What's that really LOUD creaking sound in the 767 cabin?

[PHL]

I am on a 767 domestic route about 1-2 times per week. Every so often I'm on an aircraft that has a very, very loud creaking/squeaking sound coming from the ceiling in the front of the aircraft. This happens when taxiing and rolling out for takeoff, but usually is ok during flight. It sure generates a lot of confused looks on passenger faces, though.

Is this problem on more than one, or have I just been on the same bird those times I've heard it? And what's the resolution because it's extremely loud.

 

[flygirl74]

Next time you are on a flight and experience that, check the tail number on your way out the door. The certificate is above the boarding door and lists the aircraft number. If we can get that, maybe we all could trace the plane and the noise. I wonder if it is one plane or maybe the 76 just sounds different. On the Airbus 321, if you are sitting near the exit doors, it creaks as the plane ascends and descends. It is completely normal, but it freaks some people out. Not sure if the creaking comes from the door seals as the pressure changes or not....

 

[galley princess]

These 767s need attention.

The other day I was working with a very good flight attendant and a really sweet person. During the service I had to call her to me on the beverage cart because every couple of meals were stone cold. We get half way through the cabin and a very nice business looking woman asks me if the entree is supposed to be cold. I reply, "umm, no. Let's get you another one." I call the F/A again and she gives me another entree. By this time it's clear she's stressed, she's working with antiquated lousy equipment and now she's worried about running out of meals.

To top it off, the business woman gives a me a look as if the F/A is a witch. I reassured her that the F/a was a lovely individual and was just getting stressed because our equipment never works. I said "you know how when your computer system at work goes down and throws everyone for a loop? Well, here it's that plus the prospect of hungry unhappy customers too." Luckily, she was a nice person who listened to my explanation, but frankly, the lion's share of the time people glaze off with the "yeah, yeah, your problem. Let me watch my movie." And they're right. It is our problem, not theirs.

I get to the back and she's upset because a nasty character gives her a hard time because he didn't get pasta. He might have if every third one hadn't been frozen, opened by another customer, handed back and therefore inedible for anyone else. But of course that's HER FAULT. This would also have to be on of the 15 people who didn't get a breakfast pastry because Catering didn't put enough on.

Half of the audio in C zone didn't work.

The HHDs didn't work.

Phoenix thinks that Spanish is a replacement for the other 356 odd languages in the world.

They splash a coat of paint on an airplane, change the TVs and plant a watcher in the jetway to make sure we're pushing passengers on fast enough, and then call it a day.

Then they wonder why flight attendants encounter yet another piece of broken equipment and modify or omit a service. The days are over for double bagging, if it doesn't work, obviously they didn't really need us to do it.

Thank God the training and expertise that landed and evacuated in the Hudson had nothing to do with this group.

 

[lurker-man]

I believe the noise that you are referring to is caused by the hydraulic power transfer unit. When one engine is shut down during a prolonged taxi to save fuel, it's associated hyraulic pump is not powered. The active engine's hydraulic system suppies a means of pressuring the idle alternate system via the power transfer unit (PTU).
During takeoff with both engines running (I hope..), retraction of the gear can temporarily cause a high load from it's respective hydraulic system. If I recall correctly, this should not cause the PTU to activate but their is another type of transfer pump that kicks in perhaps causing this noise on climbout. In other aircraft types the PTU noise is likened to a barking dog.

Hope that helps.

 

[sharktooth]

In other aircraft types the PTU noise is likened to a barking dog.

So, on the 76, the PTU makes creaking/squeaking sounds? Interesting.

and, on takeoff, would not the "sounds" then happen after lift-off and not during "acceleration"?(I do know of one person whose "lift-off" consisted of raising the gear handle while still on the ground - non-airline, of course).

 

[autofixer]

...Or it is the plastic interior. It is only aesthetic not structural. That would account for the noise on landing roll-out as well as taxi-out.

 

[Travelpro72]

Speaking of the 767, can anyone tell me how management thinks the back galley is suitable? Those carts were rumored to be refurbished or rebuilt. What ever happened to THAT? Not a word has been spoken about the refurbishment of the galley. They have had broken carts half cooing meals for YEARS now. I have heard of a few flight attendants actually getting a bit of a jolt from the plugs. It's total BS.

As for the squeaking sound up front I always thought it was the overheads and all those plastic panels.

 

[NCFL]

a very, very loud creaking/squeaking sound

It's old age. I creak and squeak too. LOL

On the Airbus 321, if you are sitting near the exit doors, it creaks as the plane ascends and descends.

Amen! It sounds like the damn doors are going to fall off. I'm not afraid of flying at all, and the first time I heard that noise, I was really concerned. It makes it sound like the aircraft is 100 years old when it's fresh from the factory floor. And imagine what it's going to sound like when it's as old as the 767.

 

[USwestGUY]

Here is my one experience on one of our 767's. We were taxiing out of PHL and I was very lucky to have been upgraded by a crewmember onboard. I heard a horrible squeaking sound, too. When I looked behind me, the closet was bouncing up and down. One of the flight attendants serving Envoy also had pushed the PSU back up into the ceiling. Other than the interior of the aircraft caving in around us, it was all right. A fuel guage canceled the outbound flight from MUC for a few days, though. I only had to endure two days before a 330 came in to save us. I ended up taking a UC (Unable to Contact) because giving myself three days to get home wasn't enough.

 

[nycbusdriver]

I ended up taking a UC (Unable to Contact) because giving myself three days to get home wasn't enough.

Did you consider taking a train to Frankfurt and getting on the PHL or CLT flight? Or a cheap flight to Gatwick? Getting around Europe is so easy, and probably cheaper than hotel rooms rented waiting for USAirways to "rescue" you from Munich.

 

[YVINTERN]

Did you consider taking a train to Frankfurt and getting on the PHL or CLT flight? Or a cheap flight to Gatwick? Getting around Europe is so easy, and probably cheaper than hotel rooms rented waiting for USAirways to "rescue" you from Munich.

Isn't an UC at Mainline considered a terminable offense?

 

[USwestGUY]

I was with friends from MUC so it was no cost to me to stay in MUC. I never thought of taking a train to FRA at the time.

A UC is just one wrung of the ladder, but after a year, the ladder falls apart.

 

[YVINTERN]

I was with friends from MUC so it was no cost to me to stay in MUC. I never thought of taking a train to FRA at the time.

A UC is just one wrung of the ladder, but after a year, the ladder falls apart.

Thanks for the Info, if I didn't have friends in MUC I'd have just bought a ZED on BA MUC-LHR-PHX.

 

[N903AW]

Thanks for the Info, if I didn't have friends in MUC I'd have just bought a ZED on BA MUC-LHR-PHX.

I didn't know that ZED fares were available to those who don't work in the Airline Industry! 😉

 

[aredeeyou22]

Loud creaking sound?

Could it be the CSD?
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