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Boeing's a Wreck

SnoC653

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You're a conspiracy theorist. Turbofan engines can't be made to disintegrate on cue.

Not on cue but they can certainly be coaxed into failing prematurely. Power changes are when most turbofan engines fail. Knowing when those changes are likely to occur would allow a demented person to inject a potential failure point into the process.

For the record, I do believe they will find the issue to be lack of use (sitting for prolonged periods) causing unexpected a wear problem (bearing related). But it isn't impossible for this to be a man made problem.
 

DaveH

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Or it could be caused by FOD. That would be my guess...
entirely possible. Something in my travels i dont have to worry about.

pics circulated showed a failed fan blade, snapped off near the root. i wouldn't think this was from FOD but an unseen crack in the blade.
 

traquer

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Coulda been a lot worse, there's fuel tanks down there that could have been hit from the debris:

1614117864428.png
 

DarkHorseRacing

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Still a better outcome than the last incident of compressor fan failure in an engine in flight in the US (in 2018) which resulted in a fatality:


This was a CFM engine on this Southwest flight.

For both incidents, it all comes down to not scoping the fan blades on a regular basis to detect those microscopic cracks that form. Maintenance fail.

For the nerds in here, this is a great technical explanation by Ars of the same Southwest incident:


Explains all the details of an engine failure.
 
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Universal Elements

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Still a better outcome than the last incident of compressor fan failure in an engine in flight in the US (in 2018) which resulted in a fatality:


This was a CFM engine on this Southwest flight.

For both incidents, it all comes down to not scoping the fan blades on a regular basis to detect those microscopic cracks that form. Maintenance fail.

For the nerds in here, this is a great technical explanation by Ars of the same Southwest incident:


Explains all the details of an engine failure.

What are you talking about? Are you an airline aircraft mechanic? Seriously, your analogies are so far off, it’s not even funny. Don’t believe everything you read in newspapers/online.

I’ll let you in on a little secret. No A&P mechanic would release an aircraft that was unsafe. You know why? They are well aware of that they will go to prison. Unions will provide attorneys, but if something was not done correctly, they are screwed. It’s very easy to prove it too. NTSB guys are real sharp individuals.

As far as the majors, they plan their maintenance according to engine manufacturers and leasing companies requirements. No airline wants to buy an engine due to negligence. An insurance company will definitely not cover the loss if something was skipped. A manufacturer of the engine will deny any warranty. There are a lot of things involved. Skipping N1 NDT inspection, cleaning and lubing on a set schedule is not one of them. You are talking about a minimum of 7 highly trained individuals plus management with planners too. You think they would put their ass on the line. Remember, an aircraft just can’t pull over like an automobile should something go array.
 

nowski

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I'll add this to the above comment: If you work for any Boeing supplier and falsify any document you'll not only get yourself in a ringer but may also include jail time. You'll also damage the reputation of the company you work, put deliveries on hold and most importantly you'll be putting innocent lives at risk. Remember every component on these aircraft (Boeing or Gulfstream etc.) will have a ton traceability records for every step of every process for every part...
 

rrrr

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I'll add this to the above comment: If you work for any Boeing supplier and falsify any document you'll not only get yourself in a ringer but may also include jail time. You'll also damage the reputation of the company you work, put deliveries on hold and most importantly you'll be putting innocent lives at risk. Remember every component on these aircraft (Boeing or Gulfstream etc.) will have a ton traceability records for every step of every process for every part...

This is why the comments about intentional damage and conspiracy are just ridiculous. The mechanics that work on aircraft, from the smallest to the largest, are dedicated professionals. Sure, there are screwballs, loafers, and drunks, but there's a reason flying on US commercial airlines is the safest mode of transportation there is, by a wide margin.
 

HB2Havasu

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A 777-200 is an aging aircraft. Combine this with it sitting in the desert the last 10-12 months from Covid with just monthly run-ups this type of mishap can happen. It possibly could have been a bird strike that broke one of the fan blade veins. To blame this engine failure on Boeing or Pratt & Whitney is kinda lame. That’s like blaming Chevrolet that your transmission died on your 1974 Monte Carlo after 300k miles, lol.

I am always impressed by the amount of hours these turbo jet engines can run before rebuild. Some of the best engineered products ever built by man!
 
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