| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Judgie
Heavy Crude
![]()
Joined: May 07, 2007
Posts: 434
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
|
 Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 2:10 am Post subject: Airlines pushing the limits on maintenance? |
  |
|
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4395076.ece
| Quote: | Passengers have described their terror as the plane on which they were travelling was forced to make an emergency landing after a door "popped" midflight, leaving a hole in the side of the fuselage.
Qantas flight QF30, with 300 passengers and crew on board plunged 20,000 feet after the faulty door "popped", causing an "explosive" depressurisation. The Boeing 747, flying from London to Melbourne had just taken off from a stop-over in Hong Kong when the incident happened. As the plane dropped from 30,000 feet to 10,000 feet, oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling.
Debra Manchester, a passenger in First Class, said there was a "huge bang" and a "massive rush of wind," with debris swirling around the cabin. Mrs Manchester, a housewife from Buckinghamshire, said there was an atmosphere of chaos as passengers struggled to put their oxygen masks on.
"Newspapers and what looked like part of the ceiling flew past me. We didn't know what was happening to the plane. After a while things calmed down and there was a deadly silence. There was still debris all around our feet but we all started to feel a bit safer when we could take our masks off," she said ............... |
Perhaps the effects of dollar-squeezing by the airlines to cope with high fuel prices is starting to affect the safety of passengers more than was previously evident. Especially suprising when Qantas has been renowned up until a year ago for it's clean safety record and excellent maintenance regimes.
_________________
"That the cream cannot help but always rise up to the top, well I say, <censored by peakoil.com> floats"
Jarvis Cocker - "Running the World" |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
IslandCrow
Intermediate Crude
Joined: Sep 12, 2005
Posts: 872
Location: Finland
|
| Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 2:22 am Post subject: Re: Airlines pushing the limits on maintenance? |
|
|
Doesn't look like a door to me: BBC report
The Times report is much more sensational than the BBC one. 
_________________
We should teach our children the 4-Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rejoice. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
idiom
Intermediate Crude
Joined: Aug 23, 2004
Posts: 523
Location: New Zealand
|
| Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 3:22 am Post subject: Re: Airlines pushing the limits on maintenance? |
|
|
That just happened to a plane full of congressmen.
Dodgy Dogy Dodgy. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Judgie
Heavy Crude
![]()
Joined: May 07, 2007
Posts: 434
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
|
| Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 4:22 am Post subject: Re: Airlines pushing the limits on maintenance? |
|
|
| IslandCrow wrote: | Doesn't look like a door to me: BBC report
The Times report is much more sensational than the BBC one. |
Agreed.
Either way, if it was the work of a terrorist, i'd be expecting the aircraft in question to be consisting of much smaller fragments dispersed over a very wide area. Which it isn't. I think it's probable that it's the first casualty of cost-cutting in aircraft maintenance due to the toll of high Jet Fuel prices. Perhaps lack of airframe maintenance which has led to weakining of the panels and eventual blowout caused by the pressure differential between cabin and the outside atmosphere at those altitudes.
_________________
"That the cream cannot help but always rise up to the top, well I say, <censored by peakoil.com> floats"
Jarvis Cocker - "Running the World" |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Twilight
Expert
Joined: Mar 02, 2007
Posts: 3076
Location: UK
|
| Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 11:39 am Post subject: Re: Airlines pushing the limits on maintenance? |
|
|
Take a look at the close-up.
Very smooth edge. A single outer panel blown off. A much smaller area of inner panel torn in several places as separate sections opened like petals. Luggage compartment behind it. I think what they have is metal fatigue or an outright puncture caused by mishandling of luggage. Maybe they slammed a steel briefcase into the wall or inflicted impact damage while cleaning the interior, it is only as thick as a drinks can.
_________________
Volatility. When life isn't exciting enough. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
heroineworshipper
Intermediate Crude
Joined: Jul 14, 2006
Posts: 723
Location: Calif*
|
| Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 12:21 pm Post subject: Re: Airlines pushing the limits on maintenance? |
|
|
If U have 100% inflation & U don't give mechanics raises, of course you're cutting maintenance. Who do you think maintains airplanes when money loses all its value, martians? Nice view of how our luggage is smashed.
_________________
People first, then things, then dollars.
There will be enslavement, cannibalism, & zombie invasions. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
alpha480v
Heavy Crude
Joined: Jan 29, 2005
Posts: 320
Location: Western NY
|
| Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 5:14 pm Post subject: Re: Airlines pushing the limits on maintenance? |
|
|
| It wouldn't surprise me at all if it is a (lack) of maintenance issue that caused this. When money is tight one of the first things to have it's budget cut in any industry is maintenance. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
IslandCrow
Intermediate Crude
Joined: Sep 12, 2005
Posts: 872
Location: Finland
|
| Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 3:58 am Post subject: Re: Airlines pushing the limits on maintenance? |
|
|
Jet probe turns to oxygen cylinders
| Quote: | A possible oxygen cylinder blast is a main focus for investigators looking into what caused a hole mid-flight in the fuselage of a Qantas passenger jet.
Investigator Neville Blyth said a cylinder was missing from the plane but it was "too early to say whether this was the cause of the explosion".
Qantas has been told to inspect every oxygen bottle on its Boeing 747 fleet. |
So maybe it was not a problem with maintenance of the plane. Still too early to really tell.
_________________
We should teach our children the 4-Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rejoice. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Dont_Panic
Tar Sands
Joined: Jun 09, 2008
Posts: 46
Location: Philippines
|
| Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 7:13 am Post subject: Re: Airlines pushing the limits on maintenance? |
|
|
| IslandCrow wrote: | Jet probe turns to oxygen cylinders
| Quote: | A possible oxygen cylinder blast is a main focus for investigators looking into what caused a hole mid-flight in the fuselage of a Qantas passenger jet.
Investigator Neville Blyth said a cylinder was missing from the plane but it was "too early to say whether this was the cause of the explosion".
Qantas has been told to inspect every oxygen bottle on its Boeing 747 fleet. |
So maybe it was not a problem with maintenance of the plane. Still too early to really tell. |
It's the first cause I've heard that sounds likely and consistent with the damage.
Even if it's the cylinder, it can still be a maintenance problem. Gotta maintain the gas cylinders too  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Judgie
Heavy Crude
![]()
Joined: May 07, 2007
Posts: 434
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:03 am Post subject: Re: Airlines pushing the limits on maintenance? |
|
|
They're playing the public's lack of aviation knowledge. At thirty thousand feet, internal cabin pressure (yes, even luggage compartsments are pressurised now) would be more than enough to blow off a panel, the joints of which to the frame are heavily corroded. I don't buy this oxygen bottle issue being the problem, especially in a pressurised compartment. I do buy a 17 year old corrosion riddled aircraft suffering a skin-frame delamination and subsequent panel blowout, particularly when it's that clean.
BTW, look up on Google News, the current media release stating that Qantas is looking for another airline with which to merge, to survive (their words, not mine).
_________________
"That the cream cannot help but always rise up to the top, well I say, <censored by peakoil.com> floats"
Jarvis Cocker - "Running the World" |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
News
Discussions
Resources
Members
Forum FAQ
Search
Usergroups
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
