Beluga into Heathrow 9th Sept

[Trevatanus]

For anyone around Heathrow on Monday evening, there is a planned flight of a Beluga, carrying spares for a BA A350 (the one that had a ground collision with a Virgin 787 a few months back).
Just seen the ETA as 18:15.
Don’t shoot the messenger if it’s wrong 🙂

[CardinalBlue]

Saw one taking off today at Chester.

[lost in espace]

Flukey sighting a few weeks ago from the North Wales Expressway I think it was, saw it turn after taking off. Very impressive.

[peter tdci]

Trevatanus said:

For anyone around Heathrow on Monday evening, there is a planned flight of a Beluga, carrying spares for a BA A350 (the one that had a ground collision with a Virgin 787 a few months back).
Just seen the ETA as 18:15.
Don’t shoot the messenger if it’s wrong ??

Out of interest, where did you see that? I've seen 11:00 and 16:30 as arrival times as well, but neither were presented as fact

Beluga flights do show up on Flightradar24 under the Beluga aircraft registrations, but only on the day, or the day before (maybe when Airbus submit their flight plans?). I'm going to go along if the timing works out, but it will be last minute, I think. The A350 has been moved to a maintenance hangar in the last week or so, so something definitely is afoot!

[Sheepshanks]

lost in espace said:

Flukey sighting a few weeks ago from the North Wales Expressway I think it was, saw it turn after taking off. Very impressive.

I guess depending on wind direction and schedule, various Belugas go through phases of flying north right over our house on their approach and, considering Broughton Airfield is a few miles due west of us and there's a fairly tight turn involved to land, always seem amazingly low!

Edited by Sheepshanks on Sunday 8th September 07:33

[Trevatanus]

peter tdci said:

Trevatanus said:

For anyone around Heathrow on Monday evening, there is a planned flight of a Beluga, carrying spares for a BA A350 (the one that had a ground collision with a Virgin 787 a few months back).
Just seen the ETA as 18:15.
Don’t shoot the messenger if it’s wrong ??

Out of interest, where did you see that? I've seen 11:00 and 16:30 as arrival times as well, but neither were presented as fact

Beluga flights do show up on Flightradar24 under the Beluga aircraft registrations, but only on the day, or the day before (maybe when Airbus submit their flight plans?). I'm going to go along if the timing works out, but it will be last minute, I think. The A350 has been moved to a maintenance hangar in the last week or so, so something definitely is afoot!

Now been updated to an 11am arrival, which ties in with your sources

[7mike]

I believe, if you're in the vicinity of Hawarden at quarter past the hour, you will see one taking off or landing. Here are a couple of my pics while I was passing.

[djc206]

Running a little early and not much holding for Heathrow at the moment. Shame it’s not a clearer day on the south coast to be able to see it come over.

[CardinalBlue]

For anyone who missed it, can be viewed landing here from about 1:48 onwards https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYiCp0QQPaY

[peter tdci]

CardinalBlue said:

For anyone who missed it, can be viewed landing here from about 1:48 onwards https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYiCp0QQPaY

And some nice pics from (presumably) BA staff towards the end of this thread on FlyerTalk - https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-ex...

[zsdom]

Due in again today according to:

https://x.com/mzulqarnainbut1/status/1833224898199...

[Mabbs9]

I assume they're sending the invoice to Virgin but quite an expensive fix! I hope they glue the new stab back on well.

[nessiemac]

Mabbs9 said:

I assume they're sending the invoice to Virgin but quite an expensive fix! I hope they glue the new stab back on well.

Might need a bit more than glue I think!

[Gary29]

For anyone living near Hawarden, we see one arrive and depart most days. Still a cool sight. The XL sounds a lot nicer than the previous version.

[Mabbs9]

nessiemac said:

Mabbs9 said:

I assume they're sending the invoice to Virgin but quite an expensive fix! I hope they glue the new stab back on well.

Might need a bit more than glue I think!

True enough. They don't build them like they used to though. This is the fleet I'm on so I'm pretty interested.

[nessiemac]

Mabbs9 said:

nessiemac said:

Mabbs9 said:

I assume they're sending the invoice to Virgin but quite an expensive fix! I hope they glue the new stab back on well.

Might need a bit more than glue I think!

True enough. They don't build them like they used to though. This is the fleet I'm on so I'm pretty interested.

Hack off the back of the tail cone, slide old stab out, slide new one in, reattach tail cone.

Easy!!

[Mabbs9]

nessiemac said:

Mabbs9 said:

nessiemac said:

Mabbs9 said:

I assume they're sending the invoice to Virgin but quite an expensive fix! I hope they glue the new stab back on well.

Might need a bit more than glue I think!

True enough. They don't build them like they used to though. This is the fleet I'm on so I'm pretty interested.

Hack off the back of the tail cone, slide old stab out, slide new one in, reattach tail cone.

Easy!!

Done and done!

[Trevatanus]

nessiemac said:

Mabbs9 said:

nessiemac said:

Mabbs9 said:

I assume they're sending the invoice to Virgin but quite an expensive fix! I hope they glue the new stab back on well.

Might need a bit more than glue I think!

True enough. They don't build them like they used to though. This is the fleet I'm on so I'm pretty interested.

Hack off the back of the tail cone, slide old stab out, slide new one in, reattach tail cone.

Easy!!

Serious question though, why did it take so long to fix, I would assume that as they are still manufacturing this aircraft, parts would be in constantly supply, but didn't this happen like, 4 months ago?

[nessiemac]

Trevatanus said:

nessiemac said:

Mabbs9 said:

nessiemac said:

Mabbs9 said:

I assume they're sending the invoice to Virgin but quite an expensive fix! I hope they glue the new stab back on well.

Might need a bit more than glue I think!

True enough. They don't build them like they used to though. This is the fleet I'm on so I'm pretty interested.

Hack off the back of the tail cone, slide old stab out, slide new one in, reattach tail cone.

Easy!!

Serious question though, why did it take so long to fix, I would assume that as they are still manufacturing this aircraft, parts would be in constantly supply, but didn't this happen like, 4 months ago?

It did happen a while back but I think it took quite a while to inspect and and work out the full extent of the damage. And I think writing a repair scheme on a job this large is not the work of 5 minutes.

I am pretty sure a horizontal stab change has never been done an a A350 so the logistics needed to arrange and get a whole new stab flown in must be huge!

Oh and it won't be repaired for quite some time...

Edited by nessiemac on Wednesday 11th September 13:43

[Trevatanus]

nessiemac said:

Trevatanus said:

nessiemac said:

Mabbs9 said:

nessiemac said:

Mabbs9 said:

I assume they're sending the invoice to Virgin but quite an expensive fix! I hope they glue the new stab back on well.

Might need a bit more than glue I think!

True enough. They don't build them like they used to though. This is the fleet I'm on so I'm pretty interested.

Hack off the back of the tail cone, slide old stab out, slide new one in, reattach tail cone.

Easy!!

Serious question though, why did it take so long to fix, I would assume that as they are still manufacturing this aircraft, parts would be in constantly supply, but didn't this happen like, 4 months ago?

It did happen a while back but I think it took quite a while to inspect and and work out the full extent of the damage. And I think writing a repair scheme on a job this large is not the work of 5 minutes.

I am pretty sure a horizontal stab change has never been done an a A350 so the logistics needed to arrange and get a whole new stab flown in must be huge!

Oh and it won't be repaired for quite some time...

Edited by nessiemac on Wednesday 11th September 13:43

That is one hell of an insurance bill !