NSEU
If I had a $ for each time an aircraft arrived at a gate and there was a problem (gate not ready) then I'd be very rich.

Wonder whether ATSB will investigate this one in some detail.

A little bondo, some speed tape.......replace those nuts on the jet bridge support the engine ate with some plastic ones for next time ...... Good to go .

A visit to the 4th Floor beckons:rolleyes:

AGNIS or similar lead guidance needs aerobridge logic incorporated.
 

Lead in guidance needs aerobridge status positioning coordination before being illuminated as clear to proceeded. A simple software upgrade would avoid this same incident/accident.
As a training Capt I have always advised to check visually that the aerobridges are parked in their parking circles and also elevated to a high positions.

I have approached parking positions on several occasions and communicated to my crew that the bridges are not in their correct position. Recently at a major Airport I stopped short as not happy with what I saw. After parking the ground staff said that they were glad that I had stopped short as the previous dispatcher had parked the aerobridge in an incorrect position. We would have had a collision if not being aware of the threat. No Tea and Biscuits on this occasion and with less than 5 yrs after 35 yrs aviation experience I hope it never happens. My advice to the new Captains always err on the side of caution , especially on the A 380 whilst taxiing, our greatest threat.

A healthy suspicion, after 30+ years of wide body experience. Don't trust anybody.

Capt Groper

Add a 4th to your list, Aerobridge not positioned correctly. I can remember having to halt an aircraft coming into bay early when marshalling after noticing the aerobridge was not staged correctly.

It's Alan Joyce's fault

All Sydney NIGS systems have air bridge position logic. The guidance system won't activate if any of the airbridges are out of their safe staging positions. It will show a red 'BR IN' warning if any bridges are not in this correct position.

But it seems the aircraft taxied on to the bay with the guidance system off, so no protection would have been available from NIGS. I also believe there was no one marshalling the aircraft, so that doesn't leave too many options for finger pointing...

There should have been a red light on bridge.
Adding to that, the guidance system would have been either off, ERR or BR IN, it seems that taxi on to bay should not have been attempted.

Having said that it has been noted in the past that other persons, other than those authorized, to arrive A/C at the gate. Doing so in the absence of those who are authorized.

King Spotter,

Any more info on that?

"...it seems that taxi onto the bay should not have been attempted" -King Spotter. :ok: Yep and Groper's advice is spot-on the money!
The Townsville refueler tells me... Air-bridges were parked on their red spots, "Captain taxied in before engineers set up the guidance light & overshot"

Tic toc tic toc.......

It's 'affordable safety'. Only one airline is going to face the class action and burnt reputation, so the rest of the industry has saved, or even profited, in the long run. They are happy to play the odds, even if they are approaching red numbers.

Perhaps the crew thought "BR IN" meant "Bring it on In". Sounds like a joke, but perhaps "STOP" might be a better warning.

So it's alright to say NIGS again, is it ?

there, but for the grace of….

after a long night i know just how easy this sort of thing could be. the trip back to sin for tea and bikkies will be a long one. poor buggers.

Obviously not a follower of Uncle Rojer Bacon... :=

EnEyeGeeEss!

So what have they done with it?

.

Almost did the same myself at Bombay one night, just stopped in time. First guy on the flight deck was a uniformed airport "hofficial", who said "The lead in lights were on, not our fault " Never said it was, I replied, but you have a gang of guys down there watching, and not one had the sense to at least cross his arms at me ! ( i.e. manual STOP signal )

Are all the SQ trips to oz two crew?

I'd be interested to see how much 'stopping energy' was applied to that engine and it's pylon. Sure, the aircraft would be creeping up to its stop line but I'm sure the captain would be looking elsewhere for steering and stopping guidance than his No.2 engine.
The reasons why or why didn't you, have probably been thrashed out already. Like I say, I'd be curious to be a fly on the wall when the calculations are made as to how, where and how much the repairs take.