B738 'pickle fork' crack sees aircraft withdrawn

[cpatters]

Does anyone know the rego's which has the cracks?

 

[woodborer]

Do we know how long actual repairs of this issue take once a crack is found? Looks to me like a pretty essential part of the aircraft but I'm not at all an engineer so I bet others on here will know this better. I'm mostly concerned whether the flying public should expect any cancellations or delays as a result of this or whether this a 'can be fixed overnight' kind of thing.

I've seen an estimate of 2-3 weeks, but this was before they'd actually tried the fix in practice.

 

[moa999]

$275k to replace which presumably means it's not a huge amount of labour/time, assuming parts availability.

Qantas to Inspect 33 Boeing 737-800s After Finding Cracks - SamChui.com

Qantas has launched an inspection campaign for 33 out of their 75 Boeing 737-800s after cracks were identified on an aircraft in Brisbane.

samchui.com

Qf789 on airliners says it's either VXC or VXM based on what hasn't flown in the last few days.
VXC was seemingly in BNE for Internet (one of the few without) and general maint, but could still have been checked

 

[Melburnian1]

I've seen an estimate of 2-3 weeks, but this was before they'd actually tried the fix in practice.

With this sort of Boeing-notified issue of concern, does the regulator (CASA) get involved to certify the aircraft fit again to carry passengers, or is it simply a matter of QF (or other Australian-domiciled airlines were they affected) making the wing fit for service and then reintroducing it to the network?

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Do we know how long actual repairs of this issue take once a crack is found? Looks to me like a pretty essential part of the aircraft but I'm not at all an engineer so I bet others on here will know this better. I'm mostly concerned whether the flying public should expect any cancellations or delays as a result of this or whether this a 'can be fixed overnight' kind of thing.

The aircraft will have to be returned to Boeing which is setting up a repair line for affected aircraft.
The aircraft are repaired, not the pickle forks. The rear pickle forks have to be replaced.
Repairs will take 3 weeks.
Reference here.

 

[Melburnian1]

The aircraft will have to be returned to Boeing which is setting up a repair line for affected aircraft.
Repairs will take 3 weeks.

So given limited range of a B738, that means a (three?) sector flight with minimum 10 hour intermediate rest stops for the flight crew?

Boeing has a very large number of staff but when a mini-crisis like this hits, wouldn't there be a queue for aircraft to be repaired, and hence QF ones afflicted may be inoperable for longer than three weeks, including travel time to and from the USA?

 

[esseeeayeenn]

So given limited range of a B738, that means a (three?) sector flight with minimum 10 hour intermediate rest stops for the flight crew?

Boeing has a very large number of staff but when a mini-crisis like this hits, wouldn't there be a queue for aircraft to be repaired, and hence QF ones afflicted may be inoperable for longer than three weeks, including travel time to and from the USA?

Well at least Boeing doesn't have any other mini-crises which might be distracting it at the moment.
Only a full-blown crisis!

 

[harvyk]

Since it's been confirmed that at least one QF aircraft with under the Boeing-recommended check threshold of 35,000 'cycles' - in QF's case, just 27,000 - has such cracks, this is news.

Yes, media is interested in clickbait but one assumes Boeing (or regulators) don't want to withdraw aircraft for inspections just for fun, so while some media may exaggerate, it's a valid article to write.

Yes this is news, Qantas did the checks despite the fact they didn't need to according to Boeing, and they found a problem.

I see it as Qantas are doing the right thing, and the comments from Steven Purvinas are really unhelpful.

Qantas could have very easily said "none of our B737's need to be checked because they are all at less than the Boeing recommendation for this check", aka the "we're following the manufacturers recommendations" and that would have been considered a perfectly acceptable response. Instead they have done the checks anyway, found a problem, and will be dealing with it. That's a pretty good indication of their safety IMHO.

All the other stuff in this thread about AJ which has been posted here is complete and utter cough which has nothing to do with the subject at hand.

 

[Melburnian1]

As at roughly 1500 hours, the QF share price has declined a bit more, down to A$6.40, a fall of 17 cents or 2.66 per cent for the trading day thus far.

Rises or falls can occur for all manner of reasons but the sharemarket historically does not like uncertainty, and looks to the future, with this cracking problem being in that category until QF states that nothing further that is adverse has been found.

 

[SRS65]

Good opportunity for Q's PR department to actually prove their Wurth !!!

 

[Melburnian1]

Good opportunity for Q's PR department to actually prove their Wurth !!!

There may well be some inhouse discussion - if it's tolerated - as to whether "we" should say anything more, and at what stage.

I have worked in organisations where when there's a crisis, some show themselves to be so-called 'yes men' and others make carefully considered suggestions that while not universally acclaimed, at least show that alternative strategies can be opined.

Surprising that AJ hasn't taken control and called a media conference, although perhaps he may do that once checks are completed, supposedly tomorrow.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Really sloppy article designed to reassure PAX here.

Virgin inspected all 19 of their 737s earlier this month and did not find any cracking.

Virgin has 75 737s. Only 19 are the next gen aircraft potentially affected.

 

[moa999]

Yes this is news, Qantas did the checks despite the fact they didn't need to according to Boeing, and they found a problem.

They did. Just not as quickly as they have done.
From the SamChui link above.

On the 2nd of October 2019, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an airworthiness directive (AD) to airlines operating all variants of the 737 NG.

Aircraft with greater than 30,000 cycles have been ordered to be inspected within seven days of the directive. Aircraft with 22,600 to 29,999 cycles are required to undergo checks within 1,000 cycles.

So QF was probably required to check 33 aircraft within 5-6 months, and has done it in under a month. Similar VA at 19

 

[Melburnian1]

Good opportunity for Q's PR department to actually prove their Wurth !!!

Whatever one thinks of Mr Purvinas' original comments, the response from Qantas is not reassuring, as it hasn't yet confirmed or denied that cracks were found in a second aircraft:

'Completely irresponsible': Qantas lashes calls to ground 75 jets after claims second crack discovered

An aviation engineering union calls on Qantas to ground its entire Boeing 737 fleet, and claims engineers discovered a crack in a second jet last night.

www.abc.net.au

It gives one the impression that QF has something to hide. That's the opposite of what passengers need.

Note that this ABC article was updated at about 1715 hours on 31 October 2019, so it has more information than some competitor sites.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So given limited range of a B738, that means a (three?) sector flight with minimum 10 hour intermediate rest stops for the flight crew?

I dunno what the range of an empty 737 is?

 

[DC3]

I'm sure that more will come out over the next few days. After all, QF seems to have been quite upfront with this so far.

 

[drron]

Everyone should read the link @esseeeayeenn posted at link in Post 32.The QF planes are not the ones with least cycles having the cracks.That early this month was at 23600.
As well repair lines were going to be set up in Europe and Asia.

 

[craney]

Posts on PPRUNe suggest it's a two week repair job by experienced crews. It's also suggested there that the total stock of spare pickleforks is 25 pairs. Share price of the parts company is probably looking good! 737NGs have cracked 'pickle forks' after finding several in the jets. - PPRuNe Forums

 

[mannej]

Good opportunity for Q's PR department to actually prove their Wurth !!!

Isn't her surname spelt Wirth?

 

[woodborer]

Isn't her surname spelt Wirth?

That, and she runs loyalty these days....