A330 Pitot Tubes
- Thread starter jcw
- Start date
Fixed Wing
Senior
- Jun 19, 2004
- 259
- 6
Are you second-guessing the engineers at Airbus? Perhaps that attitude is why mx at US has become so pathetic, in almost every respect.
I would likely never take an aircraft "repaired" in PHX. Really bad. and, not the individual mechanics fault. Just really crappy management. At best.
A320 Driver
Veteran
- Aug 24, 2002
- 3,358
- 2,319
There was an issue at one time having to do with the heating elements in the pitots if memory serves. I was on the 320 then. It's been a while since I heard anything about it.
A320 Driver B)
nycbusdriver
Veteran
They are going to begin replacing them as soon as they're done with the modification of the 757 right recirc fans. Look for updated pitot tubes some time around 2045. (And that's not 8:45 pm!)
Unless the FAA mandates immediate action through an emergency Airworthiness Directive, the company will play this out to it's calendar extreme.
A320 Driver
Veteran
- Aug 24, 2002
- 3,358
- 2,319
Nicstolemyjob
Advanced
- May 15, 2009
- 204
- 0
The BEA announced on June 5th, that so far only these facts have been verified:
- location near the planned route over the Atlantic in the vicinity of significant convective cells characteristic for the equatorial region
- from start of the automatic message transmissions the reported measured speeds were inconsistent.
Airbus Industries reminded all operators of Airbus Aircraft series A300 to A380 of the operational, abnormal and emergency procedures in the relevant Flight Crew Operation Manuals and Quick Reference Manuals regarding flying with unreliable airspeed.
More details of the ACARS messages have become available on June 5th and suggest following events while the airplane was in cruise (note, there is no message regarding electrics, hydraulics or engine problems):
02:10Z:
Autothrust off
Autopilot off
FBW alternate law
Rudder Travel Limiter Fault
TCAS fault due to antenna fault
Flight Envelope Computation warning
All pitot static ports lost
02:11Z:
Failure of all three ADIRUs
Failure of gyros of ISIS (attitude information lost)
02:12Z:
ADIRUs Air Data disagree
02:13Z:
Flight Management, Guidance and Envelope Computer fault
PRIM 1 fault
SEC 1 fault
02:14Z:
Cabin Pressure Controller fault (cabin vertical speed)
** anyone who has Airbus knowledge can see just how bad things were **
- location near the planned route over the Atlantic in the vicinity of significant convective cells characteristic for the equatorial region
- from start of the automatic message transmissions the reported measured speeds were inconsistent.
Airbus Industries reminded all operators of Airbus Aircraft series A300 to A380 of the operational, abnormal and emergency procedures in the relevant Flight Crew Operation Manuals and Quick Reference Manuals regarding flying with unreliable airspeed.
More details of the ACARS messages have become available on June 5th and suggest following events while the airplane was in cruise (note, there is no message regarding electrics, hydraulics or engine problems):
02:10Z:
Autothrust off
Autopilot off
FBW alternate law
Rudder Travel Limiter Fault
TCAS fault due to antenna fault
Flight Envelope Computation warning
All pitot static ports lost
02:11Z:
Failure of all three ADIRUs
Failure of gyros of ISIS (attitude information lost)
02:12Z:
ADIRUs Air Data disagree
02:13Z:
Flight Management, Guidance and Envelope Computer fault
PRIM 1 fault
SEC 1 fault
02:14Z:
Cabin Pressure Controller fault (cabin vertical speed)
** anyone who has Airbus knowledge can see just how bad things were **
OTslave
Advanced
- May 24, 2005
- 201
- 1
Realistically just from a PR perspective, it would make sense that a press release roll out of Tempe, indicating what has been done or will be done.
Lately, on the updates of AF447 on the network news there is always mention at the end that the operators of the A330 in the US are US Airways and DL/NW.
Lately, on the updates of AF447 on the network news there is always mention at the end that the operators of the A330 in the US are US Airways and DL/NW.
A320 Driver
Veteran
- Aug 24, 2002
- 3,358
- 2,319
Looks as if someone threw a switch and turned the cockpit OFF.
No instruments, in the dark, with degraded flight controls. Really doesn't matter what kind of airplane your in if this happens.
A320 Driver
nycbusdriver
Veteran
OMG!
phasersonstun2
Veteran
- May 1, 2003
- 560
- 4
Faults are listed that you could not possibly see in any scenario other than a fire in the E/E compartment or a massive electrical short... or an explosion.
nycbusdriver
Veteran
Explosion, maybe. But I think the other two scenarios would have triggered a report of an overheated E/E compartment before any subsequent cascade of failures.
hp_fa
Veteran
- Feb 19, 2004
- 3,290
- 178
I had read that the same Air France flight had been the subject of a bomb scare five weeks earlier. The only reason I mention that is the fact that this aircraft was lost outside of the range of any radar and any VHF communication. **If** a flight were to be so targeted then the timing would be optimal when it is so located.
It won't make any difference to the victims what the cause was, but for the rest of us I hope that it can be attributed to weather or some other mechanical fault. Heck, even pilot error would be a preferable cause compared to a bombing.
