BG> I'm still missing a lot of news, but from what I've seen to date,
BG> it's starting to look like the nosewheel didn't collapse at all,
BG> mainly because it was still retracted (and the bay doors were still
BG> closed) when the aircraft touched down. True or not, it sure looks
BG> like someone fucked up badly, either in the tower, or in the cockpit.
BG> My money's on the control tower just quietly.

RS> Dunno, nothing much the tower can do to make the nosewheel not get
RS> lowered.

BG> Apart from informing the pilot,

There was a claim that they had told him twice. But that wasnt widely
claimed, so it may have been a furfy. The enquiry results are supposed
to be announced about today, so I guess it will all come out in the wash.

BG> and having him dump fuel before landing.  Don't forget that the
BG> aircraft's tanks were almost full.

Nope, part of the reason they turned back from virtually Bris was that
they were shedding fuel on the way back to Sydney. Apparently it was
interesting enough for some of the passengers to film it on the way back.

BG> Ergo, either the visibility was too poor for the ATCs to see that
BG> the wheel wasn't down, or someone fucked up severely.

Yeah, the visibility story is a bit hard to credit since apparently one
of the specific points that the enquiry was pursuing was that tower point.

RS> Yeah, unless the media have screwed the story completely, it does
RS> appear that the nosewheel wasnt down at all.

BG> The only people who really know for sure are the aircrew (and
BG> presumably Ansett themselves), and they certainly aren't talking (yet).

Yeah, they have been playing it a lot closer to the chest than you usually
see. Corse that might just be the style of their PR operation too.

RS> Presumably we will get the details officially eventually. They were
RS> talking about a week or so for the basic stuff so maybe there will
RS> be some detail released relatively soon.

BG> So when the uproar has abated a little, we'll get the sanitised
BG> press-release, correct?  Why am I not at all surprised?

No, apparently a proper enquiry report. Thats always available with that
stuff, tho it often doesnt get into the media very well. You can eventually
get a copy and read it yourself if you want. Fascinating reading some of
them make too.

--- PQWK202