View Full Version : "Safe sex" A320 at PHL
beerisgood
29th Sep 2015, 18:43
Not sure if any of my learned colleagues can shed some light on this. Went to PHL a few days back and taxiing out for departure on 09L we spotted what appeared to be a US Air A320 that had been covered in a large blue condom. Fuselage, (only excluding the rear end and tail) wings and engines were all covered in blue shrink wrapped plastic. It was tied to some large concrete blocks and appeared to have suffered a tail scrape. We were about number 15 for departure so had the time to have a good look, but couldn't work out what was going on.
Any ideas?
b.i.g.
G-CPTN
29th Sep 2015, 19:08
As long as they don't take-off before removing the concrete blocks:-
Pilot fined after concrete block falls off his plane : Newcastle Airport News Stories (http://www.uk-airport-news.info/newcastle-airport-news-141207.htm)
skidbuggy
29th Sep 2015, 19:10
It might be the one wrecked last year in a post V1 reject.
Accident: US Airways A320 at Philadelphia on Mar 13th 2014, rejected takeoff (http://avherald.com/h?article=471583da)
That's the one according to what I've been told.
de facto
30th Sep 2015, 06:22
Rejecting at 20 ft?:ok:
Denti
30th Sep 2015, 06:51
Guess ssg graduated to the majors after all...
beerisgood
30th Sep 2015, 07:02
Thanks for the info, the damage we saw certainly looked consistent with the pictures of US1702. Any thoughts on whether it's a write off, or are they just waiting for the bulk delivery of speed tape? Still don't understand the shrink wrap though...
b.i.g.
peekay4
30th Sep 2015, 07:46
The aircraft was declared a complete loss and was written off, so it's likely awaiting salvage.
Per the swiss cheese model, the crew had made a series of errors. Previous thread: http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/535943-us-air-phl.html
No Fly Zone
1st Oct 2015, 21:01
I'll have to find the pix. FWIW, a little shrink-wrap might help my tail as well, but I certainly do not attempt to cram it into a condom!
-------snip---------
More seriously, I too have heard that the AC is considered a write-off and is awaiting salvage. Whether it is eligible for a ferry permit or must be salvaged in place, I do not know. It sounds like the engines have been removed. If they can obtain a ferry permit, let's hope that they hang a pair of good engines beforehand. (Except in the Air Force, concrete blocks don't provide much thrust. Then again, if the AC is already 'condom protected,' thrust force may not be an issue. YOU figure it out; that's way above my pay grade.:E
nimbuscumulus
2nd Oct 2015, 00:11
@beerisgood,
You are nr 15 for take off, you have all the time in the world, but you don't take a photo?
Shame on you!