762 and 763 power ports disabled?

[PHL]

There was a post on flyertalk.com that the entire 762 cabin power ports are being turned off, as well as the coach cabin power ports of the 763. The reasons were cited as being similar to those that brought about the 757 power port deactivations.

Any further info on this? Will these be indefinite, as the 757's have been for 6 months now? Or is there a fix in mind (for whatever the problem is)?

 

[czerny]

There was a post on flyertalk.com that the entire 762 cabin power ports are being turned off, as well as the coach cabin power ports of the 763. The reasons were cited as being similar to those that brought about the 757 power port deactivations.

Any further info on this? Will these be indefinite, as the 757's have been for 6 months now? Or is there a fix in mind (for whatever the problem is)?

Yes, it's true.

 

[WorldTraveler]

what was the reason for turning off the 752 powerports and what are the reasons AA is having this problem - and are other carriers?

 

[B737NG]

what was the reason for turning off the 752 powerports and what are the reasons AA is having this problem - and are other carriers?

As of today American will begin taking a revised action to temporarily deactivate some Power Port systems on the B767 fleet.  This is the result of findings discovered recently at AFW while a B767 was in for check.
 
Our original plan was to deactivate the Power Ports system for the entire fleet.  After further review we were able to identify the ability to leave some parts of the systems in operation.
 
 
B767-200: N319-N339       (15 a/c)
·         This sub-fleet will have the entire power port system deactivated; F/C, B/C, and Y/C.
 
B767-300: N342-N350       (9 a/c)
·         The complete power port system will remain in operation, due to the differences in the installation on these 9 newest aircraft from the rest of the B767 fleet.
 
B767-300: N351-N399       (49 a/c)
·         The classic B767 fleet will have a partial deactivation. 
·         The B/C and the “twilight zone” forward section of coach (rows 10-13) will remain in operation.
·         The remaining rows in the aft coach cabin will have the power port system deactivated.
 
 

 

[WorldTraveler]

thanks NG... but why is AA having to take this step?
It sounds like something was found which means the system on many aircraft is not useable... is that correct.. .and what is the problem?

 

[bravozulu@afw]

thanks NG... but why is AA having to take this step?
It sounds like something was found which means the system on many aircraft is not useable... is that correct.. .and what is the problem?

In the 17AB/HJ area, sooo muuuch dust had accumulated behind the air grill/ barf panel and side walls, the power port splitters had ignited the dust. There was charring evident. There was an odor of something burnt. NO evidence of flame. Just smoldering.

The Log Book does not record ANY REPORT of any odors or decreased power outputs.

WE (AA) were LUCKY this time!!!

 

[jersey777]

In the 17AB/HJ area, sooo muuuch dust had accumulated behind the air grill/ barf panel and side walls, the power port splitters had ignited the dust. There was charring evident. There was an odor of something burnt. NO evidence of flame. Just smoldering.

The Log Book does not record ANY REPORT of any odors or decreased power outputs.

WE (AA) were LUCKY this time!!!

Hmmm. Dust. Maybe we should keep our planes cleaner.

 

[jimntx]

Hmmm. Dust. Maybe we should keep our planes cleaner.

Jersey! I thought we had made it clear to you that using logic in connection with AA operations is a Rule 32 violation. It's just talkin' dirty. Stop it!

 

[Skymess]

In the 17AB/HJ area, sooo muuuch dust had accumulated behind the air grill/ barf panel and side walls, the power port splitters had ignited the dust. There was charring evident. There was an odor of something burnt. NO evidence of flame. Just smoldering.

The Log Book does not record ANY REPORT of any odors or decreased power outputs.

WE (AA) were LUCKY this time!!!

Interesting.
1. Was this the same problem that happened to the 757's?
2. If this happened on the 767 why wouldn't it happen on the s-80's or any other plane that we have powerports on?
3. What can be done to prevent it from happening? Doesn't seem like much can be done.

 

[PhatSappy]

thanks NG... but why is AA having to take this step?
It sounds like something was found which means the system on many aircraft is not useable... is that correct.. .and what is the problem?

It was always a shaky system. Here you can see the results of an electrical fire on board an airplane.

How about a wet carpet over an open wire? 20 Amps, 3 phase, 115V/60Hz.

 

[FWAAA]

With the paranoia over terrorism threats, I'm a little surprised that airlines have provided (or have been allowed by the FAA/TSA to provide) electrical outlets for passenger use. Just like in grade school when we learned that a thin wire connecting the pos and neg terminals of a 1.5 v battery could generate a lot of heat, a suicidal terrorist could easily rig a similar system to produce a fire.

 

[eolesen]

I wonder how much of the problem is load related. Laptops are thirstier than they were 15 years ago when powerports were first installed.

The newer universal outlets seem to trip at about 75-80w of draw (my new laptop has a 95W power supply, my old one was 65W and has the same plug, so that's what I use onboard..). Not so certain about AA's 12v ports.


Not having power on the transcon 762 fleet is problematic. That's one of the things that will push more premium travelers over to Virgin America, and once they've had their Virgin experience, they probably won't be satisfied with anything else.

 

[bravozulu@afw]

OOOOKAY-

763 #365 had its CIP at MCI. When the p/ports were disabled, the new B/class seats STOPPED working!! An internal audit/ investigation has found several "misplaced" wires on the WRONG circuit breaker, the wrong side of the correct breaker (UNprotected) or terminal post. The B/class & Forward T/class p/port wiring was inspected and found "serviceable". The main cabin p/ports were a different story!!! Avionics guys, still at AA, from MCI, check your maint. records for the p/port T/class installation, get your ASAP reports ready!!!!

A Fleet Campaign Directive(FCD) is going to be issued to inspect ALL 762/763 CIP p/port and passenger entertainment (seat control, IFE & EPL) power/signal wiring connections and routing.

BTW, an inspection card tests the p/ports at "voltage monitor"(12 to 15 vdc), loads of 75W & 100W. The splitter stops the current at 95-100W and also tests the "reset" function at the p/port outlet. So "E", your power hog lap warmer will function on our p/ports, as long as the lap warmer does NOT EXCEED 95W!!!

I would say within the next month, this will be a bump in the road in the rearview mirror, UNLESS you were involved at MCI!!

 

[phllax]

A friend flew JFK-LAX late Tuesday morning and said that the power ports on one side of the plane were working, but not on her side. She didn't tell me her seat, but she was in Y.

 

[LAX AMT]

OOOOKAY-

763 #365 had its CIP at MCI. When the p/ports were disabled, the new B/class seats STOPPED working!! An internal audit/ investigation has found several "misplaced" wires on the WRONG circuit breaker, the wrong side of the correct breaker (UNprotected) or terminal post. The B/class & Forward T/class p/port wiring was inspected and found "serviceable". The main cabin p/ports were a different story!!! Avionics guys, still at AA, from MCI, check your maint. records for the p/port T/class installation, get your ASAP reports ready!!!!

A Fleet Campaign Directive(FCD) is going to be issued to inspect ALL 762/763 CIP p/port and passenger entertainment (seat control, IFE & EPL) power/signal wiring connections and routing.

BTW, an inspection card tests the p/ports at "voltage monitor"(12 to 15 vdc), loads of 75W & 100W. The splitter stops the current at 95-100W and also tests the "reset" function at the p/port outlet. So "E", your power hog lap warmer will function on our p/ports, as long as the lap warmer does NOT EXCEED 95W!!!

I would say within the next month, this will be a bump in the road in the rearview mirror, UNLESS you were involved at MCI!!

I had 381 here in LAX on Tuesday. Same thing. Miss-wired completly. Business class seats wired to the load side of the system 2 CB instead of the power side, the 3 power wire jumpers connected to the load side of the CB's instead of the power side. The wires connected to the wrong CB are to short to reach the correct CB and will require new wires spliced in. We've been told 351 may be screwed up too and is being routed to LAX, now that we know what to look for, to check it out.

About 2-3 years ago as these 767's were coming out of MCI after the C.I.P. mod we had a slew of airplanes OTS here due to problems with cabin lighting issues. Of the 4 or 5 airplanes that I was personally involved in we found mistakes in the wiring hookups that were done during the C.I.P. mod. Usually something different with each airplane. We had to access the ECO for each airplane and go step by step through it to figure out what was done wrong. Some of these planes sat here OTS for 2-3 days partlly due to manning issues here in LAX but none the less they sat here OTS due to mistakes at MCI. No idea how these aircraft were getting past any kind of an ops check after the compleation of the mod. They sure cranked these mods out quick though.