A380 - VH-OQA Write Off.
apparently it is to be used as a cabin emergency procedures trainer for strike breakers!
A bit early for management to start preparations for their next war I would have thought.......
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Repairs Under Way ?
Found this news, dated May 28th, saying that repairs would start "next week".
Qantas « Airbus A380 Production
If that news is right then repairs should be under way now. Does anyone have any more details ? In particular, how is the wing spar going to be repaired ?
Qantas « Airbus A380 Production
If that news is right then repairs should be under way now. Does anyone have any more details ? In particular, how is the wing spar going to be repaired ?
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Originally Posted by rob ginger
If that news is right then repairs should be under way now. Does anyone have any more details ? In particular, how is the wing spar going to be repaired ?
ST
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Posted by rob_ginger
how is the wing spar going to be repaired ?
how is the wing spar going to be repaired ?
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In Ben Sandilands "Plane Talking" comments, the Captain of QF32 refers to an incident with "Brian Lugg" at "El Gorah". I've googled and found a few details on Brian Lugg and El Gorah but nothing about any incident. Can anyone assist?
I am not a pilot but I would just like to understand, or try to, what the comment was about.
I am not a pilot but I would just like to understand, or try to, what the comment was about.
My understanding of the story is that Bluggy conducted a successful "running landing" in an iroquois after suffering a jammed tail rotor at El Gorah in the Sinai mid 80's. After that the Aussie chopper drivers were all sky Gods in the eyes of our pax who had though they were doomed. Pax were all US state dept observers whose job was to ensure the peacekeeping rules were complied with, and Fijian and columbian soldiers who deployed at observation points throughout the desert.
Back then the fling-wing types mostly belonged to the RAAF. We had a sinai peacekeeping detachment in El Gorah, a bombed out Israeli fighter base returned to the gypos in 1982. The were 11 nations based there each with different roles. The ozzies and kiwis (Anzacs) operated the only helo unit flying in the north, whilst sepo army covered helo flying based in the south.
It was common knowledge that we operated very differently to the yanks. We were all fixed wing/jet trained, and our SOPs reflected lessons and experiences from vietnam war to the present. Whilst the differences are another story, it would be safe to surmise the belief amongst the troops and yanks was that if anything nasty happened to the tail rotor operation, the helicopter would undoubtedly crash, as had occurred in virtually all cases in the us army operation. However unlike the yanks we RAAF drivers were far less regimented and amongst other things practiced simulated jammed tail rotor exercises in recurrent training, the result of having a smaller force size with more quality-based training program.
So when Bluggy encountered a jammed tail rotor (I recall it was at night) over the desert, the pax all knew they were done for. There is no room to muck around in such an emergency and slowing too quickly or miscalculation of wind effects can lead to loss of control. The procedure in the huey sets up the aircraft in a long, low approach where the slipstream on the fin balances the main rotor torque - typically at about 40-60 knots with 30-60 degrees of yaw over the fence depending upon the pedal positions. When all is stable across the ground, the throttle is wound off, the yaw reverses and aircraft is dropped on the skids and run along the ground to a stop. I was told in this case there was a nice sparklers show as the skids ran along the old runway which was the only place suitable. Of course when the troops got out without a scratch, they could not believe it was possible as all previous failures had crashed. After that all our desert choppers skids were reinforced with steelplate in case we needed to skate over the tarmac again. In my time there a crew did another running landing at night but I cannot recall the reason.
Of course the huey was originally designed as a throw-away airframe after 1000 hours. When I left choppers, our frames had around 7-8000 hours on them.
Back then the fling-wing types mostly belonged to the RAAF. We had a sinai peacekeeping detachment in El Gorah, a bombed out Israeli fighter base returned to the gypos in 1982. The were 11 nations based there each with different roles. The ozzies and kiwis (Anzacs) operated the only helo unit flying in the north, whilst sepo army covered helo flying based in the south.
It was common knowledge that we operated very differently to the yanks. We were all fixed wing/jet trained, and our SOPs reflected lessons and experiences from vietnam war to the present. Whilst the differences are another story, it would be safe to surmise the belief amongst the troops and yanks was that if anything nasty happened to the tail rotor operation, the helicopter would undoubtedly crash, as had occurred in virtually all cases in the us army operation. However unlike the yanks we RAAF drivers were far less regimented and amongst other things practiced simulated jammed tail rotor exercises in recurrent training, the result of having a smaller force size with more quality-based training program.
So when Bluggy encountered a jammed tail rotor (I recall it was at night) over the desert, the pax all knew they were done for. There is no room to muck around in such an emergency and slowing too quickly or miscalculation of wind effects can lead to loss of control. The procedure in the huey sets up the aircraft in a long, low approach where the slipstream on the fin balances the main rotor torque - typically at about 40-60 knots with 30-60 degrees of yaw over the fence depending upon the pedal positions. When all is stable across the ground, the throttle is wound off, the yaw reverses and aircraft is dropped on the skids and run along the ground to a stop. I was told in this case there was a nice sparklers show as the skids ran along the old runway which was the only place suitable. Of course when the troops got out without a scratch, they could not believe it was possible as all previous failures had crashed. After that all our desert choppers skids were reinforced with steelplate in case we needed to skate over the tarmac again. In my time there a crew did another running landing at night but I cannot recall the reason.
Of course the huey was originally designed as a throw-away airframe after 1000 hours. When I left choppers, our frames had around 7-8000 hours on them.
Last edited by Roller Merlin; 30th Jun 2011 at 01:29.
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It is so good to hear Miss Nancy is being fixed.
Having flown on her on the first ever international flight (and no - it was not MEL LAX) I was totally impressed.
100 million compensation seem a shortfall as compensation however.
The lost revenue from OQ Alpha being in operation, rescheduling and passenger disruption must surely call for a higher liabiulity from RR.
I guess they know what they are doing.
Best all
EWL
Having flown on her on the first ever international flight (and no - it was not MEL LAX) I was totally impressed.
100 million compensation seem a shortfall as compensation however.
The lost revenue from OQ Alpha being in operation, rescheduling and passenger disruption must surely call for a higher liabiulity from RR.
I guess they know what they are doing.
Best all
EWL
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Brian Lugg
Roller Merlin - you have most of it.
The part I want to add was that Brian had this failure at altitude en-route about 30 minutes before ETA El Gorah. He knew that although the acft was flying OK at speed, he would lose directional control when he slowed.
All the (generally USA) "orange" observers knew that their home pilots never practiced this failure to touchdown and so did indeed think-know that they would ultimately die.
The observers were not aware that RAAF helicopter pilots were trained to counter all failures of the tail rotor (there were many types of tail rotor failure - each requiring a variant (but grotesque) recovery technique).
Brian took his time. He contacted the instructors at "El Gorah" and discussed how he would make the approach. He circled to burn fuel and to give people at the base time to drive out and light up the runway with their car lights. Only when the fuel was reduced, the runway lit, and the approach thouroughly discussed-briefed inside the acft and on the ground did Brian make his approach.
His landing was impeccable and there was no damage to the acft - other than a few very acceptable scratched skids. Brian was a legend. The Observers "shouted the bar" at El Gorah for weeks.
This incident is a prime example of a very impressively managed emergency and why it's sometimes best to manage-stabilise the machine and crews in flight before panicking and rushing back to land in an unprepared state.
The part I want to add was that Brian had this failure at altitude en-route about 30 minutes before ETA El Gorah. He knew that although the acft was flying OK at speed, he would lose directional control when he slowed.
All the (generally USA) "orange" observers knew that their home pilots never practiced this failure to touchdown and so did indeed think-know that they would ultimately die.
The observers were not aware that RAAF helicopter pilots were trained to counter all failures of the tail rotor (there were many types of tail rotor failure - each requiring a variant (but grotesque) recovery technique).
Brian took his time. He contacted the instructors at "El Gorah" and discussed how he would make the approach. He circled to burn fuel and to give people at the base time to drive out and light up the runway with their car lights. Only when the fuel was reduced, the runway lit, and the approach thouroughly discussed-briefed inside the acft and on the ground did Brian make his approach.
His landing was impeccable and there was no damage to the acft - other than a few very acceptable scratched skids. Brian was a legend. The Observers "shouted the bar" at El Gorah for weeks.
This incident is a prime example of a very impressively managed emergency and why it's sometimes best to manage-stabilise the machine and crews in flight before panicking and rushing back to land in an unprepared state.
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Roller Merlin,
As a former US Army UH-1 pilot and instructor, I cannot imagine why anyone would think that a tail rotor problem in the Huey would be more than an average pilot could deal with. The UH-1 series was not difficult to fly and the military initial and recurrent training emphasized events such as engine failures and tail rotor failures.
Good on your mate that kept his cool and did a nice job!
Who were these US pilots that were so fearful of a tail rotor failure?
As a former US Army UH-1 pilot and instructor, I cannot imagine why anyone would think that a tail rotor problem in the Huey would be more than an average pilot could deal with. The UH-1 series was not difficult to fly and the military initial and recurrent training emphasized events such as engine failures and tail rotor failures.
Good on your mate that kept his cool and did a nice job!
Who were these US pilots that were so fearful of a tail rotor failure?
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I can't comment beyond surprise and disbelief at the statements that US pilots are not trained in tail rotor failure.
Even PPL student in civil life are trained to handle tail rotor/pedal failure to touchdown in Australia, and I suspect in US as well.
I refrained from posting this as I didn't want to contribute to thread drift on this thread but feel we in Australia should resist the jingistic attitude to other services that deserve respect.
John
Even PPL student in civil life are trained to handle tail rotor/pedal failure to touchdown in Australia, and I suspect in US as well.
I refrained from posting this as I didn't want to contribute to thread drift on this thread but feel we in Australia should resist the jingistic attitude to other services that deserve respect.
John
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Who were these US pilots that were so fearful of a tail rotor failure?
The factory A380 that was supposed to fly at the Paris Air Show but was prevented due to a wing slicing through the corner of a building in which the wing tip fence 'fell off' may delay repairs to QF A380 in SIN according to a news blog.
This is the 4th time a A380 has suffered wing damage.
This is the 4th time a A380 has suffered wing damage.
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B772
Isn't that a pilot problem then ?
(in relation to "This is the 4th time a A380 has suffered wing damage.").
Planes don't drive themselves into buildings.
.
Isn't that a pilot problem then ?
(in relation to "This is the 4th time a A380 has suffered wing damage.").
Planes don't drive themselves into buildings.
.
B772,
MSN004 left the show on the Tuesday, was repaired overnight and was back at the show the next day. Winglets are CDL items, spares are kept for them worldwide. The aircraft did subsequently fly displays at PAS 11 on following days.
500N,
The aircraft was under tow, pilots had nothing to do with it. Likewise the incident in BKK, it was also under tow. The one in Toronto, the aircraft was stationary at the gate, and the catering truck hydraulics failed, collapsed on top of the wing. The JFK one was only out of action for a few days as well, they flew it back to TLS, got a new wingtip, all up that aircraft was out of revenue service for about 6 days for the investigation and repairs. In all cases, the aircraft were repaired quickly and were put back into service. If anything the aircraft has shown it can take a beating and recover rather quickly.
MSN004 left the show on the Tuesday, was repaired overnight and was back at the show the next day. Winglets are CDL items, spares are kept for them worldwide. The aircraft did subsequently fly displays at PAS 11 on following days.
500N,
The aircraft was under tow, pilots had nothing to do with it. Likewise the incident in BKK, it was also under tow. The one in Toronto, the aircraft was stationary at the gate, and the catering truck hydraulics failed, collapsed on top of the wing. The JFK one was only out of action for a few days as well, they flew it back to TLS, got a new wingtip, all up that aircraft was out of revenue service for about 6 days for the investigation and repairs. In all cases, the aircraft were repaired quickly and were put back into service. If anything the aircraft has shown it can take a beating and recover rather quickly.
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You can buy a car that has aural and visual warnings when it's about to reverse over a childs toy, but we don't have similar warnings on a $200 million dollar jet that carries over 500 people...go figure!