Incident: Thai B744 near Munich on Jul 15th 2015, problems with flaps control

[beano2274]

A Thai Airways Boeing 747-400, registration HS-TGB performing flight TG-925 from Munich (Germany) to Bangkok (Thailand), was climbing out of Munich when the crew stopped the climb at FL180 reporting a problem with the flaps control, entered a hold to work the problem, dumped fuel and returned to Munich for a safe landing on runway 26L about 2:20 hours after departure.

The aircraft remained on the ground for about 5 hours, then departed again and is estimated to reach Bangkok with a delay of 7 hours.

Crew were the same, so against aviation rules.

http://avherald.com/h?article=489578d3&opt=0

[beano2274]

14 years old Named Si Satchanalai

[Ricardo]

I wonder how many hours the flight-crew had each worked, as they approached BKK for landing, no doubt the Thai DCA will be fully-aware of this event on one of the airlines they certify.

[bamnutsak]

https://www.metabunk.org/new-fuel-dump-video-likely-munich-thai-airways-flight-925.t6541/

[KhunBENQ]

I wonder how many hours the flight-crew had each worked, as they approached BKK for landing, no doubt the Thai DCA will be fully-aware of this event on one of the airlines they certify.

Did you read this thread???

Approaching Bangkok???

[bamnutsak]

For this flight probably three flight deck officers (10+ hour flight), maybe even four? Probably enough even accounting for the delay. EASA is watching TG quite carefully (50 ramp inspections per month, up from 4) so TG isn't going to play fast/loose with EASA FTL regs, IMO.

[NanLaew]

For this flight probably three flight deck officers (10+ hour flight), maybe even four? Probably enough even accounting for the delay. EASA is watching TG quite carefully (50 ramp inspections per month, up from 4) so TG isn't going to play fast/loose with EASA FTL regs, IMO.

Is that OK with you beano?

[beano2274]

Well they were 2 hours into the flight, then 5 hours on the ground, then a 10 hour flight to Bangkok, makes over 17 hours.

[PeVee1st]

A known problem with B744 A/C, selecting alternate flaps usually clears the fault message.

Depending on the Flt.Crew numbers & TG usually has too many, they could probably extend to 20 hrs.duty with no problems.

[KhunBENQ]

I wonder how many hours the flight-crew had each worked, as they approached BKK for landing, no doubt the Thai DCA will be fully-aware of this event on one of the airlines they certify.

Sorry, I missed the point

[NanLaew]

Well they were 2 hours into the flight, then 5 hours on the ground, then a 10 hour flight to Bangkok, makes over 17 hours.

...with 3 or possibly 4 flight deck officers from the get go? Maximum 6 hours 'at the wheel' but probably divied up into shorter, more manageable stints with plenty time to relax out of the cockpit. Don't forget that once at altitude, flight management isn't a hands-on experience.

I was only once inconvenienced by flight crew hours being breached when a (then) Continental flight from Houston to Rio had a double technical and had to come back to the gate twice at Bush. The second time they offloaded the pax, solved the problem (leaking hot water dispenser in the galley). Once we were shoehorned back onboard 5 hours later, the flight crew were out of time. It took CO another 4 hours to roster a fresh crew which I thought was a bit of a stretch with Bush being the home-hub airport.

[Ricardo]

Just to add that flight-crew do also work before the flight, planning & collecting weather-information, and so on.

Any concern I'd have would be focused on their alertness towards the end of the long-hours worked, as they began the descent into Bangkok, and made their second landing of-the-shift.