QF738 VH-VXL Unusual

[Steve S... 2]

Not sure what is happening with QF738 VH-VXL - it is currently holding off the coast of Wollongong at 3,000ft.

I was taking a look at the 16right.com radar at 10.45am today and a couple of minutes later runway operations were switched to runway 25 due to the westerlies. VXL was to be the first aircraft to land but it aborted. The following aircraft have all been landing.

[James Smith]

Steve, it looks as though VXL did three holding patterns off the Royal National Park and then made a straight in approach to 34L landing at 11:22. A 1 hour 48 minute flight from MEL. :(

The go-around could have been due to the wind, the aircraft not correctly configured for landing or another aircraft in front taking too long to take off, which is the more likely reason for go-arounds on runway 25.

[Brian Wilkes]

Flap issue.

[James Smith]

Thanks Brian. This explains why it didn't fly for the remainder of yesterday and is only now back in service, taxiing for take off to MEL.