Power Cut Causes Flight Delays At Both Suvarnabhumi And Don Mueang Airports

[Lite Beer]

Radar problem causes flight delay at Suvarnabhumi airport

BANGKOK, June 22 – The power supply from an uninterruptible power source (UPS) caused problems for radar controlling flights landing at Suvarnabhumi airport, forcing some aircraft to land at U-Tapao Airport in Rayong-Chon Buri provinces, according to Deputy Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt.

U-Tapao is 115 kilometres (about 70 miles) from Suvarnabhumi airport.

Mr Chadchart said that the UPS supplying electricity for the radar system experienced problem on Thursday evening, and the back-up power supply was not working. Engineers took around 40 minutes to repair.

During the time that there was no radar system functioning, some flights were waiting, queuing to land at Suvarnabhumi airport, but six flights were running out of fuel and opted to land at U-Tapao without any safety problems.

The aircraft re-fueled at U-Tapao before returning to land at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

He said that radar at Don Mueang airport was also not working given that it was under the single aircraft navigation system covering both Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi. Each airport facilitates incoming flights with its own control tower's navigation system only when aircraft enter a 10km radius of the airport.

A back-up radar system that could cover both airports together is at Thung Maha Mek and could operate effectively, but there was no staff manning the system at the time when it was needed, when there was power supply problem.

Mr Chadchart said the incident caused delays of 40 minutes for incoming flights while the longest delay for departing flights was three hours. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-06-22

[Lite Beer]

SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT

Urgent meeting today after radar system mishap

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Transport Ministry will convene an urgent meeting today, following the unexpected 1-hour disruption of the radar system at Suvarnabhumi Airport which affected a number of flights yesterday.

As the system is linked with that one at Don Mueang Airport, no flight could land or depart from both airports during 6.15-7.12 pm. Of total 8 arrival flights affected, four were diverted to U-Tapao airport in Rayong. After refilling at U-Tapao, the six flights returned to Suvarnabhumi. Departure flights were delayed by more than 2 hours.

It was reportedly that the radar system was disrupted by a brief power blackout, while the subsidiary power source could not be activated.

In his radio interview to FM101 today, Transport Minister Jarupong Ruangsuwan said that officials at the meeting would find out what really happened to the radar system.

He noted that it was fortunate that the mishap occured and was solved before 10pm, the busiest period for Suvarnabhumi Airport.

-- The Nation 2012-06-22

[Crushdepth]

The backup power supply for the radar wasn't working? Absolutely unacceptable. What a half-arsed sorry excuse for an airport.

Anyone want to take a bet on whether the back up had been tested or not?

[Lannatyne]

Earthed?

[Thai at Heart]

Sapety pirst

[Justaword]

The backup power supply for the radar wasn't working? Absolutely unacceptable. What a half-arsed sorry excuse for an airport.

Anyone want to take a bet on whether the back up had been tested or not?

Not sure "back up" and "tested" are very familiar notions in LOS, as per "preventive maintenance" unless it's mandatory and regulated, like for planes, for example. Oh, well......

Remembers me of the expensive tsunami alert system found inoperative because nobody though about replacing the batteries after they did their time....

But the best part is :

"A back-up radar system that could cover both airports together is at Thung Maha Mek and could operate effectively, but there was no staff manning the system at the time when it was needed, when there was power supply problem."

Must have been lunch time then....

[h90]

The backup power supply for the radar wasn't working? Absolutely unacceptable. What a half-arsed sorry excuse for an airport.

Anyone want to take a bet on whether the back up had been tested or not?

AND: "A back-up radar system that could cover both airports together is at Thung Maha Mek and could operate effectively, but there was no staff manning the system at the time when it was needed, when there was power supply problem."

Specially considering the size of the airport. That isn't the airport in Nakhon Nowhere with 2 flights every day.

But I think the good technician now laid a "jump" wire over the backup power supply. Problem fixed (at least till next week).

[ratcatcher]

BANGKOK, June 22 – The power supply from an uninterruptible power source (UPS) caused problems for radar controlling flights landing at Suvarnabhumi airport, forcing some aircraft to land at U-Tapao Airport in Rayong-Chon Buri provinces, according to Deputy Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt.

In plain English, 'the uninterruptible power source was interrupted".

A bit like saying "the Permanent Secretary for agriculture has been relieved of his job temporarily".

[Sydebolle]

Well, am I getting this right?

- The main power failed

- The back-up unit(s) failed too

- The deviated Thung Maha Mek set-up could not be activated as staff (on payroll though) was not there?

Measure taken:

- Flights diverted to Utapao, refuelled and returned to Bangkok.

Result:

- extra fuel waste/cost

- extra crew OT

- delay in arriving BKK and

- missed connections for transit passengers

- heavy delays in aircraft rotation plans of airline(s)

Consequences:

- promotion of AoT clowns kwowing jackshed and

- working groups and sub-committees on how to arrange a bigger mess in the near future

Anywhere else the entire gang would be fired for incompetence, breach of regulations, cheating by not working and the AoT would be held responsible for the extra costs.

[Chua]

Just like hospitals, airports ought to have MULTIPLE, REDUNDANT backups systems of different types and in various locations.

Major hubs like BKK cannot afford to go dark. This a big embarrassment to Thailand and the TAT. Not good. This needs to be fixed yesterday.

[MLSviews]

A power source like a 'UPS' is usually 'in-line' with the computer or equipment that it is supplying, with large batteries doing the back-up for a limited time. Audible sounds are given from the UPS equipment giving advance notice of a problem or battery failure - do the operatives have ears?

We get so used to everything working properly, that when breakdowns do occur, they come as a surprise!!

Regular maintenance is essential with all things to do with airports and aircraft - I wonder who did or did not sign off the maintenance schedule?

[h90]

Well, am I getting this right?- The main power failed- The back-up unit(s) failed too- The deviated Thung Maha Mek set-up could not be activated as staff (on payroll though) was not there?Measure taken:- Flights diverted to Utapao, refuelled and returned to Bangkok.Result:- extra fuel waste/cost- extra crew OT- delay in arriving BKK and- missed connections for transit passengers- heavy delays in aircraft rotation plans of airline(s)Consequences:- promotion of AoT clowns kwowing jackshed and- working groups and sub-committees on how to arrange a bigger mess in the near futureAnywhere else the entire gang would be fired for incompetence, breach of regulations, cheating by not working and the AoT would be held responsible for the extra costs.

could be also possible that only the UPS failed. Actually more probable, because there is no news that the airport was out of electric.Than Somchai (former Taxi Driver no service technician) made a jump wire from the electric to the radar. Also he figured out that the UPS serves no purpose because everything is working fine without it.As Don Muang and Suvanabhumi have radar, I think it is unlikely that they are on the same UPS. So maybe one is already broken since long time and they work on just one single radar. Edited June 22, 2012 by h90

[smedly]

the red shirts have a concession on it same as the carparks - power to the people

[Thai at Heart]

Well they absolutely dodged a bullet on this one. Thank god u tapao was operating properly. No electrics, no backup, no staff. Mai bpen arai nearly strikes spectacularly.

Where was the guy from Die hard to guide them in?

[steveyinasia]

Wouldn't be surprised in these clowns bought a UPS parcel envelope and placed it next to the radar system because someone told them it needed UPS.

[Justaword]

A power source like a 'UPS' is usually 'in-line' with the computer or equipment that it is supplying, with large batteries doing the back-up for a limited time. Audible sounds are given from the UPS equipment giving advance notice of a problem or battery failure - do the operatives have ears?

UPS batteries wear off and need to be replaced once in a while, otherwise the whole system just fails when the main power goes down.....

[Payboy]

officials at the meeting would find out what really happened to the radar system

I'm not going to hold my breath on that one.

[h90]

A power source like a 'UPS' is usually 'in-line' with the computer or equipment that it is supplying, with large batteries doing the back-up for a limited time. Audible sounds are given from the UPS equipment giving advance notice of a problem or battery failure - do the operatives have ears?

UPS batteries wear off and need to be replaced once in a while, otherwise the whole system just fails when the main power goes down.....

officials at the meeting would find out what really happened to the radar system

I'm not going to hold my breath on that one.

maybe they ask where the UPS batteries went.....

[Justaword]

officials at the meeting would find out what really happened to the radar system

I'm not going to hold my breath on that one.

maybe they ask where the UPS batteries went.....

On the tsunami alert buoys maybe ?

[belg]

thai reporting? a UPS is the backup system, not the provider of the electricity

how nice 3rd worldie of having to work safely in the 21st century

[Narratio]

Enter the electrical engineer;

The airport 230vAC UPS is a fricking huge chunk of kit. (I believe there are actually 3 of them plus a DC system for the MV & LV switchgear) It's a dual redundent system and wieghs in at a over a ton with about 5 tons of batteries. It occupies a really large room all by itself.

This is not a little PC or even a server UPS. If it experiences problems, like normal power feed to it fails, not only are there local audible and visual alarms but alarms get flagged in the airports Distributed Control System and the electrical Load Management System. You can't miss the alarms, and of course the batteries begin to disharge. Likewise if the UPS suffers an internal failure. The batteries begin to disharge (and they're rated a minimum of 8 hours continuous operation) while alarming both LMS and DCS. For the batteries to not have picked up the load caused by the failed UPS means they had been manually isolated (a frickin big switch at the end of the battery rack) or physically disconnected, UPS batteries are usually rated for a decade of continous charge/discharge before aging starts to affect them so I'm sure it wan't battery failure.

However, if it was the 400v supply to the rotational motors that failed and the diesel generator didn't start up to keep the dish rotating, that's a different matter entirely.

[TheCure]

thai reporting? a UPS is the backup system, not the provider of the electricity

how nice 3rd worldie of having to work safely in the 21st century

They should have at least 2 independent diesel generators as back up power supplies .

[ratcatcher]

thai reporting? a UPS is the backup system, not the provider of the electricity

how nice 3rd worldie of having to work safely in the 21st century

They should have at least 2 independent diesel generators as back up power supplies .

Should have!!

[necronx99]

The backup power supply for the radar wasn't working? Absolutely unacceptable. What a half-arsed sorry excuse for an airport.

Anyone want to take a bet on whether the back up had been tested or not?

You're making a big assumption that the backup is in fact not now powering some puyais country house having been swapped out for a big cardboard box with "prot wah fy dop" written on the side in texta.

[slapout]

Guess everyone should be thankful that there was no accident as a result of this little fiasco. If people learn from their mistakes, as many of us have learned, Thailand should be well on her way to being self educated in such a huge number of fields, its mind bogollomg.

[TheCure]

Guess everyone should be thankful that there was no accident as a result of this little fiasco. If people learn from their mistakes, as many of us have learned, Thailand should be well on her way to being self educated in such a huge number of fields, its mind bogollomg.

Thailand and education : the perfect oxymoron .

[londonthai]

news posted after some 18h are not news exactly (even by thai standards)

[h90]

Enter the electrical engineer;

The airport 230vAC UPS is a fricking huge chunk of kit. (I believe there are actually 3 of them plus a DC system for the MV & LV switchgear) It's a dual redundent system and wieghs in at a over a ton with about 5 tons of batteries. It occupies a really large room all by itself.

This is not a little PC or even a server UPS. If it experiences problems, like normal power feed to it fails, not only are there local audible and visual alarms but alarms get flagged in the airports Distributed Control System and the electrical Load Management System. You can't miss the alarms, and of course the batteries begin to disharge. Likewise if the UPS suffers an internal failure. The batteries begin to disharge (and they're rated a minimum of 8 hours continuous operation) while alarming both LMS and DCS. For the batteries to not have picked up the load caused by the failed UPS means they had been manually isolated (a frickin big switch at the end of the battery rack) or physically disconnected, UPS batteries are usually rated for a decade of continous charge/discharge before aging starts to affect them so I'm sure it wan't battery failure.

However, if it was the 400v supply to the rotational motors that failed and the diesel generator didn't start up to keep the dish rotating, that's a different matter entirely.

are these batteries 12 Volt and can be put in Somchais pickup?

[surangw]

any one there qualified ( extensive training in thailand) to push the test button on the ups on a regular schedule ?

[h90]

any one there qualified ( extensive training in thailand) to push the test button on the ups on a regular schedule ?

I would advise against any Thai pushing any button on a system that is currently working stable.