MD-82
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Diverted; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Aircraft; Weather
I was a Check Airman in the jump seat giving a line check. The aircraft had a previous write up for pressurization issues. After takeoff the left pack failed followed by the right pack cycling on and off. The Captain leveled at 3;000 FT and told Departure they needed some vectors due to pressurization issues. Both packs came back on. The Captain elected to start a climb; and shortly after that the packs turned off again. The Captain leveled at four thousand. The packs then came back on and pressurization was reestablished. The Captain chose to not continue to but he was too heavy to land immediately. He held and burned down about ten thousand pounds. He shot an approach but went around due to winds out of limits. He talked to Dispatch and [Maintenance] and also ran a pack abnormal checklist but the packs were already back on. He shot a second approach but went around again. He talked to Dispatch and established a [different] alternate. After some holding waiting on lower winds he diverted to [the new alternate]. He landed and after one hour of ground delay he made it to the gate. The flight cancelled due to crew rest.
MD-82 Check Airman reported abnormal pack issues that forced a divert that was further complicated by weather.