CO764 From United States of America, joined Jan 2012, 69 posts, RR: 0 Posted (2 months 3 weeks 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 11675 times:
Hello all,
I just noticed on Flightaware that N118UA, a 14-year-old UA 747 in the Tulip livery has been stored at PEK for nearly two months, having left San Francisco on January the 3rd. However, planespotters.net still lists the frame as 'Active'.
I would assume that it's maybe getting a new paint job into the globe livery, but doesn't 1.5 months seem a bit excessive for that?
Stitch From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 26690 posts, RR: 83 Reply 1, posted (2 months 3 weeks 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 11420 times:
UA performs their heavy maintenance for 747s and 777s in PEK so that is probably the case here.
SonomaFlyer From United States of America, joined Apr 2010, 1172 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (2 months 3 weeks 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 10858 times:
It could be a paint job and a "D" check. They also might be installing the "streaming WiFi" that is supposed to be introduced to the 744s. Even with all of that, two months is a long time for this work.
jayunited From United States of America, joined Jan 2013, 279 posts, RR: 1 Reply 3, posted (2 months 3 weeks 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 10786 times:
Quoting SonomaFlyer (Reply 2): It could be a paint job and a "D" check. They also might be installing the "streaming WiFi" that is supposed to be introduced to the 744s. Even with all of that, two months is a long time for this work.
How long would a 744 be held out of service for a "D" check what would be the normal amount of time given to maintenance before they would have to have the plane back in service?
SonomaFlyer From United States of America, joined Apr 2010, 1172 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (2 months 3 weeks 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 10771 times:
There are videos out there showing a BA "D" check on a 744 which I believe lasted eight days. That didn't include anything other than the check which in itself is extensive.
Its possible it could last a couple of weeks but eight weeks sounds like they are doing other things to that a/c.
jayunited From United States of America, joined Jan 2013, 279 posts, RR: 1 Reply 6, posted (2 months 3 weeks 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 10607 times:
Quoting SonomaFlyer (Reply 4): There are videos out there showing a BA "D" check on a 744 which I believe lasted eight days. That didn't include anything other than the check which in itself is extensive.
I thought a "D" check requires maintenance to strip the entire interior of the aircraft clean so they could inspect every inch of the aircraft looking for things like corrosion, metal fatigue and other things shouldn't that take longer than 8 days for a 744?
trex8 From United States of America, joined Nov 2002, 3970 posts, RR: 14 Reply 7, posted (2 months 3 weeks 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 10537 times:
Quoting jayunited (Reply 6): I thought a "D" check requires maintenance to strip the entire interior of the aircraft clean so they could inspect every inch of the aircraft looking for things like corrosion, metal fatigue and other things shouldn't that take longer than 8 days for a 744?
Welshmen (at least those working for BA) work quicker than Chinese!
CALPSAFltSkeds From United States of America, joined Dec 2006, 2203 posts, RR: 7 Reply 8, posted (2 months 3 weeks 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 10072 times:
I've been following this aircraft, wondering when it would exit PEK. Maybe something was found that requires extra work or that work is not done 24/7 to save money. I had estimated it out of PEK a week ago. There have been other UA aircraft in heavy maint for long periods. 763ER N663UA was in GSO 2months and 5 days, N651UA was in GSO 2 moinths and 3 days.
From following the fleet, paint has not been done off shore, but in VCV, FTW, GLH, and AMA. Same thing so far with WiFi installations (IND, SFO).
darksnowynight From United States of America, joined Jan 2012, 979 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted (2 months 3 weeks 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 9953 times:
Quoting jayunited (Reply 6):
I thought a "D" check requires maintenance to strip the entire interior of the aircraft clean so they could inspect every inch of the aircraft looking for things like corrosion, metal fatigue and other things shouldn't that take longer than 8 days for a 744?
Five weeks is about right, providing that many D check items have been taken care of progressively during B, A, & C checks. A real D check on a 747 without these provisions would be more in line with about 11 - 12 weeks. Eight days would be somewhere between a C & B check. Of course, there is nothing like that in real life, with full B's running about 3 - 5 days & Cs running over 2 weeks.
Nobody really does that as most items have their own time/wear limits and can be taken care of progressively or on the line.
Posting without Talent is simply Tolerated Vandalism... We are the Vandals.
strfyr51 From United States of America, joined Apr 2012, 488 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (2 months 3 weeks 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 9892 times:
8418, Is in PEK for the Overhaul and Wi-Fi mod. It takes almost 10 days to refit an Aairbus, so it must take considerably LONGER to refit a 747. Y'think??
FriendlySkies From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 4003 posts, RR: 6 Reply 11, posted (2 months 3 weeks 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 9028 times:
CALPSAFltSkeds From United States of America, joined Dec 2006, 2203 posts, RR: 7 Reply 13, posted (2 months 3 weeks 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 7956 times:
N656UA , 763ER has been in GSO since 12/20/12 , over 2 months.
B-HOP From Hong Kong, joined Nov 2000, 559 posts, RR: 2 Reply 14, posted (2 months 3 weeks 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 7907 times:
Is this jet the first one to re-fit with wi-fi
? If so, every changes would have to be certified which takes longer, when Cathay re-fit their 744 with the fishbone seats, the first one took 2 weeks longer, as they need every single changes to be certified, once the first one is done, the others would be quicker.
No. This will be the second one being fitted with said features. The first one- reg I can't recall-. Is currently doing the SFO-FRA runs. Additionally, two Airbus (4002,4003) are running around with the WiFi and bigger bins. Granted, over 50% of the Airbus fleet has them now.
And, as a side note. UA 744's are now based in SFO, save for the SYD and HKG from LAX and ORD respectively.
CALTECH From Poland, joined May 2007, 1575 posts, RR: 22 Reply 17, posted (2 months 3 weeks 6 days 2 hours ago) and read 4716 times:
N118UA is in a Heavy Maintenance Visit #2. Had some skin corrosion, skin panel was to be removed and replaced with Boeing approval. All work was halted until the corrosion issues were fixed. ETR was adjusted and it took about 3 weeks to repair the corosion. Her new ETR is FEB 25th if all goes well.
N656UA also had some corrosion issues during it's C15 check. Also there was some repairs that needed addressing. Her ETR is FEB 24th if all goes well.
Heavy checks are that, they are very heavy maintenance. Corrosion finds and repairs add to the ETRs. 8 days for a "D" check ? Maybe just for the inspections. With open up, repairs and close up, no way.
777fan From United States of America, joined Jan 2006, 2402 posts, RR: 3 Reply 19, posted (2 months 3 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 3343 times:
Quoting CALTECH (Reply 17):
N118UA is in a Heavy Maintenance Visit #2. Had some skin corrosion, skin panel was to be removed and replaced with Boeing approval. All work was halted until the corrosion issues were fixed. ETR was adjusted and it took about 3 weeks to repair the corosion. Her new ETR is FEB 25th if all goes well.
N656UA also had some corrosion issues during it's C15 check. Also there was some repairs that needed addressing. Her ETR is FEB 24th if all goes well.
Is this the time to quip about how their extended stay in PEK (and the toxic smog that envelops it) may compound any preexisting corrosion issues?!
Norcal773 From United States of America, joined Feb 2007, 1277 posts, RR: 12 Reply 20, posted (2 months 3 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 3218 times:
Quoting 777fan (Reply 19): Is this the time to quip about how their extended stay in PEK (and the toxic smog that envelops it) may compound any preexisting corrosion issues?!
LAXintl From United States of America, joined May 2000, 22026 posts, RR: 51 Reply 21, posted (2 months 3 weeks 5 days 19 hours ago) and read 2361 times:
One more point - just because a plane heads to PEK does not mean the work commences immediately.
Last couple of years, UA essentially has parked aircraft in China for several weeks to even a month or more before any work commenced. This was the case with 744 IPTE mods for example.
From the desert to the sea, to all of Southern California
quiet1 From Thailand, joined Apr 2010, 291 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (2 months 3 weeks 5 days 6 hours ago) and read 1785 times:
Quoting strfyr51 (Reply 10): 8418, Is in PEK for the Overhaul and Wi-Fi mod. It takes almost 10 days to refit an Aairbus, so it must take considerably LONGER to refit a 747. Y'think??
Quoting FriendlySkies (Reply 11): Why? They aren't adding wifi in the seats, just the antenna, repeaters, and streaming servers.
I thought I read that UA was also installing AC power ports in the Y seats when they installed the WiFi system on the 747s?
steinberger45 From United States of America, joined May 2009, 11 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (2 months 3 weeks 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 1319 times:
I worked heavy mx for UAL back in the early 90's on the 747 classic's. 60 days on a heavy visit was not that rare. Corrosion finds always slow down a visit. Requiring parts also takes time. If Boeing didn't have the parts they had to be made or ordered from a vendor. The acft being serviced in China probably make any parts issue difficult.
DTWPurserBoy From United States of America, joined Feb 2010, 529 posts, RR: 2 Reply 24, posted (2 months 3 weeks 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 1018 times:
I thought that I had read that more airlines had done away with D checks as they have incorporated these heavy items into C checks and are done as they come up for them.
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