QF5 returning to Sydney

[Laurent Sanhard]

anyone know why todays QF5 is currently :confused:returning to SYD , as shown on planeplotters

[Adam.S]

Good observation. I saw this flight depart earlier this afternoon, VH-OEB.
SCAL website shows this aircraft now with a 7:30pm estimated departure time - may be a little longer.
Is there a spare B744 currently?

QF5 landed just on 6:40pm.

Being Qantas will the media pick this up......even if its a medical diversion?
State of Origin football may help keep this out of the news.

[Laurent Sanhard]

im thinking might :confused: be a tech prob , I would have thought Brisbane or Darwin would have been a better option if it was a medical ,

[Jason H]

VH-OJD VH-OJF VH-OJJ VH-OEF are all in SYD tonight, not sure which ones are 'spares' though. Probably will depart as VH-OEB still unless it was a mechanical issue that can't be resolved.

ETD 2200 this evening

[Jason H]

Just departed as VH-OJF...i guess it was a maintenance issue

[Adam.S]

im thinking might :confused: be a tech prob , I would have thought Brisbane or Darwin would have been a better option if it was a medical ,

You could be right.
From my distant observations, the flight would have been fairly close to the NSW/SA/QLD states border when the crew decided to turn around.

[Fabian Lee]

G'day. Did VH-OEB operate QF5 again today (27/5) or was it yesterday? When will she return to SYD as QF6? Thanks.

[Jason H]

VH-OJA today, VH-OEB is in SYD i presume, having not flown since returning last night

[Fabian Lee]

OEB still in SYD? I guess ACARS which shows her ops QF5 on 26/5 must be inaccurate.

[Zac M]

No it's not, OEB operated QF5 but returned to Sydney

[Jason H]

VH-OEB DID operate QF5 which is why the ACARS show it, but it didn't depart again later that night, so it is still in SYD

[Paul McFarlane]

from www.avherald.com

A Qantas Boeing 747-400, registration VH-OEB performing flight QF-5 from Sydney,NS (Australia) to Singapore (Singapore), was enroute at FL320 about 300nm northeast of Sydney when the crew decided to return to Sydney due to a failed generator. The airplane landed safely back in Sydney about 2 hours after departure.

A replacement Boeing 747-400 registration VH-OJF reached Singapore with a delay of 5:45 hours.


Sydney,NS (Australia)

I'm thinking they meant our Sydney (AU) not Nova Scotia's

[Jason H]

300nm northeast of Sydney

...and i hope it wasn't that far off course :p

[Mike C]

NS = New South Wales... Americans write states with 2 letters.

QF5 was sending back alot of info on Engine number 4 on acars. about 40 different messages.


QF87 also had engine problems that night but was able to continue.

[Laurent Sanhard]

thanks guys , guess I guessed right - tech prob;)

[Adam.S]

I'm thinking they meant our Sydney (AU) not Nova Scotia's

There was discussion of this subject a few days earlier in the comments section of this story:
http://avherald.com/h?article=42bfac32&opt=0