Freight door operations

[Mr Shortbread]

Anybody out there (not RAF VC10 aircraft) ever witnessed problems in opening and closing main cabin freight doors during ground operations?

[Jelle Hieminga]

There was a thread on freight door problems on PPRUNE a while ago, I'll see if I can find that one as someone mentioned the VC10 on it as well.

I know that it could suffer problems with closing the door if the fuselage flexed during loading of fuelling. There were (and still are probably) some novel tricks that can aid the process, such as taxiing around and closing the door during a turn.

[Tonkenna]

There are numerous problems that have occured closing the door. A lot of the problems stem from the ac moving during the loading.unloading. I can only speak for the use of the RAF 10s (but its the same door) and we donot move the ac or refuel it with the door open. There are many tricks to help getting one closed it you have trouble including getting several people to jump up and down on the wing.

Touch wood, but no problems on my trips so far

Tonks

[Laurieg]

There are those who have had it happen and those will have it happen. There is no one else.

[Tonkenna]

There are those who have had it happen and those will have it happen. There is no one else.

Sadly I know that is true...

Tonks

[Laurieg]

Whilst on the subject, have any of your GE's used the wet kimwip trick to stop the door leaking at alltitude?

[Tonkenna]

Ohhhhh yes... Had to use it on a main door not so long ago on the way back from Canada Worked a treat

[Jelle Hieminga]

Explanation needed I'm afraid!

In the meantime I've found this about the VC10 cargo door:
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread ... adid=75217
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread ... adid=79189

[Laurieg]

The RAF folk use a very nice, absorbant cloth, simialr to kitchen towels called Kimwip.

As you know, the FR8 door leaks like hell in the rain, it also whistles and groans as you climb when the seal leaks (one good reason not to sit in seat row 4, or thereabouts, on take off). One way to stop this is to dampen long pieces of kimwip and push them into the gap around the door. When you climb to altitude the water freezes and the leak stops.

Unless you are operating in hot areas the paper will stay frozen long enough to get on the ground and get the pax off.

Kept the passengers happy on many a trip.

[Murray Keene]

OMG do they STILL do that? and its KimwipE with an E! We used to go down route armed with ample speed tape and kimwipe. We actually lost a rear toilet panel in flight and had to fly home with a shiny silver speed tape one.

On the Hercules we had a VULTURE strike on take of in the USA it nearly killed the captain. It enetered down by the low level taxi windows and covered him in lovely gloop. He was very lucky how they actually got it back to base I dont recall I THINK it was a speed tape bodge though.

[Speed tape - noun; a shiny metallic foil tape for repairing duct work or metal skins, verb - to speedtape, to bodge or repair an aircraft: one has speedtaped the spoiler shut]

[Laurieg]

Kimwipe , (note), is also good for your finances. In hotter climes we used to put strips of it in the fridge, on the BF. When the crew arrived they were offered frozen kimwipe to keep the cool. (Took the Co's mind off your taxi chit).