Qantas flight forced to turn back due to engine problem

[Ryan K.]

Qantas flight forced to turn back due to engine problem CRAIG PLATT
April 6, 2010 - 11:13AM

Another Qantas flight has been forced to turn back after take-off, this time due to an engine problem.

QF1 from Bangkok to Heathrow Airport in London experienced an engine surge shortly after take-off at 4am (AEST) this morning.

The captain of the Boeing 747 shut down the engine and returned to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport at 5.30am.

The incident comes the day after a Qantas passenger threatened to bring down a flight from Sydney to Singapore using the power of his mind.

Engineers were examining the QF1 aircraft and a replacement jet was being flown from Sydney to Bangkok. The flight's 335 passengers were transferred to a hotel, Qantas said.

"There was no safety issue at any stage – Boeing 747 aircraft can fly normally on three engines," Qantas said in a statement.

The incident comes after another long-haul Qantas flight was grounded in Melbourne yesterday after a cockpit window cracked during a flight from Los Angeles.

The Australian airline has faced a string of technical problems on its flights in recent months - from tyres blowing out during landing, to engine troubles.

On Friday, a flight from Perth to Brisbane was delayed after a wing flap defect was found.

On the same day, a Qantas Boeing 747 travelling from Brisbane to Los Angeles was grounded after a wiring problem was found in one of its engines.

Last Wednesday, two tyres burst on an A380 superjumbo as it landed at Sydney Airport.

The day before, a Sydney-Singapore flight turned back when a pilot found an engine problem.

In December, a 747 flight from Singapore to Melbourne was forced to turn back after an engine surge.

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-...0406-rnyi.html

Another Qantas drama involving their 747s.
Is it really maintenance issue or their 747s are just too old. If these sort of issues continue to happen, it is not only going to affect their reliability but also damper the public image of Qantas aircrafts.

Why hasn't QF consider leasing some 777s rather than waiting for the arrival of their 380s and 787s? Obviously with the current feet they got, only the 747s can make the distance and this could potentially harm them if the 747s continue to behave like this.

[Sam Chui]

Hi Ryan

CX, UA, LH, TG, BA, CI, DL and others all operate B747-400 low msn number from early 90s so QF is not alone here. I see your point QF do not have an alternate one compare to other carriers. Can't comment the other stuff though.....

[Kent Broadhead]

But were there flames coming from the engine?

[Jason H]

Aircraft was VH-OJF, the one that it meant to be retiring very soon. VH-OJN was flown in as a replacement

[BradR]

The media are having a bit of a feeding frenzy with Qantas at the moment. Even the mildest delay is being portrayed as a "safety threat".

This is not a first however. Most will remember the multiple attacks made on Ansett in its final years for incredibly minor issues.

The media cannot be bothered explaining the safety first mentality that pervades aviation so then assumes that any minor issue is a major safety threat when in relaity it is the airlines enforcing their and the regulator's policies that any minor item deserves immediate attention even if it causes delays etc.

The media is a bit each-way here. What would they say if airlines ignored minor safety defects and continued on.

[Ash W]

Brad one of the reasons the media is having a feeding frenzy is simply because the maintenance union is in dispute with Qantas again. Wonder who is feeding them their 'stories'? It is funny how when there is a union dispute that all these issues come to the surface.

Disclaimer. Clearly this issue and the A380 issue last week would have made it anyway, but not the multitude of day to day issues mentioned in the article quoted.

[Paul McFarlane]

Originally Posted by BradR

What would they say if airlines ignored minor safety defects and continued on.

With regards to the mainstream 'tabloid' media - Whatever it took to sell more copies or attract more viewers.

[Anthony T]

Didn't CASA have an issue with another Australian airline at Easter about 9 years back?

Those issues, I seem to remember didn't work out too well for the airline concerned.

The media last week were reporting that CASA are having a bit of a closer look at QANTAS, but have not yet issued a show cause order regarding B747-400 ops.

[Ray P.]

Originally Posted by Ash W

Brad one of the reasons the media is having a feeding frenzy is simply because the maintenance union is in dispute with Qantas again. Wonder who is feeding them their 'stories'? It is funny how when there is a union dispute that all these issues come to the surface. ...

Exactly correct, nothing like promoting the cause by scaring the travelling public. The media know this of course, but it's like an alcoholic being offered a drink. I wonder how many delays or aircraft going tech the other Australian-based carriers have suffered that didn't get reported this last week or so.

[Philip Argy]

Unions need to be careful not to put Qantas profitability in jeopardy to further their cause. They may have legitimate grievances but the travelling public are easily scared off and Qantas staff will suffer before Qantas shareholders.