startup on stand + flaps down for A330

[domtom]

Hi there,

I just did a return flight on an airline that won't be named. This was a short hop on an A330. I noticed a few things:

1. Upon boarding, the flaps were down, probably set to 2. I've noticed different birds from the same airline and different types (e.g. A321) on occasions have their flaps slightly down at the gate. However, on the return leg, the captain pulled the flaps up entirely. So is there a reason and a logic for this?

2. Second, startup for both legs was done on the stand, rather than with/after pushback, a bit like you'd do for a prop. This was a first for me. So they brought in an electric generator, and fired up engine 1. Only after pushing back did they start engine 2.

3. On the return leg, we had to wait an eternity at the gate upon parking, as one of the engine was still running so the bridge couldn't dock with the plane. The power generator had yet to arrive and be connected to the plane. This tells me the APU wasn't running on either flight (these were two different planes, I checked registration).

I wonder if there's a particular reason for any of this, or if it's just that the planes are lacking basic maintenance and the APUs are broken? Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Dom

PS - Ok, since you're asking, the airline is VN, not known for having the highest and safest standards around.

[matey11]

Hi,

1. Was it hot where you were flying?
The 330 tends to give a wing overheat warning in hot environments thats why they lower the flaps to let the air circulate and thus cooling the trailing edge .

2. Probably what you saw was a air starter so thats why one engine was started at the gate already.

3. Probably also here the apu was not working and thus a need for an electric generator mostly for pax comfort.
And ground handling was late as ussual.

Kind regards

[Flanker2]

VN comes a long way from where they were before.
They are ordering brand new aircraft and having engine, APU overhaul and heavy maintenance done by Lufthansa Technik, with engine health monitoring by the engine manufacturers themselves.
They are doing this trying to get the best possible maintenance, but they don't realise that Lufthansa Technik's great reputation is only to be found in their own brochures and website.

If you tell some contractors about their great reputation, they will look at you in a very weird way.
Coincidentally, I was seated next to a former LHT technician (Hamburg I believe) on one of my recent flights.
And did we laugh, because I know exactly what he was talking about. In fact, I would say it and he would say: "that's exactly how it was, how do you know?"

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspections of Lufthansa Technik Philippines in Manila said the facility had repeated difficulties in following US regulations on matters ranging from record-keeping to calibrating tools used to make repairs.
The records, which cover inspections from 2008 through to last month, also cite recurring problems with training workers to FAA standards and unfamiliarity by in-house inspectors at Lufthansa Technik, a subsidiary of Lufthansa Airlines, with US regulations.
Lufthansa Technik's "quality assurance department demonstrated an inability to effectively audit the repair station for compliance with all aspects of (US regulations), specifically, appropriate facilities, tools/equipment, personnel and training requirements", according to an inspection in May.
A 2009 inspection noted that two in-house inspectors were unfamiliar with FAA aircraft maintenance regulations. The inspectors had recently received four hours of training in the regulations but weren't tested for their knowledge afterward, it said.
The same inspection noted that "throughout the repair station numerous personnel were not aware of which airline they are providing maintenance for" and which country's regulations applied.
The reports show problems scattered throughout the facility rather than in one department, which indicates the problems are systemic, said John Goglia, a former National Transportation Safety Board member and an expert on aircraft maintenance. The result, he said, is an erosion of the margin of safety.
"As they expand into Third World countries to take advantage of the labour rates and lower costs these problems keep coming back because you just don't have the people infrastructure," Goglia said.
"How many trained people do you think there are the Philippines, in Malaysia and in Indonesia? They are expanding a big operation with a relatively thin technical workforce."
The Manila facility employs 2,800 aircraft mechanics and other employees. It's certified by the FAA and aviation authorities from 20 nations to perform maintenance work ranging from routine repairs to major overhauls, according to Lufthansa Technik.
The company recently began construction of a new hangar so that Airbus A380s - the world's largest airliner capable of seating up to 853 passengers - can be serviced at the facility.
The records were obtained from the FAA through a Freedom of Information Act request by a labour union, Unite Here, which represents employees of Lufthansa's catering subsidiary in North America, SkyChef. The union and the airline are in contract negotiations.
"None of the mentioned FAA audit findings had significant impact on safety and reliability of aircraft and components," Lufthansa Technik said in a statement.
"Each finding has been treated as an opportunity to enhance the existing system, as it is an industry standard to deal with findings from internal and external audits," the statement said. "Corrective actions have always been implemented and accepted by the FAA."
However, the report on last month's inspection said numerous problems cited in an August 2010 inspection still had not been corrected. "An acceptable corrective plan has been submitted, but due to recent failures, an on-site follow-up inspection ... is required," it said.
Bill Voss, president of the Flight Safety Foundation, an industry-supported group that promotes aviation safety worldwide, said the inspections indicate Lufthansa Technik Philippines has a problem with quality control, but he cautioned against making more general judgments about offshore aircraft repair stations.
"It's a huge leap to suggest this is representative of all foreign repair stations," Voss said. "I'm not sure offshore equals bad."
The FAA said in a statement that it holds foreign repair facilities to the same standards as US facilities. Repair facilities that don't meet those standards can lose their certification. The FAA has certified Lufthansa Technik Philippines for repairs since 2000.
The Transportation Department Office of Inspector General announced in December it has launched an investigation of the FAA's oversight of maintenance performed for US passenger airlines by outside contractors, including oversight of overseas repair stations.
Lufthansa, one of the world's largest airlines, owns 51 per cent of Lufthansa Technik Philippines, while the Philippine MacroAsia Corp owns 49 per cent.
The only US carrier that sends planes to Lufthansa Technik Philippines for major maintenance work is Hawaiian Airlines, which flies to destinations in the Western United States, the Pacific and Asia.
Lufthansa, Swiss Air, Qantas, LAN, Philippine Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Vietnam Airlines, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways and Jet Airways are among some of the other airlines that use the facility for major work.

https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/Repai ... 97456.html

So you are as safe with VN as with LH, if not safer.

[domtom]

Hi,

1. Was it hot where you were flying?
The 330 tends to give a wing overheat warning in hot environments thats why they lower the flaps to let the air circulate and thus cooling the trailing edge .

2. Probably what you saw was a air starter so thats why one engine was started at the gate already.

3. Probably also here the apu was not working and thus a need for an electric generator mostly for pax comfort.
And ground handling was late as ussual.

Kind regards

Hi matey11. No, it wasn't particularly hot. So are you suggesting they need to have this circulation over the trailing edge while on the ground? As said, I think I've seen it on other birds like the A320, so is this something Airbus-specific?

On the second point, I think we agree that was an air starter, probably due to lack of maintenance of the APU. Relieved to know from Flanker2 though that VN is rather in good hands. That said, I have a few stories about their maintenance... Anyway, there is no need to expand on this - this is not a blog post about the airline itself and its safety (or lack thereof).

Thanks

[Passenger]

VN comes a long way from where they were before. They are ordering brand new aircraft and having engine, APU overhaul and heavy maintenance done by Lufthansa Technik, with engine health monitoring by the engine manufacturers themselves. They are doing this trying to get the best possible maintenance, but they don't realise that Lufthansa Technik's great reputation is only to be found in their own brochures and website.

https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/Repai ... 97456.html

So you are as safe with VN as with LH, if not safer.

For the zillionth time Flanker turns a topic into a Lufthansa-bashing topic, simply because Lufthansa is Brussels Airlines’ main share holder and because he hates Brussels Airlines.

This topic is a technical discussion about take off settings, but yet Flanker posts an Australian Yahoo article from June 2011 about a FAA audit into Lufthansa Technik Philippines in Manila. There was no suspension of a license, but yet Flanker brings it up to proof that Vietnam Airlines, quote, “comes a long way from where they were before”. The reason for that: "because they work with Lufthansa Techniks".

I really don’t understand why the moderators allow this kind of behaviour post after post, time after time. Posts like the above are totally off topic and are only meant to show his hatred against Brussels Airlines and/or Lufthansa. And worse: they prohibit a normal discussion.