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Old 4th June 2008 | 10:20
  #1262 (permalink)  
chris weston
Second Law
 
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 113
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From: Wirral
Cavitation again

Snanceki sir, I very much agree that the evidence so far points to it being a fuel related event.

Without going over old ground too much, suffice to say that if we have an abnormally low fpt, and this fuel seems to have had just such, the lower intermolecular bonding levels that allow this fpt will also make for a correspondingly increased propensity for the fuel to go gas phase in the HP pumps - ie to cause cavitation when the FADECs commanded an increase in fuel flow rate at circa 700 feet.

A proper statistical picture of evidence of cavitation damage in other 777s would be very useful and I bet Boeing/RR have looked at this, hard. It could be more of a problem than is realised with all specs/SOPs et al on 038 being met with the unforeseen until now problem built in.

I have deliberately omitted further comments on additives and stratification.

Much respect from me for the chaps on the flight deck that day

CW
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