Qantas crack scare

[Dave Noble]

Qantas has suffered another blemish to its once gold-plated safety record, after air safety investigators revealed the airline found cracks in the "drip shields" on nearly half of its 747 fleet.

The Australian Transport and Safety Bureau today reported Qantas found cracks in 14 of its 30 Boeing 747s, similar to those on a jet which lost nearly all of its electrical power on approach to Bangkok on January 7.

Full article at Qantas crack scare - National - smh.com.au

Dave

 

[Evan]

You would assume a lot of other 747's around the world will be in the same shape i am sure
E

 

[Mal]

You would assume a lot of other 747's around the world will be in the same shape i am sure
E

I agree. It's more likely a flaw in the Boeing design rather than a flaw in QF's maint procedures.

The more these types of 'weird' incidents occur, the more safer planes are. As a result of this incident, Boeing will most likely issue a directive to check the spill trays in the 747 (and any other airframe affected), and modify future planes to handle spills in various galley's better.

 

[NM]

You would assume a lot of other 747's around the world will be in the same shape i am sure
E

Which probably makes QF's 747s among the safest in the world.

 

[Evan]

Yes, i am sure QF planes are well kept.

Newer planes like the 777 also not have a RAT for generating power and i am told more seperate electrical circuts.

I was on a BA 744 the other day and it seemed older and worse kept that the QF ones (the older QF ones, not the new ER's), just a general opinion.

In any case there is always a large value in a 744 and i would think most are generally well kept, i am sure we will see 744's in all fleets flying a long time yet.

E

 

[simongr]

I think one of the points above about QF being safe in this area is that we can guarantee that QF have reviewed every 744 for this issue and fixed them all - whereas everyone else is out there reviewing their 744s... none fixed yet...

 

[straitman]

I agree. It's more likely a flaw in the Boeing design rather than a flaw in QF's maint procedures.

The more these types of 'weird' incidents occur, the more safer planes are. As a result of this incident, Boeing will most likely issue a directive to check the spill trays in the 747 (and any other airframe affected), and modify future planes to handle spills in various galley's better.

Mal,

The check and modification was issued quite some time ago. That's how they knew the others had the problem.

 

[milehighclub]

Not only did Qantas check all 747s but all their aircraft. I was on the QF189 2 days after the Bangkok and the aircraft was checked for any problems at the forward galley. Aircraft was 767.

 

[NM]

Yes, i am sure QF planes are well kept.

Newer planes like the 777 also not have a RAT for generating power and i am told more seperate electrical circuts.

Are you cure about that? I believe the 777 does have a RAT. In fact, the BA 777 that "landed" short at LHR recently had its RAT deployed, tough it was not clear is this deployed before or after impact (there was apparently little damage to the blades, implying it was not spinning much at the time of impact).

I believe its quad-engines aircraft like 747 and A340 that do not have a RAT.

 

[Evan]

Brain fart ! i meant to say it does have a RAT.
E