virgin Atlantic overhead - 3 contrails

mickdw

I spotted a plane overhead there a few mins ago and on looking with binoculars there are 3 clear trails from the engines and nothing from one engine. Flight radar told me it was virgin Atlantic heading for Vegas.
Would this mean one engine is not running or is it common that a trail cannot be seen sometimes for one engine?

smurfjed

virgin Atlantic heading for Vegas

If they have shut down an engine, they won't be continuing to Las Vegas.

artanevilla

Can't see it on FlightRadar

mickdw

mickdw wrote: »

I spotted a plane overhead there a few mins ago and on looking with binoculars there are 3 clear trails from the engines and nothing from one engine. Flight radar told me it was virgin Atlantic heading for Vegas.
Would this mean one engine is not running or is it common that a trail cannot be seen sometimes for one engine?

Depends on the angle you are viewing from, from the side some can appear to merge from below you will see each individual one.

Falcon L

VIR43E

Crimsonforce

Was on that plane once last week. Plane is in serious condition and was cancelled three times in a week. My return was cancelled


Had its tail replaced in Vegas 8 days ago but it continues with problems
Issues with air conditioning on weds last had multiple bloody noses and ear issues for flyers......

mickdw

smurfjed wrote: »

If they have shut down an engine, they won't be continuing to Las Vegas.

Ya that was what I was thinking.
It went out over blacksod and didn't turn. I had a good view of it though and it certainly looked like a dead engine.

Tenger

Crimsonforce wrote: »

Was on that plane once last week. Plane is in serious condition and was cancelled three times in a week. My return was cancelled


Had its tail replaced in Vegas 8 days ago but it continues with problems
Issues with air conditioning on weds last had multiple bloody noses and ear issues for flyers......

Some serious allegations there.

How was the plane cancelled?
How was "its tail replaced 8 days ago"?
How does a problem with air con cause "bloody noses and ear issues"?

shedweller

Funny actually i was looking at a twin engined jet flying overhead the other day heading east.
it had a small contrail coming off the tip of the tail. My first thought was the APU. It cleared after a minute or so.

duskyjoe

Well a virgin 744 was delayed big time recently in Vegas if that's what crimson force is alluding

I can't copy newspaper thread as I'm a new boy around here( we'll sort of)

FWVT

shedweller wrote: »

Funny actually i was looking at a twin engined jet flying overhead the other day heading east.
it had a small contrail coming off the tip of the tail. My first thought was the APU. It cleared after a minute or so.

Contrails can form in the wake vortices off the wingtips if the air is humid enough. You don't even need engines to form them. Contrary to popular belief, it is NOT the water vapour from the burning of fuel that causes contrails. Only about 1 in 30,000 water molecules in contrail ice crystals comes from the exhaust, the rest all come from the air, which is why they only form when the relative humidity is high (> 65%)

Tenger

duskyjoe wrote: »

Well a virgin 744 was delayed big time recently in Vegas if that's what crimson force is alluding ......

Big difference between "delayed big time" and allusions of passenger injury inflight.

Commercial aircraft are extremely complex machines which 1000's of sub-systems. All airlines encounter delays and cancellation due to technical faults.

arubex

shedweller wrote: »

Funny actually i was looking at a twin engined jet flying overhead the other day heading east.
it had a small contrail coming off the tip of the tail. My first thought was the APU. It cleared after a minute or so.

Could be APU ( though seldom at cruising height I believe ) but more frequently grey-water flushing from galley.

767s in particular but somewhere I have a photo of a 747 with five trails

arubex

arubex wrote: »

Could be APU ( though seldom at cruising height I believe ) but more frequently grey-water flushing from galley.

767s in particular but somewhere I have a photo of a 747 with five trails

VIR19F to San Francisco by Shamrock147, on Flickr

mickdw

That photo would be similar to what I saw today. I didn't have such clarity but it just looked like one of the inner engines didn't have a trail from it.

K.Flyer

Crimsonforce wrote: »

[...]
Had its tail replaced in Vegas 8 days ago but it continues with problems
Issues with air conditioning on weds last had multiple bloody noses and ear issues for flyers......

Tenger wrote: »

Some serious allegations there.

How was the plane cancelled?
How was "its tail replaced 8 days ago"?
How does a problem with air con cause "bloody noses and ear issues"?

I think this is the news article which Crimsonforce refers to...

Passengers endure 33 HOUR delay after Virgin flight from Las Vegas..
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3033412/Passengers-endure-excruciating-33-HOUR-delay-Virgin-flight-Las-Vegas-London-air-conditioning-fault-leaves-plane-warm-board.html

gctest50

this too ?

<SNIP>

Now this is airline bashing with no actual relevance to the topic being discussed.
The LGW landing was in fact an example of great airmanship.
And that 2nd link was in Polish.

L1011

Crimsonforce wrote: »

1
Issues with air conditioning on weds last had multiple bloody noses and ear issues for flyers......

Bloody noses happen with pressurisation on any/every flight. I suffer fairly badly from them and and it never the airlines fault - unless they cause extra unneeded cycles like United did once... More than two cycles per 24hrs and I'm likely to be a bloody mess, nasally

Crimsonforce

L1011 wrote: »

Bloody noses happen with pressurisation on any/every flight. I suffer fairly badly from them and and it never the airlines fault - unless they cause extra unneeded cycles like United did once... More than two cycles per 24hrs and I'm likely to be a bloody mess, nasally

Look at twitter for some for some of the passengers on board this plane over the past three weeks

Planes handle is Virgin vs43 to Vegas vs44 to gatwick

aaronm13

There was a Virgin Atlantic parked up at T2 when I was passing around 4pm today. Was driving but pretty sure it wasn't a 747, looked single engine so probably a A330. Any idea why it was there. Also pretty sure I've seen a few Virgin planes there over the last few weeks but they were more over by T1 this was around where DHL and FedEx park.

Tenger

aaronm13 wrote: »

There was a Virgin Atlantic parked up at T2 when I was passing around 4pm today. Was driving but pretty sure it wasn't a 747, looked single engine so probably a A330. Any idea why it was there. Also pretty sure I've seen a few Virgin planes there over the last few weeks but they were more over by T1 this was around where DHL and FedEx park.

This was an Aer Lingus A320 that is painted in Virgin Atlantic colours for the "Little Red" domestic UK operation. It has rejoined EI and will be repainted next week in SNN. (into a special sports livery if rumours are correct)

PukkaStukka

Tenger wrote: »

This was an Aer Lingus A320 that is painted in Virgin Atlantic colours for the "Little Red" domestic UK operation. It has rejoined EI and will be repainted next week in SNN. (into a special sports livery if rumours are correct)

Saw that one on Friday afternoon, it worked Dublin to Berlin return. Nice looking bird too!

aaronm13

Tenger wrote: »

This was an Aer Lingus A320 that is painted in Virgin Atlantic colours for the "Little Red" domestic UK operation. It has rejoined EI and will be repainted next week in SNN. (into a special sports livery if rumours are correct)

Thanks for that. Flying to Berlin Friday week would have been cool to fly on it, pity it's been painted next week.

Flying Virgin to Vegas in September, hope they sort that plane out, can't be wasting valuable Vegas time stuck in an airport.

billie1b

aaronm13 wrote: »

Thanks for that. Flying to Berlin Friday week would have been cool to fly on it, pity it's been painted next week.

Flying Virgin to Vegas in September, hope they sort that plane out, can't be wasting valuable Vegas time stuck in an airport.

Well if you get stuck in LAS thats ok, slot machines galore, getting stuck in LGW would be the killer

aaronm13

billie1b wrote: »

Well if you get stuck in LAS thats ok, slot machines galore, getting stuck in LGW would be the killer

Flying onto New York from Vegas then home with Virgin from JFK. Never mind getting stuck coming home but going is a killer.

billie1b

aaronm13 wrote: »

Flying onto New York from Vegas then home with Virgin from JFK. Never mind getting stuck coming home but going is a killer.

Only did the exact same trip myself a few weeks ago but with BA

aaronm13

billie1b wrote: »

Only did the exact same trip myself a few weeks ago but with BA

Cool. Been to Vegas a few times now but never been to New York so really looking forward to it. Also never been on a 747 so that and a great price swayed me to Virgin. Going to try and get up into the pod on the way home, might just get some sleep there.

billie1b

aaronm13 wrote: »

Cool. Been to Vegas a few times now but never been to New York so really looking forward to it. Also never been on a 747 so that and a great price swayed me to Virgin. Going to try and get up into the pod on the way home, might just get some sleep there.

It was my first time on a 747 too from LHR to LAS, loved it, was like a kid at christmas, New York was good, I enjoyed it, lots to do and it was snowing so it was deadly.
Was on the 747 back from JFK (kip of an airport) too, was awake til just after take-off, fell asleep and didn't wake up until 15 minutes before landing

aaronm13

billie1b wrote: »

It was my first time on a 747 too from LHR to LAS, loved it, was like a kid at christmas, New York was good, I enjoyed it, lots to do and it was snowing so it was deadly.
Was on the 747 back from JFK (kip of an airport) too, was awake til just after take-off, fell asleep and didn't wake up until 15 minutes before landing

Wish I could do that, never been able to sleep on a flight. Even got sleeping tablets on my way back from Chicago in October, didn't sleep a wink.

Crimsonforce

You two get a room

billie1b

aaronm13 wrote: »

Wish I could do that, never been able to sleep on a flight. Even got sleeping tablets on my way back from Chicago in October, didn't sleep a wink.

Same as myself, thats the first flight I slept on, usually i'm the only one awake listening to music or watching films, I was on a flight to Cypus before, left Dublin at 11pm or so, on a 737-800. Got up half-way through the flight to have a walk up and down and go the bathroom, here's 3 of the 4 crew asleep down the last few rows of the aircraft, I was so shocked I just started giggling.

Wanderer78

billie1b wrote: »

here's 3 of the 4 crew asleep down the last few rows of the aircraft

whats wrong with that?

Tenger

Crimsonforce wrote: »

Look at twitter for some for some of the passengers on board this plane over the past three weeks

Planes handle is Virgin vs43 to Vegas vs44 to gatwick

Those are the flight numbers for LGW-LAS and LAS-LGW, not the "planes handle"

Tenger

Wanderer78 wrote: »

whats wrong with that?

EASA regs would reccomend that 50% of operating crew must be on duty at any time.

Shannon757

Tenger wrote: »

This was an Aer Lingus A320 that is painted in Virgin Atlantic colours for the "Little Red" domestic UK operation. It has rejoined EI and will be repainted next week in SNN. (into a special sports livery if rumours are correct)

Any idea what day?

Tenger

Shannon757 wrote: »

Any idea what day?

I dont have that info unfortunately.....am sure someone in EI does however. Am pretty sure the FR24 thread will show it heading down.....and the photo thread will have a shot of it rolling out of the ganger when complete.

Wanderer78

Tenger wrote: »

EASA regs would reccomend that 50% of operating crew must be on duty at any time.

tough job id say. best of luck to them

Tenger

K.Flyer wrote: »

I think this is the news article which Crimsonforce refers to...

Passengers endure 33 HOUR delay after Virgin flight from Las Vegas..
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3033412/Passengers-endure-excruciating-33-HOUR-delay-Virgin-flight-Las-Vegas-London-air-conditioning-fault-leaves-plane-warm-board.html

That's a pretty rough delay. But this sort of thing does happen in commercial aviation. Airlines no longer have spares and aircraft just lying around in case they are needed. And as I mentioned above aircraft are complex systems. Things break/malfunction and need to be sorted out, hence issues with air-con, IFE etc
Now a rudder replacement is a big issue that requires time to get the part delivered, time, skilled labour and proper location to carry out.
While the pax were delayed, please note that they were given hotel accommodation and meals, as well as £600 in compensation. Its not as if they were just abandoned at the airport for 33 hours.

I've seen passenger's losing it at airline staff over delays, blaming them, even when the blizzard outside makes it hard to even see the aircraft they are supposed to be boarding.

arubex

shedweller wrote: »

Funny actually i was looking at a twin engined jet flying overhead the other day heading east.
it had a small contrail coming off the tip of the tail. My first thought was the APU. It cleared after a minute or so.

Just for you this morning, KLM 747 with single contrail