rare LHR diversion SIA A340

As usual i miss all the good goings on at LHR. Maybe it’ll be back on a reg flight basis another time… unlikely though.

Nope its not the first 345 to land at LHR… Air Canada used theres on trial flights to LHR last month – that stopped a few weeks ago though, and they are now back to using the 767/330 and 343.

Well, the aircraft arrived at LHR on Friday 17 September and was towed into the Virgin hangar at 15:45 local.

It taxied for departure from LHR at 10:30 local on Saturday 18 September.

The interval between these two times is, I think you will agree, rather less that 24 hours.

My source is a member of ops staff at LHR, and his information is corroborated by a number of postings on well-respected aviation newsgroups on Friday and Saturday.

And yet that’s what did happen. The aircraft was out of service for less than 24 hours, by the way, rather than for 2 days.

I am interested in your sources into the exact details of this.

And yet that’s what did happen. The aircraft was out of service for less than 24 hours, by the way, rather than for 2 days.

When you’re in mid-Atlantic it’s a bloody long way to anywhere! 😉

I think the point is that the parts required were ready and waiting, together with engineers experienced on the type, at LHR.

That probably wouldn’t have been the case at most US airports, for example and certainly wasn’t the case at any of the airports near to the planned route.

The route from Newark to Singapore doesn’t go over the Atlantic, the route goes north towards the Artic sea, hence my reason for questioning the divert. A prudent decision is to return to the departure airfield and have the part flown in, not fly to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean for a part then fly the pax around the world to get them home. You would have to put the pax up in a hotel and then fly them home eastbound which means two days to get them home and the aircraft out of revenue service.

The cost of it would be horrendous….quite simply you wouldn’t do it. Or look at it this way, you are flying from London to Hong Kong and have a problem, would you divert to JFK…No!!!!!!!

anyone know if its still at LHR ? – might be tempted to go down and see if I can see it.

By the way, is this the first ever A340-500 to land at LHR ?

I know that Emirates have used the A345 to LGW sometimes. I’m betting they might have scheduled a few LHR routes too?

i saw it take off early this morning (saturday) and i was woundering why it was at LHR

anyone know if its still at LHR ? – might be tempted to go down and see if I can see it.

By the way, is this the first ever A340-500 to land at LHR ?

When you’re in mid-Atlantic it’s a bloody long way to anywhere! 😉

I think the point is that the parts required were ready and waiting, together with engineers experienced on the type, at LHR.

That probably wouldn’t have been the case at most US airports, for example and certainly wasn’t the case at any of the airports near to the planned route.

Isn’t there an aviation equivalent of AutoGlass ? (lol) I’m wondering why they’d compromise safety by going to a distant airport just because it had the spare parts ?

Is a cracked windshield not considered a major safety issue ?

When you’re in mid-Atlantic it’s a bloody long way to anywhere! 😉

I think the point is that the parts required were ready and waiting, together with engineers experienced on the type, at LHR.

That probably wouldn’t have been the case at most US airports, for example and certainly wasn’t the case at any of the airports near to the planned route.

All sounds a little strange. As RIP said…WHY go to LHR. You would not divert to an airfield that far away so you can pick up the required part. It’s a bloody 7 hour flight to LHR.

Does it not fly over or very close to the North Pole?

Apparently the original plan was to divert to Copenhagen, but a replacement windscreen panel wasn’t available there.

Virgin, at LHR, had the parts available and were willing to make the repair – so LHR it was.

So much for the Worlds longest non-stop service

Its now due out at 07:00 Saturday! Luckerly I saw it land, did thing it was missing a ‘lump’! I have heard it flew from abeam the Faroe Islands at FL150. I guess it came to LHR as VIR have the nearest A340 maint base?

If anybody is interested SIA A340-500 9V-SGD operating Newark-Singapore diverted into LHR this afternoon at 15:00. Supposed to be a broken windscreen, although its seems strange for it to have had those sort of problems half way into its flight? Its parked by the Virgin hangar, no idea of its etd. Might interest anybody making a visit tomorrow?

LHR?! Why LHR?! That is the other side of the Atlantic from it’s flight path is it not? Does it not fly over or very close to the North Pole?

or BHX!? lol only kidding 🙂 would never happen
Wish it would though…:)

I think your probably right tenthije 🙂

maybe because the maintenance fascilities are at LHR, also if the plane requires maintenance it is probably easier to arrange for a replacement plane at LHR then at PIK or MAN

Would that be considered an emergency diversion or a minor one ?

Just wondering why they’d put down in a busy major like LHR and not go somewhere less busy like PIK, MAN or LGW ?