Pilot injured as a result of Jetblast at Brisbane International

[Capt Fathom]

I have to ask....

How is it that a set of steps at the rear door of a 737 gets blown over, without causing any damage to the 737?

[piston broke again]

Pretty sure gen Y is 1980 onward....

[neville_nobody]

How is it that a set of steps at the rear door of a 737 gets blown over, without causing any damage to the 737?

Quite possible that they got blown away from the aircraft and landed behind the wing. Alternatively the aircraft could have sustained minor damaged that just didn't make it in the news. I'm sure if the stairs demolished the trailing edge there would have been photos out by now.

[nomorecatering]

Nitpicker,

I do mean track, ir the distance between wheels on the same axle. Aircraft end is about 3m+ (3 very large paces), the other end has a track of almost 2 m, and a wheelbase of god would be close to 4 m. I dont know what the exact weight is but wopuld estimate in the several hundred kilos. I know that from pushing them around for 5 years. You also have 2 foot brakes that lift the botom step end wheels off the ground to prevent them roling away.

Quite simply, it would take a force 5 cyclone to tople them.

Now, theres allways the chance that these steps (aussie made i believe) have been replaced by cheaper imports thats are not as stable.

[Buster Hyman]

How is it that a set of steps at the rear door of a 737 gets blown over, without causing any damage to the 737?

Have you seen how some of those stairs get parked? Some would be lucky to cast a shadow on the fuselage!

[A Comfy Chair]

How about that the Virgin spokesperson said that the stairs had been blown over several times?

If this was a known problem...

[wtfia]

The way I read that, the Virgin spokesperson is stating that the stairs were moved or blown over several times in this one incident. Sounds ugly.

[C441]

...Not likely to have been caused by idle thrust though, maybe breakaway or similiar trying to catch up on a late departure?...

I'd be very surprised if it was more than idle thrust.
On the ER at 412T, the aircraft will roll away on a level surface at idle.
This aircraft would have been around the 230-250T mark and you'd be trying to slow the bugger down not trying to speed it up.

[hewlett]

Interesting observation by" freightdoggiedog " this topic in "rumours and news". Lucky it wasn't a seal. Speedy recovery to the FO.

[SMOC]

On the ER at 412T, the aircraft will roll away on a level surface at idle.
This aircraft would have been around the 230-250T mark and you'd be trying to slow the bugger down not trying to speed it up.

Exactly the same issue for the -400ERF and P&W engines, even with 3 engines running at 280-300t the thing gets up to 30kts with idle.

[Bolty McBolt]

The six B747-400ER's (used on the DFW route) flown by Qantas have GE CF6 donks which put out approx 11,000 lbs thrust more that the RR donks on the standard B744's. The idle thrust setting is significantly higher on these GE's and causes pilots to use frequent brake applications to control the taxy speed.

I'd be interested if one of our engineers can explain why the GE idle setting needs to be so high

Flaps out during taxi?
If memory serves (and it often doesn't) the CF6 powered 744.
Engines to flight idle when flaps away from up.
Different to RR powered 744.
I will try find a refference in the Schematic manual..

[IAW]

On the news last night they said it happened while the Pilot was inspecting the engine, hence it may have actually been a maintenance stand rather than stairs???

[GAFA]

It was the rear stairs.

[Checkboard]

View of the international terminal on the left, with the C9 holding point at the edge of the apron just before the parallel B taxiway, the B9 holding point before the parallel A taxiway, and the A9 holding point before runway 01 at Brisbane: