What: United Airlines Boeing 777 en route from Chicago to Shanghai
Where: Winnipeg
When: Oct 25, 2010 1:40 pm
Who: 194 passengers
Why: While en route, the plane developed smoke in the cabin. The nearest place to land a 777 (requiring a long runway) was Winnipeg, so the pilot diverted to Winnipeg and made a safe landing with emergency crews on standby on the tarmac. Monday afternoon, a UA crew was assessing the plane; but a replacement plan is scheduled to arrive Tuesday to take the passengers to Shanghai.

George’s Point of View

Sometimes it seems as if it takes an emergency for a plane to get maintenance.

Airliners never stop; they land, unload passengers, cleanup, fuel up, load more passengers and they are off again.

When do planes get maintenance? After they see smoke?

It’s not just United.

Look at our posts: Engine failures, engine fires, cracked windshields, no oil pressure, low air pressure, breaking landing gear, non-working nose gear, shredding tires, smokey cabins…

When do they stop a plane long enough for it to truly get a little TLC?

I knew a former navy mechanic who said he would never fly on a commercial plane. Before AND After every flight, the crew checks every plane from nose to tail, ensuring everything is in perfect working order. It seems like a commercial plane only gets a good once over once it’s too late.

We don’t do that with our cars. You know once the car’s warning light comes on, it’s already too late, and damage has already happened. So we get timely oil changes, and basic care because every dollar spent on maintenance is a hundred dollars not spent on repair.

Sure, flight 835 plane is getting a once over now, but for that to happen, a plane full of passengers had to be put at risk.