LOW COST CARRIER B737 FOUND WITH STANDBY HYDRAULIC SYSTEM DISCONNECTED in BNE?
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Melbourne Aus
Posts: 156
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
LOW COST CARRIER B737 FOUND WITH STANDBY HYDRAULIC SYSTEM DISCONNECTED in BNE?
Heard a nasty rumour from a few engineers about a certain B737 found by engineers with its Standby (emergency) hydraulic lines disconnected!
Apparently the jet was flying around for some time with this critical system disconnected but it had gone unnoticed.
If I heard it from one guy I wouldnt have believed it but from a group of engineers!!!!!!
If this is true I think the regulatory authorities should take a thorough audit of this organisation as this is a blatant case of the travelling public being exposed to potential disaster.
Apparently the jet was flying around for some time with this critical system disconnected but it had gone unnoticed.
If I heard it from one guy I wouldnt have believed it but from a group of engineers!!!!!!
If this is true I think the regulatory authorities should take a thorough audit of this organisation as this is a blatant case of the travelling public being exposed to potential disaster.
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: 28 and half degrees south
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Any idea of the date of the incident Beer Can ? I know of one from two years ago (July 2001) - possibly that is the one this rumour is about. And the engineer - would it have been JV who confirmed it for you ? If it is the same incident we are talking about then it was the A system supply line being found disconnected during the walk around by the pilot. The aircraft had just been towed from the hangar, all signed out and ready to go. At the time the boffins in Spring Hill explained it away as sabotage !......
If it has happened again, the regulator should be asking some very serious questions.
If it has happened again, the regulator should be asking some very serious questions.
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 590
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
QFandlovinIT I hear what you're saying but having flown with alot of guys that are now VB drivers I have to say I would risk my family with 90% of them.
Those I know are outstanding pilots and people to boot.
Shame I can't say that about the other 10% but then again that seems to be a pretty standard number - 90/10 good guys to d!ckheads.
Incompetency is a whole new matter however.
As for maintenance if I were this airline I would be wondering why such a small incident could risk its AOC and if I were CASA I would be seriously investigating it before the media/politicians start asking questions.
Those I know are outstanding pilots and people to boot.
Shame I can't say that about the other 10% but then again that seems to be a pretty standard number - 90/10 good guys to d!ckheads.
Incompetency is a whole new matter however.
As for maintenance if I were this airline I would be wondering why such a small incident could risk its AOC and if I were CASA I would be seriously investigating it before the media/politicians start asking questions.
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Sydney
Posts: 209
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I don't think you'll find that it is not one small incident, I think you'll find their are numerous systematic ones. Why then would they have cancelled their ETOPS approval (other than letting CASA do it for them)?
Moderate, Modest & Mild.
Good point, QFandlovinIT, Australian examples of "garbage in = garbage out (ie. people who had previously been rejects, but were taken on in desperation) causing failure of the airlines that employed them, are Ansett, East-West, Australian aka TAA, and IPEC...... RIP the lot of them. 
So was the alleged defect entered in the Aircraft Log Book?
If so, it would be easily traceable.
Hardly "sabotage" - even if the pilot had missed seeing it "disconnected", as soon as the system was pressurised during initial pre-flight preparation, it would have shown up then ie. "Hyd Sys A Low Press"
This sounds more like an accidental oversight eg. the aircraft hydraulic system being disconnected to allow work to be done on it, or one of the systems to which it supplies pressure, and forgetting to re-connect it. Poor workmanship.
However the "Drama Queens" have now added "sabotage" to spice it up.
So was the alleged defect entered in the Aircraft Log Book?
If so, it would be easily traceable.
...it was the A system supply line being found disconnected during the walk around by the pilot.
This sounds more like an accidental oversight eg. the aircraft hydraulic system being disconnected to allow work to be done on it, or one of the systems to which it supplies pressure, and forgetting to re-connect it. Poor workmanship.
However the "Drama Queens" have now added "sabotage" to spice it up.
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Sydney
Posts: 731
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Kaptin M. I generally enjoy your posts, but I cannot further contain myself.
Your continued assertion that the reason that pre-dispute airlines such as Australian, AN, EW and IPEC no longer exist because of the pilots these airlines employed post-dispute, is a flawed and ideologically based premise.
Get a grip...
Your continued assertion that the reason that pre-dispute airlines such as Australian, AN, EW and IPEC no longer exist because of the pilots these airlines employed post-dispute, is a flawed and ideologically based premise.
Get a grip...
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: 28 and half degrees south
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Kap M, the cry of 'sabotage' came from head office, in my mind to head off flak regarding, as you correctly summised, an oversight. The big problem is that the aircraft was indeed cleared to line, and with engineering management crying, at least initially, sabotage just shows the level of systemic problems this organisation has. And that was two years ago, prior to even starting the whole ETOPS fiasco.
There are alot of acknowleded problems within engineering management, and for that reason the company brought in a great number of ex-Ansett boffins to try and resolve these problems, only to find it getting worse. HR (read BH) seems to think that throwing in more resources (ie new staff) is the big savior of all problems, when the real solotion would be to look at the problem from the top down - while the CEO can attack personnel for doing their legal job and then blatently attempt to cover it up, it will never change.
Perhaps now that it is a public company that serious questions may be asked by the shareholders, because CASA doesn't seem to want to ask them.
There are alot of acknowleded problems within engineering management, and for that reason the company brought in a great number of ex-Ansett boffins to try and resolve these problems, only to find it getting worse. HR (read BH) seems to think that throwing in more resources (ie new staff) is the big savior of all problems, when the real solotion would be to look at the problem from the top down - while the CEO can attack personnel for doing their legal job and then blatently attempt to cover it up, it will never change.
Perhaps now that it is a public company that serious questions may be asked by the shareholders, because CASA doesn't seem to want to ask them.
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: The dark corner of the bar
Posts: 351
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
QF and Lovin it. Im guessing with that sort of attitude you are a cadet or North shore silver spooner!
Show me where in the ops manual it states that to fly for QF you have to be a short sighted, arrogant a$$hole?
I think you have missed your calling. You should have been a solicitor.
Show me where in the ops manual it states that to fly for QF you have to be a short sighted, arrogant a$$hole?
I think you have missed your calling. You should have been a solicitor.
Moderate, Modest & Mild.
The use of a little bit of "poetic licence", TCoB 
.......no more, no less, than QFandlovinIT has used.
As a matter of fact, if we are to believe the rumour wrt this topic it was a Virgin Blue PILOT who discovered the problem, shooting down QFandlovinIT's anti-VB pilot post with one bullet...but I guess that's what years of sitting in the jumpseat does - numbs one brain!!
And so in today's "low cost" (read low salary) airline world, should companies expect to get what they pay for?
Should employees give back only as much as they are paid?
We have all grown up KNOWING that if one wants quality, then you must be prepared to pay a little more, and that paying less means getting less than if you had paid for a better quality item.
For example, a watch made in China is going to cost less than say a Rolex made in Switzerland, however you wouldn't expect the Chinese watch to run with the precision, nor to last as long, as the more expensive Swiss made watch.
Tools, also made cheaply in China, that retail at far less than their Australian, American, or German counterparts selling at 3 or 4 times more are not going to have the same tolerances or durability.
We EXPECT this.
You get what you pay for!
Somebody selling a service - whether he be a builder, bricklayer, bus driver, or professional - is not obliged to provide any service ADDITIONAL to that for which he is employed, unless he receives additional remuneration.
Isn't THAT the way we are all accustomed to paying?
You get what you pay for!
.......no more, no less, than QFandlovinIT has used.As a matter of fact, if we are to believe the rumour wrt this topic it was a Virgin Blue PILOT who discovered the problem, shooting down QFandlovinIT's anti-VB pilot post with one bullet...but I guess that's what years of sitting in the jumpseat does - numbs one brain!!
And so in today's "low cost" (read low salary) airline world, should companies expect to get what they pay for?
Should employees give back only as much as they are paid?
We have all grown up KNOWING that if one wants quality, then you must be prepared to pay a little more, and that paying less means getting less than if you had paid for a better quality item.
For example, a watch made in China is going to cost less than say a Rolex made in Switzerland, however you wouldn't expect the Chinese watch to run with the precision, nor to last as long, as the more expensive Swiss made watch.
Tools, also made cheaply in China, that retail at far less than their Australian, American, or German counterparts selling at 3 or 4 times more are not going to have the same tolerances or durability.
We EXPECT this.
You get what you pay for!
Somebody selling a service - whether he be a builder, bricklayer, bus driver, or professional - is not obliged to provide any service ADDITIONAL to that for which he is employed, unless he receives additional remuneration.
Isn't THAT the way we are all accustomed to paying?
You get what you pay for!
The Reverend
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Sydney,NSW,Australia
Posts: 2,020
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I guess a lot of punters never got over the fact that VB lasted more than six months, against their original predictions but have been proven wrong. Grow up guys and learn to live with it.
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: 1/12 Lord ST Botany ;)
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
QF and loving it.
I guess you probably don't want to be reminded about the QF 737 that carried out a couple of trans-tasman flights with no-one noticing that the required life rafts for the flights were not on board. ( No it was not a jet connect crew) Miss that one? Maybe the right stuff swept that one under the rug......aswell!!!!
Pilots in glass houses........
I guess you probably don't want to be reminded about the QF 737 that carried out a couple of trans-tasman flights with no-one noticing that the required life rafts for the flights were not on board. ( No it was not a jet connect crew) Miss that one? Maybe the right stuff swept that one under the rug......aswell!!!!
Pilots in glass houses........
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Devonport Tasmania Australia
Posts: 1,837
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Small problem DirectAnywhere.
Main spleen vent is obstructed and the bile collection box is U/S as noted in engineering release.
As dumping bile over populated areas is not permitted, so looks like we are going the long way home.
Nice to be back after an extended prune free period, but sad to see the knives are still out.
Have either been flat out working or playing with my 1984 Z car.
Blood pressure is down though!!
Best to all of my mates.
Ron
Eastwest Loco
Main spleen vent is obstructed and the bile collection box is U/S as noted in engineering release.
As dumping bile over populated areas is not permitted, so looks like we are going the long way home.
Nice to be back after an extended prune free period, but sad to see the knives are still out.
Have either been flat out working or playing with my 1984 Z car.
Blood pressure is down though!!
Best to all of my mates.
Ron
Eastwest Loco
Moderate, Modest & Mild.
Welcome back, EWL - where've ya been?
It's purely co-incidental that you should happen to walk into the first "dust up" in probably 6 months on your return.
Things have been quite tame, in fact (in spite of Buster's attempts
).
It's purely co-incidental that you should happen to walk into the first "dust up" in probably 6 months on your return.
Things have been quite tame, in fact (in spite of Buster's attempts
).
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Devonport Tasmania Australia
Posts: 1,837
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hiya Kap
Flat strap with my Travel Agency mate - bought out the partners so now it is all my fault!! Thankfully very very busy too.
Trust me to walk stright back into a bevvy of spinning propellors!!
Good to hear from you again - and STOP IT!!!!
See me after class!!!
Best regards
Ron
Flat strap with my Travel Agency mate - bought out the partners so now it is all my fault!! Thankfully very very busy too.
Trust me to walk stright back into a bevvy of spinning propellors!!
Good to hear from you again - and STOP IT!!!!
See me after class!!!
Best regards
Ron
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Australia
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
AlbertRoss,
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Perhaps now that it is a public company that serious questions may be asked by the shareholders, because CASA doesn't seem to want to ask them."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What does being a share holder in a public company mean?
If its a choice between profit loss or a reduction in Safety I truely think that share holders would risk the reduction in safety, because it is money we are talking about here, and when you can be a faceless player in the game, you would naturally choose to risk more for personal gain.
So we only have CASA to keep the Bast#*ds honest and God help us they do their job.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Perhaps now that it is a public company that serious questions may be asked by the shareholders, because CASA doesn't seem to want to ask them."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What does being a share holder in a public company mean?
If its a choice between profit loss or a reduction in Safety I truely think that share holders would risk the reduction in safety, because it is money we are talking about here, and when you can be a faceless player in the game, you would naturally choose to risk more for personal gain.
So we only have CASA to keep the Bast#*ds honest and God help us they do their job.
Hell's Teeth! There are more flames here than out of an Allison T250-B17B during a hot-start.
Facts, more facts and yet more facts are required before we start making judgements as to who is to blame etc.
At the moment we seem to be surrounded by rigidly-defined areas of doubt and confusion...and the flames aren't helping at all.
(Dons asbestos-free OH&S-approved jacket and heads for the fire-shelter.)
Facts, more facts and yet more facts are required before we start making judgements as to who is to blame etc.
At the moment we seem to be surrounded by rigidly-defined areas of doubt and confusion...and the flames aren't helping at all.
(Dons asbestos-free OH&S-approved jacket and heads for the fire-shelter.)