HelperElfMissy 42 Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 I remember reading a comment by someone - I think it was Soubs - about how Qantas has not crashed a plane, but how long would that record hold true... (tried to find it and gave up) Well...it is getting closer! http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/26/2315401.htm The pilot did a good job of landing this beast with the massive hole in the fuselage! Are those peoples bags hanging out the side? Oh boy! It makes you wonder WHY there is so much unrest within the maintenence staff - are corners being cut? Are man hours and quality repairs being reduced or compromised? Scary! Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 QANTAS have never lost a jet. QANTAS' engineering staff are upset about maintenance jobs being exported to Malaysia. The aircraft in question has just undergone a major re-fit in: AUSTRALIA (Avalon). The enquiry will find that the failed section was in a highly stressed area at the wing root, just under a galley, and highly corroded. An old aircraft (17 years) and inadequate inspection. A management problem I'm afraid Mamabear. If you are genuinely concerned, pick a carrier with a new fleet. That's spelled Singapore. Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 Try here: http://www.airsafe.com/events/regions/asia.htm Link to post Share on other sites
spook 0 Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 QANTAS have had planes go down before, but they have never actually lost one. the difference is a mere technicality - QANTAS qould rather spend more repairing a damaged plane than just replacing a plane, because that way they would lose their perfect record of never having lost an aircraft. there used to be a website where you could calculate your odds of having a crash, based on the route and the carrier, but i can't seem to find it at the moment Link to post Share on other sites
Mantas 3 Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 Originally Posted By: soubriquet QANTAS have never lost a jet. QANTAS' engineering staff are upset about maintenance jobs being exported to Malaysia. The aircraft in question has just undergone a major re-fit in: AUSTRALIA (Avalon). The enquiry will find that the failed section was in a highly stressed area at the wing root, just under a galley, and highly corroded. Media speculation! The last report I heard (about 1 hour ago) is that the investigative authorities haven't yet been allowed the inspect the plane. Either way it's not good. The fact they haven't lost a life yet is probably good luck more than good management. We had a major fault with our plane to Tokyo this year. An emergency landing and all. Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 Not media speculation. The media are obsessed with the plane "plunging" after an "explosion". The crew followed Standard Operating Procedure following depressurisation, and carried out a controlled descent to 10,000 feet. There was no explosion and the aircraft did not plunge. Informed (not media) opinion favours either a) corrosion or failure of an oxygen bottle. The two specific sites for enhanced corrosion are under galleys and under toilets. This failure was under a galley and at a wing root. I'll stick with corrosion until proved wrong. Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 Here is a photo. Note, there are no burns and no shrapnel holes. There was no explosion. The hole is located directly under a door (high stress area), at a wing root (high stress area) and just behind a galley (17 years of slops and spills: just look behind your sink and kitchen cabinets). The burst blew the wing-root fairing off. Link to post Share on other sites
JA2340 16 Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 But, as mantas said, the QANTAS people have not been allowed to inspect (as at 6pm news here in OZ) and the US aviation inspectors are being flown to the site - no-one else is permitted access until they get there and have "first crack at it". Link to post Share on other sites
Mantas 3 Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Well we'll wait and see. Anyway I'm far to happy to worry about that now. I'm Watching the wallabies put the Pacific island Raiders (the all blacks) to the sword. Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Originally Posted By: JA But, as mantas said, the QANTAS people have not been allowed to inspect (as at 6pm news here in OZ) and the US aviation inspectors are being flown to the site - no-one else is permitted access until they get there and have "first crack at it". With all due respect, this is rubbish. An Australian registered aircraft in the Philippines. It has nothing whatsoever to do with US regulatory bodies. Dunno where your information comes from.... Channel 10? Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 that photo! Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted July 27, 2008 Author Share Posted July 27, 2008 Well...QANTAS has had a pretty good safety record, and they had pretty hospitible staff until fairly recently - but there has been a lot of industrial unrest for them - chicken or the egg...unrest due to slipping standards, or slipping standards due to unrest over poor conditions..? Was just putting it out there. In any case - I am sure glad I was not ON that plane when it lost some faring from a bit of kitchen slop rot! I feel for the people who were! Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 "Engineers investigate stricken Qantas jet July 26, 2008 - 8:55AM Source: ABC A team from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau will arrive in the Philippines today to examine a Qantas plane that made an emergency landing when part of its fuselage blew out. The Boeing 747 jumbo jet was en route to Melbourne from London when a section of the cargo bay was ripped open. The pilot made an emergency landing at Manila's Ninoy Aquino international airport, and all 349 passengers were flown to Melbourne this morning. Attention is now turning to the maintenance record of the 17-year-old plane, amid newspaper reports that a large amount of corrosion was found during a major refurbishment of the aircraft in March. Qantas is yet to respond to the newspaper reports. Ian Brokenshire from the Transport Safety Bureau says four investigators will look into the cause of the incident. "They will start to investigate the damage and investigate the maintenance records and other aspects of the flight, including flight data recorded and cockpit voice recorder," he said." Link to post Share on other sites
frannyo 2 Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Scary story that. Last plane I was on gave me the freaks - it felt like an old plane and sounded like one too. I sure was glad to be off the thing. Link to post Share on other sites
Mantas 3 Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 CHECK OUT THE CRACK ON THIS PLANE. Link to post Share on other sites
JA2340 16 Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Not 10 (does that still operate???) but 9 and aunty. Just repeating what they said - dunno anything more. Didn't see the news tonight, too busy doing FFA tests for the upcoming olive oil show of which I am steward! Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 "The agency thinks an exploding oxygen cylinder caused the rupture on the flight Friday because there were no signs of fire and the bottle had been in the spot that exploded, the Australian Associated Press said." From CNN. Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 This is from the wife of the pilot: "You might not recall that my husband was ex-RAN A4. He now flies 747-400. He had the explosive decompression yesterday. Fun day! I can give your readers some facts that are solid: No engines were shut down. Aeroplane’s controls were unaffected. Some computer functions and electrics were affected - all 3 ILS shut down and the Capt’s FMC. Antiskid warning came on. The R2 door alarm activated. Capt inititated controlled descent from 29K to 10K, which took about 4 mins. Mayday was called (John never ever thought he would have to declare a mayday in his entire career!) After levelling off, fuel dump of 50 tons was commenced, and plane landed afterwards normally, but used all available runway. Engine #3 was shut down first, then 3 others after and plane was towed to terminal. Passengers disembarked normally via aerobridge. John praised crew and passengers, who all rose to the occasion. I have a few pics I can share if you’d like. Let me know, and if any other q’s" And: "No official statement as to cause yet, but from the horse’s mouth: something went bang in the hold, the aircraft jolted sideways. Decompression was instant. The blast seemed to be in all directions, looking at the damage afterwards. NOT a corrosion or metal fatigue issue as some of those with agendas have suggested. And the aircraft was maintained solely in Australia, so it wasn’t shoddy overseas engineers either." So, the missing oxygen cylinder is now the No1 suspect. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 what a waste of fuel. Wish there was a way to catch that. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted July 28, 2008 Author Share Posted July 28, 2008 Soubs... I just want to pat you on the back for a second if I may... You originally presented corrosion vehemently (as you said until proved wrong) - and here you are with new information indicating it may well have been an explosion of an oxygen cannister and sharing it with us too. Balanced. And a man who is prepared to be swayed by logical argument! Impressed I am!! (this coming from a woman currently pouting/sleeping on the couch due a certain signifigant others inability to do so!). Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Sorry to hear that I originally felt the corrosion theory most probable, because it is a known problem. Gas cylinders are very stable and it is extremely rare for them to fail without any external cause. Science means fitting a theory to the observations. When they no longer match, you change the theory. And thanks Mamabear, that's very kind of you. Link to post Share on other sites
Mantas 3 Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Originally Posted By: soubriquet QANTAS have never lost a jet. QANTAS' engineering staff are upset about maintenance jobs being exported to Malaysia. The aircraft in question has just undergone a major re-fit in: AUSTRALIA (Avalon). The enquiry will find that the failed section was in a highly stressed area at the wing root, just under a galley, and highly corroded. An old aircraft (17 years) and inadequate inspection. A management problem I'm afraid Mamabear. If you are genuinely concerned, pick a carrier with a new fleet. That's spelled Singapore. Yes Mamma, I was going to chip him on that one as well. Not only did he try to discredit our boys at Qantas but he also inferred that they would try and use those poor little asains as scapegoats. Shame on you Soubs. Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Originally Posted By: Mantas Originally Posted By: soubriquet QANTAS have never lost a jet. QANTAS' engineering staff are upset about maintenance jobs being exported to Malaysia. The aircraft in question has just undergone a major re-fit in: AUSTRALIA (Avalon). The enquiry will find that the failed section was in a highly stressed area at the wing root, just under a galley, and highly corroded. An old aircraft (17 years) and inadequate inspection. A management problem I'm afraid Mamabear. If you are genuinely concerned, pick a carrier with a new fleet. That's spelled Singapore. Yes Mamma, I was going to chip him on that one as well. Not only did he try to discredit our boys at Qantas but he also inferred that they would try and use those poor little asains as scapegoats. Shame on you Soubs. The Age: "December 16, 2007 Advertisement POTENTIALLY fatal gas being pumped into passenger jet emergency oxygen tanks in Australia has sparked a worldwide safety investigation. The Australian Safety Transport Bureau confirmed yesterday that Qantas engineers accidentally put nitrogen into the emergency oxygen tanks of a Boeing 747 passenger jet at Melbourne Airport. The Australian carrier immediately checked the oxygen supplies of more than 50 of its planes that had been serviced by the mislabelled nitrogen cart at the airport. But an aviation source said: "This could have affected hundreds of planes worldwide. Any international jet that passed through Melbourne and was serviced by Qantas could have had nitrogen pumped into its oxygen tanks." http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/p...ge#contentSwap1 And: "January 09, 2008 QANTAS faced a potential disaster on Monday when a jumbo jet en route from London lost all main electrical power and was forced to land on battery back-up. Flight QF2 with 344 passengers on board was about 15 minutes from Bangkok when the highly unusual failure took place and a back-up system kicked in. Were you on the flight? Email us at online@theaustralian.com.au With the batteries providing power for up to an hour, aviation sources said the failure would have been a disaster if it had occurred further out to sea. "If this had happened over the ocean in the middle of the night, it would probably have crashed," an experienced 747 pilot told The Australian last night. The near-disaster came nine years after a Qantas 747 aquaplaned off the end of the runway at Bangkok airport, crashing through navigational equipment and finishing up across a perimeter road 220m away. The crash, Qantas's worst in 40 years, caused about $100million in damage. Qantas chief pilot Chris Manning and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau yesterday confirmed the incident took place as the plane returned from London. "The back-up system was activated and the aircraft landed safely," Captain Manning said. "Qantas reported the incident to Boeing, the ATSB and Civil Aviation Safety Authority and is also conducting its own thorough investigation. " http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23026003-2702,00.html Some comments from elsewhere: "As to what caused this failure? A source claims it was a blocked drain under one of the gally's that caused water to short out an electronics rack that caused the generators to fail. I'm sure the full and proper cause will be revealed. It would be a real shame though ,if this was due to substandard outsourced maintenance wouldn't it! Another case of Profitability before Safety before Schedule?" and ""Seems it may not have been outsourced at all - post on the D&G forum suggests it was local." Reportedly it was the last aircraft to have gone through major maintainance in Sydney... Why am I not surprised... The people doing the work were probably about to lose their jobs (and they knew it). Their focus probably lay elsewhere. The decay continues... Rgds. NSEU (former "expert".. now "jack of all trades.. master of none")" Link to post Share on other sites
Mantas 3 Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 I never said Qantas wasn't a crap airline. Like I said before. >The fact they haven't lost a life yet is probably good luck more than good management.< Link to post Share on other sites
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