A380 Hits Airport Building During Test Fly

[Greenman]

Maybe the pilot was inexperienced and was just winging it

[markokang]

The bus driver fled the scene. When he was questioned about the incident later, he blamed the Farang pilot of the plane for hitting his bus.

[chevykanteve]

Seems to be the normal "have no idea of nothing".

If I agree with you, it will sound trite: nonetheless, I agree with you!!!

[chevykanteve]

Maybe the pilot was inexperienced and was just winging it

I'll give you my views on your comment: 20:20

[toptuan]

THAI president Apinan Sumanaserani said the accident did not result from pilot error, but that it may have occurred from the size of the aircraft which was larger than the safety line marked for aircraft making a U-turn.

The pilots was not blamed for the damage as Mr Apinan said the accident occurred because the jet is so large that it needs more space on the taxiway.

This is so d*mn funny, and typical of Thai reasoning: "Yes, let's blame the inanimate objects: a plane, a safety line, and runway space."

So glad no humans were involved in this mishap, because if they were, 1) someone would lose face, and 2) someone would have to take responsibility. God forbid.

My university just recently designed and built a traffic rotary for a heavily congested area. This particular design is so flawed and dangerous that it claims a student (death or injury) at least twice a month. The routine reasons offered: 1) bad luck, and 2) the rotary. Again, apparently no human involved or responsible (such as engineers or construction crew). Ergo: no change expected.

[WISteve]

".....tug driver and wing walkers should all get a kick up the a-hole over this."

That's why they have wing walkers.

They are supposed to warn the driver BEFORE he bangs up the loaner!

I can see it now.

Somchai the walker was too busy ordering lunch on his cellphone to notice the imminent collision.

"Not my fault. Airplane too big!!!"

This can ONLY BE HUMAN ERROR but the THAI official is already denying responsibility.

Says a lot about the airline I'm afraid.

~WISteve

[roietjimmy]

How about Confucius Airport. That would be an innocuous name, yet symbolize loyalty and "corporate identity" in the BKK governmental sense.

Please use your spell checker before posting. "Confucius", should be "Confusion". Surely this is what you meant as it best "symbolize loyalty and "corporate identity" in the BKK governmental sense.

[adjan jb]

The pilots were not blamed for the damage. Mr Apinan said the accident occurred because the jet is so large, needing more space on the taxiway......

In other words, fault does not lie with the employees of Thai Airways. Instead, it lies with the "taxiway" and the sheer size of the plane. Inasmuch as the building struck was probably erected during Taksin's prime-ministerial tenure, I'm surprised he didn't get blamed for the accident. True responsibility should lie with whoever is ultimately in charge of the Thai airports, as well as that individual's boss. But I forgot both their names.

I don't think the pilots are Thai.

[Jingjok]

The Ground Engineer, tug driver and wing walkers should all get a kick up the a-hole over this. Blaming the taxy way, now that is novel! I suppose no-one thought about that when they towed the ###### thing in. I must remember to use this excuse when I have an incident on the road. It was the road, not me! Sure!

Absolutely bang-on.

A/c strikes fixed obstruction whilst under command of captain = captain’s fault. End of story.

Accident report would normally read something like: ‘Failure of the pilot to maintain aircraft clearance from [object]’.

During push-back or other ground handling manoeuvres, probably the same, unless the tug driver was not following procedure, disobeying instructions, or not looking where he's going etc.

Likewise a ground marshal (the guy with orange bats who waves his arms about) might have not been looking, but ultimately it all comes down to the captain. Privilege of rank, you see.

In no case is it likely the taxiway or building moved about much.

This appears to be a non-story anyway: one hour's repair sounds like scratched paint or a little nick in the frame. So what? If the wing were hanging off, I suspect it may have taken longer to fix.

[aqua4]

THAI president Apinan Sumanaserani said the accident did not result from pilot error

It was not pilot error as it was the hangers fault as it shrunk overnight.

The bus driver fled the scene. When he was questioned about the incident later, he blamed the Farang pilot of the plane for hitting his bus.

2 Sticks of incense and small statue from Khun Hiso's Trading Co. - 150,000 baht

Expenses for AOT officials to attend ceremony - 540,319 Baht

A rear view mirror on your A-380 - Priceless

Corruption charges surface as the incense sticks and statue was not approved correctly.

Investigation team into the alleged corruption of incense sticks - 300,000 Baht

Cost of medical bills for AOT officials who fell into the crack on the runway during the ceremony - 500,000 Baht

[xbusman]

I would like to see the plane before I started slinging around accusations. My understanding is that the A380 is huge, much beyond most airports capability and way beyond any experience level.

BKK is a new airport, lots of bugs being worked out. Now they are running two airports, bet they are short staffed and unexperienced everywhere. This great rolling beast stops in and count on it, none of the facilities designed for the 380 are done yet. Dont forget, it weighs more than the grand palace, thats probably different push back equipment with more power then they have now.

So in the sweltering heat, you are trying to push the worlds largest passenger aircraft back in an area that is probably too small to maneuver in with equipment that is probably not right for the job.

I think the important thing is, why is that bloody behemoth here anyway? Exactly what do the French think they will accomplish flying the whale around Thailand? Not like Chang Mai is going to order a few for the high season. Its a study in hubris by all involved from AOT to Airbus.

[globe]

During my 30year career as a pilot, I had one incident, when the wingtip of my aircraft a Boeing 727 struck the tail of another aircraft while being marshaled ever so slooooow into the gate area by two line-crew with illuminated batons. It was at night and the bright lights of the arrival area obliterated any view, other than straight forward, plus I only saw the batons not the persons motioning me to keep going. Besides, pilots can not even see the wings of a B727 from the cockpit, let alone from a monster like the 380.

I as the captain was however admonished by the US FAA for "carelessness". Perhaps I should have pushed the airplane by myself.

So, don't believe anything your read by unknowing poorly informed headline hunting reporters.

[Jingjok]

... I as the captain was however admonished by the US FAA for "carelessness". Perhaps I should have pushed the airplane by myself...

Yes, stupid isn't it? I did not say it was fair.

[canuckamuck]

I would like to see the plane before I started slinging around accusations. My understanding is that the A380 is huge, much beyond most airports capability and way beyond any experience level.

BKK is a new airport, lots of bugs being worked out. Now they are running two airports, bet they are short staffed and unexperienced everywhere. This great rolling beast stops in and count on it, none of the facilities designed for the 380 are done yet. Dont forget, it weighs more than the grand palace, thats probably different push back equipment with more power then they have now.

So in the sweltering heat, you are trying to push the worlds largest passenger aircraft back in an area that is probably too small to maneuver in with equipment that is probably not right for the job.

I think the important thing is, why is that bloody behemoth here anyway? Exactly what do the French think they will accomplish flying the whale around Thailand? Not like Chang Mai is going to order a few for the high season. Its a study in hubris by all involved from AOT to Airbus.

Yeah life is so unfair, why'd they have to bring that plane to the airport that ordered 6 of them and was designed with this plane as a consideration. People are so mean

[ClaudeFeller]

I can see it now.

Somchai the walker was too busy ordering lunch on his cellphone to notice the imminent collision.

"Not my fault. Airplane too big!!!"

Somchai or Pee-Lek or Pee-Nok maybe thought: "Why today have plane not big same-same yesterday?"

[deminister]

If it is already too difficult to deduct 20 from 100 baht on a market without a calculator, it is for sure too difficult to paint a line exactly in the middle somewhere. Given the fact that it was not a pilot error and he followed the yellow line, it is thumbs up for Thai ingenuity.

[ilyushin]

Think it clipped the hanger to keep the current A380 status "Delayed" or was there another agenda ? much bigger mechanical problem(s) so he ditched it! Shoots and scores. Sure get time to sort things out or abort with more face Airport, airplane or crew or those fleeing farangs to blame? 1 hour repair reported!/!

Edited September 1, 2007 by ilyushin

[LA Don]

I believe the significant part of this story is that THAI president Apinan Sumanaserani admitted the accident (incident) occured. There must have been panic in the THAI office trying to determine how this whole thing could be denied. However, once it was determined to be the fault of the taxiway or the "big" airplane, there was no reason to deny it happened.

I like the comment "they are working out the bugs". One would think they would do that before they loaded passengers in the plane. How many other "bugs" might they find?

[gentman]

A380 wing hits building while taxiing

(

The pilots were not blamed for the damage. Mr Apinan said the accident occurred because the jet is so large, needing more space on the taxiway......

In other words, fault does not lie with the employees of Thai Airways. Instead, it lies with the "taxiway" and the sheer size of the plane. In as much as the building struck was probably erected during Taksin's prime-ministerial tenure, I'm surprised he didn't get blamed for the accident. True responsibility should lie with whoever is ultimately in charge of the Thai airports, as well as that individual's boss. But I forgot both their names.

Because of the sheer size of the plane, why didn't they think of fixing side mirrors and reverse gear in the first place?

[PeaceBlondie]

I have observed that when Thai officers prepare for a big event, they prepare fairly thoroughly. Let's see, we have this big, big, huge, immense, large, yai mahk airplane coming. It's so big that we might have to.....order more fruit punch.

[xbusman]

I would like to see the plane before I started slinging around accusations. My understanding is that the A380 is huge, much beyond most airports capability and way beyond any experience level.

BKK is a new airport, lots of bugs being worked out. Now they are running two airports, bet they are short staffed and unexperienced everywhere. This great rolling beast stops in and count on it, none of the facilities designed for the 380 are done yet. Dont forget, it weighs more than the grand palace, thats probably different push back equipment with more power then they have now.

So in the sweltering heat, you are trying to push the worlds largest passenger aircraft back in an area that is probably too small to maneuver in with equipment that is probably not right for the job.

I think the important thing is, why is that bloody behemoth here anyway? Exactly what do the French think they will accomplish flying the whale around Thailand? Not like Chang Mai is going to order a few for the high season. Its a study in hubris by all involved from AOT to Airbus.

Yeah life is so unfair, why'd they have to bring that plane to the airport that ordered 6 of them and was designed with this plane as a consideration. People are so mean

You must mean "people are so stupid".

This airport was opened a year before it was ready and ten years after it was needed. It it struggling with enough problems without loading more on it for the sake of hubris. Safety has to remain the main objective in air transport at all times, the minute you lose sight of that you open the door to disaster.

Thai Air will probably not get any delivered before 2010 anyway. The very first A380s will not be in commercial service until the end of this year, no flights will probably land here until at least 2009. Again, what is that bloody beast of a plane doing at a new airport in the middle of SE asia? Its all a study in stupidity from front to back.

[mackayae]

Inspector Clouseau is on his way.

[A_Traveller]

Just on the dimensions point :-

747 Span 66.4m __ A380 79.8m

747 Length 70.6m _ A380 73.0m

747 Height 19.4m _ A380 24.1

Weight

747 393,263 lbs (178,756 kg) __ A380 610,700 lbs (277,000 kg)

Weight Max. Takeoff

747 875,000 lbs (397,000 kg) __ A380 1,234,600 lbs (560,000 kg)

Regards

/edit add weight figures//

Edited September 1, 2007 by A_Traveller

[macduff]

I recon the A380 is that heavy that when the plane went to taxi the hanger floated over to the plane thus causing the accident. After all the airport is built on a swamp.

[canuckamuck]

You must mean "people are so stupid".

This airport was opened a year before it was ready and ten years after it was needed. It it struggling with enough problems without loading more on it for the sake of hubris. Safety has to remain the main objective in air transport at all times, the minute you lose sight of that you open the door to disaster.

Thai Air will probably not get any delivered before 2010 anyway. The very first A380s will not be in commercial service until the end of this year, no flights will probably land here until at least 2009. Again, what is that bloody beast of a plane doing at a new airport in the middle of SE asia? Its all a study in stupidity from front to back.

They were just backing up, not splitting atoms

[A_Traveller]

From AP:-

Officials said the accident at Suvarnabhumi Airport was related to the unusually long wingspan of the plane, for which the hanger whose door it hit had not been designed. "It was not due to problems with traffic control or human error of the captain," said Thai Airways President Apinan Sumanaseni.

He said that the left winglet of the plane had been damaged, but that engineers would remove the winglets ahead of the postponed flight.

"The device removed is useful but we can fly without it ... I don't think it will affect the operation of the aircraft at all," said Terry Lutz, the plane's captain and head test pilot for Airbus.

A winglet tips up and back from the end of a wing, improving aerodynamic efficiency.

... "This kind of incident happens at every airport around the world. It is just a minor incident," said Edouard Ullmo, Airbus sales executive vice president for Asia-Pacific and Africa.

Link

Regards

/edit format//

Edited September 1, 2007 by A_Traveller

[xbusman]

You must mean "people are so stupid".

This airport was opened a year before it was ready and ten years after it was needed. It it struggling with enough problems without loading more on it for the sake of hubris. Safety has to remain the main objective in air transport at all times, the minute you lose sight of that you open the door to disaster.

Thai Air will probably not get any delivered before 2010 anyway. The very first A380s will not be in commercial service until the end of this year, no flights will probably land here until at least 2009. Again, what is that bloody beast of a plane doing at a new airport in the middle of SE asia? Its all a study in stupidity from front to back.

They were just backing up, not splitting atoms

The point is, that airplane did not belong in Thailand yet. Neither does a nuclear power plant. They are close to the same level when dealing with complex machinery and safety procedures.

[Mid]

for which the hanger whose door it hit had not been designed.

just a couple of posts ago we were told that the new airport was designed with this beast in mind ...............................

[A_Traveller]

for which the hanger whose door it hit had not been designed.

just a couple of posts ago we were told that the new airport was designed with this beast in mind ...............................

Precisely

Regards

PS expect elements of the US media to run this ad-nauseam

Edited September 1, 2007 by A_Traveller

[sprq]

What a stupid headline! It makes it seem like an inflight disaster instead of the little taxying glitch that it was.

Even if the Bangkok Post put it that way, isn't there anybody at Thaivisa.com with enough sense to rephrase daft headlines? Or do you like to cause alarm?