QF B744 over Pacific, tandem flight with NZ B772, after weather radar fault

[Naim 6]

Interesting, first time I hear of this arrangement.

 

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Incident: Qantas B744 over Pacific on Oct 27th 2008, tandem flight after weather radar problems

By Simon Hradecky, created Wednesday, Oct 29th 2008 07:44Z, last updated Wednesday, Oct 29th 2008 07:48Z

 

The crew of a Qantas Boeing 747-400, registration VH-OEB performing flight QF12 (departing late Oct 27th) from Los Angeles,CA (USA) to Sydney,NS (Australia) with 280 passengers, called for help on the radio, when the weather radar failed to work "to satisfaction" about 3 hours into the flight.

 

An Air New Zealand Boeing 777-200, registration ZK-OKD performing flight NZ1 from Los Angeles,CA (USA) to Auckland (New Zealand) had departed Los Angeles minutes before the Qantas and was enroute about 20nm ahead of the Qantas at a different flight level. The crew offered help.

 

While maintaining vertical separation the Qantas closed up to the ANZ plane tracking a few nm behind the ANZ forming a "tandem" under supervision of Air Traffic Control. That way the Qantas Jumbo continued the journey across the Pacific and diverted to Auckland (New Zealand) for a safe landing early Oct 29th (after crossing the date line).

 

Qantas flew a replacement radar antenna to Auckland in the meantime, the airplane was repaired and continued its journey reaching Sydney with a delay of 4 hours.

 

Qantas confirmed the rare incident stating, that the crew chose the safest option considering weather conditions at other possible alternate airports and the lack of weather radar. Weather radar information was relayed by the ANZ crew from Air New Zealands instruments to the Qantas crew.

 

http://avherald.com/h?article=40f158c2&opt=0

 

[James Gota 0]

Damn It you beat me to it. I would have been 1st if I had no slow internet connection. Isn't VH-OEB 1st Qf 747 to have the new roo. Also isn't it a 747-400ER and a 777-200er

[Naim 6]

Damn It you beat me to it. I would have been 1st if I had no slow internet connection. Isn't VH-OEB 1st Qf 747 to have the new roo. Also isn't it a 747-400ER and a 777-200er

 

wow, what a competitive forum, sampai aku kene swear. watch your lingo, mate.

 

[James Gota 0]

If only my Internet was faster

[Pieter C. 5]

If only my Internet was faster

 

Still no reason to start swearing

 

It's not a competition here, just sharing and enjoying aviation news...

[Ahmad M 1]

Maybe there is a prize for being a "news breaker".

 

Anyways that was a pretty good "out of the box" thinking from the Qantas crew.

[jani 0]

haha Naim, padan muka kena swear kat Internet!

[Naim 6]

haha Naim, padan muka kena swear kat Internet!

 

An AK stewardess in (red) uniform swearing at me would prolly be a turn on, but sorry, I digress ...

 

Anyway Airbus got the blame for last month's incidence.

 

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Qantas blames Airbus for plunge over Western Australia

Geoff Easdown

October 30, 2008 12:00am

 

QANTAS yesterday blamed Airbus for an incident in which 70 passengers were injured after a Perth-bound A330 jet plunged unexpectedly over the West Australian coast.

 

Geoff Dixon, the airline's outgoing chief executive, said investigators were focusing on a design problem and it was "an issue for the manufacturer, Airbus".

 

His comments contrast with initial findings by Airbus and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau that blamed an inflight data recorder linked to the autopilot system on the aircraft.

 

...

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,2...197-662,00.html

 

[Teoh Z Yao 0]

Interesting...

[Seth K 3]

I smell ANZ and QF merger

[James Gota 0]

SORRY

 

Won't work 1. alliances 2. fleet 3.seats

there is more but I can't get out of my head

I like it the way it is

 

 

I smell ANZ and QF merger

 

[Keith T 2]

The reason is actually far simpler than that. The 2 airlines have pursued a trans tasman joint operations agreement in the past but have both times been knocked down by the competition authorities in both countries as a merger was deemed to be anti-competitive.

 

SORRY

 

Won't work 1. alliances 2. fleet 3.seats

there is more but I can't get out of my head

I like it the way it is