Qantas A380 Slat Delamination

[Mwenenzi]

VH-OQC about to perform first revenue flight in 5 years and 8 months!

A bad first after refurbishment flight. A fail.
From FT https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qan...1-12-7-vh-oqc-a388-inflight-power-issues.html

I just got off QF11 SYD-LAX on 12/7. This apparently was the first flight of this airframe after it's refurbishment and time sitting in the desert. Sometime during takeoff, we experienced a partial onboard power failure, causing the right half of the middle business cabin to go dark (no lights, no power to seats, emergency lights on), and also causing most of the IFE on the plane to go out. From talking with the FA's, it also caused about half the galley coolers and ovens to go out as well, and later in the flight, the rear 4 lavs in Y were leaking water everywhere as the pumps also lost power, leaving only 3 active lavs for all of Y. The staff was extremely apologetic and tried to reset things but ultimately were not able to get any of it back. The decision was made to continue on to LAX as the issue didn't affect the airworthiness of the plane, we couldn't go back to SYD due to curfew, and diverting to BNE wouldn't have had proper maintenance support.

I imagine this is going to have some downstream impacts this week - hopefully QF figures out the issue and gets the mess all cleaned up. I know QF11 was cancelled yesterday - I wonder if it was supposed to be the same airframe and they were dealing with other mechanical issues on it. Aside from this, the interior was looking quite sharp and brand new.

I was on the right side of the mid-business cabin so had no IFE, lights, power, or ability to move my seat during the flight. The FAs were kind enough to manually move the seat to bed mode, so at least I was able to get some comfortable rest! And they really did try their best to make everyone comfortable, but as you can imagine there were a lot of upset folks onboard.

 

[Melburnian1]

A bad first after refurbishment flight. A fail.
From FT https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qan...1-12-7-vh-oqc-a388-inflight-power-issues.html

Great find.

Assuming it's factual, we can bet our bottom dollar that no media 'travel journalists' are likely to report this in Australia, salivating as they do at the prospect of the next freebie QFi J class trip.

We wouldn't want to bit the hand that feeds us, would we?

Having to return to SYD would have been complex and costly, not just in extra fuel burnt but the time delay (overnight?) for passengers but if there were say 300 of the 341 economy seats occupied, the 1:100 toilet ratio is close to unacceptable. The leaking toilets may have created an unsanitary environment in part of the economy cabin.

Things go wrong unexpectedly with all manner of transport equipment and rollingstock but it'd be interesting to know if the lavatories and ovens, plus the lighting, had been extensively tested at the end of the aircraft's refurbishment.

Years ago, I was on a TR single aisle aircraft on a three hour flight that departed with only one working lavatory, so QFi is not alone in experiencing such problems. However, very embarrassing given the lengthy period of refurbishment.

 

[moa999]

A bad first after refurbishment flight. A fail.
From FT https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qan...1-12-7-vh-oqc-a388-inflight-power-issues.html

@Spamam
Possibly why your QF12 on VH-OQC was cancelled.

 

[Melburnian1]

There is a story on the 'Herald Sun' site about how actress Lynn Gilmartin claims (re a Qantas flight from Sydney to Los Angeles) a 'chunk of the wing' snapped off, dropping down over California somewhere'.

Because the article makes reference to power being off and toilets inoperable, it must be recenetly refurbished A388 VH-OQC that is in Los Angeles after operating QF11 as its first revenue flight for years.

The article has a photo sourced from Instagram that appears to show fairly substantial damage to the wing.

If this is correct, the aircraft may not be flying for some time.

 

[Melburnian1]

I posted the below also under 'Qantas frequent flyer A380 refurbishments. Assuming it's correct and not exaggerated information, it may result in recently refurbished A388 VH-OQC not flying for some time.

There is a story on the 'Herald Sun' site about how actress Lynn Gilmartin (never heard of her!) claims re a Qantas flight from Sydney to Los Angeles a 'chunk of the wing' snapped off, dropping down over California somewhere'.

Because the article makes reference to power being off and toilets inoperable, it must be recently refurbished A388 VH-OQC that is in Los Angeles after operating QF11 as its first revenue flight for years.

The article has a photo sourced from Instagram that appears to show fairly substantial damage to the wing.

The opinion of @jb747 and @AviatorInsight and others with technical expertise would be instructive.

 

[markis10]

If this is correct, the aircraft may not be flying for some time.

Looks like an easy repair to me..

https://www.flightglobal.com/safety/airbus-to-detail-a380-slat-delamination-checks-after-emirates-and-sia-incidents/163846.article

By comparison the EK A380 delamination

 

[jb747]

Lynn Gilmartin

Never heard of her either, but as I haven't heard of 99.99% of celebrities, then that's no surprise.

I posted the below also under 'Qantas frequent flyer A380 refurbishments. Assuming it's correct and not exaggerated information, it may result in recently refurbished A388 VH-OQC not flying for some time.

Assuming it actually did lose something, panels are easily fitted....and are not unknown to part company with the aircraft. Any aircraft. They generally have zero affect on the flight capability, and are not noticeable to the pilots. Having said that though, a common source of lost panel stories comes from the way you can see 'through' the wing, when flap and speed brake are used simultaneously.

Because the article makes reference to power being off and toilets inoperable, it must be recently refurbished A388 VH-OQC that is in Los Angeles after operating QF11 as its first revenue flight for years.

Seat power...not really a surprise. In 500 seats, there's always some. Same with toilets, especially on flights with babies.

As for OQC itself, I wouldn't be surprised if it has some teething issues, but would expect them to clear up.

 

[D747]

The 'celebrity' incident apperas to be related to this:

https://www.flightglobal.com/safety...ter-emirates-and-sia-incidents/163846.article

 

[RSD]

Never heard of her either, but as I haven't heard of 99.99% of celebrities, then that's no surprise.

I'm like you - haven't heard of most of them and wouldn't recognise them - and would probably rate their value to society only marginally above so called "influencers".

 

[Melburnian1]

'Herald Sun' has updated its article, quoting a QF spokesman/woman stating 'it was the slat on the wing, I wouldn't say it was a chunk' and that it was looked at by engineers in Los Angeles. After a part arrives ex Dubai, (the aircraft) will operate again on Thursday.

This suggests QF12 may be cancelled on Tuesday night ex LAX, but so far, no suggestion of that on FR24. Qantas' flight status also shows QF12 as operating on Tuesday and Wednesday nights (9 and 10 December) ex LAX.

 

[Melburnian1]

I posted this in the Qantas cancellations/delays thread on AFF. I don't normally post twice in different threads, but given some may not view the cancellations threads, here's the update re A388 VH-OQC:

'Herald Sun' has updated its article, quoting a QF spokesman/woman stating 'it was the slat on the wing, I wouldn't say it was a chunk' and that it was looked at by engineers in Los Angeles. After a part arrives ex Dubai, (the aircraft) will operate again on Thursday.

This suggests QF12 may be cancelled on Tuesday night ex LAX, but so far, no suggestion of that on FR24. Qantas' flight status also shows QF12 as operating on Tuesday and Wednesday nights (9 and 10 December) ex LAX.

 

[jb747]

Interesting. Never came across any mention of this in my time on the aircraft. But, a slat panel should be simple enough to replace….as long as you have one.

 

[D747]

Interesting. Never came across any mention of this in my time on the aircraft. But, a slat panel should be simple enough to replace….as long as you have one.

I wonder if they have the spare parts from the scrapped OQE / F?

 

[Melburnian1]

I wonder if they have the spare parts from the scrapped OQE / F?

That QF is sourcing this part from Dubai suggests (at least in this case) it doesn't.

 

[aussie_traveller]

Qantas A380’s wing peels apart on first flight after returning to service

The plane has been grounded in Los Angeles since Sunday after damage to the slat on its left wing, which resulted in what appeared to be a hole in the surface.

www.smh.com.au

 

[stm1sydney]

Qantas A380’s wing peels apart on first flight after returning to service

The plane has been grounded in Los Angeles since Sunday after damage to the slat on its left wing, which resulted in what appeared to be a hole in the surface.

www.smh.com.au

According to the article, that plane was the spare referred to in above posts - pressed into service pretty quickly on SYD-LAX - so it is now also out of service (in addition to the plane it replaced on SYD-LAX).