[QUOTE=pagen01;1996303

Sea King HC.4 ZB507 F 28 Feb 13 by jamtey71, on Flickr[/QUOTE]

ZB507!!!!!! I used to work on her at Farnborough!!!!! It was delivered there, brand new and I spent three happy years dealing with her from 1982-85. Glad to see she’s still around.

Rgds Cking (Geddit?)

You can say what you like mate. The European law says otherwise:

Technical issues cannot be described as ‘extraordinary circumstances’ under regulation 261/2004 as follows:

Article 5(3) of Regulation No 261/2004 must be interpreted as meaning that a technical problem in an aircraft which leads to the cancellation or delay of a flight is not covered by the concept of ‘extraordinary circumstances’ within the meaning of that provision, unless that problem stems from events which, by their nature or origin, are not inherent in the normal exercise of the activity of the air carrier concerned and are beyond its actual control.

Please also see the court ruling of Wallentin-Hermann v Alitalia – Linee Aeree Italiane SpA (C549/07).

What would you call an “extraordinary circumstance”?? A valve that NEVER fails, failing is pretty extraordinary to me.

Rgds Cking

But sadly very low customer service standards.

Tell that to the other 200 odd people almost fainting on the way home.

I cannot comment on the customer service only the engineering standards that are second to none.

Rgds Cking

as they made up a valve that doesn’t exist (or got the name of it wrong).

I don’t think that the airline made up the valve, it was more likely that a member of the ground staff miss heard the aircrew and engineers and then passed that on to the staff. Remember the vast majority of airline staff have no technical knowledge.

I’m pretty sure they flew with it unrepaired

Tommy Cooks would have dispatched the aircraft in the correct manner. They have very high technical standards. I do not work for them but some of my friends do.

the plane was so hot on the way home

The high stage bleed valve would not have caused that.

I take it this valve has something to to with the A/C?

It supply’s the air-conditioning during taxing and during descent, NOT during the cruise.

I did asked a two 757 guys at work today if they have ever had a High stage bleed valve fail on them. To a man none of them have. One had worked the 757 since the beginning, thirty years ago and the other guy had worked it for the past fifteen years. So, combining the collective experience of three guys gives us about seventy years experience of the type! So I would still say that this was an extraordinary issue.

Rgds Cking

The 757 has a high pressure bleed valve (or high stage bleed valve, call it what you will) fitted to each engine. it’s job is to bleed off air from the compressor for the pneumatic system when the engine is at low power settings i.e. during taxi and during descent.
It is a VERY reliable valve, in fact in the past 25 years that I have worked the 757 I have never heard of one failing! There is also no way of knowing when they are about to fail.
I have changed them and they are not a ten minute job plus they need a high power engine run to test them.
I have not got a 757 MEL to hand to say if dispatching an aircraft with one inoperative is allowed. I would ASSUME it is BUT you would probably be restricted to non ETOPS at a lower altitude and definitely no icing conditions forecast on the route.
Due to my experience I would say the this IS an “extraordinary issue” and the airline made the right decision to ensure YOUR safety.

Rgds Cking

To become a good riveter, you need practice, practice and more practice

Amen to that!!! Oh, practice drilling out rivets too!;)

Hand riveting on your own will be awkward. Having a friend to hold the work piece will help.

Good luck

Cking

Lightning wasn’t made in Malaysia though…:diablo:

I’m sure all the staff he made redundant when he transferred production to the far east to maximize profits will be inspired too!:mad:

Rgds Cking