It seems this thread has evolved into 2 different topics revolving around one incident.One topic is why the engine disintegrated and the other how the crew handled the situation. Both are valid discussions.
As far as the crew situation, given the extreme damage to both engine and airframe and the end result of a safe landing, I suspect it is hard to be a critic of the 5 person crew.However as pointed out numerous times, this was not a normal crew in either complement or experience.Experience wise at this stage of QFs ops of the A380, the average line crew would not have anywhere near the experience of the trainers on board.That is not meant to be a criticism of line crew, just realityat this stage in the A380 introduction.
The big unanswered question is how a 2 man line crew would have handled the situation? Another unanswered or even asked question is if the aircraft had a flight engineer with real time instrumentation, if the engine problem would have been noticed and therefore shut down prior to the engine failing?
Certainly in my experience as an B 747 FE, we regularly, very early, picked up minor upward trends which led to early diagnosis, far earlier that computers picked it up, based on parameter variations.
Should there have been an FE on the A380. I believe that there should have been more consideration to a position for someone on the aircraft with engineering experience and knowledge. Its my understanding that there was some discussion on the matter earlier, based particualrly aroung keeping cabin services functioning. The A380, by any consideration is exclusively a long,long haul aircraft and the cost of an air turnback because water or toilets fail is pretty high.However having said that, the cost of fitting screens and controlls that would allow a retrofitted FEs station to operate as per a Tristar or Classic B747 did, is obviously out of the question. The horse has bolted on that one
Those of you suggesting that an FE was, or is, the equivalent to a radio operator or a nav, simply don't know what a good FE did in difficult situations. I for one will be really interested to see what checklist messages came up and how they were handled. At least when a paper checklist is actioned to completion, it goes away.And in the end we FEs always knew where the best and cheapest beers were to be found although in this case I hope that the Company paid so that may not be relevant.
Wunwing
Last edited by Wunwing; 30th Nov 2010 at 01:09.