QF Flight returns to SFO after engine blows up

[NM]

RB211 is a family of engines, and from my googling, I am not sure the AD referred to in the articles even applies to the versions on th 747-400. Or maybe I have just found the wrong AD - back to google

(The AD I found was at Federal Register | Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-22B and RB211-524 Series Turbofan Engines)

QF 747-438 engine would be RB211-524 H-T model. Early 747-438s were delivered with the RB211-524G and the later ones with the H model and all were upgraded to the H-T spec with the Trent 700 HP system for improved efficiency.

 

[jb747]

Obviously the Captain's main priority is to get the aircraft and its "cargo" down safely, but flying to LAX while dumping vs circling off SFO may reduce the logistics for the ground staff.

I like the idea of keeping the piece of string as short as possible.

Your points are valid, but only operational items are likely to impinge upon the thinking after a major event.

Logistically it would have been best if another aircraft had gone to HK. Logistics though, didn't really come into it.

 

[JeniSkunk]

QF 747-438 engine would be RB211-524 H-T model. Early 747-438s were delivered with the RB211-524G and the later ones with the H model and all were upgraded to the H-T spec with the Trent 700 HP system for improved efficiency.

I am wondering if this incident is related in any way to the seemingly similar issues with the Trent series engines being assessed for use on the 787.

Jenifur Charne

 

[FlyboyAl]

it seems this incident should never have happened:


Qantas engine explosion followed safety warning

"Another passenger panicked and yelled, ''We're going to go down, we're going to go down','' but most handled the emergency calmly. Those who were not able to cope were ushered to the front of the aircraft."

So, I guess we now another way to get upgraded

 

[samh004]

Qantas flight emergency
Listen to the exchange between the pilot and the San Francisco control tower after flight QF74 lost an engine.

Video - The Australian

Longer version from Fairfax.

Video - coughpit audio as QF74 handles engine failure - The Age

The thing I pick up from both is that the pilots were incredibly level headed and handled the situation they were in as you’d expect them to. So to all the news services that can’t report correctly on the facts, I can’t imagine they’d want to play such a track that proves that despite an issue, the staff handled themselves and situation superbly.

That’s an airline I’d like to fly with!

 

[NM]

I am wondering if this incident is related in any way to the seemingly similar issues with the Trent series engines being assessed for use on the 787.

Jenifur Charne

Apart from the word Trent in the name, I don't see any correlation

 

[jb747]

it seems this incident should never have happened:


Qantas engine explosion followed safety warning

I note that on page 5 million of the Friday Herald Sun, they print, in tiny letters, that the engine in question complied with the AD, and as such had only recently (two or three months ago) been stripped down. (Of course, I'm breaking my own rules here by treating something in the paper as a fact).

My disgust with the media just continues to grow. Basically they print rubbish on the front pages in huge letters, and when it all turns out to be rubbish, just quietly forget about it, or print any retractions as far in as possible.

Their accuracy on anything to do with aviation is zero. I assume that their accuracy on every other subject is probably much the same. So, why do we need the media at all?

 

[docjames]

Their accuracy on anything to do with aviation is zero. I assume that their accuracy on every other subject is probably much the same. So, why do we need the media at all?

It's not just aviation they are rubbish at. As I've stated in another thread, the rush is to be FIRST, not RIGHT.

 

[oz_mark]

...and over at Crikey Ben Sandilands pulls the offshore maintenance card

Although the last major overhaul of the engine concerned was done at the Qantas base in Sydney more than a year ago, the diminishing size of its 747 fleet has seen much of current work on the RB211 engines transferred to the HAESL Rolls-Royce facility in Hong Kong.

ATSB says Qantas engine explosion damaged flaps – Plane Talking

 

[oz_mark]

I note that on page 5 million of the Friday Herald Sun, they print, in tiny letters, that the engine in question complied with the AD, and as such had only recently (two or three months ago) been stripped down. (Of course, I'm breaking my own rules here by treating something in the paper as a fact).

I am not sure that the print article is the same as the online article, but there is an article to similar effect online at Qantas jet engine regularly checked, says the airline | Herald Sun

THE Rolls-Royce jet engine that suddenly blew apart on a San Francisco-Sydney flight was regularly inspected and recently underwent detailed scientific checks, the airline said.

Dismissing reports that the Rolls-Royce engine did not comply with maintenance directives, Qantas head of corporate affairs David Epstein said the engine was checked and cleared to fly on July 8 after hundreds of internal components were checked for metal fatigue using a boroscope.

 

[MatF]

Their accuracy on anything to do with aviation is zero. I assume that their accuracy on every other subject is probably much the same. So, why do we need the media at all?

Absolutely.

I work in the mining industry, and I know 90% of "news" articles related to mining are either largely fiction, use the wrong terms, use terms incorrectly, misinterpret facts, are heavily biased one way or another, are sensationalist or combinations of the above.

It was a bit of a watershed moment when I realised some time ago that it's most likely the same for everything reported. It's only when you know a bit about a particular topic that it becomes so obvious.

It's not that surprising really, when 99.9% of the time the journalist has no actual knowledge about the topic they're reporting. They don't have that filter.

Of course if there's likely to be emotion involved that helps sell newspapers or boost ratings, objectivity goes out the window more often than not.

 

[NM]

...and over at Crikey Ben Sandilands pulls the offshore maintenance card

oh My. Perhaps a little journalistic research might be of benefit, but what can I expect from .... :evil:

Although the last major overhaul of the engine concerned was done at the Qantas base in Sydney more than a year ago, the diminishing size of its 747 fleet has seen much of current work on the RB211 engines transferred to the HAESL Rolls-Royce facility in Hong Kong.

The diminishing 747 fleet? Qantas has retired 3 of their 747-400s, being VH-OJK, VH-OEC and VH-OED. Only VH-OJK had RR engines, while OEC and OED had GE engines. So a reduction of one RR-powered 747 has had what result? QF retains 94 RR RB211 engines on operational aircraft (20 x 747-438 and 7 x 767-336), plus whatever spares they carry.

While the quoted article does not directly state anything about the now ex-engine having been maintained in HKG, there appears to be an intention by the author to have the reader draw a certain conclusion that does not seem to be founded in fact. Good persuasive writing, yes. Good journalism, not in my opinion.

 

[mannej]

I find it intriguing that mention of the Hong Kong facility is made. I did a search on their website HAESL to find that Qantas is not the only major airline to get their RR engines serviced or repaired at HAESL. Emirates and Singapore Airlines are both listed as customers, now does that make them unsafe, poor airlines?...

As an aside, El Al had a Trent engine shut down in flight just recently. It is amusing to read the anti-RR comments on websites such as Avherald!

Incident: El Al B772 near Sofia on Aug 31st 2010, engine shut down in flight

 

[anat0l]

Emirates and Singapore Airlines are both listed as customers, now does that make them unsafe, poor airlines?...

Not necessarily. It just proves that Australians - unlike residents of the UAE and Singapore - are blindly patriotic.

Is there anyone here that would suggest that Australian people have far greater skill in maintaining aircraft compared to other nations that we subcontract out to? I think that's a very debatable proposition.

Part of the problem of subcontracting to other nations in order to reduce costs can be blamed, of course, on capitalism. That is, if it is a problem....

 

[straitman]

I actually thought about posting a response to Ben's article but as it would not be in agreement with him it probably would not get published so I decided not to waste my time.

 

[markis10]

I dont even bother visiting the page, the less people reading that rubbish the better IMHO.

 

[straitman]

I dont even bother visiting the page, the less people reading that rubbish the better IMHO.

You are probably right markis10 :!:

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Speaking of hyperbole - Channel 10 news (Aus) reported on the story before crossing back to the newsreader who asks "wasn't there a similar incident recently with Qantas?". The scripted reply then draws a parallel to the Manila incident - of course never mentioning the actual cause but talking up safety concerns with offshore maintenance. Can someone explain to me how engine failure and exploding oxygen tanks are "similar"? Because they both left holes in the plane?? Come on!

I understand some senior folk at QF are furious at the Union who was trying to somehow draw the notion of offshore maintenance into this issue which is definitely not the case. Of course papers latched right on to this as well automatically deeming it to be fact.

Just because some lefty starts shooting from the hip doesn't mean there's any truth to the matter. Unions just like politicians can be very economical with the truth but in this case I'd say they're being downright stingy!

 

[matty744]

Found out that a mate of mine was on this flight. He said its was initially quite intense onboard but he mentioned the all the crew were really fantastic and calmed everyone down. Whilst he had a isle seat he could still see the bright sparks trailing behind the wing. They put him up in san fran for the night then came back via LA the next day and Qantas gave them free taxi's home once in sydney.

 

[markis10]

OJP went over the top of BNE ten minutes ago on her way home as QF6006.