PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Loss of engine cover on Southwest Boeing 737-800 prompts FAA investigation
Old 8th Apr 2024, 15:16
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FullWings
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Tring, UK
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Having had a think about it, this is quite a nasty problem to be handed. Enough damage to require a very non-standard landing, possibly > MLW, plus time pressure as the cowls are coming apart and who knows what the next loose bit is going to hit (it’s already done for the flaps and slats), which restricts the options to a land ASAP.

Some of the things that would be going through my mind are: high DA and with the resultant GS, that’s 1,100fpm to stay on the glide slope, so a flare is definitely required to avoid a crash, but at the same time a float will use a lot of runway. Which runway? The long one or the into-wind one? Will the brakes take it? They are certified to some fairly extreme requirements but does a flapless landing at high altitude and high weight fall within them? Don’t want to get brake fade at 100kts when the reversers are starting to lose their effectiveness, so maybe a lower brake setting and let the reverse take more of a share of the energy removal? Will they catch fire soon afterwards or can we limit that? Lots of stuff to think about in a very short time...
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