On March 25, Sichuan Airlines cargo flight 3U3839 suffered a mechanical failure on the way from Chongqing to Moscow, Russia. The crew decided to return to Chongqing, and finally landed safely after circling for nearly 8 hours.
Peng Mei News learned from people familiar with the matter that the mechanical failure encountered by the flight was the second failure of the aircraft slat system. The aircraft could fly normally, but the crew decided to return to the flight due to safe consideration, and because the Airbus A330 cargo aircraft flying the airline was not selected. The fuel discharge device, the aircraft carries overweight fuel, and has to consume fuel through long flights to reduce the weight of the aircraft.
According to public information, Sichuan Airlines flight 3U3839 took off from Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport at 7:43 on March 25 and was originally scheduled to arrive at Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport at 9:30 on the 25th local time in Russia. B-308P all-cargo Airbus A330 aircraft, 9 years old.
At 8:38, flight 3U3839 flew normally to Gansu at an altitude of 9,500 meters, and soon turned around and returned; at about 9:30, it entered the airspace of Chongqing and circled for many times, and at 11:10, it flew to the junction area of Chongqing and Guizhou to continue circling.
At 16:07, after hovering for nearly 8 hours, flight 3U3839 landed normally at Chongqing Jiangbei Airport.
During the circling, the flight maintained a low altitude of about 4785 meters, and the flight speed was also maintained at about 650 kilometers per hour.
Flight 3U3839 has been circling for a long time and has aroused public attention.
According to a report from the Central Broadcasting Network, relevant personnel from the Sichuan Airlines propaganda department have verified that the flight had a minor mechanical failure, and the crew decided to return for absolute safety reasons.
A person familiar with the matter introduced to The Paper that the failure of flight 3U3839 was the second failure of the aircraft slat system, and the aircraft could fly normally, but if the failure was brought to Moscow Airport for ground maintenance, it would bring difficulties in coordination of maintenance and other aspects. The best consideration for safety first, the crew decided to return to Chongqing after consulting the dispatch department, and everything is safe and controllable.”
In this regard, an expert in the field of civil aviation said that during the take-off and landing stage of the aircraft, the restrictions on the maximum take-off weight and the maximum landing weight of the aircraft must be met. Modern civil aircraft take into account the fuel consumption during flight and the structural strength of the aircraft fuselage and landing gear. , the maximum take-off weight is much higher than the maximum landing weight.
"Chongqing to Moscow has a long voyage and carries more fuel. The fuselage weight of the plane after flying for one hour must be greater than the maximum landing weight. Considering safety issues, it is necessary to discharge the fuel and reduce the actual landing weight as much as possible." This An expert said that it is common for flights to hover in the air for a long time, but it is a time when civil aviation security is sensitive, so it has caused concern.
The aircraft flying this flight is an all-cargo A330 aircraft with Sichuan Airlines number B-308P, which is 9 years old. It was introduced into the Sichuan Airlines fleet on November 25, 2019.
According to people familiar with the matter, the B-308P was leased by Sichuan Airlines from a third party. The aircraft was not equipped with an air fuel discharge device when it left the factory, and it does not have the ability to directly discharge fuel in the air.
It is understood that Airbus' mainframes can be equipped with a corresponding air fuel discharge device. Once a fault occurs, the fuel can be discharged by actively discharging the fuel to reduce the landing weight and prevent the heavy weight landing from causing damage to the aircraft structure.
When the aircraft is assembled in the Airbus factory, the airline will choose whether to install the oil drain device for its own cost control and other considerations.
"This Sichuan Airlines B-308P aircraft is a second-hand cargo plane. There is no optional fuel discharge component. It can only consume fuel by circling. The computer executes the automatic flight program, and the plane will not be dizzy." The aforementioned person familiar with the matter introduced.
The Paper reporter Lv Xinwen