We operated P&W R2800s on a super short cycle. Climb 7 mins, cruise 7 mins descend/approach 7 minutes. The biggest problems we had were not master rod failures, but "23 fin" failures, ie thermal shock cylinder failures, and a few ring land failures.
We had a steady program of power/cooling management that eventually resulted in most engines running out to 2,000 hrs. Not bad on 21 minute sectors, as this was the early 70s when P&W overhauls were getting scarce, especially with new cylinders.
Due to archaic regulations, once a year we had to do a C of A test in which we did a 10 minute climb at 90% max gross, with one engine actually feathered, and the other 3 screaming away at M.E.T.O power. As often as not a real engine failure occurred within 25 hours after that brutality.
Ah yes those were the days-NOT.
Last edited by ZQA297/30; 30th March 2010 at 15:03.
Reason: grammar