bmi 330
 

Looking very forlorn on a remote stand at MAN? U/C problem rumoured. Anything to report?

Serious failure in MLG Pintle Bearing Casting. Could be decked for a while. Repair time quoted by airbus is around six weeks!

2 BMI A330's have been sat at MAN all day today so obviously still decked

i reckon it wil be a couple of months before its flying again, they havent sourced all the spares needed yet, and then it off into the myt hangar for the repair to be carried out which will take around six weeks

This is the crack on the bmi 330


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...r/MVC_003F.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...r/MVC_002F.jpg

Ouch.....looks nasty and expensive. :eek: :eek:

and difficult to repair!

Thanks for those excellent photos!
I hear that when the new part is fitted, it will require slightly oversized bolts to attach it which do not exist at the moment. The delay will be in manufacturing some bespoke bolts to fit.
The company have cancelled BOM for another week and are hastily trying to source a replacement wet lease aircraft - still no news at the moment.
Does anyone know how long we can cancel the flights before losing our LHR slot for this route?

Guys and gals - its been fun, witty and kept us all amused, but I've finally done the housework.

cheers boac it needed doing... badly!

I was just wondering if this crack was formed due to a hard landing,and was the approach flown using auto -thrust?The auto thrust can be poor at speed control on the 330.

I have worked on the A330, but I am not a total A330 person - but I understand that in the early days of the A330 there had been problems with the main landing gear, possibly in the same area, of cracking. This was due to towing with too sharp an angle on the nose gear which in turn put an enormous strain on the main landing gear attachments.

This is obviously a very recent crack and whilst the above comment may have been valid a number of years ago I would think that this is not the case here.I have been an unwilling witness a few times to the autothrust reducing power to idle during the very late stages of an approach and then sitting at idle.Any further info to the exact details would be appreciated.I flew the 330 for 6 years and loved it most of the time.

BD781 LHR-BOM now canx until 22 October 2006.

Ax

Just had the memo from NT re the 330.
Repair work will start on October 30th at MAN but it won't be ready until mid-December at the earliest. BOM route suspended indefinitely but no crew job losses as a result. Company still committed to long-haul.

The word on the street is that it's going to take EIGHTEEN weeks to repair. Oh for a piece of that overtime action!

Rgds Dr I

Hello Folks,

I have just joined and this is my first post:D

I have logged on because my wife is a Flight Supervisor with BMi on longhaul out of LHR and regularly flew the BOM route (and this a/c), and I wanted to find out about this incident. I must say the pictures are worrying...but not as worrying as the knock on effect this has caused.:(

My wife received her letter from BMI today saying that due to her seniority she will remain on Longhaul at LHR.......... others have not been so lucky! Contrary to other posts above....people are losing their current contracts over this incident,as BMi just don't have the resilience. We have had two phone calls this morning from people who have been told their is no room for them on longhaul!! They are being offered shorthaul or part-time.

Anyway thanks to all for the info and updates... more than from her company!:rolleyes:

Keep you posted.

Rgds
Jagman

PS I learned to fly in the RAF before my current job, got as far as Hawks, so have some link to this Forum [wink]

crack in rib 6 L/H U/C A330
 

Airbus reckon crack due "water ingress" into bearing housing causing internal corrosion.Later a/c modded so Airbus aware of problem.

what happens next???
 

Hi all, this is my first posting :D the photos are really interesting but also worrying!! am just wondering what will happen to the aircraft and staff once repairs are done!!

The aircraft will go back into service and the engineers will proberbly retire on the overtime that they earn on that job!

Rgds Dr I

Glad my 'housekeeping' met with approval:) . PLEASE keep this 'on topic', and queries/comments about jobs, T&C etc go to cabin crew/terms and endearment, or maybe airlines and routes.

Queenvic

Manchester has the facilities ie: a full hangar that can accomodate
an A330 so maybe positioning this a/c to Lufties would not be neccessary.

As for flying it in this condition? It might be considered if it was at
some remote location with no facilities. It would be subject to further
assessment / NDT inspection by Airbus before this. It would only be subject to one more landing (preferably smooth) at its final repair destination!

Its all up to BMI/Airbus. Bear in mind, BMI A330 heavy maintenance is
carried out by Far Eastern Maintenance Organisations. Watch this space.

BAe146??:{ :{

I`ve noticed that the A/C is in MYT Hangar, jacked up and under repairs at this moment in time, if you need to look, go to the Fire station end and look through that side of the Hangar windows.

repair
 

any more news on how the work is going on the 330?

No 1 eng off.replacment part in place.being drilled off.expected servicable 16/12/06.

The other threads have gone to the routes thread. The last two (off-topic) have gone to the great dustbin in the sky.

The A320's also crack in the same area,there is an AD out for frequent inspections.:}

Anyone know the material of the A330 MLG trunnion?

Been following this with interest for some time now. LTU had exactly the same prolem with one of their A/C some time ago. It is not exactly a one-off...........:ugh:

There is also a BA A319 (G-EUPC?) undergoing the same repair at LHR:uhoh: :eek:

G-WWBM is still at MAN, G-WWBB is at LHR this evening having the #1 engine removed.

As l understand it "BM", should be back in service by this weekend.:ok:

The aircraft at MAN is now off the jacks and the engine covers have been removed so it looks as though it will be out of the hangar very soon.

Rgds

G-MANN

Is there any new news of this yet?

Re A330
 

All airframes hard at work with G-WWBD currently leased to Virgin Nigeria doing LGW-LOS-LGW, whilst G-WWBB and G-WWBM continue to flog the Atlantic on the US and Caribbean routes.