BAF A330 in the grass

[cathay belgium]

Following 'De morgen' :

De Airbus A330 die het Belgische leger leaset, is tijdens het taxiën op de militaire luchthaven van Melsbroek naast het tarmac in het gras beland. Het incident zou zijn veroorzaakt door het bedrijf dat het toestel bedient. Het voorval zorgt voor achterstand bij de wissel van een contingent in Afghanistan.

De A330, die werd ingehuurd om twee kleinere en verouderde Airbussen A310 te vervangen, raakte voor het opstijgen in een bocht naast de betonbaan. Eén van de landingsgestellen eindigde daarbij in de modderige grasberm. Alle 39 passagiers moesten het toestel verlaten en de vracht en brandstofvoorraad moest worden verwijderd. Het toestel wordt momenteel hersteld.

Vlucht uitgesteld
Het vertrek van de militairen met bestemming Doesjanbe, in Tadzjikistan, is tot "minstens dinsdag" uitgesteld. Mogelijk moet die vlucht uitgevoerd worden door de enige Airbus A310 die nog in dienst is.

The start of the same beginning, hoping they have more luck with in 2010 !
Viva A310 ! The're flying more than before nowadays!
Happy 2010!

CX-B

[airazurxtror]

In French :

http://www.lalibre.be/actu/belgique/art ... armee.html

[galaxy]

Alle 39 passagiers moesten het toestel verlaten

Over efficiëntie gesproken!!! Misschien kunnen ze beter de Antonov An-225 Mriya even inhuren om die enorme troepen contigent over te vliegen.

[Airbus330lover]

Incredible !
Air DECREM is dan niet beter dans Air FLAHAUT !
Vous êtes certains que ce n'est pas une caméra cachée ?

[BieleAlbatrosy]

Dit incident heeft nix met Air Decrem te maken.
De push-back driver van Flightcare heeft gewoon zijn bochten de kort genomen op de smalle taxibanen van de militaire site. Bij de eerste bocht met te outboard wheels van L/H MLG al een stuk door het gras gereden, bij de 2de bocht met alle wielen van de L/H MLG door het gras willen rijden. En aangezien het gras momenteel nogal sompig is...

[cathay belgium]

Hi,

Now following 'de redactie'

Gisteren is in Melsbroek een Airbus A330 van de Portugese maatschappij Hi Fly van de startbaan gegleden en in de berm terechtgekomen. Het toestel heeft daarbij schade opgelopen.

Oooeps, gelukkig nix belgisch!! Vreesde al dat het om een belgisch toestel ging !!
Nu hebben de portugezen het gedaan !!!

The soap continous..

CX-B

[sn26567]

May I please ask all participants in this discussion to use English, and if they quote texts in other languages, to translate or summarise the texts in other languages.

Thanks for your cooperation.

[Coronado]

Info in English courtesy VRT News :
http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.e ... 229_airbus
Regds,
Coronado.

[BieleAlbatrosy]

Dit incident heeft nix met Air Decrem te maken.
De push-back driver van Flightcare heeft gewoon zijn bochten de kort genomen op de smalle taxibanen van de militaire site. Bij de eerste bocht met de outboard wheels van L/H MLG al een stuk door het gras gereden, bij de 2de bocht met alle wielen van de L/H MLG door het gras willen rijden. En aangezien het gras momenteel nogal sompig is...

So my translation...

The push-back driver of Flightcare took its turns too short on the narrow taxiways of the military site, while towing the Airbus A330 of the Belgian Air Force. At the first turn, the outboard wheels of the left-hand main landing gear already rolled through the grass for a few meters. At the second turn all of the wheels of the left-hand main landing gear went through the grass, with as result the MLG sinking into the sumpy underground.

At CX-B... The information on "De Redactie" about an aircraft of HiFly sliding off the runway is incorrect. Sure the aircraft is property of HiFly; but it is leased by the Belgian Air Force. Also the aircraft didn't slide off the runway but was accidentally towed into the grass next to a taxiway as I mentioned earlier.

[airazurxtror]

As far as I know, there was then no ice, snow or high winds at BRU - and the professional driver took it not once but twice in the grass.
Can somebody find an explanation ?

[cnc]

As far as I know, there was then no ice, snow or high winds at BRU - and the professional driver took it not once but twice in the grass.
Can somebody find an explanation ?

ever done a pushback or towing yourself?

[airazurxtror]

ever done a pushback or towing yourself?

I am no aircraft driver, and I don't understand the reason of that dubble mistake.
If you are, please explain it.

[BieleAlbatrosy]

The push-back driver was towing the aircraft in the aircraft's forward direction.
As far as I could see, he was too much focused on the yellow taxi line instead of taking the aircraft's wheelbase into account on this narrow taxiway and make his turns a little wider. Mistakes are easily made... Though maybe it could have been prevented from happening if there would have been at least one extra "wing walker"... I am not familiar with the official procedures during such towing though. Maybe someone on the forum has... cnc?

[cnc]

if a nose lifter is used there is no extra person walking outside (with or withour headset). i guess the main reason for that is that the nose lifters are only 1 seated because on other airports i mostly see nose lifting pushbacks performed by 2 people. or maybe flightcare thinks its too expensive?
an other big factor that might be involved is that the pushback isn't so familiar with the terrain he had to cross.

i've done pushbacks in the past and if you know the terrain you can focus on certain points to know when to turn and how much and that is very usefull if you have to talk to the cockpit and ATC during a pushback/towing

[BieleAlbatrosy]

Thanks Towing was indeed done by a nose lifter.
So I guess maybe Flightcare will have to review its procedures for sending more people, at least on unfamiliar terrain... or if they exist, follow them more strict.
It's upto them now to make conclusions...

[andorra-airport]

Is the A330 not too big and heavy for the infrastructure at Melsbroek?

[BieleAlbatrosy]

Currently part of the apron and part of the N taxiway at Melsbroek is closed due to repair works, so for now they have to park the big planes also on the part with the narrower taxiways.
There's not much extra space left, but still possible to work, ofcourse with extra caution...
Guys from the air force are used to operate in this area, though they are not allowed to do the towing and refueling due to EASA restrictions, since the leased aircraft is a civil aircraft. And so the handling has to be done by a certified company. Which can have as result though that handling people are not always familiar with the terrain... And the result of this made the news...

[Shanti]

I hope 'normal' citizens can fly on a special day with this beautiful airbus 330. (for
'luchtzak' fans )
Any chance?

[cathay belgium]

I hope 'normal' citizens can fly on a special day with this beautiful airbus 330. (for
'luchtzak' fans )
Any chance?

Don't think so, you could win a flight with the BAF Airshows but these where mostly Embraer.
So , no chance my thoughts.

But special for you Shanti our Crembo introduced 'voluntuary tour of duty' of 2 years.
Guaranteed air travel with A330 to the places of Tadjzikistan,Afghanistan,Kosovo and other warm places.
( if the plane not fails again )

If I wanna fly an A330 I'll book me an XL-flight to Phuket or Hainan to Beijng more intresting,
maybe more expensive but you spend 2 days instead of 2 years!

Sorry for making fun of it.
If it was possible I would join it also offcourse...
Best chance is going with a press-invitation on a foreign mission to somewhere together with some
politicians maybe a strange prince and so..
But maybe some other forummember knows more how to join such a group.
I would also be glad to have more info on this..

Have a flying 2010..
CX-B

[Shanti]

thanks for the info