Qantas flight diverts to Brisbane, 7 hours in the air.

QANTAS AIRBUS A330-303 VH-QPJ (MSN 0712)

A Qantas flight travelling from Sydney (SYD/YSSY) to Seoul (ICN/RKSI) diverted to Brisbane yesterday afternoon after spending 7 hours in the air.

QF87 was due to depart Sydney at 9.35am (Sydney Day Light Saving Time) but didn't push back until 9.55am. It lined up on 16R and got airborne at 10.08am. It initially climbed to 320, then 12 minutes later climbed to 340, which was its final cruising altitude. Two hours and forty minutes later, at 12.48am (Sydney time) as the aircraft was just off the coast of Cooktown (North of Cairns), due to what we know was a technical issue, it started a left-hand turn and made its way back to Brisbane.

At 2.12pm and just off the coast of Rockhampton, QF87 started one of six 20-minute holding patterns.

Exactly 2 hours later, at 4.12pm the Airbus A330 left the pattern and headed for Brisbane. At 5.10pm, seven hours and two minutes later, QF87 touched down safely on runway 01R in Brisbane. 

The local time was 4.10pm as we don't have Day Light Saving Time.

Aircraft Information:
Airline: Qantas
Code: QF/QFA
Aircraft: Airbus A303-303
Registration: VH-QPJ
Serial Number: 0712
Engine: 2 x GE CF6-80E1A3
First Flew: 29th November 2005
Age: 17 Yrs. 3 Mts