Brussels Airlines OO-SFM to Ougadougou holding above Belgium

[on5rz]

SN255 BEL255 BRU-OUA hp@flora OO-SFM
https://fr24.com/BEL255/d174896

18010221_1346721815394323_1808140222295655956_n.jpg (49.02 KiB) Viewed 6150 times

[Homo Aeroportus]

SN255 BEL255 BRU-OUA hp@flora OO-SFM
https://fr24.com/BEL255/d174896

Still holding at 8000ft with low IAS 175 kts.
Flaps/gear retraction issue?
Looks like burning fuel before RTB.

H.A.

[convair]

Been circling above Limburg for 1 hour! What's going on?

[canspot]

Maybe he's still to heavy for landing ( due fuel ) dropping fuel above land they don't do i guess so keep flying until it's less heavy.

[Bralo20]

Wonder why they don't fly above the North Sea and dump fuel iso turning cirkels. I think SFM does have fuel dumping capabilities?

[Acid-drop]

How long a track should be to allow a safe landing in such a case ?

[Bralo20]

How long a track should be to allow a safe landing in such a case ?

Not sure since I don't know what the current MTOW of SFM is but at delivery ex- factory this one had an MTOW of 212 tons with an MLW of 187 tons which means they are 25 tons overweight (if they took of at MTOW which might not be the case). But it could be that the MTOW of SFM has increased during the years due various upgrades and it could be as high as 230 tons (currently it's 242 tons).

[Homo Aeroportus]

Wonder why they don't fly above the North Sea and dump fuel iso turning cirkels. I think SFM does have fuel dumping capabilities?

Don't think that SFM has the fuel dump capability.
I seem to remember OO-SFU has it but not sure it is operational though.

While circling they may as well be serving lunch on board. Keeps Pax busy ; also best from a service point of view rather than handing over help-yourself vouchers after landing.
It is when things go south that some airlines show they have a sense of service.

H.A.

[canspot]

+1:30H in the air and still

[Bralo20]

Don't think that SFM has the fuel dump capability.
I seem to remember OO-SFU has it but not sure it is operational though.

Well, I'm not sure, I *think* she has the fuel dumping port installed but not sure if it's operational since afaik it was a customer option.

[Bralo20]

+1:30H in the air and still

Indeed, still at 8.000 burning of fuel.

Could it be a pressurisation problem since she doen't climb above 8.000 feet?

Could be that the old gal is finally showing her age, it's one of the oldest flying A330's in the world.

[SR20]

Could it be a pressurisation problem since she doen't climb above 8.000 feet?

If the holding purpose is to burn fuel, you'd better stay low as fuel consumption is higher at low level !

[canspot]

Just road on fb that the landing gear is not out

[Bralo20]

Just road on fb that the landing gear is not out

Which is kinda normal in normal flight configuration but lowering the gear could increase drag and speed up the fuel burning process. Guess it's not an sop in the burning fuel ops

2 hours and counting, guess she was quite heavy at take off. She also just climbed to 9.000feet

[Airbus330lover]

just out of holding..... to 25 ?

[Bralo20]

Climbed to FL100 and probably on it's way to make the approach into BRU

(or not? it's near Westerlo now?)

[Dreamflight]

01 in use - FIRE001 at threshold

[Passenger]

01 in use - FIRE001 at threshold

Wind looks calm, so I guess they will go for the longiest runway - thus 25R.

[Airbus330lover]

SN 3722 to 25.... SN255 following ?

[ryandaughter]

Still holding for now. I noticed that OO-SFU has been carried from hangar to the airport...maybe to be prepared to take over SN255 once OO-SFM is back to BRU...we ll see what happen.