Ethiopean 787 fire at Heathrow

[olasek]

You think it's highly unlikely that a PPruner will know somebody who worked on the repair and wheedle some info?

I personally think that it is very unlikely that a PPruner would tell us something that simultaneously 1. would be 100% accurate and 2. not available at the same time from other sources.

[kingstonboy]

and 3. extremely career limiting !!!!
quick RDC inspection and QCR and on to main base !!!!!
and yes i am jesting .

[Bigt]

Flight International saying the aircraft will fly around 22 December and was repaired using ` a composite section bolted to the airframe`. This information coming from the CE of the operator....

[MrSnuggles]

I really hope "bolted" can mean something like "carefully glued together" or I will really question the validity of that source... LOL!

It would be a sad sad moment if composites were "bolted" in the meaning I am used to hear the word... again, the reservation for being non-native English speaker.

But a nice piece of gossip, I acknowledge that!

[peterhr]

It will be very interesting to see where it flies to, whether it be a Boeing plant to have a 'temporary fix made good' or it would be back into service...

[Helix Von Smelix]

ET-AOP off to Manston. Departed LHR 10:35 ish

[TopBunk]

May well be headed to Manston, but it left LHR went up over East Anglia, headed north up the morth sea climbing to FL390 before turning south - presumably to Manston.

[joy ride]

I had a feeling it would be off today, before the stated date! Are there service/inspection facilities at Manston to see how all is shaping up before returning home?

[Helix Von Smelix]

Once arrived at Manston, expected to leave again at 14-15:00.

Has the cabin interior been fixed? Would expect that to be done somewhere other that LHR, Cardiff ?

[joy ride]

On FR24 as BOE787, currently heading NW

[superq7]

Looks like a test flight ?

[phiggsbroadband]

It looks like it is doing some manoeuvres over the North Sea at FL150...


BOE787 live flight tracking - Plane Finder

[joy ride]

That would be my guess! Circling at various altitudes to keep an eye on pressure and electrical functions, then perhaps re-fuelling at Manston, then possibly home or to Boeing. Ethiopean will be VERY pleased to get it back into service and return the leased "wrong airport" 767!

[phiggsbroadband]

Also notice that they are squalking 6060, which is a Malmo code... but could be pronounced 'Sick Oh Sick Oh'.


Looks like they have just done a minimum radius turn at constant height...
Can't wait to see if Wing-Overs and Hammer-Heads are in their repertoire...

[joy ride]

Seems to be heading to Manston now. Is it my imagination or does their flight path from top left to bottom right read "AOK" ?!

[MrSnuggles]

Anyone seeing what they are doing now over Norwich? It seems they are hovering at altitude... strange...

[joy ride]

Missed that, but now appears to be heading back to Heathrow. Just flew over, too much Yuletide murkiness to see it, but heard it, making an unusual blaring sound, odd.

[MrSnuggles]

I'd love for someone to meet it at gateway (or whatever) with a camera to take pics of the repair!

[phiggsbroadband]

Well after two holds at 8000ft it landed back Ok at Heathrow at 14:38.
The following IB A320 landed 5 minutes later, having allowed some time for the runway inspection perhaps.


So it wasn't Manston... most likely the pilots wanted to return to their cars after a successful flight.

[joy ride]

Perhaps they have to sign off the repair work as acceptable.