Virgin 747 damaged at Heathrow - which one?

I was on VS 1 on Monday 16th, due to be on a 747 in Premium Economy. The gate opening time changed to 16:45 - ie after we were due to depart. All passengers were called to Virgin's transfer desk for new boarding cards due to an Aircraft type change.

Good news though when my new boarding card was printed a purple one came out of the printer and I was told I'd been moved to the Upper class cabin.

When we finally got on board Dancing Queen the captain announced that the change was due to ambulance crew damaging a door on the 747-400 that was due to operate this flight - rendering it un-airworthy. One of the crew mentioned it could need around 2 weeks of repairs before it can be used again.

From the aircraft movements tool it looks like it was Mustang Sally - G-VROC. It's showing it was due to operate the flight on the 16th, but hasn't moved since.

Matt

That's not good, was hoping that I might get Mustang Sally for my trip to NYC on the VS45 on 28th May. Oh well will get to experience one of the other 747's then.

From the aircraft movements tool it looks like it was Mustang Sally - G-VROC. It's showing it was due to operate the flight on the 16th, but hasn't moved since.

Matt

It is indeed, she's parked at the back of the control tower and as I passed on the VS45 taxiing out today there was work around door R5 - it seemed that door R5 was missing (but do they open inwards at the back?).

I've just arrived on the VS18 - its caused a bit of disruption in Newark, with a lack of airbus pilots.

I saw her too when we landed - looks like to door has been taken off and it has tape across it. Lights were on so it looked like it was being worked on.

Would be interesting to know how it happened

It is indeed, she's parked at the back of the control tower and as I passed on the VS45 taxiing out today there was work around door R5 - it seemed that door R5 was missing (but do they open inwards at the back?).

All doors open outwards.

When I was on VS1 that was due to be operated by G-VROC on Monday the message from the airbus captain on Dancing Queen, which was the aircraft that was substituted, is that the ambulance 'removed' the door but by unconventional means.

A shame as Mustang Sally is the VS aircraft I have travelled on the most, but the resulting upgrade to upper class was the first time I had experienced that cabin and was impressed.

[Darren Wheeler]

Must have been a big ambulance

How do you guys notice these things????

the ambulance 'removed' the door but by unconventional means.

How could an ambulance remove a door on a 747? It's not like the doors are are ground level. Was the ambulance in the air at the time? lol ( suddenly I have a mental picture of an ambulance flying through the air and making contact with the door on the 747.

An ambulance hi-lift (similar sort of thing to a catering truck).

Edit: http://m.flickr.com/photos/dmcl/2624632707/sizes/l/

Ah thanks Tinks, not the conventional ambulance as I was imagining then lol

Ah thanks Tinks, not the conventional ambulance as I was imagining then lol

No but many years ago I did see a conventional ambulance drive into the side of an aircraft at Heathrow.

How could they have missed it??!!

Well you can see where the new door was fitted in this pic:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/g-vwkd/5780668328/

A costly mistake!

[Darren Wheeler]

I'd love to see the insurance report for that...

Well you can see where the new door was fitted in this pic:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/g-vwkd/5780668328/

The rear one?? slightly different colour

Well you can see where the new door was fitted in this pic:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/g-vwkd/5780668328/

The rear one?? slightly different colour

Yeah thats the one!