So I'm on DL72 this evening. We get just short of the runway and pilot indicates there's a mechanical issue. Ten minutes later we're informed that it cannot be fixed remotely and we have to go back to the gate.

At the gate, pilot announces the issue is the Captain's entire flight yoke. The whole thing. Says it needs to be replaced, and, obviously, due to the size of it, they think it'll be at least two hours. Interestingly, he said it would be less time for them to fix it than swap airplanes.

Passengers have deplaned and are in the gate area. Gate agent comes on to give an update and says "the mechanics went to another aircraft to borrow the part and when they brought it over here they realized that it doesn't fit, so we'll need to add about another 1.5 hours to the delay (already at 2.5hrs)."

Maybe this is true, I don't know. But I wonder sometimes if there's a line between transparency and just saying, "we're gonna need a bit more time?"

Cause mechanics getting a part that didn't fit doesn't instill much confidence in paying customers.

This part doesn't surprise me.

1) Who knows if a spare A333 is anywhere nearby.

2) Even if there is one, by the time they do all the prep, including, fuel, meal carts, bags off one plane, then load on the other one, paperwork, etc. Move the planes around - or, move all the passengers to a different gate. Surely there are TONS of thingz I can't think of right now . . . .

Besides, I could see - MAYBE - a B763 sitting around, but an A333? I dunno.

Good luck to you! Hope'ya don't hava connection in AMS!

Being ATL, I wouldn't be surprised if they do have another A333, but like you said, an aircraft swap at this time could take quite a few hours. However, it might not take as much to get the part.

I see the problem... they were trying to put a yoke on an Airbus! No wonder it didn't fit

Yoke:



Sidestick:

I think you meant:

Side-SCHTICK!

Y'all are great. Spending the night in ATL due to now two missed connections and the 'fix' ongoing! Irony is I had the same thing happen last month on an ATL-LHR segment and they ended up doing a plane swap. Not having great luck of late!

I assume this was the RDU-ATL segment of Delta 72 operated with an MD-88? Because an A330 doesn't use a control column, it uses a joystick.

Couldn't be. That flight was 11 minutes early.

Ah ok. Then yeah as someone above pointed out they are in a losing battle trying to stick a control column on an Airbus.

So, is the pilot fibbin' about what part is broken? . . . Or, is there some other sort of yoke?

Great questions. I'm simply repeating what the gate agent said! Whatever it is, they're going on a 5hr + delay to replace whatever the plane needed and I'm living the dream at the Staybridge Suites.

If the pilot is calling it a yoke I would be quite concerned.

When there is a mechanical issue, I usually chat with the pilots and find out what exactly is wrong and what they think is really going to happen. A few times they have been blunt and said they doubt its fix-able or it will take a lot longer than what is being announced. Has saved me a few times when there was a different flight to grab and I either beat the rush to change flights or beat the pax on the broken plane to final destination if they did indeed fix. Moral of the story is it doesn't hurt to ask what is really going on

I've encountered DL mechanics actually telling HQ "the part doesn't fit!" and that was a de-icing unit for a 737-200 in a snowstorm (and yes, I'm dating myself there).

Perhaps the pilot was grabbing the wrong joystick... If nothing happened he might want to call up his doctor than a mechanic.