flight activity below 10000 ft...unless you have to keep the person flying awake of course..:)
I see what you mean about your smooth flying , but what about turbulence, that could permit the water hammer effect although it of course would involve a lot more with pitch. I agree roll is not material.