# Turkish plane being salvaged



## Matchlock (Jun 26, 2010)

Live stream of the plane that ran of the runway being salvaged, been watching it for a few hours.
Twas all a bit precarious.

https://www.periscope.tv/haber61/1mrxmZkAXZwKy


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Matchlock said:


> Live stream of the plane that ran of the runway being salvaged, been watching it for a few hours.
> Twas all a bit precarious.
> 
> https://www.periscope.tv/haber61/1mrxmZkAXZwKy


This is reminiscent of an accident when a Lebanese cargo B747 overan the old Athens airport(c. 1980) and ended up down an embankment and its nose on the 5th green of the Glyfada golf course.

I was working for a Claims/Consultancy company representing the insurers. Boeing have/had a polcy of only getting involved in repairs once the aircraft is recovered to hardstanding. The airline did not have the engineering capability to recover it, but we did, with some very senior engineers working for us including one who designed structural repairs for BOAC.

The task was marginally cost-effective as the repair estimate was $17m and the insured value $21m so any mistakr could be a write-off. Bob the project engineer for the recovery, assembled a team, engaged 2 cranes like those, built a roadway, because the aircaft was too far of the airport, and the embankment too steep, lifted the nose onto a flat bed, used the cranes to walk the nose on the flatbed round to orient with the roadway and towed it up to the airport. It took a lot longer than the ttime to writ about it and it was nerve-wracking.

Boeing repaired the aircraft and it returned to service. It was our companies first > £100,000 invoice, but save Underwriters €4m

I think that this recovery next move might be to use the slng of the second crane to lif the nose onto a flatbed as I am sure the nosewheel and surroundig structure is not capable of supporting the weight. We shall see.

I am sorry I missed the first part.

Geoff


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## Matchlock (Jun 26, 2010)

In the early stages you could see that an engine and a wing undercarriage hid been ripped off also the nose wheel looked bent.


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## Matchlock (Jun 26, 2010)

nicholsong said:


> This is reminiscent of an accident when a Lebanese cargo B747 overan the old Athens airport(c. 1980) and ended up down an embankment and its nose on the 5th green of the Glyfada golf course.
> 
> I was working for a Claims/Consultancy company representing the insurers. Boeing have/had a polcy of only getting involved in repairs once the aircraft is recovered to hardstanding. The airline did not have the engineering capability to recover it, but we did, with some very senior engineers working for us including one who designed structural repairs for BOAC.
> 
> ...


If you go back to the site now you can view it from the beginning.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Matchlock said:


> If you go back to the site now you can view it from the beginning.


Barry

Thanks. While watching the live stream it suddenly reverte t earlier, but at a point where it was already in the slings.

From what I have seen so far I have the following comments on the recovery.

Generally the scene* seems* to be undisciplined, in that there were 50-100 people moving around, many with no particular involvement and little control.

I was surprised that the lift at some stages was only achieved, albet with 4 strops around the wing, but onto one harness, with only 4 cables onto the crane hook. I do not know the unladen weight o a B737-8-- but I think our B737-300 was about 30t, so maybe the -800 minus an engine would be similar - quite a lot to hang on one hook without a back-up.

I understand that the initial lift had to be with the fuselage at that angle, because the slope was the same, but was surprised they did not get longitudinal control with second crane and strop earlier.

I still co not understand where at the point the live feed cut off the aircraft weight was being taken - especially since the tug seemed to have turned the aircraft through a few degrees.

I am sure we will earn more later - also about the cause.

Geoff


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Fascinating to have someone with experience of such undertakings commenting on the recovery, and raise so many interesting question. 

Thanks Geoff!!!

Andy


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## Matchlock (Jun 26, 2010)

nicholsong said:


> Barry
> 
> Thanks. While watching the live stream it suddenly reverte t earlier, but at a point where it was already in the slings.
> 
> ...


I must admit in the early stages I was expecting a strop to break.
Hate to think how much this cost, as well as the retrieval crew and there where lots of them, looking at flight radar 24 they had to also shut the airport.
But then it is Turkey and maybe they are not used to this type of salvage operation, either that or they put their faith into the hands of god


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Matchlock said:


> But then it is Turkey and maybe they are not used to this type of salvage operation, either that or they put their faith into the hands of god


Ah yes, Turkey is a Muslim state isn't it! So it was all down to "In-shallah" wasn't it :wink2:

Andy


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Mrplodd said:


> Fascinating to have someone with experience of such undertakings commenting on the recovery, and raise so many interesting question.
> 
> Thanks Geoff!!!
> 
> Andy


Thanks Andy, but of course my experience was second-hand, although Bob Barrett took a lot of photographs and did make presentations to our Principals, Underwriters and their Claims Managers. I was privvy to a very detailed briefing on this and many other incidents where our engineers were involved - the list would be long.

From our conpany's point of view it would have been nice to have a professionally made video, but these situations are sensitivve for the airline, and Undewriters do not like to upset their clients, so we had to tread carefully

I was personally involved in the Seychelles when Col 'Mad ' Mike Hoare attempted a coup and a Fokker F28 was zapped on the tarmac with a rocket. The government, headed by President Renee, then a dicator but later democratically voted back in as President, wanted to hold it as a spoil of war.
My role was to get it released; so meetings with Attorney-General, and Head of Insurance compay(President's cousin - both nice people who knew the score - LLoyd's would have cut off Seychelles' 99% re-insurance in London - my trump card:wink2: ) problem resolved and aircraft shipped in two large transprt aircraft to Netherlands for repair and returned to Royal Swazi Airlines.

Lot more to this story but don't want to hog the thread - PM me if you want to know.

Geoff


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## Matchlock (Jun 26, 2010)

Mrplodd said:


> Ah yes, Turkey is a Muslim state isn't it! So it was all down to "In-shallah" wasn't it :wink2:
> 
> Andy


OK . I consider myself reprimanded for my comment.


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