Quick update on flight UA830 SYD→ SFO that diverted back to Sydney. Originally looked as though there was smoke coming from the main gear. This was in fact hydraulic fluid leaking….oops!

See the excellent video put out on the Blancolirio channel explaining the hydraulic leak, emergency procedures and the whole sequence of events and systems involved.

3 things that jumped out for me:

1) 777’s have 6 wheels on the main gear bogey—- the back two articulate so they can turn sharply while taxiing. Who knew?!

2) The gear doors still down on landing give an indication to the severity of this hydraulic leak. By design there’s clearance for the door to not hit the runway but boy it’s close!

3) The landing: The gear doesn’t have any tilt to the bogey as it was deployed in emergency gear extension. The gear touches down all 6 wheels at once rather than 2 then 4 conventionally.
…and the delay in deploying the spoilers (due to pilot’s command) rather than auto spoilers (triggered by the WoW sensors)

Very cool stuff! You learn something new everyday!

I’ll try and get the ATC recordings and include them in the next edition.

That’s all for now— just wanted to give a quick update on yesterday’s email!

—you can read the original one below👇🏼

United and their week from hell…

Can United catch a break?? Their week from hell continues with flight UA830 departing from Sydney, AUS on MAR 11. returning to the airport after (about 2Hrs Flight time) made a safe and un-eventful landing to the fanfare of ARFF trucks. Smoke was visible from on of the main gear wheels

You can check the flight logs here: https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/ua830#34507ade

and here is footage showing smoke on the gear during climb out and the subsequent return landing. :

As we report on this, the subsequent flight UA830 is currently over the pacific en route to SFO.

This event follows a spate of other incidents for United over the past week:

WHEEL FALLS OFF AT UNITED SFO ON CLIMBOUT

You can see it at 10:45 mark.

RUNWAY EXCURSION IN HOUSTON United had a runway excursion in Houston. Watch the below video for an excellent breakdown. ATC specifically asking the pilots to keep their speed up and they don’t make the corner, running off the taxiway.

BOEING WHISTLER BLOWER FOUND DEAD It’s been widely reported in non-aviation media that a former Boeing QA Engineer turned whistleblower has been found dead just 1 day after testifying against Boeing.

ALASKA & BOEING & DOORS An Alaska Airlines flight from Los Cabos Mexico arrived in Portland, OR with it’s cargo door open. According to reports the cargo hold had several pets on board. Alaska is saying that the crew didn’t have any indication that the door was open in flight and only opened post landing. What is it with these two and doors? Speaking of open doors and pets going missing, be sure to read below about Aegean and a missing cat

CALL THE FA’S AND GET SOME COFFEE UP HERE! Two pilots reportedly both fell asleep in the cockpit on a Batik Air flight on Feb. 27. PIC requested a break and it was then the co-pilot that fell asleep while on watch. The flight flew off course and contact was tried by ATC and other pilots. Both pilots were asleep for about 28 minutes. When they awoke, they found themselves off course and they stated they had a comms failure. The flight continued and arrived safely at the destination airport Jakarta. Reportedly one of the pilots was up late the night before work caring for newborn twins. You can read more here