Another one bites the dust (787)

[Oberon]

Heathrow closed due to 'Dreamliner fire'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23294760

[Tchocky]

It was already busy in here, then everyone heading for Heathrow needed a new place to land. I'll be glad when this shift is over.

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Tchocky

It was already busy in here, then everyone heading for Heathrow needed a new place to land. I'll be glad when this shift is over.

Aye, last thing you needed. At least it's open again now, but the backlog must be horrendous.
When you're done, unwind with this if you haven't already heard it:

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Oberon

Aye, last thing you needed. At least it's open again now, but the backlog must be horrendous.
When you're done, unwind with this if you haven't already heard it:

One of the greatest

[Skybird]

1. Servicestaff mindlessly leaving behind a burning cigarette
2. Sabotage
3. Electric system, batteries

What option shall it be for you to bet your money on?

[BrucePartington]

Originally Posted by Skybird

1. Servicestaff mindlessly leaving behind a burning cigarette
2. Sabotage
3. Electric system, batteries

What option shall it be for you to bet your money on?

I'd go with the 3rd being the most likely, although the 1st is also plausible.

There are more electrical wires running along the cabin of a commercial aircraft than most people realise. One possible hazardous area is the galley, where flight attendants have to heat up meals and water for coffee and tea. That takes a lot of wattage, which in turn creates heat and fries insulation.

[Tchocky]

Originally Posted by Oberon

Aye, last thing you needed. At least it's open again now, but the backlog must be horrendous.
When you're done, unwind with this if you haven't already heard it:

That's one to bookmark cheers

Just home, its very much beer o'clock.


It was during a fairly busy period for our Western sectors that we got word about Heathrow. Details were few but you explain to the pilots what you know and what their options are. Leave the decision of where to go to the Captain. They make their decision and then it's up to us to get them there. We get word from London about how much space is available and how many diversions certain fields can accept. Gatwick for example is single-runway so it fills up fast. A busy traffic situation becomes busier quickly, workload goes up very fast. Heathrow usually operates at around 99% capacity so the effect of an incident there multiplies out faster than at most hubs.

Plenty of Heathrow traffic headed into Schiphol or Brussels, the BA Berlin flight turned around and went back to Berlin, I don't know if the crew had enough hours to get up in the air later once Heathrow opened. Everything went as it should and downstream sectors were relaying the information to Heathrow inbounds so they could plan well in advance. Still though, busy period


As for what caused it, no idea. Pictures look like fire either ate through the top of the fuselage (nowhere near the batteries) or possibly it's just the paint peeling and bubbling from the heat. I'm not sure how CFRP reacts to fire. Not good for Boeing.

[HundertzehnGustav]

bites the dust?
goes up in flames!

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Tchocky

That's one to bookmark cheers

Just home, its very much beer o'clock.


It was during a fairly busy period for our Western sectors that we got word about Heathrow. Details were few but you explain to the pilots what you know and what their options are. Leave the decision of where to go to the Captain. They make their decision and then it's up to us to get them there. We get word from London about how much space is available and how many diversions certain fields can accept. Gatwick for example is single-runway so it fills up fast. A busy traffic situation becomes busier quickly, workload goes up very fast. Heathrow usually operates at around 99% capacity so the effect of an incident there multiplies out faster than at most hubs.

Plenty of Heathrow traffic headed into Schiphol or Brussels, the BA Berlin flight turned around and went back to Berlin, I don't know if the crew had enough hours to get up in the air later once Heathrow opened. Everything went as it should and downstream sectors were relaying the information to Heathrow inbounds so they could plan well in advance. Still though, busy period


As for what caused it, no idea. Pictures look like fire either ate through the top of the fuselage (nowhere near the batteries) or possibly it's just the paint peeling and bubbling from the heat. I'm not sure how CFRP reacts to fire. Not good for Boeing.

Bet you folks will be breathing a sigh of relief whenever we get either Boris Island or the new runway at Heathrow sorted. I've seen the flights at Heathrow, it's like watching a clock, no sooner has one touched down then another one is on finals, and one behind that, it's like a giant conveyor belt from ground to the sky, absolutely amazing and a credit to the unseen conductors on the ATC.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Oberon

Bet you folks will be breathing a sigh of relief whenever we get either Boris Island or the new runway at Heathrow sorted. I've seen the flights at Heathrow, it's like watching a clock, no sooner has one touched down then another one is on finals, and one behind that, it's like a giant conveyor belt from ground to the sky, absolutely amazing and a credit to the unseen conductors on the ATC.

Bloody right, every time I fly (usually from Terminal 5) I'm amazed at the constant low of traffic.

[Gargamel]

Originally Posted by Oberon

Aye, last thing you needed. At least it's open again now, but the backlog must be horrendous.
When you're done, unwind with this if you haven't already heard it:

As a sim pilot, I know just enough to appreciate this. I thoroughly enjoyed this, thank you.

What year was that done?

[Skybird]

Boeing has called for all 787 customers so far to immediately check all their Dreamliners delivered so far over the wrong wiring in the fire extinguisher system.

[mako88sb]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Boeing has called for all 787 customers so far to immediately check all their Dreamliners delivered so far over the wrong wiring in the fire extinguisher system.

Obviously this is a pretty ridiculous mistake to make and it seems inconceivable that a company with Boeings long history doesn't have the appropriate final inspection to have kept this from happening. Of course they do have something in place but what was different about the 787 that allowed such a error to occur? Or has something similar happened in the past?

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Gargamel

As a sim pilot, I know just enough to appreciate this. I thoroughly enjoyed this, thank you.

What year was that done?

About 1981 I think.

[Tchocky]

Given the position of the damage, the battery location, and the amount of time the plane was idle i find it difficult to imagine this is another battery problem. Looks more like something gone wrong in the rear galley right now.