‘Frozen fuel on BA 777 Jan 2008’

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  • Anonymous
    Guest

    Bullfrog
    Participant

    Certain BT readers speculate an AF cover up on the A330 crash.

    Is the UK immune from a cover up ?

    Official reports indicate that ‘frozen fuel’ lines were responsible for the BA 777 that ‘belly flopped’ into LHR on Jan 17 2008.

    The captain of the 777 was treated very badly after the ‘crash’ even though there were no fatalities & few injuries.

    I would have thought Captain Peter Burkill would have been considered a hero, just like Captain Sullenberger who landed a US Air Airbus into the Hudson River after a bird strike.

    I have heard that possible ‘jamming equipment’ was in use at the time of the 777 landing because Gordon Brown, our then Prime Minister was traveling by aircraft from Heathrow.

    ‘Speculation’ … ‘cover up ?’


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    Tosh.

    No cover up, the AAIB report quoted elsewhere on here was very specific. Ice caused the accident, as was the case with a number of other similar 777 incidents.

    Pleased to see the badmouthing, which began in cabin crew training/BASSAland is over and Burkhill was re-instated by Willie Walsh after nefarious Union rumours forced him to quit.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-11434419

    I was at the Investor presentation when Willie Walsh himself said he would be happy to have Burkhill back, and it’s good to see him working for BA again.

    I would not have any hesitation flying aboard one of his aircraft.


    RogEdwards
    Participant

    Bolleaux!


    hemispheres
    Participant

    @Bullfrog

    I’m sure the ‘frozen fuel’ was the issue even though I had also heard about the PM’s flight leaving at the same time.

    It is good that BA re instated Captain Peter Burkill, but his book shed a very poor light on the way he was treated.


    CallMeIshmael
    Participant

    Krug – either supply credible evidence to your assertion that BASSA instigated, or endorsed/encouraged “badmouthing” of Captain Burkill or be man enough to withdraw your accusation and take more medication as it seams to be wearing off again.

    It took Cpt James Thain 10 years to clear his name after accusations by the Munich airport authorities. It is typical of large corporates to cover themselves first by blaming individuals.


    Binman62
    Participant

    Bullfrog…….VK is spot on…TOSH.
    The primeminister was like those before and after hom travelling on a standard BA equipped aircraft.

    The captain and his FO did a great job to land and is now back working at BA.

    Those with too much time on their hands make up these rediculous conspiracy theories and then go on to promugate them around the internet. The Air France tragedy has many theories and currently millions are being spent to find the black boxes which will hopefully provide the reasons for it.


    stevescoots
    Participant

    both UK and US have very diffrent ways of dealing with things, Our way is very much jolly good show old bean, now bugger off and take a rest while we see if you actually cocked up. as is the case with teh BA pilot.

    the yank way is very much, media storm hero worship, instant got like status and here is a million dollar lecture tour contract.

    in both cases both pilots reacted how they were trained. its how the authorities and media treat them that differs


    stevescoots
    Participant

    besides, dumping jet in heathrow isnt anywhere as sexy as dunking one in the hudson 🙂

    knowing the 2 sytems we probably sent BA a bill for illegal parking, while Sully probably got sued for scaring a passenger, killing some birds and some fish having PTSD


    Inquisitive
    Participant

    Some talk going around that time was that probably the fuel tank was empty and pilots failed to notice that. Most aircraft load only just fuel plus some extra to reduce weight. And at LHR, sometimes a lot of fuel is burned, when airplanes go round in stakes due to landing slot unavailability. There were cases, where plane landed with almost no fuel and had to be towed to gate. The fuel issue were raised, but I do not recall a good explantion by the investigation.


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    Absolutely no question of BA38 being low on fuel. More tosh.

    It landed with over ten tonnes of fuel in the tanks, about 13% of the amount originally loaded and enough to continue on to Dublin if required.

    About a third of that remaining fuel was spilled on the airfield.

    http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/1-2010%20G-YMMM.pdf


    TiredOldHack
    Participant

    I really think Inquisitive would be better joining one of the 9-11 boards whose adherents are convinced that Bush plotted the WTC attacks.


    Inquisitive
    Participant

    Thanks TiredOldHack for the suggestion and no thanks, I am not that kind. The question I raised was raised officially and even discussed in the detail report that VK has posted. (Thanks VK). I do a lot of incident investigation – albiet in other industry. One of the key element for any investigation is to cover all areas, hence one shall not refrain from asking question. After reading the report, I still have some doubt – as water condensation is possible, how much of that 13 tonne fuel could be water? Also compared to total fuel capacity and tank configuration, even 13 tonne fuel (including possible water) could be a restriction to engine inlet. The investigation discussed that.


    HonestCrew
    Participant

    Quoting VK “Pleased to see the badmouthing, which began in cabin crew training/BASSAland is over and Burkhill was re-instated by Willie Walsh after nefarious Union rumours forced him to quit.”

    Really what is your agenda here?

    Peter was/is one of the best pro-crew captains in BA and has so much respect. Crew were disgusted at the way he was treated by BA, details were posted on his blog (no longer online) for all to see and were going to be published in his book, which it seems, in order to return to his job, he had to put to one side. He was treated so badly by his own management that he left after believing he had a job lined up at another airline. Circumstances changed and this was no longer the case leaving him in limbo. Returning to BA was of course on condition that he dropped all grievances against them.
    It was laughable when Willie Walsh said he would love to have him back as those were the only words he could say to avoid him being damned by the press for the way BA treated a hero in the public’s eyes. Ask the pilot community or Capt Burkhill himself.
    Of course crew were talking about it on their forums, they were disgusted at his treatment, but come on, think about it, why the heck would BASSA want Peter out of a job???
    One of our nicest, most popular captains.

    Your anti crew, anti BASSA rants are letting you down, it seems to be an obsession. Take a step back.
    You often provide good, interesting information on various topics on this forum, but this comment could not be further from the truth and you really should retract it.


    hemispheres
    Participant

    I refer to Bullfrog’s opening line … ‘a hero treated so badly ….’

    Many of VK’s comments are pertinent, useful & well written & for that we are grateful.

    There is however another trait reflecting in some of the comments posted by VK which are odious & rather unpleasant.

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