Qantas A-380 lands safely in Singapore after debris found in Indonesia

[soihok]

Singapore Airlines have now announced that they have grounded all 380's till further notice...There be a few edgey exec's at Rolls Royce I would imagine!!

Further notice.

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_599641.html

Edited November 5, 2010 by soihok

[rockyysdt]

The Airbus has probably the safest flight control system flying today. I have several thousand hours flying the A320, A330 and the Boeing 737-200 and Boeing 737-300. Out of those it is the Boeing 737 that has the weakest flight control system when it comes to flight safety. The rudder servo fault is well known. The flight controls have hydraulic actuators which are controlled by wires that move between the cockpit controls and the actuators. These wires move around pulleys which have been known to seize and for the control wires to be frayed almost to the point of breaking by the seized pulley. Airbus (and Boeing with the 777) use fly-by-wire which sends a signal down a well shielded electrical wire to the actuator. The multiple flight control computers ensure the safest of operation. If the flaps move out of allignment at all the wing tip brake comes on to hold the flaps in position.

I enjoy flying on Boeing 777's.

How would you describe this aircraft?

[Stuart8]

The Airbus has probably the safest flight control system flying today. I have several thousand hours flying the A320, A330 and the Boeing 737-200 and Boeing 737-300. Out of those it is the Boeing 737 that has the weakest flight control system when it comes to flight safety. The rudder servo fault is well known. The flight controls have hydraulic actuators which are controlled by wires that move between the cockpit controls and the actuators. These wires move around pulleys which have been known to seize and for the control wires to be frayed almost to the point of breaking by the seized pulley. Airbus (and Boeing with the 777) use fly-by-wire which sends a signal down a well shielded electrical wire to the actuator. The multiple flight control computers ensure the safest of operation. If the flaps move out of allignment at all the wing tip brake comes on to hold the flaps in position.

I enjoy flying on Boeing 777's.

How would you describe this aircraft?

I have not flown the 777. I have only been on it as a passenger. Back in the days when you were allowed in the cockpit I visited the cockpit on a flight and the crew allowed me to stay for the landing. It appeared that the aircraft was flown and managed in a similar way to the A330, although Boeing have a slightly different way of doing the same thing. Good aircraft. Interestingly the problem the 777 had at Heathrow some time ago was also an engine problem and nothing to do with the aircraft's airframe systems, except that it was a fuel feed problem and therefore an engine ancillary problem as opposed to the engine itself.

By the way the Airbus A330 also had a problem with the oil lubrication on it's engines back in the late 90's causing some engine failures and problems. That was also down to the engine manufacturer (Rolls Royce) and nothing to do with the airframe. It was quickly sorted out.

Edited November 5, 2010 by Stuart8

[golferchin76]

I'm flying a 380 tomorrow night. Could do without all the horror stories from seasoned pilots it is funny to read these old guys go at it though.

you are going to to fly safely. i thought this airplane was designed to fly with up to 3 engine failure, and it passed stringent flight tests.

most of frequent flyers do have horror stories to tell, especially who travels a lot in stormy season, winter over western hemisphere, etc.

Once the regional hub plane I took was touching down at Rhode Island's airport in US, and just meters from landing the pilot blasted the engine and took off. After taking off we went into traffic in the air, in queue and keep making ovals waiting for our landing. This took roughly 30 minutes and the whole cabin was really really quiet, no one read or spoke. When it's our time to land, the moment the plane was going to touch down I was hoping for the worst and sitting really 'tight' in my seat. The moment right after it landed, passengers started 'YEAH' and applauding.

I'm waiting for someone to blame the Thais for this.

wahahahaha. It is one of those very few threads without people bashing Thais.

[golferchin76]

I agree with this. This airplane is not as strong as it should be. Pilots I know who fly them call them "Airbags". The computer system can make make it difficult for a pilot to properly control the aircraft. I personally do not like the :fly by wire" control system. I avoid flying on them whenever possible.

I am a pilot and I am not a Boeing stockholder.

they should have designed this aircraft where you can turn those computer aids off. Just like you can turn off the traction, stability assistance in a Nissan GTR and go all out.

But I wouldn't want to be the passenger tho.

[skippybangkok]

And by the way, what do rolls royce engines have to Airbus ???? I know plenty of 747's with them

[WarpSpeed]

Plus the fact that Airbus have had multiple fatal accidents due to flight controls coming off in flight

Please provide something to back this "fact" up.

Tough to do since most of their crash evidence ends up at the bottom of some ocean ..

[cdnvic]

Plus the fact that Airbus have had multiple fatal accidents due to flight controls coming off in flight

Please provide something to back this "fact" up.

Tough to do since most of their crash evidence ends up at the bottom of some ocean ..

In other words it's just something he makes up and you cite an example that can't be refuted, even though it could be any number of things, you pick whatever backs up his otherwise unsupportable claim.

There has never been a case of fly-by-wire failure being proven to be the cause of a commercial aircraft crash. This is an actual fact, backed up by research.

There have been many crashes of commercial aircraft due to mechanical failure of conventional controls. This is also an actual fact backed up by research.

Plus the fact that Airbus have had multiple fatal accidents due to flight controls coming off in flight

This is a fanciful story made up by someone to scare people that is not based on any meaningful evidence, only imagination. Kind of like vampires and UFO abductions. Many gullible people will believe it because they want to, but that still doesn't make it true.

[cdnvic]

Story continues here: