scosprey

Maybe UA should offer 2000 PQMs to avoid whiplash claims (legal release for each pax to be signed first though!).

g-code

From what I have been told, the airplane was at the gate when the pilots found out. They didn't even know they had hit anything. Long story short, there was snow on the ground and the neighboring 777 had been towed up on the wrong line. The marshalers waved the BRU flight in and they barely tapped.

DL2SXM

are they still OOS?

ericwang0658

Oh well, here is another reason why I tend to avoid all UA operated flights :P

angryapple

I fly out of BRU to IAD tomorrow on what's still listed as a 777. I presume this whole thing has been worked out and I shouldn't have any issues.. <fingers crossed>.

I don't know why but when I saw this thread title.. I just knew it had to be a BRU flight.

g-code

Not sure if they are out of service, but from the pictures I saw there was VERY little damage and it should have been repaired quickly.

DELee

OK, so go get some bondo and fix 'em. Oh, don't forget the paint. Good as new?

Quite doubtful. Wings on an aircraft are not only aerodynamic control surfaces but also store fuel and quite critical elements in getting it airborne as well as maintaining stability.

Assuming that it is "VERY little damage" and "should have been repaired quickly", how do you propose that the certifying mechanic inspect and test the repair work? How far along each wing should be inspected past the points of obvious damage? 777 wings with wingspans of 200 ft/60 m are not the quickest things to inspect.

Oh, and forgot to mention any in-wing sensors, wiring and other items in each wing designed, integrated and required for flight. Might want to check those too.

Do you want to be the mechanic that signs off on both planes? There might be some other entities that want to check yours' and UA's paperwork as well...

David

RockinRon

Amen to that. I always get bummed out when I have to sit in the gate area with 6 flights per gate being called - usually at the same time it seems! The noise, the dread of the upcoming E-145 or smaller.....sends chills down my spine just typing it.

To add, I flew out of IAD Thursday night and watched them working on the left wing of one of the 777s while we waited to push back. Was glad that wasn't my bird for a change.

g-code

Really? Aerodynamic control surfaces with fuel? The wing is an airfoil, and the aileron is the control surface. Further, fuel is not stored that far out on the wing. Looking at the photo, the wingtip and aileron of the parked aircraft were impacted. While those areas must be tested and inspected, that does not take very long and I'm more than willing to bet that there are multiple mechanics working on it. I also know that they were considering sending the BRU aircraft to GRU that night.

Zone1

Sounds like the good old days of Business1 flights.

DL2SXM

Thanks to Maaco, it looks like both aircraft are back in service.

sperrgepaeck

Interesting! The aircraft from BRU would have been ours to LHR (thats what I read from the UA page flight status page beforehand) that night as we were meant to fly out of IAD. The flight was scheduled for 10pm departure and all looked good. We were at the UA Club in concourse C when at around 7.20pm the flight was cancelled.

At the UA desk within the lounge they mentioned due to maintenance and quickly rebooked us on UA to FRA and LH to LHR. The flight to FRA was then quite full, but not fully booked. We got "upgraded" to Eco Plus as well, which was a nice to have. The flight to LHR was then in Eco, booking class Y.

Wondering what would have been less expensive for UA, leaving us overnight in a hotel at IAD and catch another UA direct to LHR or rebook us via FRA and then FRA-LHR in Eco Y.

Anyway big thank you to UA as all our 6 suitcases made the connection as well. Great job UA !!

Btw, I prefer maintenance issue on ground over the ones in flight

FWAAA

So if what you were told is accurate, plenty of negligence to go around. Negligent fleet service clerks for towing the empty 777 up the wrong lead-in line (IMO, some snow on the ground is no excuse) plus negligence by the marshalers/wingwalkers of the inbound BRU flight for not actually looking at the wingtip and signalling for the pilots to stop before they hit a parked airplane.

Sounds like some retraining sessions are in store for some ground employees at IAD.

spin88

flight aware shows no flights for N773UA since 1/24. I assume its still out of service at IAD?

DL2SXM

its flying iad to gru tonight. 2300 dep.