European Aviation Emergency Landging at LGW!!!

The B742 has 4 independent hydraulic systems with one hell of a lot of redundancy capability even with 2 systems out (unlike the 707). There is a great write up on this in the late David Davis’ Handling the Big Jets.

Originally posted by Matthew Murray
Hey,
Don’t panic a hydrualic failure in one system, there are two others….It would be far cheaper for them to operate the 742’s because of cheap parts, plenty of them, low-cost to buy them, low insurance, etc..quite easy to fill compared to a 744….cheap crewing costs too…plus they are extremely reliable…

here here!

“plenty of them”

Thats for sure, they just pulled a 236 outa the desert last year. It was wearing the Pianthi tail colours before BA retired it.

Originally posted by airbusbaby
Its a cosumers market after all. bmi are replacing the Fokker 100 fleet, and the create a large volume of passenger complaints. Maybe some other airlines should be following suit?

Your statement is worded strangely, but I’m assuming you’re referring to Bmi replacing the F100 fleet due to customer complaints. I can attest to this. I have flown Bmi once, last June 2003 from LHR-AMS and back. On the outbound the aircraft was in fact an F100. The flight was delayed for over an hour due to ‘technical problems.’ I didn’t care because AMS was my final destination and my brother and I were in the Bmi lounge drinking Guiness and Carlsberg for free (plus they upgraded the both of us, having Star Alliance Gold status does have its privileges 😎 ). Anyway, we finally get out to the aircraft, and the air conditioning wasn’t working. It was a relatively hot day so everybody was very upset, except my brother and I because we had too much alcohol in our systems, and we didn’t care. After a further delay in the aircraft, we started taxing and after about 5 minutes of that, the crew announced we had to go back to the gate and change aircraft. Needless to say, everybody was going crazy now. There was another aircraft at the gate we left from so we had to wait on the tarmac for another half hour. Eventually, they let everybody off the plane and some busses came and fetched us and took us back to the terminal. My brother and I went right back to the lounge for some more booze. They eventually brought an A321 and we boarded that (my brother and I were the last ones to board since we were in the lounge and for some stupid reason, we had to go through security again, even though we never left the terminal). The A321 interior was a lot nicer than the F100. I was rather looking forward to flying the F100 since I’ve never flown on a Fokker before. Do Bmi have similar problem like this with their Fokkers all the time?

🙁 That would be really bad news if it shut down as a summer base. I would imagine it would be an even bigger blow for MME as at least LBA has Thomson. Keep us up to date SOFTLAD and thanks again.

Apparently its being looked at but who knows ? I cant see it closing in the summer but you never can tell whats around the corner in this industry

So does that mean they are also considering shutting LBA as a summer base?

No but its a summer one and they might be closing it for this summer for good ?

MME isnt a winter base anyway is it?

There is now a meeting to be held on tues regarding LBA and MME shutting down. Ill let you know.

while the 747-200’s are good and reliable eal have had no troubles in the past with this aircraft type

I’m not sure you have noticed their on-time performance recently then??? Not sure I’d agree with that statment.

the 747-200 is the right size for the route which is the only long haul route they use

What about the LGW-CMB-SYD for Austravel? Today, they have an aircraft coming in from Bogota and Caracas. Its not just the Travelcity charter to SFB they do.

Latest information on yesterdays delayed flight is that they were all accommodated in hotels last night and were due to fly at 0900 this morning. The aircraft is now Tech AGAIN, as is the back-up aircraft! Very reliable, I’ll have a whole fleet myself please! LOL

Ok the -200 had to return to LGW, So therefore they should be retired – damn BA Has better get rid of those 777s as there were 2 that had make diversions from other operators in the same day last month! Don’t talk stupid!

I had the pleasure of spending a few days hopping around Europe on a B747-146B about 18 months ago – the a/c may have looked shabby from the outside as it wasn’t far away from retirement, but it did the job!

SOFTLAD i had heard the rumours about LBA being shut as a MYT base, but with roughly the same number of services being operated from other bases on ‘W’ patterns – keep us updated!

european air charter are geting 4 737-300’s and 2 737-400’s and possibly a 757-200 for their european routes while the 747-200’s are good and reliable eal have had no troubles in the past with this aircraft type it is just an accident which could not have been prevented they cant simply buy the 747-400’s as they are expencive they would have to buy the simulator to train the pilots they got the 747-200 simulator from british airways for free and the 747-200 is the right size for the route which is the only long haul route they use

The 747-200 may be old, but its not past its time yet.
The landing you experienced was likely a hard one.

Ba retired their 747-200’s basically because large ailrine slike BA have a policy of retiring aircraft at a certan age, give or take a year or two.

Long live the 747-200!

I totally agree airlines cannot just go out and buy a new fleet, but it comes back to the old saying “you get what you pay for” doesn’t it?!

Its a cosumers market after all. bmi are replacing the Fokker 100 fleet, and the create a large volume of passenger complaints. Maybe some other airlines should be following suit?

Not sure all i know is we are cutting costs wherever possible and LBA is going to be one of the bases affected.

🙁 🙁 Thats very bad news after having the 757 here summer and winter. Why has it sunddenly gone from talk of a 320 and 321 to a SSV 320?

EAL are getting some 733s to replace the 732s.

Yes as far as i know it is and its going to be ssv too im told ? Also there are now plans to close LBA as a base during the winter to try reduce costs. However thats not 100% yet ?

Originally posted by airbusbaby
I travelled on the one of the 200’s that EAF now operate when they were still with BA nearly 10yrs ago now, and they were “tired and shabby” then.

When I landed into Antigua, all of the oxygen masks deployed and some of the hat racks actually dislodged from the ceiling and were literally hanging in mid air. Quite frightening, and I’m a flyer every day of my life! The flight deck crew spent an hour or so pushing everything back into place and then we got on our way back to LGW. Not good then, so I dred to think what state these aircraft are in now.

I believe EAF still operate 737-200’s as well. Why??? Is there really any need to be flying round such old relic’s when there are newer models out there. After all, its not so long since they ditched the BAC1-11’s and they were frightening enough!

I stand by my views, I wouldn’t travel on something that old given the choice. I know you can still have the same problems with a new aircraft, but hey, why increase the chances???

Its not as easy as just going out buying 20 747-400s and a few 737-800s to replace the older planes. If the airline are operating the 742s and 732s without much trouble why replace them? You might as well save money as its still a pretty tough time for airlines. I flew on Ryanair -200s and found them fine.

Sorry to go off topic….
SOFTLAD- Is the A320 definite at LBA next summer?