Corrections

{film=Hydraulic Failure.avi} Hydraulic Failure } Questions: What was the destination of the flight?

Narita Airport, Japan Was it a short-haul or a long-haul flight?

Since it was going to take thirteen and a half hour it was a long-haul flight.

Why did the crew include two Captains and two First Officers?

It was a common practice to prevent fatigue.

What sudden problem did the crew encounter in the middle of the flight?

For no apparent reason the aircraft rolled to the left and the pilots lost control of their plane.

How did the Captain respond to the problem?

He ascertained that they were not losing engine then disconnected the autopilot, pulled back on the control column and leveled the wings.

What would you do in a similar situation?

The captain’s first reaction was natural.

So I would try to regain control over an aircraft to recover it from upset.

I would consider decreasing of airspeed to reduce the load on deflected control surfaces and prevent them from damage.

Then as the situation dictates I would declare an emergency and start to cope with it.

Were they able to confirm that it was an engine problem?

No, it was not an engine problem.

What part of the aircraft malfunctioned?

It was rudder that had deflected to the left and stuck there.

Why was the rudder failure so dangerous?

Rudder is supposed to provide an aircraft with directional control that in a close correlation with lateral control.

If rudder is deflected an aircraft not only yaws but also rolls to the side of deflection and the aircraft will roll as long as its rudder is deflected.

So this failure could have led the aircraft to a spin.

How was the rudder of that aircraft type designed?

Because of its size the 747 had both an upper and lower rudder.

They normally moved in unison.

How did the pilots manage to regain control of the aircraft's movements?

The captain used foot pedals to control the upper rudder and the control column to move the ailerons. What is a COM?

COM stands for cockpit operating manual.

What information does it provide?

It provides a list of procedures for emergency situations.

For what reason was continuing the flight so risky?

Because they were 6 hours from destination and more failures could have occurred.

What is the hydraulic system responsible for?

Hydraulic system is supposed to provide the power for the operation of components such as landing gear, flaps, flight controls, wheel brakes, windshield wipers and other systems that require high power, accurate control and rapid response rates.

Why is a hydraulic failure dangerous?

Because hydraulic failure can lead to a loss of control, inability to retract or extract landing gear, inabilities to extend or retract high lift devices such as flaps or slats, reduced braking capability upon landing, loss of nosewheel steering.

What kinds of technical malfunctions can occur during flight?

As well as hydraulic failure they are communication failure, electrical problems, engine failure, pressurization problems and so on.

In your opinion, which of them are the most dangerous? Why?

Theoretically for every technical problem there is corresponding treatment that allows overcoming or resolving the problem, and everything depends on pilot’s skills here.

But loss of control seems the most dangerous to me.

Because pilot has no means of controlling an aircraft.