A319
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 62; Flight Crew Total 13500; Flight Crew Type 450
Human-Machine Interface; Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
In climb through FL240 at .76 Mach; severe airframe vibration from tail started. Because there were no passengers; I visually inspected the wings and saw no indication of airframe vibration. Then I walked to Aft Galley where the vibration was so strong I almost lost my footing.
The reporter states that the onset of the vibration was very sudden and did not abate until the aircraft was slowed considerably. Although he has not heard from Maintenance what caused this event; he is aware that previous events were caused by worn horizontal stabilizer bearings. Flight returned to the departure airport and no maintenance history of vibrations was found.
A319 First Officer experiences severe airframe vibration climbing through FL240 on a ferry flight. The vibration appears to be coming from the tail of the aircraft and the crew elects to return to the departure airport.