Transmission issues
the 234 story
SAS - There was a lot of talk at the time about the CAA being put under pressure by both the oil company and the operator as well as the manufacturer. I remember being at a 234 presentation (I was at BCALH at the time) at which they showed a video of a large model in a test tank demonstrating wonderful integral bouyancy capabilities but also demonstrating that every passing wave struck the (stationary) blade out front. I asked the Boeing bod about blade strikes after ditching and he quickly glossed over the subject. I later found out that any such blade strike is likely to result in a sync-shaft failure quickly followed by disintegration of the fuselage as the blades enmeshed above it. "So much for bouyancy" I thought. I later met the CAA Test Pilot and asked him about that and he changed the subject. Maybe he had the same thoughts as me?
G