BAW82GD B772 PAN ex LHR and safe return
 

G-VIIH B772 (as BAW82GD) recently returned to Heathrow after a problem on departure.

Carried out some orbits over the Maidstone area at around 6,000ft.

Apparently this aircraft was operating the BA632 to Athens (much delayed from Tuesday the 5th of Sept)....not their day!

Oh dear, it never rains but it....etc.....and I can think of one correspondent who won't be impressed. BTW just to avoid the possibility of confusion, I think today's "real" BA 632 operated out of LHR ok earlier today, as I understand it the 777 IIH was operating under another (positioning) flight number.

Thanks wiggy, radio callsign was Speedbird 82GD for G-VIIH.

BA 777 G-VIIH - ex LHR engine failure
 

<<shows the plane heading west from Heathrow and circling Maidstone in Kent >>

Hmmmm novel.

Well taking off in a westerly direction, at least ...

I knew I should have checked if this thread was already running before I posted ------


The Express have got hold of this in all its detail - British Airways plane declares EMERGENCY minutes after take off | UK | News | Express.co.uk


I was actually enjoying my lunch outside The Rising Sun when G-VIIH lifted off 27L and I heard 3 or 4 loud bangs followed by a belch of flame from Eng No 2, gear remained down and she stayed at 2000ft before climbing to 6000ft and heading out East to presumably dump some juice, landed back on 27R safely around 25 mins later.

Had that been the case, I suspect the inhabitants of Maidstone might have had something to say about it. :O

I don't know about loud bangs and pyrotechnics etc but the BA Source is reporting it returned as it was unable to retract the landing gear.

BA Source
 

Yes just read that myself pal -


British Airways Boeing 777-236ER G-VIIH operating yesterday’s delayed BA632 London Heathrow – Athens could not retract the landing gear this afternoon, climbed to 5,800ft above Kent and entered a hold to work checklists then returned to London Heathrow for a safe landing.


I was there and witnessed the bangs/flames so I as far as I could tell it seemed to be an engine issue.


Question. If it was operating BA632 why was it showing BA82GD on PF/FR24?

BA makes considerable use of alphanumeric callsigns, which often appear to bear no relation to the timetable flight number. The flight couldn't use the normal alphanumeric corresponding to BA632 as that had departed 2 minutes earlier and chaos would have ensued. :O

Call-sign Confusion - SKYbrary Aviation Safety

BA source has changed their story now to a more accurate one .....


British Airways Boeing 777-236ER G-VIIH operating yesterday’s delayed BA632 London Heathrow – Athens as BA82GD encountered a techical issue with the #2 engine shortly after take off, climbed to 5,800ft above Kent and entered a hold to work checklists then returned to London Heathrow for a safe landing. The aircraft flew with gear down throughout.

What DR said for the reasons he gave .. flight number ( as seen on timetables, etc) doesn't have to equal ATC call sign (as heard ;) or seen on the likes of Flightradar) In fact often doesn't..and not just with BA flights.

Just in case anyone missed it

Boeing 777-236/ER - British Airways | Aviation Photo #4566079 | Airliners.net

Fishaman: I am glad the story was changed by BA Source. I wasn't doubting you by the way, just reporting what the BA Source was saying at that time. And that photo in the link above shows the "real" story.

It turns out this aircraft has form. According to AH, the aircraft departed Kuwait to London on 16th June this year, got to FL160 when they reported failure of the right hand engine and then returned to Kuwait.

No worries Kelvin :)