Originally Posted by
BobM2
The USAir was an -80C2
You are correct, that was a CF6-80C2. I stand corrected...
GE has previously expressed concern regarding the use of PMA turbine blades (i.e. aftermarket blades). Their turbine disc life limits are based on the OEM blades - the PMA blades are typically a different material and significantly heavier than the OEM blades, which throws those turbine disc life limit analysis out the window...
BTW Turbine D, that was the other event I was thinking off (that picture of a partial disc embedded in the other engine is well seared in my memory, although I believe it bounced off the ground - it didn't go through the airplane). I didn't remember the aircraft being a write-off, but it was well used 767 so it probably didn't take all that much damage).
I treat early reports as highly suspect - more often than not they are incorrect, however if the report Airbubba quotes is correct of a fan disc failure, that's really scary. Off hand, I can't remember a fan disc failure since the Sioux City DC-10.