Airlines all over the world are being warned to check to make sure theres actually oxygen in their aircraft oxygen systems after an embarrassing mix-up by Qantas Airlines at Melbourne International Airport. For ten months, crews have been filling airliner oxygen systems from a nitrogen cart thats supposed to be used to fill tires. The mistake went unnoticed until a couple of weeks ago when an observant aircraft engineer spotted service workers using the cart. “He was walking around the plane and asked what they were doing. When they said they were topping up the oxygen, he said, ‘No you’re not, that’s a nitrogen cart,'” an unnamed source told The Age. As anyone who works with industrial gases knows, oxygen tanks have different fittings than other gases to prevent exactly this kind of mix-up. However, when the crews discovered the fittings on what they thought was their new oxygen cart didnt fit, they swapped them for the ones on the old cart they were retiring. Of course, Australian officials are looking into the error and Qantas has been busy notifying other airlines that use its services in Melbourne. Hundreds of aircraft may be affected.
Nitrogen Used To Fill Aircraft Oxygen Systems
Key Takeaways:
- For ten months, Qantas crews mistakenly filled aircraft oxygen systems with nitrogen instead of oxygen at Melbourne International Airport.
- The error occurred because crews improperly swapped fittings from an old oxygen cart to a new nitrogen cart, bypassing safety mechanisms designed to prevent such mix-ups.
- An observant aircraft engineer discovered the mistake when he noticed service workers using the nitrogen cart to top up oxygen systems.
- Australian officials are investigating the incident, and Qantas has notified other airlines using their services in Melbourne, as hundreds of aircraft may have been affected.
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