Oh dear. . . the dream/nightmare continues :ooh: (it seems) I fly for NAS (but on the 738 ) & we noticed on Monday on flightradar24 2 a/c subbed in (an A330 & a 777) that one hasn't made the press yet. . .but the intro to service sure ain't smooth thus far.



Just checked my "google alert" Fuel leak on Boeing 787 delays Norwegian Air flight | Reuters

Again hearing that they have massive problems with VKB due to my unconfirmed rumour over the heavy landing. Has been sitting on deck for 3 days now in Mel with techo Engineers all over it trying to work out what to do.

Well, unconfirmed rumours are just that, and they develop a life of their own and won't die until they're stabbed in the heart with a wooden stake.

With engineers all over a new aircraft - that has a number of known "bugs" - for 3 solid days - wouldn't you think this was just a case of making sure that all the areas of known bugs, are being double-checked?

I think jet* have had a lot of engineers on their 787's because they are assisting thai airways with training their engineers

One has to ask, why is it sitting around for 3 days?

Shouldn't it be out flying earning revenue.

Enough down time to allow training opportunities for other airlines.

How is the JQ 787 returning the cost of investment?

Onetrack - you seem very quick to defend on every mention of this. Are you paid for such services?

I too, from a separate source only yesterday heard a QF snr manager express surprise at how this information had escaped the inner circle.

So maybe, just maybe there is some truth to this rumour. After all where there is smoke......


Better go back to check with that Townsville refueller.....

Peering into the hangar from the whiskey taxiway there was an engine change taking place on one of their 787's yesterday. Too far away to see a rego.

Blueloo - Paid?? I wish! No, I just have a need to refute rumours that don't have anyone providing some independent proof that a certain event happened.
After all, the aviation industry is a pretty close-knit group, and surely someone - even the Townsville refueller, would have produced something by now, backing Steves rumoured hard landing.

We all know that management like to BS and lie and cover their arses when things don't go as planned - but the simple fact remains we have here, a brand new aircraft being certified and checked and double-checked to ensure it meets all the requirements of a vast bureaucracy - and the demands of a manufacturer and owner who are, no doubt, both still nervous about the Dreamliners less-than-smooth introduction.

I personally don't think JQ or Boeing would be putting someone with minimal skills into the LH seat of a new jet upon delivery - particularly one that has been plagued with niggling problems, and one that both companies are keen to talk up.

Personally, I'm looking forward to a flight in the latest offering from Boeing - and no, I'm not a journo, and not an aviation consultant - and I'll have to pay to place my bum in the seat of one, if I want to experience the Dreamliners supposedly superior comfort.

Appears to have last landed in Mel early morning on the 15th. 4 1/2 days seems to be a long time for a piece of machinery like this sitting around. We are aware it at least has massive TCAS issues with every component replaced and unable to fix. That may be the reason it is on the deck but the issues with a heavy landing are still circulating. It could almost kill the 787 if true so the security and secrecy over the matter would be a high priority.

If one heavy landing did enough damage, how could they justify flying it to Melbourne?

Seems it would have needed a major repair in Cairns first.

If it had some major avionics issue, a day to find, two to source at best, it could be grounded for a week. It is not like a 737 fleet with lots of parts all round the globe just yet.

Rego of engine change aircraft is VH-VKA. Doesn't seem to be the most rapid engine change ever carried out either. A few hiccups perhaps?


Rego of aircraft parked on the fence at Tulla is VH-VKB. And its been there for a lot longer than three days. More like a couple of weeks now.


And yes, the paranoia and secrecy (from within Jetstar and Qantas Management) surrounding everything that is Jetstar Engineering, the QANTAS hangars at Tulla, and 787 problems is something to behold.

how long did it take casa to get the first vh- 777 into service?

surely the process is exactly the same?

Very early to require an engine change - would be interesting to find out the reason for it. As VKA has been mainly doing flights to DPS, volcanic ash ingestion would put the spotlight on the operational decision makers at JQ.

I'm not sure why everyone is getting so worked up about maintenance issues/heavy landings on the 787's just because they are sitting around. There may be some maintenance issues, but the aircraft simply aren't required.

Jetstar have 4 of these aircraft, and they are currently flying ONE service per day (MEL DPS MEL). (A once a week flight to HKT just announced will give another one something to do on one day of the week at least).

That leaves three aircraft per day to sit around and do absolutely nothing, other than be towed around airports trying to keep them out of the way.

They're not flying - not because they aren't serviceable, but simply because they have no flying to do.

VKB

Looks like since it arrived it had a short stay in CNS then off to SYD before getting down to work.

It looks like a proving flight of some sort on the 19th, so maybe it is just a TCAS problem being sorted.

If it had a big hit on the pavement in CNS then it did a lot of sectors after that.

Am I missing something?

With one JQ flight ever I am not a fan nor a critic as such....but it seems like a jolly good rumour (read fanciful) so far. Or a bloody good cover-up!

Rumour is that it has a crack in it after a heavy landing and it has been flying with an atp. They don't know how to fix it yet either

From Jetstar source

06/02/2014
Jetstar Boeing 787-8 VH-VKB operated JQ37 Sydney – Denpasar today, however the return JQ38 was cancelled indicating a technical issue with the aircraft.

09/02/2014
Following the technical issue it encountered on 6th February, Jetstar Boeing 787-8 VH-VKB positioned Denpasar – Melbourne tonight as JQ7908.

As someone else noted VH-VKB flew Mel-Dps-Mel arriving back on the morning of 15/02/2014

19/02/2014
Jetstar Boeing 787-8 VH-VKB, which has been under maintenance at Melbourne since 15th February, undertook a three hour Melbourne – Melbourne test flight this afternoon as JQ7998.


Looks like it's spending a lot of time getting stuff fixed :}

What's an ATP?

Authority to Proceed. Something that's not covered by an MEL can be dispatched under an EA (Engineering Authority) or ATP.

Can't remember exactly where I read this, but they were always planning to update the engines to a/the latest mod....