As per a 757 pilot (not me) : " if you unload the controls on the 757 immediately after the mains touch down, you will be rewarded with a very hard de-rotation immediately after the spoilers are out. It can be said of every airplane, but in the 757 it is a training sticking point, fly the nose down, keep back pressure in until the nose is down. "
NOT saying that's what happened at the Azores, this is just one of many possibilities .
Remote location for sure and only seasonal service ($$$). If DAL planned to retire this airframe in 2020 I suspect they will strip and scrap it. It is a long way from anywhere (and beautiful and uncrowded to boot) so recovery will be expensive. Will be interested to follow what happens next.
Flew Trans International Airways Stretch 8 (DC-8-62) with JTD-8s, chartered by the BSA, for travel to/from Scandinavia the summer of 1975 for the 14th World Jamboree. The crew appeared to be dangerous on an ATL-BGR first leg when the thrust reverse cans were deployed and activated 20 -30' above the runway - resulting in a sudden drop to the runway, damaging at least the new tires on the left mains, having the new rubber tires taken all the way down to the cord on all four tires.
I was the only Boy Scout to exit the line into the terminal to inspect the tires, so, I know for sure what occurred. I observed the aircraft the entire time on the ground, never seeing any pilot inspect the under-carriage.
The roll-out and taxi to the runway was a very loud and noticeable thump-along back to the terminal. When we taxied out to depart to Bergen, Norway, the loud and significant thumping of the mains from the deep damage to the tires was unbelievable, the takeoff run being insane and very noticeable.
The landing at Bergen was the same. I just have to say that Douglas aircraft, like every other pilots seems to say, are built like tanks. Not to forget the eventual return to the states from Copenhagen, with the aircraft apparently over maximum gross, a hot an humid August day, and, we used the entire runway to take-off, having eventually rotated, sitting on the mains forever until we just barely got off the runway, me in complete amazement that we weren't hitting the opposite-end landing lights, but, JUST BARELY.
We stopped at Toronto Pearson on the return to refuel, the aircraft came to a stop somewhere about 2,000' from the tarmac, and the engines were shut down along with the air conditioning. In the blistering sun, all on board were getting to the point of passing out from heat exhaustion, and, the captain opened the main door for us to exit.
I remember from looking out the window and seeing boy scouts running out into the path of a new CP Air 747 taxing by and it stopping right in front of me! I stopped and stood there, halting others, so, the 747 could pass; but, really because I'd never seen a fantastic 747 on the ground, and, this was an incredible opportunity with my 35mm camera.
I remember thinking that it was an experience I'd never forget, and, it is. However, a fellow scout and now 777 driver remembers none of it. I never stopped thinking to myself that I'd be reading about an eventual TIA mishap, but, never did. Nevertheless, loved the overall experience.
The JT8D engine was used on Boeing 707RE, 727, 737-100 and 200, Dassault Mecure, Kawasaki C-1, McDonnell Douglas DC-9, MD-80 Series, YC-15, Northrop Grumman E-8C Joint Stars, Sud Aviation CAravelle 10B, 10R, 11R and 12 as well Pratt and Whitney FT8 Mobilepac and SwiftPac mobile generator and was Proposed on the Aerion SBJ but that aircraft wasnt built,
I have Terry Waddington's great book on the DC-8, which has the entire production list. The entire TIA fleet I can't help you there. Something about their DC-8's?
The JT8D-219 was tested on the 707RE, and initially accepted, and then halted for the E-8 JSTARS airplanes. Not used again after that, when a decision was made to go to a different model aircraft for the JSTARS mission.
I do have to say that the 707 was a great aircraft. It was a tank that nothing could bring down. I remember the time Tex Johnson got scaled for doing a couple barrel rolls over a golf course if im not mistaken. Bill Allen asked him what the hell he was doing and he said Sir I was selling airplanes. Look I know that you know that just dont do it again lol.
This 757 will only be scrapped if repair is not economically feasible. The damage will be estimated, and, the accountants will lead the decision whether to repair/scrap. Because of the incredible efficiency of newer aircraft engines, it is likely that this fine aircraft's flying days have been ruined by an inattentive crew. Everybody makes mistakes, but, the required standard of care involved here seems to have been well breached. Good luck to the crew; and, I hope everything works out for them.
a significant portion of the 707's built were involved in some sort of hull-destruction incident. collisions (on-ground and in-air), hard landing, CFIT, runway over-/under-runs, etc. to be fair, none of those were caused by design/build flaws, but rather by shortcomings in the infrastructure.
What I see happening is Delta totals it out, takes the insurance payment, and then donates the aircraft to the local airport authority for ise in training exercises with its firefighters and security teams. FedEx dumped some old 727s that way, including the BCAD plane at FLL
I hope that happens in some form. PDL is a small (very small) airport between the sea and a road so I do not know where they would put it but seems a good solution
time to dump the fuselage on to the reef off the coast of the Azores and add to the local underwater flora and fauna. Collect bonus Green points and environmental good feels.
Googled: A hull loss is an aviation accident that damages the aircraft beyond economical repair, resulting in a total loss. The term also applies to situations in which the aircraft are missing, the search for their wreckage is terminated or when the wreckage is completely inaccessible.
"PHIL SWIFT, HERE...GOT A BENT B752?!? FLEX-TAPE TO THE RESCUE!" (in his television 'shouty' voice) As close as this one is to retirement to Victorville, most likely they will pull the plug on it. Getting it to go ANYWHERE at this point will be the challenge.
It is repairable.... But it is going to take Months.... I seriously doubt that they can ferry it, and if they can it will have to be unpressurized and flying below 18000 feet.... that is a real journey if you are a fuel mizer it would be a very rough trip.... In my opinion, it will be a difficult repair... They will have to build a fuselage jig... Not to mention, that airport is a single runway. Looks like they may have one hangar that can hold it, but that is going to be a push at best. If they were to ferry to KATL (Their Home Base and closest major maintenance base) it would be 2500 mile trip. Based on Google Search and calculations it would be an 11 hour flight at altitude.... I am not convinced that they would have enough fuel to make it, much less a safety factor... Will be interesting to see what happens.... In my opinion, I think that Delta will send out a Boeing Go team to do the repairs in station without a ferry that as a Maintenance Controller, I would never sign off on.... Just my opinion!
Delta has the 757 on its retirement roster for 2020. Its currently sitting about 1000 from the European Mainland and probably 2000 miles to a qualified maintenance facility.
Any way you slice it, its expensive to scrap in situ or temporary repair and ferry to qualified facility.
That is a good question, but I have a better question... Seeing the location of it and know where most of the Avionics Equipment is mounted.... I wonder how much damage to the wiring and avionics boxes... Another question will be the IRS's that is used for the Attitude reference... When a bend like that and flying on A/P as you know they will be on Auto Pilot for an 11 hour flight... Just picture the amount of purposing that plane will be doing through the sky... Upon further thinking about it... The control cables may have some binding issues as well... there are some new bends to think about.... Control's may be somewhat Heavy... If you get my drift :)
The structures along de fuselage specially those at the point where wrinkles were found point out to some severe bending and cracking, then this is a total loss, even withount have been showed the areas were the main landing gears meet the fuselage.
They may total the plane.... But I still believe it can be repaired.... I know of a 737 200 who ran of the end of the runway in Greensboro, NC... Put the Nose Wheel in the Electronics compartment... A/C was down being repaired for 3 Months.... that same plane had a hard landing and the captain did not write it up... Next crew took it to Wilmington NC, and wrote up the plane as unable to retract the flaps.... Turns out the hard Landing broke the Keel beam and did major structural damage.... The Boeing Go Team was again called in and it took 5 months to repair, but it was repaired.... The a/c was retired 12 years later.... I know this, as I worked on this plane many times... It was retired under USAir as N200US and was later purchased by some carrier in South Africa where I found pictures of it flying there.
Not saying what Delta's plans are, all I am saying is that it is repairable, but the repairs will be extensive to say the least.
ofcourse it can be repaired. Anything can be repaired. But it is a total loss. A total loss is when it costs more or the same as what the plane is worth. Scrap it. Or sell to a 3rd world country. Did I say that ? oops.
True! Recall the BA 777 engine fire on takeoff at LAS? Many folks said that was a write off. But oh no. After some 6 months under cover of a large tarp tent and working non-stop for 6 weeks, the aircraft was re-skinned, engine changed and flown to Victorville fir a paint job. Next week it was back in revenue service to Orlando! Yes, extensive and expensive. That’s shat Lloyd’s of London are for - insuranceð
I didn't even realize Delta has service to Ponta Delgada and initially thought this 75 was en route to Africa and needed a fast, emergency landing somewhere near!
darn good thing there are many 757's sitting in the sunny dessert awaiting just this thing happening. Those aircraft still have flying left to do, and delta can pick any one it wants. THANKS TO MBREWS for a new word: de-rotation. I used to call it touchdown-hard or soft, but de-rotation has a snooty sort of appeal to me. de-rotation.... de-rotation... How can i use that in a sentence today?
Most of those stored aircraft aren't in a condition to start flying again without major service. Most of the time those planes are parked because there are heavy maintenance checks due and it makes more business sense to park them than it does to do the expensive maintenance. Very few aircraft are sent to the desert in a condition where they can just be dusted off, fueled up and put back into service... if they weren't timed out in some regard they'd still be flying somewhere.
Or how about the de-flare. “OK Captain, this aircraft is costing us a lot of money so this is what I want you to do . Upon touchdown and once the mains settle, de-flare the aircraft causing the nosewheel to come down hard thereby warping the airframe. This Derotation will solve our little problem! Got it?”
As a passenger, a 757 is amongst the worst long haul aircraft on Earth. Delta management and its shareholders deserve a giant wedgie for using it this way.
The 757 is a fantastic aircraft, and, is special in many different ways. It is the only narrow-wide body of its era with such carrying capacity and intercontinental range. Also, it is likely one of the most overpowered aircraft, resulting in high angle-of-attack take-offs and excellent single-engine performance. The few times I've flown in it and visited the flight deck, the pilots love it greatly, and, it has massive visibility like the DC-10. It also is an excellent corporate aircraft, and, is sometimes equipped with the Rolls Royce engines that are superior for their era. Delta made need a wedgie now and then that I'm unaware of, but, not for operating such a capable, pilot loving, versatile and BEAUTIFUL aircraft. Boeing got it right with the 757, and, then stretched it. Whoa Nellie!
I agree wholeheartedly and as a former B757 pilot. Beautiful aircraft, ahead of its time and what else can you say about a Rolls Royce powered RB-211??
See Delta 757-200’s fly out of TCL quite often for football charters on a 6500’ runway. When Obama came to Tuscaloosa after our April 2011 EF-4 tornado, a USAF 757 was used. They can get into / out of places a 747 can’t.
Wonder how many cracked teeth occurred with that landing? That's why most airports have us leave using ramps. We can't see what the plane we just landed in looks like.
Oh and here I thought jetways are used to more quickly load and unload, control the flow of people to customs, there are still a lot of ramps that use stairs & busses.. oh heck why am I replying to this... facepalm
NOTE THE DOUBLE STAIRWAYS AND THE FUSELAGE SEPARATION, THE TWO STAIRWAYS WITH THE LOAD BETWEEN THE THEM MAY BE A STRUCTURAL LOAD ON FUSELAGE. THAT WOULD SEEM TO BE A POOR ENGINEERING DESIGN.
Wonder how many cracked teeth occurred with that landing? That's why most airports have us leave using ramps. We can't see what the plane we just landed in looks like.
NOT saying that's what happened at the Azores, this is just one of many possibilities .