Missed this one - OQF Damaged
 

I don't think anyone reported this one:


QANTAS A380 VH-OQF Damaged at Sydney Jet Base.
April 15, 2015

QANTAS A380 VH-OQF entered the Sydney maintenance facility yesterday after arriving as QF8 from Dallas-Fort Worth. At some point yesterday or this morning the aircraft sustained damage to the horizontal stabiliser and is now out of service pending repair.

It would explain why it hasn't flown sine 12/04.

That is why they have been rejigging some of there 747 on certain routes...

Apparently you can see the damage in this pic (though it's been disputed if it's actually the damage or not):
https://twitter.com/AusAviation/stat...27670454292480

PPRuNe discussion:
http://www.pprune.org/australia-new-...off-jacks.html

AusBT article:
http://www.ausbt.com.au/qantas-swaps...ngeles-flights

Popped up in the 744 thread last month


http://www.yssyforum.net/board/showp...&postcount=448

Does anyone have an update on the repair progress of OQF? It was originally suppose to be out for only around 6 weeks.......its now around 7 weeks & counting.

It was still in Hangar 96 last night propped up on jacks, but it looks like they're doing some aircraft-wide maintenance and not focused on the one area.

Last I read, it could be out to at least July.

Wow! It must be costing Qantas millions of dollars having it broken in the hanger not operating as expected.

Don't forget the knock-on effects of holding and operating older assets longer (eg B747, A330 ...) as well as fleet refreshing and loss of capacity.

Looks like damaged A380 VH-OQF is out for a test flight, departing Sydney around 15:29 as QF6001 and heading northeast. It popped up on ADSB between the International Terminal and Bay 74, then taxied to Alpha 6 and departed on RW34L. There have been no ACARS transmissions from the aircraft.

Track live on http://adsb.16right.com/live/map/

15:57 Turned due south off the coast from Myall Lake at FL310
16:07 Turned right Heading 264 and overhead VARLY maintaining FL310. They look to be tracking for MARLN to join the approach pattern.
16:13 Turned right inside GOVER Heading 004 so now look to be doing another large orbit.
16:25 Turned right Heading 165 and descended to FL200
16:39 Contacted Sydney Approach - descend to 9000ft for RW34L and following UAE419 in.
16:43 ATC clearance to 6000ft for right circuit RW34L (UAE419 was given the overfly at 6000ft and left circuit for RW34L)
16:48 Left turn onto downwind and contact Director
16:56 Requested vacate on the Alpha 2 Rapid so they would get more taxi time. Taxiing on Alpha
17:03 Look to have shutdown at Gate 6 after an ADSB Tracking Time of over 91 minutes.

http://www.16right.com/MessageBoard/...150608%20A.JPG

http://www.16right.com/MessageBoard/...150608%20B.JPG

http://www.16right.com/MessageBoard/...150608%20C.JPG

http://www.16right.com/MessageBoard/...20150608 D.JPG