Two Qantas flights return to Sydney after engineering issues

[Cralis]

A bit unlucky and expensive.


http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/two-qantas-flights-return-to-sydney-after-engineering-issues/news-story/e371b8c260c74e365aa4d2757ae618bc

[mmurray]

A bit unlucky and expensive.


Qantas: Two planes make emergency return to Sydney after engineering issues (http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/two-qantas-flights-return-to-sydney-after-engineering-issues/news-story/e371b8c260c74e365aa4d2757ae618bc)

What's it cost to fill up an A380 and fly to the US ?

[PoppaJo]

Did the Captain ask the poor terrified souls on board to start praying??

[cooperplace]

A bit unlucky and expensive.


Qantas: Two planes make emergency return to Sydney after engineering issues (http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/two-qantas-flights-return-to-sydney-after-engineering-issues/news-story/e371b8c260c74e365aa4d2757ae618bc)

I know zip about airbuses but aren't the flaps a critical system? so shouldn't they have a backup actuation system? Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[mustafagander]

I am reliably informed that the problem was that part of the flap actuating system was misrigged or, more correctly, rigged to the very edge of tolerances and it shifted slightly to go out of tolerance.

[cooperplace]

if anything that increases my anxiety: a critical system, on an airline with a reputation for excellence, is "misrigged"; -what does that mean? Could the plane satisfactorily extend flaps for landing?

[Sunfish]

flap asymmetry alert?

[Trent 972]

I know zip about airbuses but aren't the flaps a critical system? so shouldn't they have a backup actuation system? Please correct me if I'm wrong
More just an inconvenience to the planned operation.
Obviously it couldn't drag itself all the way to the destination with some flap out but the wing is so big and efficient that the Vapp for a reduced flap overweight landing is easily managed on to a long runway like YSSY 16R/34L.
(The scenario is trained for and practiced in the sim)

[cooperplace]

More just an inconvenience to the planned operation.
Obviously it couldn't drag itself all the way to the destination with some flap out but the wing is so big and efficient that the Vapp for a reduced flap overweight landing is easily managed on to a long runway like YSSY 16R/34L.
(The scenario is trained for and practiced in the sim)

Ok thanks, so it sounds like a non-issue then, apart from the $$$$

[IsDon]

A Melbourne woman on the Los Angeles-bound flight QF93, which diverted to Sydney said the crew made the decision to turn around.
Jessica McCallum, 29, praised Qantas crew for their handling of the situation, after an emergency light came on in the cockpit of the A380 about an hour into the flight.
“A staff member came over toward our row and asked the people in front if they would mind if they had a look at the engine outside the window,” she told news.com.au while still sitting in her seat on the tarmac at Sydney Airport.
“He then rushed off and we didn’t hear anything for a while.
“We were then told about the oil leak affecting the second engine on the left side.
“We were told we would divert to Sydney and land in 25 minutes.
“We were circling around for ages until the pilot could get the centre of gravity of the plane level just so we could land safely.”

That damn light coming on again.

One day I'd like to take one of these so called journalists onto the "cockpit" so they can point out to me exactly what light they keep talking about.

According to them the light can either "come on," or "goes off". Either way it always seems to result in the same result. Aircraft landing safely, closely followed by an interview of some bogan who thought they were "seconds from death".

If they could please point out to me where this offending light is so I can have it removed or deactivated. It seems to be more trouble than it's worth.

[maggot]

That damn light coming on again.

One day I'd like to take one of these so called journalists onto the "cockpit" so they can point out to me exactly what light they keep talking about.

According to them the light can either "come on," or "goes off". Either way it always seems to result in the same result. Aircraft landing safely, closely followed by an interview of some bogan who thought they were "seconds from death".

If they could please point out to me where this offending light is so I can have it removed or deactivated. It seems to be more trouble than it's worth.
Master warning/caution mate. Minor detail, do look it up ;)

[Fris B. Fairing]

It might have been The Big One


http://www.adastron.com/aviation/vault/the-big-one.jpg

[Big Bad D]

I know zip about airbuses but aren't the flaps a critical system? so shouldn't they have a backup actuation system? Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Clearly flaps are preferable for operation and performance and indeed there is redundancy. But assymetric flap deployment would be critical so better that system detects and limits and crew follow procedure for limited or flapless landing.