I've done a search and couldn't see this posted anywhere. Apologies if it's already been mentioned elsewhere.
On BBC4 last night there was a fascinating programme following a major engineering overhaul and complete cabin refit of a BA 747 at their Cardiff engineering works.
The cabin refit involved OF to NF.
The amount of work involved, the man hours required, the scale of the job and the attention to detail required is just staggering. The cost of the work must be eye watering! It is very reassuring and certainly gives me confidence that our safety is in good hands at BA. As part of the hull inspection one of the engineers found a tiny crack underneath where seat 1A was. The kind of thing that if the work was rushed or under funded could easily be missed.
I thought a few that use this board would be interested. I found it a fantastic watch.
Link here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...-jet-stripdown
Engineering Giants - 1. Jumbo Jet Strip-Down
Engineer turned comedian Tom Wrigglesworth and Rob Bell, rising star of mechanical engineering, climb on board Victor X-ray, a 200-ton, £200-million Boeing 747.
This jumbo jet has flown over 36 million miles in its 14 year life with British Airways. Now it will be broken into tens of thousands of parts in the airline's maintenance hangar in Cardiff, before being painstakingly reassembled and certified fit to fly again. This is the first time this complex process has ever been filmed and it provides fascinating insights into just how a 747 works.
Rob and Tom also visit the UK's largest plane salvage centre in the Cotswolds to discover what happens to a 747 when it reaches the end of its working life, and discover how valuable parts are stripped for resale before the carcass is torn apart to be recycled.