DJ A330 launch delayed due to safety concerns

[thewinchester]

DJ A330 launch possibly delayed due to safety concerns

In its efforts to step up competition with QF in the transcon & business markets, DJ was preparing to launch A330-2's into service on May 26. However, that could been delayed due to the crew failing line & evaculation checks.

Oops.

Safety concerns may delay Virgin Blue A330 services
Will Horton on April 28, 2011 5:01 PM

A series of concerns from air safety regulator the Civil Aviation Safety Authority may delay Virgin Blue's 26 May introduction of its A330-200 aircraft featuring business class to better compete with Qantas and achieve higher yields.

Last week one of the aircraft's crew failed a line check, a formal test of airmanship measured against regulations, and previously failed an evacuation test, according to sources familiar with the matter. Although the carrier's crew and aircraft will be given opportunities to redress the lapses, such re-evaluations can delay certification and approval to fly the aircraft.

A spokeswoman for Virgin Blue declined to comment on the specific incidents. "It is normal procedure for the aircraft and related personnel to undergo a series of exercises to ensure a high standard is met prior to entry into service. We will meet all required standards set by CASA before the aircraft commences services," she says.

 

[markis10]

In its efforts to step up competition with QF in the transcon & business markets, DJ was preparing to launch A330-2's into service on May 26. However, that has been delayed due to the crew failing line & evaculation checks.

Oops.

Nope, the article you quote says "A series of concerns from air safety regulator the Civil Aviation Safety Authority may delay Virgin Blue's 26 May introduction ", not will delay. There is no indication a delay is certain in the sources you have quoted.

 

[N860CR]

It's pretty common to have issues come up during evaluation for approvals like this. That is, after all, why the whole approval procedure is in place. On the final certification for Virgin Atlantic (many many years ago), the 747 blew an engine on takeoff. I doubt it will delay anything at all, there is fat intentioanally built into the process.

 

[markis10]

From memory DJ's AOC had similar issues and they got across the line with 24 hours to spare.

 

[Nigelinoz]

I'd be interested to know the source of the information that Mr Horton uses because the basis of the article appears to be similar to a post on Pprune.
Virgin Australia it is! - Page 3 - PPRuNe Forums

Oh dear. The wheels have fallen off the A330 project friends.
Last week we twice failed the evacuation demonstration and the regulator was not happy. Also we are well behind schedule in every aspect of the project and the launch date of the aircraft will now likely be June or July. JB and Sean are furious with the project team managers and are threatening "the door" if things are not fixed. Again it is the legacy of old has-beens still employed at Virgin that are causing the mess, managers who cannot manage. JB and Sean are yet to realise that more incompetent managers need to go now. Engineering is an absolute mess and a massive amount of outstanding issues with CASA exist which will likely threaten ongoing expansions if not fixed soon.

A comment from the safety department the other day sums up when a well placed individual said this, "how the hell can we get this widebody project off the ground, we don't know how to manage a project, fix our present systems, analyse problems safely or even operate large aircraft types in the first place, we totally lack expereince and knowledge" .
A bit concerning.

by someone who has only made 4 posts on that forum.
Two posts later there was this

Nice windup chinstrap. I have heard nothing through appropriate channels nor grapevine.

Even if true, you are not the employee that JB or SD would want, coming onto a public forum and blurting out issues.

Me thinks you were overlooked and for very good reason.

We already have enough emeratee on the 777 thanks.

Obviously if DJ have responded via a spokeswoman then there must be some truth to the story however the question is how much ?
Cheers
N'oz

 

[straitman]

It is not unusual, though not common, for pilot's to fail a training assessment. The bar is deliberately set quite high, pilots are human and training senarios are often a lot more complex than almost any situation they are likely to encounter in real life.

In this situation where they have supposedly failed twice I would be asking questions about the trainers as much, or more, than the pilots. IF the pilots were not of the required standard to pass the training session then they should not have been put up for assessment and that is a problem associated with those doing the training.

My reading of this article by Will Horton is that it reads more like a tabloid article that is long on hype and short on real or important facts.

 

[777]

Read on another forum that CASA granted the approval for VA's a330 ops today.

 

[DJSYD81]

Read on another forum that CASA granted the approval for VA's a330 ops today.

That's good to know 777. I'm booked in J next Friday on the A330 and then Y+Exit row on the way back Sunday..

Looking forward to it.

 

[jb747]

Be interesting to know just how much Airbus experience that these crews have. The leap from Boeing to Airbus is huge, way bigger than I expected. QF had crews flying with various other airlines for quite some time before the 330 came into service.