ABC conversations - Richard de Crespingy QF32

[cs123]

Thought this may be interesting. I always enjoy listening to Conversations and this one is with the pilot in charge of QF32

http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/...=conversations

[Spinner77]

Interesting that just two days ago ABC TV's 7.30 managed to do a segment on QF32 without a single reference to de Crespigny.

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2013/s3794615.htm

[zilo]

After listening to that pilot I am even more determined to keep flying Qantas.

Would hate to be flying with some third world pilot with doubtful credentials.

The guy is level headed, real hero material.

[xxx000]

best pilot on the QF32 that day was one checking the check captain: David Evans

[nuthin' fancy]

I always enjoy the Air Crash Investigations show, like many highly skilled workers, you rarely see what your air crew are trained for and what they are capable of. The people on QF32 were very fortunate De Crispgny was on deck, but I'm sure most pilots in charge of a plane like that would have had the understanding to bring it home.

[Madaya]

Thanks for the link. I came in halfway through the chat, gripping story, was telling my mates at work.

[ltd]

If you guys liked that, a few years ago we did a podcast thing interviewing pilots who'd achieved notoriety for various reasons. It's at www.flightpodcast.com
Listen to episode 6 to hear John Bartels of QF30 fame (Exploding oxygen bottle on a 744). Hear his take of events, and a somewhat forensic analysis of what goes on behind the scenes, as well as his career and other fascinating things (including John Travolta at the 90th QF anniversary).

For some of you who are private pilots, go to episode 5 to listen to an interview we did with John King of Kings schools to learn some scary facts about GA and how you are 7 times more likely to die in a GA plane than in a car.
Also, episode 1 is of Eric Moodey of speedbird 9er fame.
All episodes are over an hour long and are conducted by airline pilots so you get all the guts and all; it's aimed at people with more than an interest in aviation.
An untold story is in episode 5 of an NWA DC-10 that landed in Iran in 2005 which woke up the president of the USA.

Also, we've recorded Richard De Crespigny, it is in an upcoming episode.

[cs123]

Originally Posted by ltd

If you guys liked that, a few years ago we did a podcast thing interviewing pilots who'd achieved notoriety for various reasons. It's at www.flightpodcast.com
Listen to episode 6 to hear John Bartels of QF30 fame (Exploding oxygen bottle on a 744). Hear his take of events, and a somewhat forensic analysis of what goes on behind the scenes, as well as his career and other fascinating things (including John Travolta at the 90th QF anniversary).

For some of you who are private pilots, go to episode 5 to listen to an interview we did with John King of Kings schools to learn some scary facts about GA and how you are 7 times more likely to die in a GA plane than in a car.
Also, episode 1 is of Eric Moodey of speedbird 9er fame.
All episodes are over an hour long and are conducted by airline pilots so you get all the guts and all; it's aimed at people with more than an interest in aviation.
An untold story is in episode 5 of an NWA DC-10 that landed in Iran in 2005 which woke up the president of the USA.

Also, we've recorded Richard De Crespigny, it is in an upcoming episode.

I'd be interested in your thoughts on what I took away from that ABC interview. To me he was attributing his reaction to 3 things. His RAAF training, Qantas training and also things he had picked up from other pilots. He came across as not just a pilot but as someone who lived and breathed aviation.

Do you think someone who comes though the military has any additional capability to one that has purely civil aviation training?

I was also pretty impressed with him sharing the kudos around. He gave the cabin manager big wraps.

[Burnout]

I have read Richard De Crespigny's book on his experience, was very impressed by the man. the book was a classic tale.

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Originally Posted by Burnout

I have read Richard De Crespigny's book on his experience, was very impressed by the man. the book was a classic tale.

It is a good read. Quite forensic in it's approach really.

A pilot I used to work with and who I still see occasionally locally is mentioned in that book. I won't mention his name as it may just give things away....

Craig H

[wrongwaynorris]

Originally Posted by zilo

After listening to that pilot I am even more determined to keep flying Qantas.

Would hate to be flying with some third world pilot with doubtful credentials.

The guy is level headed, real hero material.

Here here : I have been shouted down and decried on this site and others when making this same point many times before . I would much rather have a surly cabin attendant and a guy flying the thing that actually knows what he is doing than immaculate cabin service and someone who could not drive a greasy matchstick up a dogs **** let alone fly a plane . Better to arrive a little ****ed off and alive than not to arrive at all . Very topical given yesterdays debacle with that Korean jet on a manual approach in broad daylight with 100% visibility not even making the end of the runway and the pilot not even realising until it was way too late . Give me an Eric Moody or Richard de Crespigny any day of the week .

[The Yeti]

I thout I was the only one that listened to ABC conversations

I don't know why but I love them in the back ground for late night shed tinkering and early Sunday coffee in the shed

Geezz I'm lame

[wrongwaynorris]

Originally Posted by The Yeti

I thout I was the only one that listened to ABC conversations

I don't know why but I love them in the back ground for late night shed tinkering and early Sunday coffee in the shed

Geezz I'm lame

Your not alone Yeti , Book publishers have a lot to thank the ABC for , I must buy atleast 2 dozen books a year that are featured on conversations .

[Tonz]

I do a lot of country long distance driving, always plan a 'rest stop' around 11AM for "conversations"
Its embarrasing I cant remember the interviewees name but he always shows a genuine interest in whom he's talking with. Its not just 'see how good I am at interviewing so & so"

[cs123]

Originally Posted by Tonz

I do a lot of country long distance driving, always plan a 'rest stop' around 11AM for "conversations"
Its embarrasing I cant remember the interviewees name but he always shows a genuine interest in whom he's talking with. Its not just 'see how good I am at interviewing so & so"

Richard Fidler is the host. Very well read on each topic. Must spend a huge amount of time researching.

[wrongwaynorris]

Richard is a former member of the Doug Anthony All Stars

[The Yeti]

Originally Posted by wrongwaynorris

Richard is a former member of the Doug Anthony All Stars

You would never pick it though

But then if you were a DAAS fan your smarter than the average Australian comedy fan but lets face it's a little smarter than housos, I guess it's more along the lines of the chaser guys but not really

[ltd]

Originally Posted by cs123

I'd be interested in your thoughts on what I took away from that ABC interview. To me he was attributing his reaction to 3 things. His RAAF training, Qantas training and also things he had picked up from other pilots. He came across as not just a pilot but as someone who lived and breathed aviation.

Do you think someone who comes though the military has any additional capability to one that has purely civil aviation training?

I was also pretty impressed with him sharing the kudos around. He gave the cabin manager big wraps.

Richard is as passionate an aviator as you will find.
He's a technical guru and IT geek, a perfect match for the A380.
His military skill obviously helped but nowhere near as much as his understanding of the A380 and its systems.
David Evans was a massive help but Richard loves the A380 so much, that he was the best pilot to be at the controls when the incident happened. Everyone got lucky he was there, I doubt many other A380 pilots would have handled the situation as well as him. To bastardise a saying of Brian Johnson of ACDC fame: "Born to do it".
To put it another way, if there was any change in the crew that was in that cockpit of QF32 at the time, it's very likely the deteriorating aircraft would have crashed. Myself and many of my colleagues agree that the likely outcome would have been a crash similar to what we've all seen from the 747 Bagram crash where the c of g would have rushed aft causing a stall and crash.

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Originally Posted by ltd

Myself and many of my colleagues agree that the likely outcome would have been a crash similar to what we've all seen from the 747 Bagram crash where the c of g would have rushed aft causing a stall and crash.

Interesting. I'm keen to explore this a little further with you ltd. From my reading of the incident in the book, it's not obvious to me as to what would cause the sudden and drastic change of cofg. The only thing I can think of that would do so would be the fuel load? But I can't imagine that the fuel load would be able to cause such a drastic change?

And, given that you've said the change of cofg would lead to a stall and subsequent crash, I take it that you mean this would occur at low level, as if the stall occurred at any decent sort of height, there would be opportunity to recover the stall (and assuming you could rectify the cofg issue as well of course so that subsequent stalling wasn't an issue).

I'm not a pilot but I did work in defence aeronautics as an engineer for nearly 15 years, and have a keen interest in aircraft accident investigation. Hence I'm keen to get an understanding of your thoughts.

Craig H

[ltd]

The A380 encountered the following problems:


Massive fuel leak in the left mid fuel tank (A380 has 11 tanks, including in the horizontal stabiliser on the tail)
Massive fuel leak in the left inner fuel tank
A hole on the flap canoe/fairing (big enough to climb through)
The aft gallery in the fuel system failed, preventing many fuel transfer functions
Fuel jettison had problems due to the previous problem above
Large hole in the upper wing surface
Partial failure of leading edge slats
Partial failure of speed brakes/ground spoilers
Shrapnel damage to the flaps
Crew experienced a total loss of all hydraulic fluid in the Green System (A380 has 2 x 5,000 PSI systems, Green and Yellow)
Crew were required to perform a manual extension of landing gear
Experienced a loss of 1 generator and associated systems
Aircraft had a loss of brake anti-skid system
Crew were unable to shutdown adjacent number 1 engine using normal method after landing due to major damage to systems
Crew were unable to shutdown adjacent #1 engine using using the fire switch. Therefore, no fire protection was available for that engine after the explosion in number 2
ECAM warnings regarding a major fuel imbalance caused by the fuel leak on left side It was unable to be fixed with cross-feeding
Fuel trapped in Trim Tank (in the tail). Therefore, there was a real possibility of a major center of gravity out-of-balance condition for landing.


Also, the landing was expedited for the following reasons:
* Bus #2 is supposedly automatically powered by Bus #1 in the event of Engine #2 failure – didn’t happen.
* Buses #3 & #4 will supposedly power Bus #2 in the even that the auto transfer from Bus #1 fails – didn’t happen.
* After some time the RAT deployed for no apparent reason, locking out (as a load-shedding function) some still functioning services.
* Landing/approach speeds are obtained from the FMS, but there weren’t anywhere near sufficient fields to load all the defects for speed corrections – the crew loaded what they thought were the most critical ones.
* The crew commenced an approach NOT because they’d sorted out all the problems but because they were very worried about the way-out-of-tolerance and steadily worsening lateral imbalance.
* The aircraft stopped with just over 100 metres or runway left, brakes temps climbed to 900C and fuel pouring out of the ruptured tank. Unable to shutdown #1 engine (as previously mentioned) but elected not to evacuate as the fire services were attending in great numbers.