Windsheer:
[I]"Having looked at the seriousness of the fire in this one, if that had happened on immediate climb out, I think the odds would have been against them getting back.
The way the crew dealt with this shows such positive traits in BA's CRM culture. Hats off to pilots and cabin crew"[/I]
Whole heartedly agree with you first paragraph....
Great action from the crews, yes, but let's not forget the LAS ARFF and Airport Operations who also played a critical part in all this.
One of the key factors involved in a positive outcome for this incident was the runway being used (7L, intersection A8 - look at the airport diagram for KLAS/LAS). It is in close proximity to the fire station and that's why everyone was able to get on scene in about a minute - well inside the FAA-mandated time of three minutes. And the fire was extinguished in another 45 seconds. Where seconds matter, there is no doubt that location was a factor in the incident.
Footnote: GE engine now removed and en route to a GE facility. Airframe remains at the LAS cargo ramp............